HI-LINER

A conversation among Whalers
Surfpuppy
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HI-LINER

Postby Surfpuppy » Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:54 pm

Hi everyone. I am looking for information on a [c.1977] 22-foot HI-LINER model I own. This boat has an aluminum [outboard engine bracket]. In old forum posts from ten years ago [c.2008] there was discussion about [YANKEE VOYAGER or HI-LINER models], including this same boat.

I am trying to find out if this boat came with this aluminum [engine setback bracket] or if it was a sterndrive. The transom is a full transom. The guy I bought it from knows very little about the history of the boat. I was told there were only three of this configuration ever built.

Any further information would be appreciated--Michael.
1977 HI-LINER

Surfpuppy
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby Surfpuppy » Thu Dec 27, 2018 10:18 pm

IMG-0403-copy.jpg
Bow of boat
IMG-0403-copy.jpg (13.32 KiB) Viewed 6842 times

IMG-0406-copy.jpg
Stern of boat
IMG-0406-copy.jpg (22.57 KiB) Viewed 6844 times
1977 HI-LINER

jimh
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby jimh » Thu Dec 27, 2018 11:08 pm

I suggest you call Boston Whaler customer service. Give them the HIN from the hull transom. They can give you information on the boat as it was originally built. Do you have an image that shows the HIN on the transom?

If, as you have mentioned, the Boston Whaler company only built three boats like the boat you have just acquired, then:

  • it will be unlikely there was ever a published catalogue that featured a boat like yours
  • it will be unlikely there are other readers of this forum who are reading this article that have had a boat like yours

[Note: I deleted a number of posts in this thread which discussed the behavior of the OP's browser, how the OP could post images, and whether or not a thread and an image of a boat in that thread with the same HIN posted in 2010 was the same boat as the boat the OP now has.--jimh]

Surfpuppy
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby Surfpuppy » Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:07 am

HIN.jpg
Hull Identification Number
HIN.jpg (13.35 KiB) Viewed 6841 times

Here is the HIN number off the boat
1977 HI-LINER

jimh
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby jimh » Fri Dec 28, 2018 3:18 pm

Re the image of the HIN--that looks a bit unusual. The HIN on a c.1977 Boston Whaler would have most likely have been an embossed metal tag riveted to the transom. The HIN in the picture looks nothing like that. If an embossed metal was not used, then the HIN was molded into the hull. The HIN seen in the image looks like it was printed. Also, it would be astonishing for the lettering to be so clear and distinct after the boat has been exposed to the sea and the weather for 41-years. Also the lettering appears to have proportional character spacing. Such lettering was unheard of in 1977. My opinion is the HIN label may not be an original work of Boston Whaler but some sort of reprint or added-later identification tag.

asonofsam
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby asonofsam » Tue Jan 01, 2019 9:28 pm

Regarding that old Hi-liner thread in the old forum, I started that back in October of 2001. I was selling my Gypsy Hi-liner at the time. Those old Hi-liners are admirable boats. There is still one in use in Hyannis Harbor on Cape Cod. I watch for its return every year.

The Hi-liner I had was powered by old 188-HP Ford with MerCruiser sterndrive; it would blow the doors off its replacement (Grady White 226 with F225 Yamaha) in any sea condition. If money were no object, [the Hi-Liner] would have been a perfect hole in the water into which one would throw money.

Enjoy your Hi-liner, there is still a lot of interest in them, especially along the SE New England Coast and Cape Cod.

I believe Hull ID Numbers were not required prior to 1972, after which they were required to be molded in as part of the hull. [Note: no, embossed metal tags were initially used--jimh] So if the hull does not have the numbers molded into the stern it may be the hull is prior to 1972. My boat did not have the molded insert as it was a 1970 according to registration.

As Jim noted, the numbers look suspect. I'd recommend you follow up with some of those resources in that old thread.

Surfpuppy
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby Surfpuppy » Tue Jan 01, 2019 9:44 pm

Thanks asonofsam.

I love the way this boat looks and have every intention of putting it to good use.

I'm trying to figure out where this aluminum [engine set back bracket] comes into the picture. Everything I've read [about real Boston Whaler WHALER DRIVES] says they were [made] in the 1980's and made of fiberglass.

I'm calling Boston Whaler to see if they can help in figuring out what the original configuration was. I do know it was a cream color boat. Just can't see someone making an aluminum [engine set back bracket] for [this HI-LINER boat] if there were fiberglass ones available. Or [maybe] it was a prototype. I'll let you guys know what I find out-- Michael
1977 HI-LINER

jimh
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby jimh » Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:30 pm

The engine set back bracket on the HI-LINER being discussed in this thread is not a Whaler Drive. A Whaler Drive is a very specific sort of transom extension, with a very unusual design. It has air vents to permit the flow of water under the Whaler Drive to become aerated. It has very large through-bolt mountings. It has a very big buoyancy box design. It has a deep splash well with overboard drains. Whaler Drives were not made out of aluminum and bolted to fiberglass hulls.

The transom bracket on your boat looks nothing like a Whaler Drive. Please stop calling the engine set back bracket added to the HI-LINER you have a "Whaler Drive."

jimh
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby jimh » Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:35 pm

asonofsam wrote:...I believe Hull ID Numbers were not required prior to 1972...


From one of the oldest answers in the FAQ:
In order to comply with regulations introduced by the Federal Boating Safety Act of 1971 (FBSA 1971), after November 1972 boat manufacturers began to affix federally required Hull Identification Numbers to each boat produced.


Cf.: http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q2

jimh
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby jimh » Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:45 am

asonofsam wrote:Regarding that old Hiliner thread in the old forum, I started that back in Oct of 2001...


Please give the URL of the thread you mention. There are many old threads about HI-LINER boats. Also, did you have a different user-id back in October 2001?

Surfpuppy
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby Surfpuppy » Wed Jan 02, 2019 3:02 pm

I was calling the bracket a "Whaler Drive" because that was what I believed it to be, although I have now found that it is not.

And I also found that Hi-Liner boats hulls where only made by Boston Whaler for one year--1975. They only built 28 hulls, so my boat isn't even a Boston Whaler boat.

Thanks for all the input.

Now I am off to research Hi-Liners to see if I can figure out what I have. At this point I don't even know the year of manufacture because the Hull Identification Number [HIN] is bogus.
1977 HI-LINER

jimh
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby jimh » Wed Jan 02, 2019 4:53 pm

I think you were defrauded by the seller. If the HIN on the boat is a complete fabrication, and you paid more than a few hundred dollars for the boat, you ought to consider taking legal action against the seller. He committed a fraud when he sold you the boat.

You bought what you thought was a Boston Whaler boat based on the HIN. It's like a crook selling a fake Rolex watch. Someone invented that HIN and applied it to the boat. That is a fraudulent act.

Surfpuppy
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby Surfpuppy » Wed Jan 02, 2019 5:20 pm

Ya Jim it is fraud but I bought the boat by the lines of the hull not the HIN number and I didn't pay enough to fight about it in court which would end up costing more than its worth so I will make this boat what I was going to and use the heck out of it but knowing its not what's on the tittle
1977 HI-LINER

dtmackey
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Re: HI-LINER

Postby dtmackey » Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:40 pm

Looks like someone got a little paint happy when it was sprayed. The person who fixed it up at least could have draped a sheet over the trailer, it takes no time at all.

In several of the pics it looks like the solid transom was an afterthought and they may have covered up a notched transom for an outboard. I do see irregular lines on the port part of the transom radius.

D-