CONTINUOUSWAVE

Hello everyone. I've been lurking on this site for several days learning everything that I can about the classic 13 Boston Whaler boat. Literally reading until 2 or 3 a.m. every night, driving my wife nuts--but there is SO much great information out there to soak up! Love these little boats!

I have a friend with a 15 Sport that I had been trying to buy for months. I used to waterski behind this boat with his son 30 years ago and wanted to restore it. It just sits on his lift totally neglected. He refuses to give it up, so I went on a hunt for my own.

I really like the 15, but think a 13 can be parked on a PWC lift (jet dock) that I already own, and will therefore keep me from having to rent an extra slip at my marina. It will come home and sit in the garage during winter. In the summer it will be my gunk hole boat exploring coves on a large freshwater lake in Oklahoma.

I also have an 1985 10 Meter Trojan Flybridge that I just spent the last three summers restoring after rescuing it from a farmer's field in Missouri. So with that, on to the important stuff>

I found a cherry (titled-1970), one-owner, always-garage-kept, fresh-water, rarely-used 13 Standard for sale that I plan to pick up this weekend. With much helpful information from this forum, I've already been in touch with my new buddy Chuck at Boston Whaler who tells me that it was born on April 9, 1969. (What an incredibly nice guy!) As near as I can tell, this boat has never had a hole drilled in it anywhere outside of the motor mounts! [Now that is something that warrants and exclamation point--jimh.] I have yet to see even a chip or even a gelcoat stress crack in the photos that I've been sent! The boat is about seven hours away.

The engine is a 1984 model and has been serviced and ready to go. Once home, I will likely pull the engine and re-caulk the holes--just for the piece of mind that it's good to go. I'm sure the last time they were really checked was 47 years ago. I've read all about the difficulties of finding short-shaft engine and the transom brackets for long-shaft motors. I think I'll keep this one and pay the money to convert it to remote steering. If anyone has done this, I would love to hear from you.

I also intend to drop-in the factory sport console, as well as the factory back rest and cushions. The original owner is an older gentleman with poor health that inherited the boat from his father who bought it new. His one request was that when I came to pick up the boat, would I take him to a local lake and let him have one last ride, as he was not able to do that himself any more. Yes Sir. Absolutely!

Really looking forward to making this little jewel shine.

You have found a timepiece. That 1969 boat looks fantastic. You've made a great purchase. It is much easier to buy a 9 and buff it out to a 10, than to buy a wreck and spend a fortune. Enjoy the new boat, both in restoration and use of it. And glad you found the website's resources useful. That's been the goal for over 20 years: collect and organize useful information.

And--by the way--that Evinrude engine is equally pristine. I love those old cowling stylings, colors, and decals. And yours looks perfect--unless the pictures were taken in 1969! I hope not.

Jim, the motor is pristine. All original and 32 years old, This picture was taken yesterday.

WOW That 13 looks great, like a time capsule. A great find,and looks like no bottom paint. Check the trailer hubs and tires before that long haul home. The motor may be attached with screw clamps to the transom and not bolts, but it looks like there may be a transom saver to keep the screw clamps from digging into the gelcoat. Is that a battery in the stern? Maybe you can ask if the recent service included a water pump before you leave. Good luck with this, she is a beauty.
Chuck

Please note that this boat's repair is now being discussed in REPAIRS and MODIFICATIONS. Please stop posting requests for repair advice about this boat to this thread.