Post Script: Integrity for Sale

We asked for a certificate proving that we have experience at the wheel of a trawler. We were curious whether Captain Bob, without any certain knowledge of our experience or instruction, would provide such a document. He did, and under the heading, Safety and Seamanship Certificate, it reads:

This is to certify that from the dates of 5/24/2011 thru [sic] 5/25/2011[our names inserted] has successfully completed Trawler School Charters comprehensive hands on training course. The vessel Miami Mermaid a 40' sundeck Trawler powered by a single 165hp Perkins engine equipped with Chart Plotter, Auto Pilot . . . . . . Waters of chartered navigation was from the Port of Miami.

If you have read the previous seven blogs, you know that our training was, by no stretch of the imagination, "comprehensive." Please beware, Buyers, of this school!

Final Thoughts and The ABCs of Trawlers

 I am a retired English teacher with 37 years of experience teaching students from the 16 years of age to 70. For 13 ½ years, I taught adults and recent high school graduates at a community college. Most of the other years were devoted to sophomore, junior and senior high school students.

My husband has also served as a teacher. He taught at vocational-technical schools. One of the subjects he taught was report writing so he is very familiar with grammar and usage. He will also freely admit that correct spelling has plagued him all his days.

With our background, you will understand that we noticed the imperfections in Captain Bob’s book. Nevertheless, the diagrams about trawlers and explanations about hulls, sizes, layouts, and engines are useful.

Still, the book has not been updated since 2009; thus, pages 32-51, consisting of lists of trawlers for sale, and many of the duplicated forms that follow page 51, are suspect. Some or all of the information therein may be inaccurate and certainly cannot compete with Yacht World online.

The fact that this book has not been updated annually is further evidence that Captain Bob’s operation may be cruising on its past glory rather than building upon it and enhancing it.

We cannot recommend the book, especially at a cost of $25.00 if sold separately from the charter. Captain Bob will provide a copy at no additional cost if people put down a deposit (50% of the total cost) for a charter.

Caveat Emptor because

·      Neither of the contractual captains may show up to teach aboard and captain the Miami Mermaid.

·      Mechanical failures may interrupt the itinerary or prevent you from completing the charter. Remember, at least one other couple, referenced on the Living Aboard Forum, received a settlement, but not until they took Captain Bob to court. He settled the day before the Court date. Furthermore, log entries and posted on Captain Bob’s web site refer to mechanical failures.

·      The Miami Mermaid is not what it appears to be when viewing Captain Bob’s web site at http://www.trawlerschoolcharters.com. Be sure to compare his photos with the few we have been able to include with this blog.

·      Because Captain Bob chose Captain Brian as his substitute without notice or contractual agreements, we assert that Captain Bob breached his own contract.

·      Captain Bob’s choice for a substitute captain did not have broker experience, something that Captain Bob’s charter promises. Indeed, learning to buy the right trawler and how to negotiate is at the heart of Captain Bob’s educational program.

·      Captain Bob did not deal fairly with us. We received information about only 4 of the 41 items listed as instructional topics, yet he contends we received nearly $2,000 worth of education. In addition, information printed in The ABCs of Trawlers and related to other topics from the list of 41 is dated, having been originally written in 2001 and last updated in 2009. The book is not worth $25 much less nearly $2,000.

Captain Bob Uses his Contract--the One He Breached--to Refuse a Refund

My husband sent the following to Captain Robert L. Hamilton on what should have been our final day of cruising and learning.

May 27, 2011

Captain Hamilton

Trawler School Charters

                                                            Re: Trawler School Refund, May 23-May 27

In light of the fact that you did not return my call after 3 requests to do so, I am compelled to state the problem herein and to notify you that I require an additional refund of $1850.00 (on top of the $1050.00 already received) be sent to my home address as quickly as possible. This is based upon the complete breech of your contract. Please read the entire document to the end and respond.

The trawler is advertised on your web site as “owner operated” and your contract states you or substitute Captain Fred Studwell will be in charge of the vessel. Since Captain Studwell’s name is on the cover of your book, I would assume he is a principal in your business. Without prior notification, you substituted Captain Brian.

Your contract states you, at your sole discretion, may cancel a charter for reasons of malfunction or unsafe conditions. Captain Brian created the unsafe condition. He had the odor of alcoholic beverage about his person when we arrived at 3:00 PM. He seemed startled when I walked up on him at the boat and appeared to be stuffing breath mints into his mouth, leaving white residue at the corners of his mouth for quite some time. He asked why we arrived that early, and I told him we were eager to start learning. He explained he would not be doing any teaching 9 [that evening] as it would disrupt the flow of his lessons. He stated he was going for a hotdog and a beer and directed us to join him at Billy’s when he meant Jimbo’s where he went until we called him. He joined us at Billy’s and ordered a martini. We returned to the boat and departed for the first nights anchorage where the windlass was found to be not in working order. During Brian’s attempt to solve the anchor problem, he discovered the generator failure. We tied up at Capone’s where he ordered a Pinot Noir. He clearly had consumed a significant amount of liquor in 4 hours on Monday evening.

On Tuesday morning we arrived about 9:00 AM and after a planning session for the day’s cruise, we departed the slip. Brian asked us to standby on the deck as he had shown us Monday evening for departure. The attempt to back out of the slip resulted in the right rear corner of the boat tearing boards loose from the dock, and the front of the boat [the pulpit] in the slip immediately west of the Mermaid’s struck the starboard windows of the Mermaid, damaging the snap-on screens. During this ordeal, we, the students, were told to shove the boat off these obstacles. We were supposed to learn how to be deck hands. We did not come aboard with the knowledge and experience to save his boat. The owners of a Rhode Island vessel witnessed the entire departure and probably reported Brian to the Dock Master who, at the end of the day, informed Brian to do better. The witnesses should be contacted regarding Brian’s performance.

Brian continued to drink Tuesday and Wednesday while teaching us, often removing himself to check the engines and returning with a mixed drink. He did, in fact, take the helm during the instruction and while an open container was within reach. Alcohol was strong on his breath as he stood at our shoulders to instruct us. On Wednesday, he was so intoxicated that he became belligerent, misogynistic, racist, and boastful. On two occasions he placed his hands on me in a familiar way I would only tolerate from very close friends. The second time he fell on me from the back to engage, apparently in some kind of camaraderie hug while I stood at the wheel. He caused me to fall into the instrument panel and hold him up for several seconds until he disengaged. Further, he made two remarks about my wife that were very offensive. In the second one, he again leaned upon me in a “buddy” fashion and whispered that “between me and you” he would “turn on the auto pilot and she can talk to Iron Mike.”

The photographs posted on your web site do not represent the true conditions of the trawler as of May 2011. We have photographs of the dried teak floor in the master stateroom, the duct taped water handle in the en suite toilet, the tobacco and/or seaweed in the en suite sink. Captain Brian described the accommodations as “going to camp” and “roughing it.” At the rate of $2,900 for four nights and three full days aboard with room, board, and instruction and in light of the photos posted online, we did not and should by no reasonable means be expected to equate “romantic moonlight” dinners and romantic get-away to “roughing it.” At the very least, we would expect toilet paper—not provided even after requesting it. [My wife] … brought a roll on board myself on Tuesday morning.

Furthermore, the vessel was not in working order: the windlass for the anchor did not work and needed to be replaced; therefore, our abilities to anchor and make the voyage we were promised was not possible, according to Brian who did, in fact, confer with you. Also, the generator could not function until worked upon, a full 18 hours after we were scheduled to board and travel.

In addition, the “dinghy” on board is non-existent. Again, we have photographic evidence of this other bit of false advertising.

For several days, we were inundated with stories as Brian “blew his own horn” and boasted of his qualifications and experience. Please be aware of my background. I am an ex-police officer and recognized as an expert witness in the area of alcohol impairment. I assure you Captain Brian was impaired while in control of the commercial vessel Mermaid with charter passengers onboard. His thoughts patterns became increasingly confused as the hours progressed, and he often lost his train of through [sic: thought]. He also had an alcoholic beverage open beside him while on duty and underway. This is in direct violation of USCG regulation concerning boating while intoxicated and having an open container at hand while on duty.

We did not choose to place ourselves in danger on Thursday for the last day of training, as Brian’s drinking was becoming worse as the week progressed and he felt more comfortable with us which means that we did not fail to show up, your charter service failed to provide the safe environment as stated in your contract.

Four days later, on May 31, 2011, when we were already in the air on our way home, Captain Bob replied:

                                                                                                                                                               

In response to your email dated May 26, 2011 and per the settlement we both agreed on, we handed you a check in the amount of $1050.00 dated and cashed by you on May 26, 2011.  You chose to attend classes for 2 of the 3 days and received all of the Trawler educational classes and hands on training.  To our understanding you were very happy with the knowledge you acquired during your charter.  We are sorry you chose not to attend the last day. We have never had any complaints about our training, This is our 6th year in business with a long list of happy and satisfied clients.

As a former police officer, you had the opportunity and knowledge to place a call to the appropriate authorities if you believed you were positioned in an unsafe environment. This was not done. Any additional refund is not an appropriate remedy and will not be issued. Please see the Arbitration statement below.

Sincerely,

Captain Robert Hamilton

The Arbitration statement is in your signed contract.

‘All parties to this agreement agree as a term of this charter, that any dispute arising between the parties will be resolved through arbitration, at Broward County, Florida, applying the Florida statutes to any dispute. Each party agrees to pay their own costs of arbitration. Venue and Jurisdiction for any appeal of an arbitration award will be in Broward County, using Florida law.’

All we can add is how curious it is that Captain Bob falls back upon his contract as his defense when he did, in fact, breach his own contract by substituting a captain not named in that very contract. I guess he assumes the contract binds us, but not him.

Caveat Emptor! Let the buyer beware!

I would also add that complaint-free cruising is not entirely true. Captain Bob provided a refund to another couple on board when the generator failed--just before the Court date.

In addition, Captain Bob--the man we contracted with--may be a terrific teacher and captain. He may well deliver excellence in spite of a downtrodden trawler. We wouldn’t know. That man did not show up for us. Captain Brian did.

Tomorrow: About that book, the ABCs of Trawlers, that Captain Bob is so proud of.

Onboard Safety and the Coast Guard

We live in a state surrounded by other states--no oceans within less than a hard day’s drive. We have plenty of lakes, most of them man-made. One is the reddish brown color of the soil here; most are just dark and deep.

We are policed differently also. Each town, no matter how small, has its own police force, sometimes a single officer on call most any time of any day. The State has a separate force, responsible for interstates and highways and lakes. The Wildlife Rangers also patrol the parks and lands around the lakes.

In Florida, we learned, most everything starts with the Sheriff’s departments. On the water, there are U. S. forces, especially near ports, as well as the Coast Guard. We worked our way through these in order to alert authorities to the potential harms and ascertain whether illegal activities were being committed aboard Miami Mermaid.

First, we tried to learn something about drinking on the water. Common sense told us that boating while impaired should be prohibited. We learned that the effect of wind and water exacerbates the effects of alcohol so any prudent individual would exercise great restraint and caution when consuming alcohol. We then called a national number for the Coast Guard and received a voice mail opportunity. We wanted more immediate results.

My husband then called the Dockmaster on duty Thursday morning, May 26, 2011 at Dania Beach Marina. He said that he really should keep that number handy as people asked for it all the time, that the number was around somewhere but he could not lay hands on it.

Next, we called the Sheriff's office and were connected to the Coast Guard without delay. The Coast Guard told us that Captain Brian had broken the law in many ways. He should not have been drinking before taking the helm to motor down the waterway, and he should not have been drinking while overseeing our instruction. In fact, Captain Brian should not have had an open container of anything beside him or in hand. The Coast Guard also promised to put the Miami Mermaid on its watch list and to board the boat as soon as possible.

We do not know what the length of the Coast Guard’s list is. We do not know how quickly the Guard is able to follow through. We do not know if Captain Brian has been stopped. We hope so because we reported him in order to protect future guest-students.

We wish we had called the Guard from the boat and not just because Captain Bob used that omission against us, saying that if we really thought we were in danger or that Captain Brian was a danger to the other passing boats and ships, then we would have called. Since we did not, Captain Bob seems to think we exaggerated the conditions or worse, made them up.

Again, it takes cajones for a man not to represent the condition of his boat truly and to breach his own contract by substituting a captain unspecified in that contract and one that seems unfit for the task, then call his guest-students’ truthfulness into question.

Caveat Emptor! Let the buyer beware!

We have alerted the Better Business Bureau, thanks to the advice of other Trawler Dreamers writing through the Living Aboard Forum. We plan to alert even more so that no one else is taken advantage of as we were.

Lessons Lost, Never Offered

In spite of photos showing a dinghy on Captain Bob’s web site, there is no dinghy stowed aft, stowed atop the sundeck, stowed across the bow. Nothing, nada, no dinghy. Yet his photo archives clearly show a dinghy, even one couple smiling from the dinghy. Hmmm….Captain Bob needs to update his web site to reflect reality; otherwise, a claim of false advertising is entirely justified.

Not only that, Captain Bob’s log book includes plenty of testimonials from his early years, perhaps the years when the trawler was in tip-top shape, but the most recent log book entry is from 2009. Under the link entitled “Trawler Book,” you will find copies of two testimonials submitted to periodicals. These date from 2010, and they are glowing.

Our experience differs markedly. Trawler School Charters promises to instruct students in (taken directly from www.trawlerschoolcharters.com):

Various Trawler Subjects will be Covered

1. Models & Layouts

• Different Models: (Trunk, Sundeck, Sedan or Pilothouse) - Whichever model fits your needs.
• Layouts Master/Guest; Stateroom, Salon, Galley Up or Down ... and
• The right size trawler for your cruising needs

2. The Trawler Market

• Researching, how to locate a trawler
• The right price: getting the biggest bang for your buck
• Buying and fixing up a cheap and tired trawler
• Keeping up with your investment
• Resale Value 1 year - 3 years - 5 years

3. The Contract

• The Art of Negotiation
• Understanding a binding contract/deposit
• Working with brokers, private sellers and surveyors
• Survey and sea trial: haul out
• How to read the survey
• Addressing deficiencies found on a survey.

4. Single Engine Vs. Twin

• Engine Room Set Up
• Personal Inspection dockside, underway
• Cleanliness is next to Godliness
• Fool proofing your engine room
• Troubleshooting; and
• Repairs, Spares & Tools

 5. Maintenance Tips

• Exterior and Interior.
• The Engine Room
• Mechanical Operating Systems/Generator
• Cosmetics
• Locating & Fixing Leaks
• Plumbing

6. Electrical System

• Balanced 12V Battery System
• Electronics
• Refrigeration System

7. Living Aboard/ Cruising

• Long Range Cruising
• Equipping your boat
• Safety & Security
• Finding marinas and their prices
• Intracoastal dockage and anchoring

8. Art of Seamanship

• Navigation
• Rules of the Road
• Anchoring
• Communications
• Docking and line handling
• Weather
• Night Maneuvers

As you can easily see, Trawler School Charters promises to cover eight categories and 41 sub-topics within those 8 categories. We received instruction and experience in 4:

·      Direct experience with the improved maneuverability of twin engines (after Captain Brian had great difficulty pulling out of the slip on the morning of the first full day of cruising instruction)

·      Navigation (red and green markers about which we had already read in Quimby’s)

·      Rules of the Road

·      Communicating with a bridge regarding opening

Yet, Captain Bob asserted that we had received some instruction and were therefore not entitled to any additional refund when we found it unwise to continue. Here’s why we found it unwise to continue.

On the morning of the first full day of cruising instruction (about 6 hours on Tuesday, May 24), Captain Brian had a tough time backing out of the slip. He moved back and forward, making slight angular adjustments, repeatedly. The bow of the boat in the next slip (the pulpit) endangered the starboard side of Miami Mermaid. Only sheer physical force and our hands prevented real damage to either vessel. My husband and I had to push against the other vessel to keep it from gouging the Mermaid.

This debacle was witnessed by two live-aboard individuals with alarm, judging by their facial expressions and arm gestures, especially when the woman wiped imaginary sweat from her brow as we finally were away clear. Someone reported this episode to the dockmaster who asked Captain Brian to be “less dramatic” the following morning. Captain Brian blamed the “drama” upon us as incompetent newbies, thereby causing him to do “everything by himself.”

We cannot say with certainty that alcohol played any part in Captain Brian’s exit that morning. His drink smelled like Pepsi as the day began. Later, it did not, and we could smell alcohol on his breath. We were uncomfortable with this behavior, but he was sure-footed when he climbed up and down steps and his speech was not slurred. He also did not lose track of his thoughts or conversation. Those behaviors would show themselves on the next, even shorter day.

We only cruised north and back on the intercoastal waterway for about four hours on Wednesday. During this time, Captain Brian grew more boastful about his experience and qualifications while becoming less guarded about what he said. He recounted a story about a verbal dust-up in a bar wherein Blacks were not represented well. He grew misogynistic, yet all too familiar and chummy with my husband.

Brian also left the helm about every hour to conduct an engine check. He always returned with a full plastic glass of a beverage, and his breath smelled stronger and stronger of alcohol. We no longer felt safe to be aboard under his tutelage and did not return on Thursday.

Tomorrow: Onboard Safety and the Coast Guard

Mechanical Breakdowns: Generator and Windlass

A portion of Captain Bob’s e-mail confirmation to guest-students reads in part as follows:

…you may board the Miami Mermaid sundeck trawler anytime after 3:00 PM for your stowaway night. We will embark from Ft Lauderdale and cruise to a
mysterious cove and anchor for the night. Dinner will be served by the Captain.

We were at the Dania Beach dock at 3:00 p.m. After Captain Brian introduced himself, he asked why we were there so early. My husband answered honestly, saying that he couldn’t wait to begin learning how to buy a trawler and how to captain one. Brian said that those lessons do not begin on the first night and suggested that most guests go across the street to lie on the beach or swim until time to start the engines. He said he planned to get underway about 6:00. He also suggested that we bring aboard wine or beer, whatever we would like, and directed us to a liquor store. Finally, he told us to meet him at Billy’s where we could chat about the school before actually beginning the cruise aboard.

We are by no means undergrown people so lying on the beach was not in our plans. Thus, we drove off to find beer and wine, then locate Billy’s. We were successful with both tasks, but Captain Brian was not at Billy’s. We ordered oysters and margaritas, then called Brian. He admitted that he had said Billy’s when, in fact, he meant Jimbo’s so he left Jimbo’s bar and grill, where we assume he was imbibing, to join us at Billy’s where he ordered a martini.

After enjoying a brief get-acquainted period, we returned to the dock and prepared to get underway. I was given a duty with one starboard aft rope; my husband was up front at the bow. Our departure was smooth and drama-free, but we were quite surprised to discover that the mysterious cove is actually very public and directly across from a row of night-life restaurants and bars, including Le Tub Saloon and Capone’s Pizza. Loud music of different types rang across the water as we cruised along in the no-wake zone and attempted to anchor.

Captain Brian quizzed my husband about how to position the trawler when anchoring; e.g., 1) bow into the wind and 2) safe positioning for a change in weather and other boats nearby. My husband did very well on this quiz, by the way. He had been reading everything he could find before our trip.

Alas, the Windlass failed to release the anchor. Brian hurried up and down the boat, trying to locate the problem and repair it. In doing so, he observed that the generator was also malfunctioning. It had just been worked on, we were assured, but it was shutting itself off as if it were overheating. (Bob's generator was the focus of another complaint that can be found on www.livingaboard.com/forum.)

Finally, when repair proved impossible, we motored the short distance to the public tie-ups outside a row of restaurants in Hollywood, FL, Dania Beach’s next-door neighbor. Brian recommended that we choose one of the restaurants for our dinner (thus, our first night’s dinner—for which we had presumably paid—was voided) while he tried to contact Captain Bob and resolve the problem.

Later he joined us, ate some of our pizza, ordered a Pinot for which we paid, drank it, and told us we would be spending the night right where we were. Without a generator or much of a breeze so close to buildings plus the poor condition of the aft stateroom windows, the night loomed as a sweaty, restless one—certainly not the one we had envisioned. We asked to be taken back to the original dock so we could return to a hotel for a good night’s sleep. We also asked that Bob contact us directly.

Late at night, worried about Captain Brian’s apparent habit of having a drink before taking the helm, disappointed by the condition of the trawler, and afraid that the boat was in very poor mechanical condition (based upon two mechanical failures in less than one hour), we asked for a refund or a change in contractual terms. My husband was eager to salvage something, however. We had built our trawler shopping around Trawler School Charters and had already spent money on round-trip plane tickets. We had also contacted several brokers along the Atlantic coast between Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville so that we could “shop” for a broker as well as a style of boat. None of this money would have been expended if the location and dates of Captain Bob’s school had not been Florida in May. In other words, we did not travel to the Texas coast, closer and within driving distance, because we valued what we could gain from Trawler School Charters and could not find a comparable opportunity closer to home. But we were fooled by Bob's web site, the photos, and glowing testimonials--only to discover much too late that there is little value in Bob's Trawler School Charters.

As I indicated in yesterday’s blog, Captain Bob was reluctant and brusque, but he agreed to day educational trips, no food served on board or provided to us, and a refund equal to approximately one-third the total cost.  This was not fair compensation, in our opinion, but we were willing to risk at least another day to see if the boat could be made ready, and we were assured that a Marine Engineer would be on the Miami Mermaid first thing in the morning.

We should have fought for a full refund at this point as you will see. Although the generator was an easy fix and completed by 9:00 a.m., the Windlass could not be repaired until the end of the second day—the day when we should have been in the Keys. Indeed none of the promised destinations was now possible because of late starts, the failure of the Windlass, and the time required to move slowly up or down the Intercoastal Waterway. The advertised Education Vacation became Education only, and we paid dearly for it. Caveat Emptor! Let the buyer beware.

Tomorrow: More False Advertising. Dinghy, dinghy? Who’s got the dinghy?

The Miami Mermaid Online and In Reality

Take a look at Captain Bob’s web site: http://www.trawlerschoolcharters.com. Looks cozy and inviting, right?

Well, it’s not. I don’t know when Captain Bob took those photos, but it was some time ago. In between those photos and May 2011 when we stepped aboard the Miami Mermaid, Captain Bob has not maintained the trawler well. (In fact, we suspect that the trawler has not looked that good in many a year because another couple complained about the gap between Captain Bob’s advertising and the reality. For more on this, see  http://www.livingaboard.com/forum. Unfortunately, we did not see this complaint until after we had flown to Ft. Lauderdale and discovered that Captain Bob’s operation is not all it appears to be.)

Consider the sun deck. Did you notice the three chairs and a table in Captain Bob's version? Now there are only two. The table has been folded and stowed. Buckets and gear clutter the area. (Photo below the Blog title)

The salon is nothing like the web site photos either! That fine TV is no more (see the May 2011 photo upper right at the beginning of this post). Another sets in its place, but it’s hard to pick it out from the surrounding clutter that includes wires strung across the face of it, a fire extinguisher just below, and bins for books.

Overall, Captain Bob’s photos show the salon to be neat and organized. The reality is neither. The captain’s seat sags and appears to be used for nothing more than storage. The corner nook, just to the right of the steps leading to the sundeck under the stained glass effect, spills over with stuff, including a record of the work that Captain Bob has done on the trawler. His before and after pictures prove that he has, in fact, improved upon the boat, but once he made those improvements, he seemed to ignore the effects of time and wear because the boat is now again in need of the Clean House crew as well as some spit and polish.

Downstairs, in the master stateroom aft, one wonders what standards Captain Bob has because in our telephone conversations with him, he took great exception to the notion that the stateroom has not been cleaned in a long while. He declared that he himself cleaned it so he knows how clean it is.

Bob’s protestations notwithstanding, grit is in every drawer. The hanging closet shelves sag and/or show signs of grease and age. A panel lies in the floor, evidence that someone worked on something behind that panel and failed to replace it. In fact, the panel would not stay in place.

The parquet floor is soft in places; the blanket (not a satiny bedspread as shown in the photos) feels sticky and thick as fabrics that have not been washed in a long time often do. A large bottle of Febreeze was prominently displayed--as if the final gesture at cleaning was to spray all the surfaces before departing and forgetting to put away the bottle.

The toilet is a do-it-yourself model. Captain Brian explained that no toilet paper should go in the toilet and that the vacuum mechanism needs repair so guests must stand in for that mechanism. They do this by filling a large plastic cup with water. If going #1 in that toilet, then pour one cup of water in the toilet bowl before pumping the handle installed on the right in order to flush the urine and water. A #2 void requires two full glasses of water.

You must admit: it’s easy to remember, right? One glass for #1; two for #2. But if you require toilet paper, none was available, and none was ever provided in spite of asking twice. I finally brought my own roll on board. I imagine the next charter’s guests will enjoy having it.

The sink was another joy to behold. Something very much like a wad of chewing tobacco lay therein, turning the stomach topsy-turvy. In addition, one faucet handle had been duct-taped in place to ward off any potential users. (Scroll down to the end of the first post to see photos of the sink.)

By the way, when you review Captain Bob’s before and after photos (and I hope you never will because this blog will save you from paying for Captain Bob’s services), be sure to study the Captain’s commode. Palatial. Well-appointed. Spacious. Top of the line. If only his guests were treated as well.

I cannot speak for the shower. We never had occasion to use it. When the anchor could not be launched and the generator shut itself off, we saw no reason to put up with cramped, dirty conditions. We asked to be taken back to the dock and set free. We also asked for a partial refund and agreed to day trips so that we could learn about navigation and trawler purchase.

Captain Bob was gruff and implied that we might not be trustworthy when he asked us to “be honest” about the real costs of our hotel room. For a man whose online photos do not honestly reflect the trawler that people pay to board, that was a bodacious and rude directive.

Captain Bob’s stand-in, Brian, told us that the trawler may be run-down, but the engine is still sound. He suggested that the mechanics of the trawler is what we need for a trawler education, and we agreed--except when I pay $300 a night for a hotel room, I expect certain amenities and comforts that I would never expect from a $49 hotel room. Captain Bob charges far more than $300 per day and night and offers food (none of which was ever served, even before we renegotiated after the mechanical failures of the first night), instruction, and a vacation. For the money he charges and in light of his own advertising, his trawler should look like the one online!

What did we learn? Caveat Emptor! Let the buyer beware!

Tomorrow’s post: The windlass fails. We cannot learn more than theory about anchoring and that we can read about in Chapman Piloting and Seamanship, 65^th edition.