Due to Tropical Storm Sally approaching Louisiana we are getting a lot of Eastbound traffic in our Alabama portion of the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway. Last night the sport fishing yacht "Mary P" home ported in Ethel, Louisiana passed by. She has a length of 122 feet and beam of 24 feet.
We've had several notable craft pass by but nothing comparable in size to the Mary P. If you would like to own her she is listed for $15.5 million. She was built of aluminum by the Trinity yard in New Orleans in 2009 and had a total refit in 2019. A real bargain.
Really Big Sport Fisherman
Re: Really Big Sport Fisherman
When strangers encounter me and my Boston Whaler boat they often ask me about my success at angling. I tell them I am not an angler, and I tell them I get my fish from a local commercial fishery that is actually engaged in catching the fish and sells them locally when they are, quite literally, fresh off the boat. I explain that were I going out there as an angler and try to catch some fish, it would cost me about $300-per-pound, whereas if I buy them from the local commercial fisherman, they are only $15-per-pound, and I don't have to spend six or eight hours trying to catch them, or clean them. I just have to cook them.
Using that same logic, to go out after sport fish in a $15-million 122-foot boat as a recreational angler suggests to me that the cost of landing those fish must be about $10,000-per-pound, and then you don't even eat them.
Using that same logic, to go out after sport fish in a $15-million 122-foot boat as a recreational angler suggests to me that the cost of landing those fish must be about $10,000-per-pound, and then you don't even eat them.
Re: Really Big Sport Fisherman
If this storm keeps trending east they may find they made a mistake leaving their home port.
Re: Really Big Sport Fisherman
Mas - Yes, it's now looking to me like Sally will be making landfall in, or just East, of Mobile Bay. I think Gulf Shores is in the cross hairs. We are ready but not hoping for a direct hit. If Sally comes in as a 2 or 3 we will be fine. A tropical storm hit would be our preference.
Jim - Recreational angling absolutely makes no financial sense. In the big leagues of angling it's all about bragging rights. The prize money while generous is peanuts compared to the money made by betting between the big dogs.
The real money is earned by the paid captains on these huge sport fisherman yachts. The captains are the ones who put the anglers on fish. The top guys are paid a lot of money so they won't be poached by a competing owner.
I enjoy inshore angling and release a lot of fish keeping only enough for a meal or two. I usually put larger fish back as the smaller fish seem to have a better flavor. I also release any sows obviously ready to lay their eggs. For me the major pleasure comes from the outing and enjoyment of good company and beauty of the surroundings. Catching or even just fighting is also a lot of fun. Using light tackle and eliminating the barb on hooks makes it all the more challenging. I've also been known to stop by the local fresh seafood store on the way home from a non-productive fishing outing.
Jim - Recreational angling absolutely makes no financial sense. In the big leagues of angling it's all about bragging rights. The prize money while generous is peanuts compared to the money made by betting between the big dogs.
The real money is earned by the paid captains on these huge sport fisherman yachts. The captains are the ones who put the anglers on fish. The top guys are paid a lot of money so they won't be poached by a competing owner.
I enjoy inshore angling and release a lot of fish keeping only enough for a meal or two. I usually put larger fish back as the smaller fish seem to have a better flavor. I also release any sows obviously ready to lay their eggs. For me the major pleasure comes from the outing and enjoyment of good company and beauty of the surroundings. Catching or even just fighting is also a lot of fun. Using light tackle and eliminating the barb on hooks makes it all the more challenging. I've also been known to stop by the local fresh seafood store on the way home from a non-productive fishing outing.
Butch
Re: Really Big Sport Fisherman
I remember years ago reading a story in Motor Boating & Sailing about a team that had a custom Donzi Yacht made around 60-70ft. They picked it up from the manufacturer I believe in Florida and had scheduled a series of big game tournaments starting there. The fished this brand new boat all the way to central America and back to its home port someplace. I believe that they made enough from the tournaments to cover around half the cost of the yacht at that time. I did not know there was that kind of money in tournaments.
On my 24th Whaler. Currently in the stable: 86 18' Outrage, 81 13' Sport(original owner), 87 11' Sport, 69 Squall(for sale cheap).
Re: Really Big Sport Fisherman
Most of the money in those Big Game Fishing Tournaments are the wagers won in the Calcuttas. I should add: most Calcuttas are done in cash - no checks or credit cards accepted. It's not unusual for the bigger teams to bring $100,000.00 and more in cash in duffel bags to these tournaments. Really big tournaments like the New Orleans Big Game Fishing Tournament or the other similar ones might have optional daily Calcuttas with $100k $200k or more per pool. Win that days catch and you typically take home 85% of the pool. Not a bad payoff if you are good at catching big game fish.
Re: Really Big Sport Fisherman
When we visited Orange Beach, Alabama, I was expecting to find the local boats to be old, rusty, shrimp boats. Instead I found a fleet of very fancy, very big, very expensive Sportfishing yachts, apparently several of them owned by football coaches at nearby major universities. It was a big surprise to me that so many big fishing yachts were home-ported there. I think you have to run about 50-miles offshore to get to deep water in the Gulf of Mexico. In contrast, over in Miami, Florida you can be in 1,000-feet of water less than ten miles offshore.
On a corollary topic: Really Big Day Boats, I offer this example:
The PARDO 43 is a beautiful boat, with twin 900-HP diesel engines, but its function seems to be just a really big, rather extravagant day-boat. There is a head and shower below, and a nice berth or two, but you could not really put this in the category of a cruising yacht. And there is almost no weather protection available; the deck is mostly open except at the helm. At $900,000 it is quite a statement as a day-boat, and the PARDO 43 is actually cheaper than a Boston Whaler in this size range. This boat spends its summers in northern Lake Michigan, in Northport or Leland harbors. It is nice to look at, and I find its modern lines quite attractive.
On a corollary topic: Really Big Day Boats, I offer this example:
- Fig. 1. PARDO 43
- pardo43.jpg (95.44 KiB) Viewed 2484 times
The PARDO 43 is a beautiful boat, with twin 900-HP diesel engines, but its function seems to be just a really big, rather extravagant day-boat. There is a head and shower below, and a nice berth or two, but you could not really put this in the category of a cruising yacht. And there is almost no weather protection available; the deck is mostly open except at the helm. At $900,000 it is quite a statement as a day-boat, and the PARDO 43 is actually cheaper than a Boston Whaler in this size range. This boat spends its summers in northern Lake Michigan, in Northport or Leland harbors. It is nice to look at, and I find its modern lines quite attractive.