Used Montauk 17: What to Look For

[jswr450]

Hi Everyone. I'm searching for a good used Montauk 17 in Northern California. I found one that looks like it's worth a drive to check out,

https://goldcountry.craigslist.org/boa/5977451129.html.

Any suggestions on specific things I should check? Also, the pricing on used Whalers seems high here in Northern California compared to comps I've found elsewhere in the US. Is that normal or do these people not really want to sell their boats?

Thank you!

[RoundPonda]

It looks like a VERY nice boat for the age. It looks like it has always been stored inside. Whalers, here on the east coast are expensive too. You get what you pay for. I noticed two prices: $9000 and $11000. I would start an offer at $8000. I am looking for a nice 17-footer as well. If it were here on the east coast I would be interested. Careful, someone on this site may beat you to it. Best of luck. Let us know if you buy it, and what you paid.

[jswr450]

Thanks for the reply. I ended up passing for several reasons. [The used MONTAUK seller in northern California] was firm at $9,500 and didn't even want to acknowledge that he had asked $9,000 in one of the ads. The boat is also a 1986 not an 1987--several of the ads listed it as an 1987. He wouldn't start the engine or do any kind of sea trial because he was busy, didn't want to re-winterize the motor, and said "it runs great, you have my contact information." I'll also mention that he lived within sight of the lake that he boated on (across the street from this house). There was a spot on the front V where the gel coat had been worn off exposing the blue laminate with a small hole in the middle. I'm not sure if the hole would let any water in, but it kind of spooked me as an obvious and easy thing that any good owner would notice and remedy. He had also partially removed the bottom paint which looked like heck and the trailer was completely hammered and very rusted where the boards mount. There was also crazing on the deck in several places, but it was very minimal considering the boat's age. Oh, the lamps worked but they just needed a fuse.

I might have missed a gem, but the deal was off as soon as he didn't have time to do a water test. If that's a great deal on an older MONTAUK then I might have a canoe in my future.

[jimh]

Re the MONTAUK in the listing: the condition of the boat looks quite good in the pictures. A 90-HP two-stroke-power-cycle engine is a good choice for the MONTAUK, and among older engines that Mercury 90-HP is a decent choice. The abrasion of the gel coat layer to reveal some underlying laminate layer in good condition is not particularly a serious defect; the gel coat layer is typically only about 0.020-inch thick, and could be abraded away without being reflective of serious structural damage to the rest of the laminate.

The asking price for Boston Whaler boats on the west coast does seem to be a bit higher than elsewhere, which may be reflective of their scarcity out there.

For a MONTAUK boat in particular, I would look for the reversible pilot seat option. (The listed boat has it.) Check that all the railings are in good condition, particularly the railings around the windshield at the helm console. And check the plexiglass of the windshield for crazing and cracks.

The value of a particular boat offered is really a combination of many factors. For the boat, the condition is paramount, and you must have all the original elements--nothing lost or tragically replaced with something supposed to be better. The rest of the value comes from the engine, the rigging of the engine, and the trailer. If the boat has very recent electronics they could add value.

Buying a boat that is local to you is going to be easier than driving 1,000-miles round trip, or having the boat shipped from the East. That can be part of the value calculation.