Collage showing the Loose Goose yacht, a family holding a mahi-mahi catch, and Bruce Neale relaxing at the helm

The Neale Family Gets Serious in Their Pursuit Of Fishing and Cruising Fun

Jul 1, 2025 | Magazine | 0 comments

Dad is a really laid-back guy, who’s easy to deal with,” Jason Neale explains. “One of his business partners years ago used to call him ‘Loose as a Goose Bruce’ and that just stuck.

The Neales are a tight-knit family that work hard and play hard together. They started fishing in the mid-80s when Bruce and wife Martha owned a series of pocket sportfishing boats in the 27-40-foot range. After some breaks in the action while their children were away for college, starting families of their own, and learning to help run the family businesses, they eventually worked their way up to a 48’ Ocean sportfish.

A man at the helm of an Ocean Yacht, steering while other passengers enjoy the enclosed bridge
Jason says they have been enjoying not just fishing, but cruising that boat over the last five to six years. Besides fishing, they like to tuck in and anchor in quiet coves for swimming and cookouts, and often cruise to St. Michaels or Chestertown for dinner and walks around town. “But we own and operate a concrete construction business that takes a lot of time and attention,” Jason warns. As such, they haven’t gotten to go fishing as much as they’d like and admitted to being relegated to “weekend warrior” status while focusing on their businesses. But now Jason and his brother Michael both have families of their own and are motivated to also provide their kids the opportunity to enjoy the boating lifestyle.
See this article in our Summer 2025 issue of OnBoard Magazine
Side view of a 54' Ocean sportfishing yacht cruising offshore at high speed with a wake trailing behind

When the Neales collectively decided it was time to upgrade their angling adventures, they tasked Chase Sutton at Bluewater Yacht Sales to help locate the boats they were looking for. Jason was up first, purchasing a pre-owned 27’ Sea Hunt center console that fit his immediate needs to get out on the water more. As for upgrading from Bruce’s 48-footer, that would be a larger effort of finding something not just good for the Goose but for the Gander too.

A Quick Search & Replace

“We told Chase our budget, that we were looking for something over fifty feet and it must have a mezzanine,” says Jason. He describes a competitive situation where a well-known local boat was put on the market but went under contract before they were able to see it. Chase quickly put that disappointment in their rearview, locating another great sportfish listing that fit the bill. “We’ve actually talked with the new owner of that first boat we wanted and he’s had his share of problems, so it seems we ended up with the better boat with lower hours, and it all happened faster than we expected!” he reports.

The result was Loose Goose, a 54’ Ocean Yacht now registered in Queenstown, Maryland, and ready to take the family into a new chapter of offshore angling and coastal cruising.

Two anglers rigging fishing rods in the cockpit of a sportfishing yacht on calm ocean waters
Smiling fisherman posing on a dock beside a large tuna catch with other boats and piers in the background
The 54’ checked many of the boxes the Neales had on their wishlist. “We were originally hoping to find a Viking in that 50-foot range,” Jason says. But to stay within budget and still get the features they wanted; a late-model Ocean ultimately made more sense. “It’s a well-built boat. It has a different hull than we’re used to and will be faster.” With a longer water line and upgraded power from MAN engines, the 54’ can cruise in the mid-30s, which is crucial for reaching offshore fishing grounds more quickly. “When the fish are biting 80 miles out, you don’t want to spend most of the day getting there,” Jason explains.

More modern fishing amenities were also a priority for the Neales. The boat is rigged with 24-volt outlets to support dredge reels in the cockpit and teaser reels up on the bridge, two factors the Neales are betting will improve their ability to raise fish and attract more bites. They wanted a boat that was tournament-ready, and now they’re poised to realize their goals this summer.

The Loose Goose Ocean Yacht docked alongside a Sea Hunt center console at a private pier
This season, Loose Goose will be based at the Ocean City Fishing Center and plans to fish the White Marlin Open, and perhaps the OC Tuna Tournament, and the Mid-Atlantic as well. Jason notes their abilities and confidence are growing, especially with a network of captains and mates that Chase has helped connect them with. “He’s opened a lot of doors for us—not just in buying the boat, but in introducing us to more people in the offshore fishing community.” These relationships will help them learn from the every-day watermen and take their billfishing skills to the next level.

Trust in the Process

Working with the Bluewater team and Chase Sutton was a top-notch experience for the Neales. “We are successful in business, but this was still a significant purchase that wasn’t to be taken lightly,” says Jason. “Chase understood that and looked out for our interests. He had the foresight to suggest some contingencies in the offer, while avoiding things that could have bogged down the process. For someone relatively young, he has a lot of knowledge and good instincts.”

“Everyone we dealt with at Bluewater was exceptional. It was a seamless process from start to finish.”

Jason also credits Bluewater’s Vera Sohovich for being instrumental in closing both transactions; for Jason’s center console and then Bruce’s sportfish. Looking ahead, the family hopes to head south with Loose Goose in the winter—to Florida and the Bahamas. Maybe they’ll even bring Jason’s center console to act as a tender and maximize their time fishing, diving, and exploring with their full families.

For the Neales, Loose Goose represents an exciting new chapter—no longer working for just the weekend—but the prospect of more serious angling and extended cruising adventures. The Bluewater team couldn’t be happier about helping them accomplish their objectives!

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