 1 R.A. Donnelly Hotel, Waretown, NJ – 1906 Our April photo additions are just the thing to put a little spring in your step. While you're anxiously waiting to make your first fishing trip of the year, you can enjoy our collection of fifteen wonderful photos of party fishing boats and other memorabilia dating from 1906 through 2017. Over the years we have posted more than 1,700 vintage photos for all to enjoy and the captions on our photos add to the rich and interesting history that is our fishing heritage – enjoy and celebrate it! Thank you for taking the time to view our fishing trip down memory lane. God Bless You and God Bless America! This 1906 postcard depicts the R.A. Donnelly Hotel located in Waretown, NJ. Many of the shore towns located on the west side of Barnegat Bay were ideal locations for offering accommodations to sportsmen who wished to partake in the great fishing and crabbing along the sheltered waters of the Bay. |
 2 Clark's Landing Pavilion, Point Pleasant, NJ – 1940 This 1940 postcard depicts Clark's Landing Pavilion located in Point Pleasant, NJ. Located at the foot of Arnold Avenue along the Manasquan River, Clark's Landing was established in 1873 and originally was a boat and yacht building yard. It later evolved into a fishing and boating location before becoming a waterfront resort in 1894, and was the first of its kind in the area. Today, Clark's Landing continues to operate as a fishing and boating marina, as well as a popular restaurant destination. |
 3 DOLLY N, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ – 1953 Photo of Captain Mel Noe's "DOLLY N" from Ken's Anchorage at Point Pleasant Beach, NJ circa 1953. She originally operated as a Boston, MA fireboat and was later purchased by the Bogan family in 1941 who converted her into a party boat, sailing as the original "DAUNTLESS" from Brielle, NJ. The photo is courtesy of Captain Dennis Bogan. |
 4 ISLAND QUEEN, Great Kills, NY – 1957 The "ISLAND QUEEN" is seen here in July of 1957 departing for a daily fishing trip from Shoals Dock at Great Kills Harbor, Staten Island, NY. She was built in 1955 by Van Dyke Boat Yard at Cornersville, MD and was owned and operated by the partners of Captain Ed Persichetty and Stacey Sandberg. The "ISLAND QUEEN" continued to sail from Great Kills until 1971 when she was sold and relocated to Delaware as the "PHYLLIS KAY III" and after that, sailed as the first "STACEY LEE" from Wilmington, DE. She last sailed as Captain Richard Brindle's party fishing boat "INDIAN" from Kennebunkport, ME before being dropped from documentation in 2007. Her present fate is unknown. |
 5 SHY POKE, Belmar, NJ – 1967 The charter boat "SHY POKE" from Belmar, NJ circa 1967. The 45-foot "SHY POKE" was built in 1956 at Rock Hall, MD and is seen at her slip at the Belmar Marine Basin prior to a charter trip in September 1967. From left to right are Belmar Dockmaster Bob Hewitson (in blue shirt) and Captain Bill Guenther (in khakis). In the background is the "OLD SALTY V", a 32-foot charter boat built in 1964 by Troth Boat Works at Tuckahoe, NJ. It was operated by Les Taylor and its home port was Perth Amboy, NJ. The photo is courtesy of Tim Easler. |
 6 WILDWOOD III, Wildwood Crest, NJ – 1987 An advertising postcard of Jack Blake's "WILDWOOD III" from Wildwood Crest, NJ circa 1987. She was built in 1957 at Cape May, NJ under an unknown name before becoming the "WILDWOOD III". She was later relocated to Cape Cod, MA and became the Marine Research Vessel "SEA TIGER". The boat was dropped from documentation in 2005 and was later dismantled. |
 7 EXCALIBUR, Belmar, NJ – 1992 Captain Christopher Huch's charter boat "EXCALIBUR" returns to Belmar, NJ in August of 1992. She was built in 1958 by Norseman Yachts at Miami, FL and originally sailed as the "VENTURE" and later as the "ROMP" before being purchased by Captain Paul Huch, who relocated her to Belmar, NJ in 1974. She continued to sail from Belmar until 2002 when she was dropped from documentation. Her present fate is unknown. |
 8 OPTIMIST SHOOTING STAR, Belmar, NJ – 1992 The "OPTIMIST SHOOTING STAR" departs Belmar Marine Basin in July of 1992. At the time she was owned and operated by Captain Ray Burke. The boat was built in 1980 as the "CAPT. JOSEPH" at Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Due to her unique and modern design, the "CAPT. JOSEPH" was referred to as the 'Star Wars' boat when she debuted at Captree, NY in 1981. Powered by three turbocharged GM 12-92 engines, she was very fast, but her fuel consumption was considerable. She was later leased and operated as a commuter vessel between Cape Cod and Nantucket Island. She returned to party boat fishing in 1986 when she was purchased by Captain Al Coley and began sailing as his "BETTY W IV" from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY. The boat then sailed as the "OPTIMIST SHOOTING STAR" from Belmar, NJ and after that, she returned to Sheepshead Bay where she sailed as the "SUNSHINE". She is presently sailing as the passenger ferry "PIED PIPER" offering service between Falmouth, MA and Martha's Vineyard. |
 9 MISS MICHELE III, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ – 2010 Captain Ron Braen's "MISS MICHELE III" is seen here in the summer of 2010. She was built in 1995 by Arro Yachts at Arundel, ME. She continues to sail from Point Pleasant Beach, NJ where she offers larger group fishing and cruising charters. |
 10 CAPTAIN GILLEN FLEET, Captree, NY – 2013 The "CAPT. GILLEN" and "CAPT GILLEN II" at Shellfish Marine in West Saybrook, NY circa 2013. The "CAPT. GILLEN II" was built in 1976 by Gillikin Craft, Inc. as Captain Richard 'Dick' Rade's "MARLIN IV", and then sailed as Captain Dan Juettner's second boat named the "CAPT. DAN II". After that, it sailed as Captain Patrick Gillen's "CAPT. GILLEN II". The boat presently sails as Captains Stewart Cash, his daughter and son in law, Amanda and James Peterson's "OSPREY" from Port Jefferson, NY. The "CAPT. GILLEN" was built 1988 by Lydia Yachts at Stewart, FL as Captain Tommy Paladino's "ELSIE-K PRINCESS" from Brooklyn, NY. She then sailed as Captain Ed Beneduci's "MARLIN VI PRINCESS" from Montauk, NY before becoming the "CAPT. GILLEN". The boat still sails as Captain Patrick Gillen's "CAPT. GILLEN" from Captree, NY. |
 11 VIKING FREEDOM, Montauk, NY – 2014 The 60 foot sail assisted commercial fishing and research vessel "VIKING FREEDOM" from Montauk, NY seen while trolling for tuna in October 2014. She was designed by Captain Paul G. Forsberg and her construction was completed in 1990 by Duckworth Steel Boats, Inc. at Tarpon Springs, FL. |
 12 CAPT. SPEEDY, Marco Island, FL – 2015 Another year, another "Speedy"! In 2015, Captain Arnold 'Speedy' Hubert added this Gillikin built vessel to his dossier of party boat restorations. The boat was built in 1977 by East Bay Boat Works at Harkers Island, NC as Captain Frank Spiegel's "MISS CHRIS II". Captain Fred Ascoli later purchased her and continued to sail her from Cape May, NJ before selling the boat to Captain Hubert. The boat is presently part of the Marlin Fleet at Montauk, NY and sailing as Captain Jake Nessel's "EBB TIDE II". The photo is courtesy of Eric Schmidt. |
 13 CAPT. DAVE III, Brooklyn, NY – 2016 The "CAPT. DAVE III" from Sheepshead Bay is seen here in March 2016 on the travel lift at Bay End Marine in the Bergen Beach section of Brooklyn. This steel vessel was built in 1962 by Blount Marine Corp. at Warren, RI as the "PARAMOUNT" from Brielle, NJ. She later became the "JAMAICA II" and sailed under that name for many years before becoming the "CAPT. DAVE III" from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY. The photo is courtesy of Paul Paris. |
 14 QUEEN MARY, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ – 2017 The "QUEEN MARY" is seen here shortly after her arrival at Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. She was built in 1987 by Gulf Craft Inc. as the "ATLANTIC EXPRESS" from Portsmouth, ME. She later sailed as the "ATLANTIC QUEEN II" from Rye, NH, before being purchased by Captain Dave Riback and joining the Point Pleasant fleet in September of 2017. |
 15 JAMAICA II, Brielle, NJ – 2017 The "JAMAICA II" from Brielle, NJ is seen here at anchor during an offshore wreck trip in November of 2017. She was built in 1973 and sailed as Captain John Bunting's "MISS OCEAN CITY" from Ocean City, MD. She later sailed as the "CANAVERAL STAR II" from Port Canaveral, FL before becoming the "JAMAICA II". |
