By Capt. John Crupi
As your worldly fishing and boating journeys forge ahead, it’s inevitable to want to upgrade. Bigger boats and tools yield bigger fish, right? What if I told you that bigger isn’t always a better approach?
Perhaps more is better? If a modern sportfishing boat is your vessel of choice, then some of the more remote destinations are still out of reach even with yacht transport. Without the endurance, range, crew and capacities needed to travel long distances, how can you ever cross such inspiring locations off your bucket list? Enter the mothership, where your wildest fishing fantasies are no longer constrained by fuel, dockage or shoreside amenities. You now have all of the resources needed to fish anywhere you want, whenever you want. This is exactly how we operated the 147-foot Dorothea III and her 63-foot Hatteras GT tender, Post One.
A Mothership in Action
Over the course of two years, we traveled in tandem and covered more than 40,000 miles across three separate oceans. The ability to travel and fish with the comforts of home is a dream for most but a reality for the rare few that have made the switch to this style of ownership and operation.
But you don’t have to have an interest in traveling to the South Pacific to justify a mothership. All you need is the drive and desire for the flexibility and freedom that a support vessel delivers. That said, in my 20 years of running the Dorothea/Post One program, I will tell you that some of our most unique fishing experiences occurred in those destinations that were well off the grid. The Marquesas in French Polynesia and Tonga in the Western Pacific are two of my personal favorites, offering both first-class fishing, unique culture and just enough infrastructure for those willing to make the trip. My vision for this new column is to touch on the challenges concerning the issues and logistics of globetrotting with two vessels that I hope you, as readers, owners, crew and fishermen, will find insightful and hopefully inspire you to pass the point of no return.
About Capt. John Crupi
Capt. John Crupi, founder of Rubicon Maritime Group, has led an expedition yacht/sportfishing program for the last 20 years, traveling thousands of miles to 80+ countries. After towing a sportfish for 15+ years, he built a Hatteras GT that was the first of its kind to cross the Atlantic and Pacific on her own bottom, with support from the 45m mothership Dorothea III. Just as comfortable in the shipyard as he is at the helm, Crupi has also spearheaded several major refit/rebuild projects. Having started his career in boating nearly 30 years ago in his hometown of Stuart, Florida, Crupi has been involved with boats, the ocean and fishing his entire life.
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