Liberman, who remembered fishing aboard
the vessel as a child, bought the boat when it
was for sale several years later. The name Teal
comes from Spencer’s wife’s name, Mateal.
Capt. Mike Reark own the Salty Cracker, a 26-
foot Shamrock that you would usually see in the
Pass after sunset.
Capt. Mark Futch, owner and operator of
Sitarah (which translates to “Star of the East”)
explained that the vessel he operates today is
the second vessel of that name.
“The old Sitarah was built in 1944,” Futch
recalled (the original boat, a Lee Hickcock
design, was run by Capt. Billy Wheeler prior to
its sale to Futch). “I ran that boat for about 10
years until I got tired of maintaining a wooden
boat. So now I have this boat, which was built
down in Key West by Blue Marlin boat builders.”
Capt. Freddy Futch, another long-time island
guide, operated the original Miss Priss, a Knight
Brothers built boat, for several years. It was later
owned by The Gasparilla Inn & Club and
eventually purchased by Capt. Richard Coleman,
who renamed the vessel the Casuarina. It is now
run by Capt. Charlie Coleman. The original
Casuarina, a Hickcock design that Richard also
operated, was owned by island benefactor
Louise du Pont Crowninshield.
The Chris Rip, owned by islander Dixie Hollins,
is another boat seen frequently in the Pass. The
boat, a 31-foot Bertram, was named after his
parents, the late Rip and Christine Hollins, who
were avid tarpon anglers.
You also have Capt. Tater Spinks’ Anejo, a 35-
foot Bruno Stillman design that was built in New
Hampshire, and the 34-foot Crusader called the
Julie Jean, still owned by the wife of the late Capt.
Jimmy Robertson. The boat is named after his
daughter who used to serve as first
mate, and now serves as captain of the vessel.
G
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