From the helm of his 35-foot North River Sounder in Ilwaco, Washington, Gambler Charter owner Jed Stout has a boat designed around one central purpose: putting customers on fish.
The vessel, The Gambler, is powered by triple Yamaha 350 outboards and equipped for the varied demands of Pacific Northwest charter fishing. From its large live-bait tank and insulated fish boxes to its electronics, stabilization system and multiple helm stations, the boat reflects the level of planning required when a vessel is also a place of business. “They perform awesome,” Stout said of the triple-engine setup during a recent walkthrough of the boat.
A Sounder Configured for Charter Fishing
As part of North River Boats’ commercial lineup, the Sounder is engineered to meet the demands of professional operations. Built on the Almar hull design, the model can be configured for uses ranging from patrol and search-and-rescue to survey, dive operations, and charter service. For Gambler Charter, that flexibility allowed the platform to be designed specifically for long days of fishing off the Washington coast.
At the stern, a life-bait tank holds approximately 65 gallons. Large insulated fish boxes run along both sides of the boat, with additional storage located forward. Stout said he is looking forward to putting that capacity to work.
“We’ve got big insulated boxes on each side of the boat, plus one up in the bow,” he said. “Excited to fill these things up.”
That storage is more than a convenience on a charter boat. It helps the crew keep the deck organized while providing the capacity needed for productive days targeting tuna, salmon, halibut, lingcod and rockfish, the fisheries Gambler Charter offers from Ilwaco.
Control Where the Work Happens
The Sounder’s aft station places vessel control closer to the fishing deck. An 16-inch Raymarine display is installed at the rear helm, while two additional 16-inch displays are positioned inside the cabin. According to Stout, the rear controls also make maneuvering around the dock substantially easier.
“The rear helm control makes docking super easy,” he said.
Raymarine electronics are integrated throughout the boat, including three radios, a camera system capable of monitoring and recording activity, and FLIR infrared imaging. Together, those systems give the crew access to navigation, communication and visibility from multiple positions aboard the vessel.
The boat also carries a Seakeeper 3 stabilization system, along with a Seakeeper Ride 600 system. For passengers who may be less accustomed to offshore motion, the Seakeeper 3 can make time spent fishing more comfortable, while Seakeeper Ride helps the captain maintain greater control and deliver a smoother ride while underway.
“Customers seem to really enjoy this thing,” Stout said of the Seakeeper. As Jed put it, “The Seakeeper Gyro is for the customers; Seakeeper Ride is for the captain.”
Space for the Crew and the Day Ahead
The cabin layout balances working requirements with the practical comforts of a full day on the water. It includes a stand-up head, workstation, power for essentials such as a coffee maker and SHOCKWAVE seating at the forward helm.
Forward additions feature an additional fish-storage area and a sink at the bow. Each feature has a job, whether that means keeping gear organized, improving workflow or giving the crew more flexibility while passengers are fishing.
That goal-oriented approach is central to the Sounder platform. North River offers the model with multiple cabin configurations, power options and custom beam widths, allowing each vessel to be built around its operator’s mission. In The Gambler, those capabilities have been applied to a charter boat where deck space, storage, control and passenger comfort all matter at once.
A North River Built to Earn Its Keep
For Gambler Charter, the Sounder is not simply transportation to the fishing grounds. It is the foundation of the customer experience and a working platform expected to perform trip after trip.
The result is a vessel with the power to cover water, the capacity to handle a successful day’s catch, and the onboard systems to support both crew and customers. It is also an example of what the North River Sounder was designed to be: a customizable aluminum workboat built around the demands of the people who depend on it.
To learn more about tuna, salmon, halibut, lingcod, and rockfish trips from Ilwaco, visit Gambler Charter.
To discover the platform behind The Gambler, visit the North River Sounder.