Boat Show. After about 10 years of enjoying that sportfish, and now entering retirement, he decided it was time to transition to a large center console. With the kids now grown, this would be easier to operate on his own and offer much more versatility between day trips and fishing excursions. He attended the Annapolis Boat Show in October 2023 looking to buy a center console in the 30+ range. When his eyes fixed on the Valhalla V-33 his search essentially stopped. “I had seen a lot about it on social media but had never been on one. I fell in love instantly once I saw it in person,” John recalls. At that show, he met with Hawk Ennis of Bluewater’s Maryland sales teamand set about listing his express boat for sale while working on the details of his V-33 order from Valhalla, which were finalized by the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show later that month. Withhelp fromHawk, aswell asWyatt Lane and Baxter Lusink in Bluewater’s Beaufort headquarters, the Donoghues’ V-33 was built to his specs at the Valhalla factory in Mullica, New Jersey (formerly the Ocean Yachts factory). Upon visiting the factory, he found himself face to face with John Leek IV (who’s grandfather started Ocean in 1977) telling him about the new 35’ he had almost bought decades earlier. Among the decisions that Donoghue made during the contracting process was deliberating on the power package. Having “always been a Yamaha guy,” he was unsure about taking Baxter’s recommendation of getting the boat with the Twin Mercury 400 V10s—the highest horsepower available from Valhalla. Not only would this boost performance, but it would also ensure the best resale value explained Wyatt and Baxter. After speaking with a mutual friend with experience operating Mercury engines, John reached a comfort level to proceed and was ultimately glad he did. He also performed his due diligence before adding the Seakeeper gyro upgrade, going so far as to charter a 46’ Viking when visiting Cabo San Lucas. On this trip, he specifically sought out a charter boat with a gyro stabilizer to see if it lived up to the hype. “I was hooked up to a striped marlin and saw this eight-foot wave coming… I braced myself [expecting a big roll,] but never even felt the wave,” he explains. So that was that—his Valhalla order was sure to include the Seakeeper 2 stabilizer option. MAKING A SPLASH Upon taking delivery of the boat, it’s been the talk of the town in Ocean Isle. “The boat turns heads everywhere we go.” John explains there aren’t many Valhallas in his area, and onlookers and serious fishermen alike all want to check it out when he pulls up for gas or at a waterfront restaurant. “When I had it at dinner, people came out of the restaurant. I even had someone come up to me at church, wanting 20 BLUEWATER
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzI5NTg=