Captain Dave Carraro
F/V Tuna.com - Wicked Tuna TV Show
Unpredictable weather and rough seas have never stopped Captain Dave Carraro from conquering the fishing game—after all, he’s been hooked for 38 years. Armed with just a rod and a reel and his FV-Tuna.com commercial boat, Captain Carraro has wrangled his way to charter fishing success. He’s even a previous winner and leading competitor on National Geographic’s hit TV show, Wicked Tuna, where teams chase bluefin off the coast of Massachusetts.
To compete successfully in both television and in the charter business, Carraro needs to maintain crystal-clear communication on board whilefishing spots off-the-grid. He refuses to do anything else but “succeed, catch the most fish, and make the most money.” That’s why he uses Globalstar to stay miles ahead of the game.
“There are many advantages to using a sat phone versus an SSB radio—clear communication in the event of an emergency and the ability to take it with you in a life raft if the need arises,” says Carraro. “Very comforting to say the least!”
He used to rely on an outdated and unwieldy SSB radio to keep in touch out in the ocean until he switched to a GSP-1700 Mobile Satellite Phone. He now assures others in his field that “a satellite phone is the way to go.”
“Just recently, we were 180 miles off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and were not having much luck,” he says. “With no cell service, we used our GSP-1700 satellite phone to get in contact with another ship that was catching fish. Thanks to that communication, we moved our boat and almost immediately reeled in a 700-pounder and reached our limit that day with a value of $20,000.”
“Just recently, we were 180 miles off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and were not having much luck,” he says. “With no cell service, we used our GSP-1700 satellite phone to get in contact with another ship that was catching fish. Thanks to that communication, we moved our boat and almost immediately reeled in a 700-pounder and reached our limit that day with a value of $20,000.”
Captain Carraro also uses a Globalstar 9600 to gather current weather and forecast data. From his perspective, a reliable data connection is critical for a safe trip when offshore and out of marine VHF radio and cell phone range.
This charter boat captain is as tough as they come, battling giant tuna for hours on end. Regardless of whether the cameras are recording the action, Captain Carraro’s first priority is the safety and well-being of his crew.