history

THE HISTORY BEHIND
THE BLUE SEA II

Capt. Judd Waterman as a young boy fished off the local bridges, sea walls, and marinas.
While fishing off the marina docks he was invited many times by local charter and party boat Captains to go fishing with them as a helper. He learned a lot about fishing the Miami and Miami Beach waters from these pioneer fishermen. When he was 16 yr's old he became the mate on the party boat SEA LEGS which operated out of the Gulf Docks, adjacent to the Gulf Hotel where west avenue on Miami Beach meets the Macarthur Causeway.
Capt.George Jennings was the owner and Capt. of the SEA LEGS and he taught Capt. Judd most of the boat handling he needed for setting up drifts over fishing spots without the modern equipment we use today in our daily fishing ventures.
   Capt.Judd Waterman was first mate on the original Reward from 1952-53 while it was owned by Sam Rosenblat and Irving Setler. In 1954 the boat was sold to Vince DeBonis with the agreement that 1st mate Judd came with the boat.Within one year the Coast Guard changed all small passenger safety requirements under the Raybill Law. (which was passed by congress in that year) Capt. Vince asked 1st mate Judd to get his Captains license so he could skipper the REWARD while Capt. Vince upgraded to a newer vessel. The replacement vessel was the REWARD II which was converted from a World War II air sea rescue vessel, (after a lot of modifications,)
In 1960, Capt. Vince with his new partner Max Goldstein purchased another rebuilt air sea rescue vessel which they named the REWARD III from Chris boatyard here in Miami which is now named Norseman Shipbuilding, Corp.This vessel was sold to a sightseeing vessel operator in the Virgin islands after three years of operation in the fishing business.
   In 1967, Capt.Judd left the Reward Boat Lines,Inc. to start a new business with Ray Yurgil with a vessel called the Kon Tiki . Capt.Judd with the Kon Tiki and some young avid fishermen entered the most light tackle entries in the Metropolitan Miami tournament for a party boat in its history, they were the top boat in the 3 years it operated out of Miami Beach from 1967 thru 1969. The next year Capt.Judd and Mr Yurgil split up their partnership and Capt.Judd went back to operating the REWARD II for Capt.Vince.
In 1973, Capt.Vince put the Reward II up for sale and Capt.Judd and his friend Ron Goldenberg purchased the boat from Capt.Vince.
Early in the year 1977 Capt.Judd's Partner Capt.Ron, decided he is leaving the fishing business to start a new business, which he still owns today and is successful at.
Capt.Judd forms a new company and he names it the REWARD FISHING FLEET, INC.
and starts looking for a new vessel to replace the Reward II, for it will not pass its next Coast Guard Inspection which is due in January of 1978.
   The BLUE SEA II was purchased in December 1977 and went into operation the day after Christmas 1977. In January1978 the Reward II was placed into retirement and remained there until 1980. In 1980 Dan Kipnis ( who began fishing with Capt. Judd when he was 13 yr's.old and later became a part time mate for Capt.Judd and fishing buddy before he went away to college ) returned from Columbia ( where he lived for a few years after finishing college.) He asked Capt. Judd if he could be his partner in the Reward II if he put up the funds to completely rebuild the vessel. Capt.Judd said yes and after 18 months of boat yard work the Reward II went back into operation on July 4th 1982. It was used for half day and Bahama fishing trips until early 1985 when Capt.Judd sold his half interest in the Reward II ( which was owned by Three Captains. Inc.) to Capt. Dan.
Capt.Judd kept the BLUE SEA II which is the sole remaining vessel in the original REWARD FISHING FLEET, INC.
The other business in our area who is using our name has no connections with us..!
    The following HISTORY pages will give you the background of the Excellent Captains and Mates who have helped Capt.Judd through out the years, and also a description of the fishing vessels he owned or operated. and also a description of rigging and tackle.

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