CONTINUOUSWAVE

Hi Whalers,

I recently purchased my first whaler off craigslist, from a very nice guy that wasn't able to use the boat anymore, due to an injury. He's also a retired game warden. The boat had been stolen from him a about three years ago, and fortunately it was found--but unfortunately without the F60. The boat has been sitting for quite some time now, but I should be getting the boat running by January and join some of you whalers out there on the water.

This is an admirable site and I'm learning quite a bit about this boat, especially from all the past threads and pictures.

Simon

Seems to me a 15-footer named [CETUS] from Bodega Bay. I have already seen this fine hull.--Alain

As Simon already knows, many of us know this boat when it was owned by Tony Wilde.

Phil--thanks for pointing out the provenance of the 15-foot Boston Whaler boat CETUS. I did not immediately make that association. It is good to know that some of the fine work put into that boat by Tony (known here by his username elaelap, which was pale ale spelled backwards) still lives on.

Wow, Tony's old boat...

Well it was Andy's (Fishcop) first then Tony's and then I think Andy bought it back. I love that little 15.

Here is a great shot of Tony (elaelap) with the boat

Here is a one that has been one of my all time favorites. I still miss Tony's postings here...fair winds and calms seas Tony.

Jeff--that is a great picture. Who took it? It seems to presage a journey into the mists.

Warren Tom shot both of those pictures

Wow, thanks for the original and follow up posts. I miss Tony also.

John

Those are some nice photos of Tony and the boat and it looks like he took great care of it. The boat is going in the shop in a couple of weeks for a transom uplift (huge gash from stolen motor) and new motor put in. Still trying to figure out which GPS/depth finder to put on her...but that should be for another thread.

Simon

That boat has been around this site for quite a while. Search the old posts for many, many stories of the adventures of your boat. Tony was into his boats and fishing and wrote many entertaining posts.

Tony was a character, I never got to meet him in person but talked a few times and enjoyed many spirited discussions/debates here over the years. He was a great guy and is missed.

Congratulations on your new boat, you will definitely enjoy her.

I read and enjoyed many of the posts by elaelap, and looking forward to getting her on the water for some test runs.

Tony Wilde was very skillful at finding fine classic Boston Whalers close to his home town of Windsor, in Northern California.
In his 1986 Outrage 18 with a 115 HP Yamaha 4 stroke outboard he took me on a 60 mile round trip down the Petaluma River to San Francisco Bay.
Most 18 Outrage owners strongly preferred 150 HP outboards, but Tony fished alone in the Pacific and thought 115 HP was adequate. So did I with only us two aboard.

He sold the Outrage 18 and I think then got this 15 foot console Whaler with the 60 HP Yamaha. After a while he sold it to a local contractor here named Jeff. It was next to my 200 Dauntless with a T top in the local marina which is dry about half the time.

Then Tony found a beautiful mid 80"s Montauk, I think with a Suzuki engine, which he used a few years until he passed away quickly with Leukemia.

Our annual NorCal group get-togethers at Bodega Bay/ Petaluma were very wonderful, really led by Tony Wilde and Chuck, the towering technical genius diver/photographer who took Admiral Linda diving over 50 times per year in Monterrey.

That is until on short notice, Linda notified us all that Chuck too had just died of Leukemia.

So that was the end of our NorCal Whaler group. these things happen.....

JimL (boatdryver) at Pt Reyes National Seashore an hour North of the Golden Gate

How cool is that.

I recognized it right off. Congrats on your new boat.

I also have a boat once owned by Tony. We became good friends through this website, and ultimately spent many hours on the water in Bodega Bay and San Francisco Bay. Sorry to hear it was stolen, and motor torn off in a violent inappropriate manner. I am the happy custodian of "Loolee 3", a classic 16 that I have abused in the ocean for the last 12 years or so. Despite my efforts, the boat, and it's 2002 Yamaha T50, continue to glide across the wild Pacific Ocean as graceful and sleek as a surfboard in the breakers. Well...ok, she pounds me pretty good in a chop, but handles a following sea better than any boat, as most small Whaler's do.

Steve

The boat was dropped off this weekend for some transom fiberglass repair work and putting new motor.

I was quoted $450 to repair the transom, which consists of filling in about 10 little holes from various transducers and kicker brackets, including the chunk of fiberglass missing in top (from stolen motor). Wonder if that's a good price?

Getting pretty excited to test out the boat. It'll be 3 weeks until it's finished due to holidays and weather.

Simon

That's a pretty good price if the work comes out OK. I didn't think anyone did anything on a boat for less than $1000!

Sounds like i got a decent price then. There's a few chips here and there around the hull. I should learn how to fiberglass and gelcoat myself.

Simon, welcome to the forum, it's nice to see that boat is back in good hands after the theft. It brings back nice memories of Tony, and by association, Chuck. Both were gentlemen and avid boaters, Tony the accomplished angler, and Chuck the expert diver and renowned underwater photographer.

Enjoy the boat and make it your own, it has some good history. The repair estimate seems more than reasonable. At that rate, I'd hesitate to do the work myself.

Yeh, Tony lives on!

Well, here it is, finally. This boat will be back in action in the San Francisco Bay and Delta. I'm hoping to find some time next weekend to begin the break-in process for the engine. In the meantime, this boat needs a good waxing.

Thanks to all who have helped me in this process.



Simon

What is the horsepower of the new engine?

It'a an F70.

Correct, it's an F70. I was told they took the rpms to 6400, so hopefully that didn't hurt the engine without breaking it in. They had to do that to put the right prop on, so I understand, and I doubt they'd break it in first.