Building RC Scale Model Boats with The Captain and the Kid

When I first saw The Captain and the Kid on social media, I knew I had to see it in person. The attention to detail, craftsmanship, and passion behind their custom RC boats is captivating. So, I headed to Palm Beach, FL to visit Captain Tom, his daughter Traci, and Captain Donny at their shop.

The Ewer family has a long history on the water—whether as captains, commercial fishermen, boat builders, or yacht brokers, they’ve done it all. Today, they run Ewer Marine Group, a yacht brokerage and marine service company.

I’ve been in touch with Traci Volstad, Tom’s daughter, who manages the @thecaptandthekid Instagram. I’ve shared several of their videos on @thequalifiedcaptain and noticed our followers were really interested. A few years ago, Traci sent me a video showing the RC F/V Thunder flying a Qualified Captain flag. From that moment, I knew the Ewer family and I would be great friends.

It all started with the 6-foot RC fishing vessel Thunder, originally built in Beach Haven, NJ. In 1972, Captain Nat Ewer custom-built the hull from 3/16” plywood, modeled after a 36’ Coast Guard rescue boat. Nearly 50 years later, Tom and Donny, Captain Nat’s sons, fully refitted Thunder, transforming it into a downeast style tuna boat. The three-month rebuild was well worth it.

Since then, it’s been full steam ahead. The Ewers have continued to build a variety of RC boats, and Traci has documented every step. It’s been a blast following along and learning more about @thecaptandthekid.

https://thecaptandthekid.com/

https://ewermarinegroup.com/

https://thequalifiedcaptain.com/