17 Montauk v. 18 Outrage
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 6:38 pm
First, great forum. I have been lurking for a long time but this is my first post. I have already done a good amount of research, most of it on this site. I could find nothing that directly addressed my concern. So, here goes:
I am looking for a classic Whaler that would serve two purposes. One (and most immediately), serve as a sandbar boat for my family of four. Taking the cover off our bigger boat just to run up to the sandbar can be tedious. The run from our house to sandbar is all protected water, where one would normally expect to encounter very light chop (if any) in addition to boat wakes. Run is about three miles.
Also, I would like a boat that my wife can take out the kids on if I am not around. She didn't really grow up on boats but is learning. Might there be an occasional need to trailer the boat to the west coast of Florida for scallops or down to the keys for lobster.
Also, I want a boat that my now 10-year-old son can learn to operate and one day take out on his own. I learned how to drive a boat on a 1986 17 Mako Angler that my parents still have. I sometimes flirt with the nostalgic idea of fixing "my" old boat up and having that also be the boat my son learns on. Then I run the math and decide against it. I mention our old 17 Mako because I think it was a great boat to come up on - knee boarding, tubing, offshore fishing trips when we got a little older. It wasn't too much boat nor too little. It was just right.
For my kids, I would want something similar. A boat they can run the river and intracoastal exploring, tubing, skiing, going to the sandbar, etc. I want something classic but also something I am not going to stress over every scrape and ding that happens.
I am leaning towards the Montauk and here is why:
—more affordable. If I were going to put $20,000 into a 25-year-old boat, it would be restoring the family 17 Mako;
—from what I have read, the Montauk feels a little more nimble than the Outrage, but the Outrage feels and is a much bigger boat;
—can power the Montauk with less horsepower and less fuel burn.
While my son is closer to 11 than he is 10, he is still a couple years out from taking any boat out on his own. I want the boat to serve two purposes.
In a perfect world, we would have a bay boat to run the family to the sandbar and cruise and a 15 Whaler for my son to learn how to captain when he is ready.
I like the Montauk because of the above deck fuel tank. The idea of not having to sweat about a below deck tank that was 20-years-old appeals to me.
Based on the above what are your thoughts?
Is there anything I am not considering?
Jack
I am looking for a classic Whaler that would serve two purposes. One (and most immediately), serve as a sandbar boat for my family of four. Taking the cover off our bigger boat just to run up to the sandbar can be tedious. The run from our house to sandbar is all protected water, where one would normally expect to encounter very light chop (if any) in addition to boat wakes. Run is about three miles.
Also, I would like a boat that my wife can take out the kids on if I am not around. She didn't really grow up on boats but is learning. Might there be an occasional need to trailer the boat to the west coast of Florida for scallops or down to the keys for lobster.
Also, I want a boat that my now 10-year-old son can learn to operate and one day take out on his own. I learned how to drive a boat on a 1986 17 Mako Angler that my parents still have. I sometimes flirt with the nostalgic idea of fixing "my" old boat up and having that also be the boat my son learns on. Then I run the math and decide against it. I mention our old 17 Mako because I think it was a great boat to come up on - knee boarding, tubing, offshore fishing trips when we got a little older. It wasn't too much boat nor too little. It was just right.
For my kids, I would want something similar. A boat they can run the river and intracoastal exploring, tubing, skiing, going to the sandbar, etc. I want something classic but also something I am not going to stress over every scrape and ding that happens.
I am leaning towards the Montauk and here is why:
—more affordable. If I were going to put $20,000 into a 25-year-old boat, it would be restoring the family 17 Mako;
—from what I have read, the Montauk feels a little more nimble than the Outrage, but the Outrage feels and is a much bigger boat;
—can power the Montauk with less horsepower and less fuel burn.
While my son is closer to 11 than he is 10, he is still a couple years out from taking any boat out on his own. I want the boat to serve two purposes.
In a perfect world, we would have a bay boat to run the family to the sandbar and cruise and a 15 Whaler for my son to learn how to captain when he is ready.
I like the Montauk because of the above deck fuel tank. The idea of not having to sweat about a below deck tank that was 20-years-old appeals to me.
Based on the above what are your thoughts?
Is there anything I am not considering?
Jack