Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i Marlin

The Flor de Caña International Billfish Tournament is one of the top sportfishing events of its kind in Central America, thanks to a winning combination of outstanding fishing, luxurious accommodations, and the warm and welcoming host nation of Nicaragua. For the 16th-annual tournament, held in Puesta del Sol, a fleet of 33 boats participated in the tournament’s two categories: Centenario for large sport-fishers and Gran Reserva for smaller boats. The event was also punctuated by a series of incredibly fun dock parties and social events, with plenty of top-shelf Flor de Caña rum for all participants. Chris and Laura Jessen and the Los Sueños, Costa Rica-based Fish Tank team were off to a hot start, releasing 26 sailfish on the first day of the tournament to take a commanding lead…

Capt. Fin Gaddy is no stranger to big blue marlin, but even he was shocked by the fish he encountered at the helm of his 57-foot Paul Mann, Qualifier, during the 2017 Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament. This is his story of an incredible catch. The first day of the tournament, we were down below Virginia Beach and catching a few sailfish here and there with Jeff Ross on Obsession and a few other boats with us. We were fishing the tournament with Bill Hudgins and his charter team from Hudgins GMC in Gloucester, Virginia. We had heard there was a decent bite offshore of Norfolk Canyon, so we headed there on our last day of the tournament and found a nice blend of water. We’re trolling along when all of…

My first boat was an Owens cabin cruiser, built in the early 1960s, about 30 feet long and powered by a single gasoline engine. Back then I thought it was the end all, be all — at least until I tried to anchor up on a snotty day and got the flukes of my Danforth stuck in the portside bow area of the old plywood hull, while Sea Hawk bobbed up and down like a proverbial cork on the choppy seas. At the time, I knew nothing about boat construction or design, why the hull moved through the water the way it did — rather ungainly, if I remember correctly — and most important to me at the time, why I never was able to catch many fish on my…

Imagine a family of six, with children ranging in age from 9 to 16, taking a full year off from their normal dayto- day lives to explore the world in their sport-fisher. It seems impossible, but after thorough planning and preparation, the Petrilli family did exactly that when they fished, surfed, and explored their way across Central America and the Caribbean on a 12-month voyage in 2007 and 2008. The trip fueled their passion for the ocean and influenced the family in countless ways, leaving lasting impressions on them all. THE EARLY YEARS The family consists of Ed Petrilli, his wife Natalie, and their four children: sons Justin, now 26, Anthony, 24, Gianno, 23, and daughter Taj, 20. Ed grew up in southeastern Connecticut, where he spent his early childhood…

Pioneering custom boatbuilder Roy Merritt is well underway with his next project, a stunning new 77-footer that combines unsurpassed luxury with incredible craftsmanship and high-tech construction techniques to produce one of the finest sportfishing boats on the water. The new build will incorporate aerospace blends of hybrid Kevlar, carbon fiber, e-glass, and composite cores to create a boat that is both light and incredibly durable. The bottom — an all-new high-performance hull design from naval architect Michael Peters — is expected to produce a cruising speed of 36 knots and a top end of 45 knots. The layout consists of four staterooms and four heads. An enviable list of standard equipment includes hydraulic outriggers, a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer, 2,000-gallon-per-day watermaker, cockpit day head, and a spiral staircase leading from the cockpit…

WHERE NOVEMBER marks a shift in the fishing seasons and outstanding angling opportunities around the world. For those seeking adventure as well as great fishing, head for the Bazaruto Archipelago off Mozambique, Africa. It’s one of the world’s top black marlin destinations, with excellent (and mostly unexplored) blue marlin action a bit farther offshore. Striped marlin are mixed with the blues, offering a great shot at a grand slam in a destination that is both remote and strikingly beautiful.…

A BILLFISH LIVES ITS LIFE AS AN OPPORTUNIST, and will use every advantage to snag its next meal and survive the day without becoming dinner for something else. Fishermen share a similar attitude toward success, and much of their ingenuity is incorporated into the way we outfit the boats from which we fish, especially the cockpit and the helm. These two critical areas of a sport-fishing boat not only show form following function, but also why a properly rigged sport-fisherman leaves chance at the dock. THE CENTER OF THE ACTION The cockpit is ground zero, where the anglers and crew share fame, fortune and those heart- stopping adrenaline rushes when the fish of a lifetime decides to eat. However, the basic layout of the cockpit and its features are essential…

You’ve been awake since way before dawn. Now you’re bone-tired, arms sore from a crazy marlin fight, nose and cheeks more than a little sunburned. Thinking of nothing more than a cold drink, a hot shower and a warm bed. But as the sun fades into the distant horizon, turning the sky a million glowing shades of orange above the dark ocean, it’s hard not to reflect on our small, unique corner of the universe. Enjoy the ride: It’s the long run home.…

Many custom-boat owners try to build the perfect boat, with every option and newest gadget imaginable. Hull No. 21 from Bayliss Boatworks, the 77-foot Wave Paver, was built for a knowledgeable tournament-winning owner with just three parameters: The boat must look good, ride well and be an outstanding fishing platform. John Bayliss and his team of experienced craftsmen raised the bar on all three points. FOR AN EXTENDED PHOTO GALLERY, VISIT MARLINMAG.COM/WAVE-PAVER-BOAT-REVIEW I caught up with the team during the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament in Manteo, North Carolina, just after the boat’s delivery. Wave Paver owner Jr. Davis, Capt. Russell Sinclair and Bayliss met me at the dock for a day of fishing. Right away, I noticed the beautiful teak work on the transom and in the cockpit. Unlike some…

SPLASHDOWN! The waters off Angola in western Africa are one of those magical fishing destinations where anglers encounter worldrecord- size sailfish, huge blue marlin, swordfish and more. Roderick Jongschaap captured this big sail in midsplashdown, its bill neatly cleaving the surface of the water. LOCATION Angler Kevin Jongschaap was fishing aboard Tudo Fish, a 48-foot Viking, off Lobito, Angola. TECH SPECS CAMERA: Canon EOS 7D Mark II LENS: Canon EF 70-200mm ISO: 500 APERTURE: f/4.5 SPEED: 1/1600 sec.…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR JASON SCHRATWIESER HAS A MASTER’S IN MARINE ECOLOGY AND HAS WORKED ON FISHERIES ISSUES FOR 16 YEARS. It’s estimated that there are more than 220 million recreational anglers globally, representing annual expenditures of more than $190 million. And, for many species, the value of recreational fishing greatly exceeds that of commercial harvests. Furthermore, many recreational anglers prefer to release more and/or bigger fish instead of removing them from the ecosystem. Recreational billfish anglers are a quintessential example, with catch-and-release representing the norm rather than the exception these days. However, a significant dichotomy exists in the values associated with recreational and commercial billfish fisheries. Numerous economic studies have illustrated the value contrast between the two fisheries, and have repeatedly documented that recreational catch-and-release billfishing generates far more value…

Ballyhoo: the perfect bait Just about everything that swims in the ocean eats ballyhoo, and they are plentiful, especially throughout the Florida Keys. Sold worldwide on the commercial market, the majority of the stock is caught from north of Key Largo down to Sombrero Key, with strict boundaries and bag limits in place to control overfishing of this high-demand commodity. And since the Florida Keys is regarded as a grade-A hot spot for catching Atlantic sailfish, it’s no wonder the sails hang around. Unlike dead-bait trolling, Florida Keys captains fish their ballyhoo live, and have been doing so for nearly 50 years. In early fall, the bait begins migrating from Hawk Channel — extending from Biscayne National Park to Key West, between the shoreline and the shallow reef line —…

I was sipping whiskey with a friend at the marina bar the other day. In my glass was a smooth blend of American and Canadian elixir over ice, ideal for whiling away some downtime. The sun was pleasantly warm and the breeze was gentle, barely rustling the tiki thatch overhead. And then my buddy started telling me a pretty sobering story. A boat from our marina had been found adrift earlier that month, 15 or so miles out in the Atlantic Ocean, with nobody on board and gaping holes where there were once beautiful glass helm electronics displays. What he told me next raised more than my passing attention. “There was a heavy-duty pickup parked by my boat slip,” he said indicating the one closest to shore. “I hadn’t seen…

When buying or selling a boat, it is important to hire the proper professionals to assist with each step of a complex vessel transaction, and also to understand the roles of each individual, which may include brokers, documentation agents and maritime attorneys. Of course, whether an attorney is involved depends on the complexity of a transaction. Normally it isn’t necessary to hire an attorney for the purchase or sale of a bay boat; on the other hand, yachts and high-end sport-fishers are highly technical, expensive and movable assets, which come with an array of tax and legal considerations. There is a place for every type of maritime professional in a complex transaction, and each provides significant value to a customer. However, buyers and sellers must be cautious when a non-attorney…