The Chulamar is the oldest walk on boat in Pensacola and the biggest hull on Pensacola Beach, a 65 foot head boat that has run walk on trips longer than any boat in the area. Captain Bubba Thorsen has fished the Pensacola Bay waters for decades and runs two boats, the Chulamar and the smaller Katelyn, which together cover everything from a per person walk on seat to a private long range charter. For an affordable day on a big, stable boat, it is a Pensacola institution.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.6 the Chulamar is a strong choice and a solid walk on option, just behind the Entertainer among the head boats. The boat itself is a strength: the biggest on the beach, stable, and set up for long trips. What holds it back is its independent review record, which is thinner than the newer boats carry, since it books by phone and leans on its own testimonials more than on the booking platforms. For a boat with a deep public track record, the private Reel Eazy and Total Package score higher, the six pack Bout Time Charters suits a small group, and Lively One II is the other party boat. See the full Pensacola ranking.
The boat
The Chulamar is a 65 foot Bonner, custom built in 1995, the biggest charter boat on Pensacola Beach at 57 tons. It has six bunks, a restroom, hot and cold showers, a lounge, and a galley setup, which is what makes it suited to the long range trips as well as the day walk ons. The Katelyn is the smaller running mate, a six pack for private groups of up to 6. The Chulamar holds federal reef permits and fishes federal waters on most trips, which is where the better snapper and grouper sit. On a full walk on the deck is busy, the usual head boat trade.
The fishing and what you target
The Chulamar works the Pensacola reefs and wrecks for red snapper, vermilion snapper, red grouper, amberjack, and triggerfish as the seasons open and close. Red snapper is the summer headliner, open June 1 to October 26, 2026 in federal waters, and the boat’s federal permit lets it fish that ground. Amberjack is shut until September and triggerfish through July, so an early summer trip leans on red snapper and the year round mingo, with the long range charters reaching deeper structure for a bigger mixed bag.
Trips and prices
The Chulamar posts its full price list, which is a point in its favor. Walk on trips are $175 per person for 6 hours and $185 for 8 hours, plus tax. A private charter on the Chulamar runs $2,850 for 6 hours up to $5,250 for 12, and the Katelyn runs $1,050 for 4 hours up to $1,650 for 10. Everything is furnished except what you eat and drink. The walk on fare is the cheap way out; the private rates put it level with the other big boats. Our cost guide and the walk on versus private guide help you weigh the two.
The crew
Captain Bubba Thorsen has fished these waters for decades, and the boat’s longevity speaks to a steady operation. The honest gap is the evidence: most of the praise sits in the boat’s own testimonials rather than in a deep, independent review record on the booking platforms, so there is less third party sentiment to confirm recent, trip to trip consistency than the digital era boats carry. That is why the track record score sits where it does, not a knock on the fishing.
Booking and what to know
Book by phone, and book the long range and private trips well ahead. In summer the boat runs walk on trips, so arrive early to get a spot at the rail. Bring food and drink, sunscreen, and a cooler; the rest is furnished, and no license is needed on the boat. Confirm the current walk on schedule when you call, since it shifts with the season.
How we scored it
The Chulamar scores 7.6 on a big, capable boat, a veteran captain, and a full, posted price list, held back by a thin independent review record rather than by anything on the water. Boat and equipment is its strongest factor. See how we scored this boat and the Pensacola ranking for the field.