The Norma-K III is one of the top producing party boats on the Jersey Shore, an 87 foot aluminum head boat that sails year round out of Ken’s Landing Marina in Point Pleasant Beach. Run by the long established Keller family operation and named for Captain Kenneth and Norma Keller, it carries the cheapest fare among the port’s party boats, $90 for adults with unlimited bait and free parking included, on a big, well kept, well equipped boat. It sits near the top of our field on the boat and the value, a bottom fishing specialist that does one thing and does it well.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.1 the Norma-K III is a strong choice and the second boat in our Point Pleasant ranking, behind the larger and wider ranging Gambler. It earns the spot on a big, comfortable, well equipped boat and the best value on the dock: the lowest fare in the port with unlimited bait thrown in. What keeps it below the Gambler is the menu. This is a bottom and wreck boat, sea bass and fluke, with none of the night, tilefish, or canyon tuna range the Gambler runs, and like any busy open boat it draws the occasional crowded trip and slow day in its reviews, which sit at a solid rather than spotless rating. Book it for a sea bass or fluke trip when value and a comfortable boat matter most.
The boat
The Norma-K III is an 87 foot aluminum hulled party boat powered by three turbocharged Caterpillar diesels, one of the larger and more comfortable head boats in the port. It carries the latest electronics for finding the wrecks, a TV in the galley, a large observation deck, heated hand rails for the cold season trips, and cushioned bench seating with tables. It is a true open boat, sold by the seat to a crowd rather than booked privately, and the size and the build make it a steady platform for a day on the bottom. Sailing year round, it is set up for the winter wreck trips as well as the summer bottom fishing.
The fishing and what you target
Bottom fishing on the wrecks and reefs is the whole story. Black sea bass is the headline and the most common trip, fished on the structure off the inlet, with fluke added in the summer when the season opens, bluefish through the warm months, and cod and ling on the cooler season trips. The boat sails year round for whatever is in season, so the calendar sets the target, but it stays a bottom and wreck operation rather than reaching offshore for tuna. For that kind of consistent, in season bottom fishing on a big boat, it is one of the most reliable producers in the port.
Trips and prices
The Norma-K III sells by the seat, and the value is its strongest card. The fare is $90 for adults and $85 for seniors, military, veterans, and first responders, and that includes unlimited bait and free parking, which several boats charge extra for. The main trip is a three quarter day for sea bass, running 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with an afternoon and evening sea bass trip from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and a half day fluke trip starting in late June. No license is needed. Our cost guide sets these per seat fares in context, and since this is an easy first trip, the first time guide walks a beginner through the rest.
The crew
The boat runs under the Keller family operation, named for Captain Kenneth and Norma Keller, with a rotating roster of captains and mates across its trips, as a year round head boat does. The reputation among local anglers is as a top producer, a boat that consistently puts a full rail on fish, and the mates draw praise for working hard to keep everyone baited and fishing. The honest qualifier is the same as any open boat: the review record is good rather than flawless, with a minority describing crowded trips and the slow days that come with bottom fishing a full boat. The person on the bridge can vary trip to trip, which is the trade for the scale and the price.
Booking and what to know
Book online or by phone, and arrive early to park at Ken’s Landing Marina, 35 Broadway, and claim a spot at the rail. Bait and parking are included, so you need only food, drinks, a cooler, and cash for a tip for the mates. No fishing license is needed. For the bigger boat with the longer trips and the canyon program, see the Gambler; for the other established head boats in the port, the Dauntless and the Queen Mary are the alternatives.
How we scored it
The Norma-K III scores 8.1: a big, comfortable, well equipped 87 foot party boat with the best value on the dock, sailing year round under a long established family operation. Boat, value, and a steady track record are its top factors. It sits just below the top boat because its menu is bottom fishing only, with none of the offshore range the Gambler runs, and the busy open boat format brings the usual caveats. See how we scored this boat, and compare it against the rest of the Point Pleasant fleet.