A Better Option

Due to the difficulty of loading and unloading relatively large fishing boats, the majority of the mothership operations currently running today consist of motoryachts that either tow or run in tandem with their fishing boats. The exceptions are mostly former commercial vessels that were converted to haul a fishing boat, such as The Madam (which was originally an oilrig supply boat) and El Zorro (which began life as a commercial-fishing vessel). But at least one builder has begun designing complete mothership packages, including both the mothership itself and the fishing boat.

After building multiple boats for mothership operations, including a 40-footer for the 167-foot French Look and a 42-footer for the

228-footer formerly owned by Greg Norman and known as Aussie Rules,

Gamefisherman developed plans for a series of motherships ranging from 94 feet to 254 feet. These motherships are purpose-designed to carry game boats from 36 to 60 feet on an extended aft well deck. In the case of the 254-foot mothership, it can haul a pair of boats, including a 46- and a 60-footer, as well as three tenders and a helicopter. After launch, the well decks convert into a swimming pool. To load the boats, they’re driven onto the bunks of a floating dry dock, then a winch pulls the dry dock into the well deck of the mothership.