Trawler Trash book series and real life Larry Briggs

[DavidM]

I have enjoyed Ed Robinson's Trawler Trash book series based on a fictional character nicknamed Breeze who lived on his trawler in SW Florida, the keys and the Caribbean, ran some dope, righted wrongs and bounced from girl to girl.

I ran across this tribute to Larry Briggs published in Passagemaker some years ago and was struck by the similarity between Larry and the fictional Breeze. I wonder if Ed Robinson used Larry's life as a model for his book series. His legal maneuvers to get out of a pot bust were very similar to Breeze's.

Larry was evidently quite the mariner, having circumnavigated three times something that Breeze never did. There is a lot to like and some to deplore about his life just like Breeze.

Go to http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/trip-report;-san-diego-la-paz-42171.html and read the short tribute.

David

 

[mod45]

I think this is the link you intended to post:
https://www.passagemaker.com/channels/a-tribute-to-larry-briggs-1940-2013

Trawler Trash was a guilty pleasure, so much so that I recently started rereading the whole series to fall asleep at night. I'm bummed Ed moved on to the mountains, I think he discovered an interesting niche. Hopefully someone else will pick up the fictional boat adventures genre and run with it.

 

[DavidM]

You are correct. Thanks for fixing my bad link.


David

 

[oldhatt]

Briggs vs Breeze

Larry Briggs was the real deal and I am sorry to learn that he is gone. Towards the bottom of the linked story we learn that CHARTWELL, his 55' trawler, was listed for sale at $199,500 in Ft. Lauderdale. Sweet deal for an ocean crossing Cheoy Lee trawler. Looks like a great boat.


As for Ed Robinson and his character, BREEZE, I have read all his books and I really did enjoy them. However, Breeze does not hold a candle to Larry Briggs IMHO. Like Robinson, Breeze is a short timer when it comes to cruising - maybe 6 years give or take. Breeze was strictly Florida/Bahamas/Caribbean. Larry Briggs was a true lifetime world class mariner, reportedly circumnavigating three times.


Ed Robinson, Breeze's creator, freaked out this past summer over the Red Tide on the Florida Gulf coast, as revealed on his Facebook page. He sold his 36' trawler after about six years of ownership and beat a quick retreat to the mountains of North Carolina.


With only a six year (+/-) stint as a boat owner, Robinson / Breeze would not even qualify as a fresh water Conch in the Florida Keys.


Still, Ed Robinson is a gifted writer and his Breeze series is definitely worth reading, but only his books that are set in Florida and points south. I am not at all signed on with his Mountain Breeze effort set in North Carolina.



Clearly, however, Robinson / Breeze have some fun reading and adventures to offer but neither are not remotely close to being Larry Briggs.

 

[Gmarr]

Just read that the author Ed Robinson passed away today

 

[healhustler]

Just read that the author Ed Robinson passed away today

RIP, Ed. Thanks for many evenings of entertainment.

 

[mod45]

How sad, two days from his post about cancer to death. Life is precious and short.

RIP Ed. You created a helluva character in Breeze. Your writing entertained and inspired many.

 

[Cruising Sea Venture]

You have motivated me to track down this series of books.

Yes, Larry Briggs was the real deal.

His boat, Chartwell, is the sister ship to ours - Sea Venture.

At 10,000 hours and 70,000 NM's of travel we are still going strong. Like Chartwell, our Sea Venture has been refit since new to make it more comfortable for ocean travel. Cheoy Lee built these boats (about 12 of this long range model) before it was widely believed you could cross oceans in a power boat this size both safely and comfortably. Of course, Beebe's Voyaging Under Power was out, but it was mostly theory.

Currently up in SE Alaska cruising this winter. Nothing like 30 knots of blowing snow while anchoring - and having a ball! Also, the visibility scuba diving is spectacular here in the winter. When diving is 42 degree water it surprisingly doesn't seem that cold when the air temperature is 35 degrees.

Next summer, Covid permitting, we will run down to the Sea of Cortez for next winter and enjoy some warm water diving.

Jim
M/V Sea Venture
www.youtube/CruisingSeaVenture