About Us
Captain Rusty Mathiasmeier has been a riverboat pilot for over 40 years. Once captain of a 10,500-horsepower towboat that pushed 40 barges up and down hundreds of miles of the Mississippi, he now operates the brand new 37-passenger, handicapped accessible, 55-foot long, Sight-Sea-ER II.
Rusty and his wife Deanna reside in Lake City. A United States Merchant Marine officer, Mathiasmeier left home to work on the river when he was 14. "It's something I wanted to do since I was a little boy. I know every inch of the Mississippi from St. Paul to New Orleans and I will say that this is the most beautiful stretch of the river."
Captain Rusty is also an ordained minister registered in the state of Minnesota in Wabasha county, and has performed many on-board weddings.
Along with first mate Deanna, pictured left, the crew is rounded out by Skipper and Tipper, a pair of wire-haired fox terriers. Three-year old Skipper is the pilot and Tipper, one, is the deckhand with an attitude. They participate in every cruise and are always a favorite with the kids. 
Captain Rusty holds a Merchant Marine Master's license with radar endorsement and a TWIC card (Transportation Workers Identification Card) for homeland security, and passenger safety is his first priority. He and Deanna both carry a current CPR and first aid medical certificate, and the vessel is under a Coast Guard random drug testing policy. The vessel is equipped with life jackets (adults and children) for 39 passengers, as well as fire extinguishers, flares, and a first aid station. It is inspected annually by the Coast Guard.
In the News: From the Red Wing Republican Eagle, August 20, 2009: Looking to set sail in Red Wing [PDF]