BY MIKE STEVENS
DANA POINT— Dana Wharf Sportfishing added the vessel now known as the New San Mateo to its fleet after acquiring the 50 footer from Westport, Washington in 2022, and it’s ready to take on a full SoCal schedule in 2024. The 50-foot Delta-marine built boat formerly known as Ms. Magoo when it was putting it work up north further extends Dana Wharf’s versatility in local waters, around the islands, over deep-water rockpiles and points offshore as needed.
Despite hailing from a very different fishery than her new haunts, repurposing the Ms. Magoo as a Southern California sportboat was actually a pretty seamless process as the vessel was for the most part, ready to fish as is. In fact, most of her evolution into the New San Mateo involved a full rewiring job and very little tinkering necessary beyond that. The New San Mateo still boasts a Pacific Northwest look including but not limited to an overall sleek profile and a stainless steel bait tank and rail.
And she doesn’t just look fast. Boasting a pair of twin Cummins 430 horsepower diesel engines rebuilt in 2017 and fiberglass construction, the New San Mateo is going to fly.
“This vessel has the distinction of being one of the fastest boats in the Southern California fleet, which will decrease travel time for customers, and of course, that means it maximizes fishing time,” said Donna Kalez, who operates the landing with her brother Michael Hansen.
The Dana Wharf faithful are going to love the potential 20-knot speed as the New San Mateo zips them to the fishing ground on full-day (5 a.m. to 5 p.m.) trips, missions to Catalina, occasional half days and a wide range of charters. Kalez told Western Outdoor News “perfect for 12 anglers” but they could dial it up to 14 or so for certain charters.
A cavernous refrigerated saltwater fish hold can take in whatever the Pacific can throw at it and keep it in primo shape, and top-shelf electronics and Starlink top of the New San Mateo’s technical gadgetry. Along with the New San Mateo’s built-in fishing, safety and comfort features, Dana Wharf’s Captain Chase Moore will be a mainstay in the wheelhouse, and he’s a very fishy skipper that’s really going to steer the New San Mateo into emerging as one of the top-performing vessels this season and beyond.
The New San Mateo is a logical move for the landing. Said Mike Hansen, “It’s the only Dana Wharf vessel to have a RSW spray brine fish hold to keep your catch exceptionally cold until your day is over,” said Hansen. “Our customers will experience yacht-style fishing on this new 50-foot by 16-foot platform. Dana Wharf anglers are going to love this boat. Fast, big, wide, the bait capacity it has and the RSW. We are thrilled to add this to our fleet.”
The New San Mateo is going to be a major player on the rockfish scene as soon as the season opens up on April 1, so keep an eye on Dana Wharf’s fish counts and take a serious look at one of the West Coast fleet’s newest and fastest sportboats.
For more information about the upcoming schedules for the New San Mateo, contact DanaWharf.com or call (949) 496-5794.
