Target Acquired

Gregg Golin and his wife Heather wanted a Valhalla 41 that could fish hard offshore, cruise the Jersey Shore and bring family and friends together. A few months after taking delivery of No Brakes, they are using it exactly that way – chasing giant tuna, cruising the coast and having the experience of a lifetime with the people closest to them.

From left: Captain George Barnard, mate Matt Hensel and Gregg with an approximately 95-inch bluefin tuna aboard the V-41.

When Gregg took delivery in May, he summed up the fishing plan in three words: "Tuna, tuna, tuna." At the same time, No Brakes had to work for Heather and their daughters, Sydney and Andi.

"It had to be both. It had to be everything for our family," Gregg said. "We wanted it to be the best family boat and the best fishing boat. You can't argue that it is both."

From left: George, Matt and Gregg with the 107-inch bluefin tuna at Barnegat Light.

On the team's first serious tuna trip, the spread had barely settled when a 107-inch bluefin struck. Gregg estimated the fish at more than 750 pounds before it was dressed. It was the largest fish he had ever caught. The season also produced a bluefin Gregg estimated at about 95 inches, his first bigeye – a 65-inch fish – and inshore trips with 15 to 20 bluefin releases. In Gregg's first White Marlin Open and the boat's first tournament, the team went to the scales on two of its three fishing days and earned prize money.

"I wanted to catch one big tuna – that was my goal this year," Gregg said. "This has gone far beyond my wildest dreams."

The V-41 has also proven itself a great seaboat. Gregg says the smooth ride is most noticeable on the run home, when offshore conditions often turn rough and choppy.

"I used to hate the banging on the way back," Gregg said. "This boat – no banging. Guys who have been fishing for 30 years say they have never been on a boat like it."

The team works a tuna at the rail.

Gregg credits George and Matt with helping build the fishing program around No Brakes. George helped outfit the boat from scratch, while Matt manages the cockpit.

"I have to give a lot of credit to my team," Gregg said. "But without this boat, we wouldn't be doing this. We wouldn't have this kind of success."

Gregg’s boat is the first V-41 equipped with a Simrad SY50 omni sonar, and he is already seeing the benefits. On one bigeye trip, George marked fish on the sonar and swung the spread over them.

"It absolutely makes a difference," Gregg said. "I think it's now a tool that every serious fisherman has to have."

From left: Gregg, Matt and George with Gregg's first bigeye, a 65-inch fish.

One of the team’s best fishing days began with a setback. After the boat returned to port with a mechanical issue, the Valhalla service team completed the repair in New Gretna and had the boat ready for its next trip. The crew went back out and landed four bigeyes. When a separate issue came up during the White Marlin Open, it was handled on a lay day without costing the team any fishing time.

“There is nothing like the service I’ve gotten here. Nothing like it,” Gregg said. “It’s like a Formula One team around us.”

Heather takes a selfie with Gregg at center and George at the helm.

The V-41 has also changed the way the Golins spend their summer. Heather selected nearly every finish and detail aboard No Brakes, and everyone appreciates the boat’s space and comfort. Gregg said one of Heather’s favorite aspects is “the ability to have so many of our friends on at the same time.”

“Socially, it has made it so much easier for us all to spend time together,” he said. He also credited Heather with the design. “She really designed the boat.” Gregg called it the most beautiful boat he has ever seen.

Sydney takes a selfie as Andi relaxes on the lounge during a family cruise.

Sydney, 20, and Andi, 15, have spent more time aboard the V-41 than on any previous family boat. They cruise with family and friends, help run the weekend social scene and take turns at the helm.

"It's a little surreal for the kids," Gregg said. "There's so much space, it's so comfortable and we can go to new places. They absolutely love it."

From left: Gregg, his cousin Drew Golin and Heather at Tideline Restaurant in Margate.

Some of the best days do not involve fishing at all. One of Gregg’s favorites required only a short run across the bay to Tideline, a waterfront restaurant in Margate, where Heather and her friends wrapped up a “Roper Romp” – a Three’s Company-themed outing with the women dressed as Mrs. Roper from the classic TV sitcom – and the group stayed aboard until 11 p.m.

Heather and Gregg aboard the V-41 at Harbour Cove in Somers Point.

From giant tuna and tournament runs to family cruises and nights at the dock, No Brakes has become exactly what the Golins wanted – one boat that brings every part of their life together.

"We’ve done everything we said we could possibly do this summer," Gregg said. "It's more than what I could even have hoped for, really."

For more information about the V-41, contact your authorized Valhalla Boatworks dealer.

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