dystrophy and, like Jones, he immediately turned his boat over to the experienced team at Bluewater’s Hampton Yacht Yard for extensive modifications. As with the original Cuttin’ Up, Bluewater’s Brian Motter was instrumental in designing and implementing all of the adaptations for Nichols’ boat. Nichols and his crew fished his 64C, Knot Done Yet and enjoyed success on the tournament trails in 2018 and 2019, which then led to the purchase of a new 72-foot Viking. With delivery of his modified 72C on the horizon, Nichols was prepared to sell his heavily customized 64, and Bluewater was poised to playmatchmaker. “Bluewater’s Scott James has been instrumental in everything, including the transaction on the 52’ Viking and then the 64’ Viking.” Jones continues, “Perry [Nichols] did me right on the deal and I am grateful he afforded me the opportunity to buy his boat.” Bluewater Yacht Sales was also ready to make a deal to ensure this exchange happened for these two amazing friends. “Bluewater bent over backwards to make the transaction happen to show respect to myself and Perry,” Jones says. “They wanted me in this boat!” ONCE IN A LIFETIME Although the 64’ Viking was already adapted for Nichols, Jones still needed to make some modifications to suit their different styles. Nichols spends a lot of time in the cockpit, while Jones prefers to be on the bridge with Capt. Nick. Once again, Motter stepped in to problem-solve, mounting an electric reel on a gimbal from the aft rocket launcher allowing Jones to fish from the bridge. Another required c u s t om i z a t i on was to change the tuna tower to allow for passage under the Rudee Inlet bridge. “The tower ended up being chopped off and then hinged in the back with locking anchors in the front so that it flips backwards,” Jones says. “A storm tide may make it tight getting under the bridge, but the boat passes fine at low and high tide now.” In 2022, Jones and the crew entered his new and improved Cuttin’ Up in the VBBT as they had done for over a decade. Little did they know this year would be oh so different. On the first day of the three-day tournament, CaptainNick Joneswas on the tower of the 64 Viking when he called out the bite of a big fish. “We weren’t certain what we had for the first hour of the fight,” Jones recalls. “The first time the fish jumped, we were shocked. Then it turned and darted from us, pulling line fast.” This first glimpse raised the adrenaline for the whole crew as they confirmed it was a blue marlin, and a girthy one at that. “We knew it was a big one,” Jones recalls. “Once we got it to the boat and gaffed it aboard, there was a lot of hooting and holleringgoingon,”hesays.Thewholefight lasted roughly 105 minutes. Being mostly a release tournament with a minimum take weight of 600 pounds, the team had to be confident in the marlin’s size. “We’ve caught and released blue marlin over the years but had never boated one that big. I will call it a once-in-a-lifetime experience for myself, and everybody on the boat.” Jones explains, “It’s one thing to catch a fish, but another thing to catch it at the right time, at the right place and to be entered in a tournament.” While this was the team’s biggest catch, they are not strangers to the winner’s circle. “We’ve done alright over the years,” Jones explains. “We’ve won the largest dolphin one year, the largest wahoo another year.” However, Jones is quick to remind us that what they do is all fun fishing. “We’re weekend warriors. We don’t fish professionally and we’re lucky to get 15 trips offshore a year between work schedules and family.” Jones laughs, “We’re a bunch of amateurs compared to many of the teams and charter operations that enter these tournaments.” Even so, upon returning to the docks to have their big blue weighed, there was much excitement around the 64 Viking and her crew. “We received so many compliments and the professional fishermen were giving us a lot of accolades aswell,” Jones says. Theexcitement around Jones, his sons and their close friends grewmore intense as the tournament staff announced the weight: 612.5 pounds! This blue marlin easily held the lead spot through the duration of the tournament, landing Cuttin’ Up in the top of several categories along with a generous tournament purse of $281,400. Captain Nick Jones along with mates Travis Jones and Skip Price were honored with the Top Well Documented Read more about the three Viking Yachts customized for Bluewater customers Perry Nichols and Steve Jones in our past issues. Helping Hands (2021, pg. 6-9) Fishing is No Handicap (2020, pg. 18-21) Award Winning Service (2017, pg. 6-7) Doing Hard Time (2014, pg. 24-25) 43 2023 SEASON
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