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About Us

Our History

Captain John Boats was established in 1946, running daily fishing trips. Captain John Boats now runs whale watching trips, deep sea fishing trips, a fast ferry run to Provincetown, harbor cruises, and private charters departing from the historic waterfront on both the Town Wharf and State Pier in Plymouth, MA, as well as the MacMillan Pier in Provincetown, MA.

Our Fleet

TAILS OF THE SEA

  • Length on deck: 110 feet
    Power: (4) MTU 60 Series Diesel Engines
    Horse Power: 825 each / 3300 total
    Fuel Capacity: 5000 gallons
    Generators: (2) Detroit Diesel, 40 KW
    Builder: Gulf Craft LLC, Franklin, LA
  • Passengers: 280
  • Speed: 24 knots / 27.5 mph
  • Safety: VHF Radio (2), Radar (2), GPS (2), AIS

CAPT JOHN & SON

  • Length: 85 feet
    Power: (2) Detroit Diesel 1271 TI diesel engines
    Horse Power: 600 each / 1200 total
    Fuel Capacity: 2000 gallons
    Generators: (2) Detroit Diesel, 20 KW
    Builder: Gulf Craft LLC, Franklin, LA
  • Passengers: 140
  • Speed: 18 Knots / 20.5 mph
  • Safety: VHF Radio (2), Radar (2), GPS (2), AIS

CAPT JOHN & SON II

  • Length: 85 feet
    Power: (2) MTU 60 Series Diesel Engines
    Horse Power: 825 each / 1650 total
    Fuel Capacity: 2000 gallons
    Generators: (2) Detroit Diesel, 20 KW
    Builder: Gulf Craft LLC, Franklin, LA
  • Passengers: 140
  • Speed: 20 knots / 23 mph
  • Safety: VHF Radio (2), Radar (2), GPS (2), AIS

CAPT JOHN & SON IV

  • Length on deck: 100 feet
    Power: (3) MTU 60 series diesel engines
    Horse Power: 825 each / 2475 total
    Fuel Capacity: 3000 gallons
    Generators: (2) Detroit Diesel, 20 KW
    Builder: Gulf Craft LLC, Franklin, LA
  • Passengers: 280
  • Speed: 25 Knots / 28.5 mph
  • Safety: VHF Radio (2), Radar (2), GPS (2), AIS

PILGRIM BELLE

  • Length: 65 feet
    Power: (2) John Deere Diesel Engines
    Builder: River Head Marine
    Fuel Capacity: 500 Gallons
  • Passengers: 90
  • Speed: 10 Knots / 11.5 mph
  • Safety: VHF Radio (2), GPS (2), Radar

Our Crew

BOB AVILA

Captain

Captain Bob

Bob grew up in New Bedford in a fishing family of Portuguese descent and has always been involved in fishing and boating. He has been a captain for over 4 decades and involved in whale watching for the past 30 years. Bob lives in Sandwich with his wife Cary and has a son, Alex, who is also a licensed Captain and loves the water.

KENNY HYSLOP

Captain

a man drinking from a boat

Kenny Hyslop has been working at Captain John as a deckhand since the age of 13 after a field trip sparked his interest in fishing. When he turned 19 years old, he received his 100-ton Captain’s license and has been fishing the waters of Cape Cod Bay ever since. Kenny grew up in Plymouth, where he still lives now. When he is not out on the water, you can find him hanging out with his 4 kids or fishing with friends. Kenny is certified in CPR and primarily runs the Captain John & Son.

JOHN GOGGIN

Captain

John

John Goggin has been working on commercial fishing vessels from age 13. Fishing the waters from George’s Bank to the Bering Sea Fisheries included draggings, scallopings, king crab and midwater trawling. John is CPR and first aid certified and has held a 100-ton Captain’s license for 20 years. John is also a licensed contractor and has his real estate license, but never strays too far from the boating industry, as it’s his passion and he always comes back to doing what he loves.

JACK GOULD

Captain

a person standing posing for the camera

Jack Gould grew up in Sandwich, MA and has wanted to be a captain since he was young. He grew up sailing and fishing. Jack graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 2020 and has had his license since 2018. Jack is First Aid and CPR certified. Outside of work, Jack likes to spend time fishing with friends and family.

JACK PANZERA

Captain

Jack Panzera

Jack was born and raised in Plymouth, MA. At the age of 15, he began working at Captain John as a deckhand as he has always had a love for the ocean and fishing. When he turned 21, he received his 100 ton Captain’s license. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Jack is certified in CPR and primarily runs the Capt. John & Son and the Pilgrim Belle.

MIKE HICKEY

Captain

a man standing next to a fence

Mike Hickey has been working on the water for the majority of his life. He is also a Registered Maine Guide, and when he is not operating vessels at Captain John Boats, you can try to find him in the woods of Maine. He is First Aid and CPR certified. Mike operates any one of our boats on any given day, so if you see him on board, feel free to stop by the wheelhouse and say hi!

STEVE SMITH

Captain

a man standing in front of a window

Steve Smith grew up and lives in Swansea, MA and has always spent his time on the water. He worked on tugboats as a deckhand for six years running along the East Coast and on the Great Lakes. Steve pursued a career as a city fireman since ’05 and still currently. He is CPR & AED certified and licensed as an EMT- cardiac. Outside of work, he enjoys time with his 2 boys and races sailboats. Steve holds a 100-ton Captains license and has been with Captain John boats since 2017. He primarily runs Captain John & Son II and Captain John & Son IV.

LISA BURKE

Captain

a person standing in a kitchen

Lisa Burke started with Captain John Boats as an intern in 2012. She graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2015 with a Bachelors of Science in Marine Transportation. In 2017, she was promoted to Captain and has been running the Pilgrim Belle ever since. She holds a 2nd Mate Unlimited Tonnage USCG license as well as a 100-ton Captain license.

LINDSAY HIRT

Naturalist

Lindsay

Lindsay Hirt, a Plymouth native, loves her salty hometown so much she decided to make a full circle back here to work after about a decade of academic study and field research along both poles of the eastern seaboard. Lindsay is a marine biologist with a focus on wildlife emergency management and a fondness for teaching others, especially kids, about environmental conservation. She is trained in wildlife rescue for both land and marine species. Over the course of her career, she has interned, volunteered, or worked directly with a wide range of conservation groups, including the National Marine Life Center, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, New England Aquarium, and the Goldenrod Foundation. The deciding factor for becoming a marine biologist was one Lindsay will never forget- seeing her first whale on a Captain John Boat at age five! She hopes you’ll be just as inspired after an amazing day on the water watching whales.

MICHELLE COLLINS

Naturalist

Michelle

Michelle Collins comes to us from the fine state of Illinois. She graduated in 2012 from the University of  Illinois with degrees in Integrative Biology and Psychology. Just after graduation, she came to Plymouth as an intern on Captain John for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), the world’s leading charity dedicated to the protection of whales and dolphins. Shortly after, she started working on the whale watches and continues to work for Captain John while also working full time for WDC. Michelle feels honored and extraordinarily lucky to be able to work with whales and dolphins 7 days a week and is excited to see what the next season of whale watching has in store!

DIANE BUCKBEE

Naturalist

Diane

Diane Buckbee started her career with Captain John 22 years ago when she collected whale data onboard for a class at Bridgewater State University. She loves sharing her knowledge and experience and is passionate about education and fostering a sense of guardianship over our magnificent gulf of Maine whales. Of particular interest to her are our floating classrooms, in which we begin educating even the youngest of students about the intricate and delicate nature of our oceans. She firmly believes she has the best job in the world!

Job Opportunities

Positions Available:

  • Captains
  • Deckhands
  • Galley (food service)
  • Customer service reps
  • Gas station attendants

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