Bleu Bug Trawler Training

[4yanks]

My wife and I are considering buying a live-aboard boat when I retire in 2 years. We own a 23 foot dual console now but know nothing about operating and maintaining a trawler. So we though we would attend a trawler school, partly to learn to pilot a larger boat and partly to help us in deciding if we would be interested in the lifestyle. We are looking at Bleu Bug Trawler Training (link below). It is close to us and uses a Defever, a brand which we are partial to at this point. Has anyone got any experience with this school and if so what was your opinion. Thank you.

Trawler Training at Bleu Bug

[O C Diver]

No experience with them. If I were considering them, I would ask for 4 to 6 references that chartered them in the manner you desire.

Ted

[DavidM]

I don't have any experience with Randy or Bleu Bug. I have read about their 3 day training and 7 day cruise.

I would talk to Randy, explain your situation, and ask him to structure more than 3 days, maybe 7 of cruising, training in boat handling and systems management and particularly anchoring. I suspect that when you retire, you won't want to spend $100 per night for marinas. So learn to anchor and enjoy remote places to hang out but also take your dingy to shore from an anchorage rather than tie up at a marina.

There are really nice places both north and south of where Randy docks his boat, particularly on the Waccamaw River. Don't get a mooring in Georgetown; anchor out in the river just north of it. Same thing with Charleston or Beaufort: anchor in the river and dinghy ashore to see the town. You need to learn how to do that sort of thing rather than spend money on marinas.

David