Our newest boat, R. A. SOLAR, also known as the “Captain Bobby,” is named after Captain Rober Anthony “Bobby” Solar, a retired ship pilot for the New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association and MPI’s first manned-model instructor at Port St. Tammany. His skill, professionalism, and integrity earned him respect and admiration among his colleagues, students, and all who knew him.

Designed and drafted by George Burkley of MPI and built by Brett Thibodeaux of MetalTech, Inc., the Captain Bobby is designed to be a smaller but more difficult vessel for testing ship handling in a smaller class of ships. She has an adjustable ballast and can be loaded to 50’ of draft. The vessel is 32’ long and 5’5 wide. The Captain Bobby feels the bank effect and bottom effect requiring the pilot’s constant attention.  

She has limited rudder effect and is our most challenging model to master.