Towing Home My "Barn Find"

A conversation among Whalers
conch
Posts: 172
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 8:43 am
Location: Florida Keys,Hawaii,Mississippi

Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby conch » Mon Sep 02, 2019 5:45 pm

The grand children asked me to rig one more Boston Whaler. With some different medicines I am feeling better now, so I am going to try.

At first I was set on searching for a classic 18, but after seeing some of the fuel tank/deck problems others have had I started to look for something different.

The 1993 thru 1998 Justice 21 foot model rated at 300hp seemed good. The large 119gal fuel tank is not foamed in, easily accessed, and has lifting rings attached if it needs to come out. The tank cavity is open to the rear bilge pump area. I wanted a fresh water lake boat with a few must have options. Heavy duty T-top, Electronics box, single engine, never bottom painted, helm seat above storage cabinet layout, and a most important must have was the dive door option,and a trailer.

After a bit I found one that was put away in storage after its Mercury Optimax 225 died. The custom built trailer was a pleasure to pull. The ID of the hull is presented on the trailers VIN & capacity plate indicating the custom build. She is also my first "Red Dot" hull.
Lots of dusty clean up and thousands of miles later the rigging is under way. I will power her with Yamaha, then Garmin and Standard Horizon electronics.

I will sell our 1986 Montauk with 2003 90hp Yamaha and 2009 Karavan Trailer. My wife made me promise. I will try for some pictures but I usually fail.
Chuck
Attachments
21 Boston Whaler 2.jpg
21 Boston Whaler 2.jpg (114.38 KiB) Viewed 11442 times
21 ft Boston Whaler 1.jpg
21 ft Boston Whaler 1.jpg (95.99 KiB) Viewed 11442 times

Simon
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:44 pm

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby Simon » Mon Sep 02, 2019 10:37 pm

admirable find Conch! That is a great looking boat and the Yamaha will look really nice on the back.
1987 15' Sport CC

biggiefl
Posts: 897
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 1:31 pm
Location: south Tampa Bay area
Contact:

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby biggiefl » Tue Sep 03, 2019 10:25 am

Well I am glad you found that as I have never seen an 18 with a dive door on it.
On my 24th Whaler. Currently in the stable: 86 18' Outrage, 81 13' Sport(original owner), 87 11' Sport, 69 Squall(for sale cheap).

conch
Posts: 172
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 8:43 am
Location: Florida Keys,Hawaii,Mississippi

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby conch » Tue Sep 03, 2019 5:41 pm

CW member MAVERICK had a beautiful restored 1987 18' GUARDIAN with DIVE DOOR that he sold here in the Marketplace around Oct of 2017.
Search the listing for pics. I just was not ready yet.

In hindsight after looking and operating both, I prefer the 21' Justice with a four stroke Yamaha F300 vs the E-Tec.

Chuck

El Rollo
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:35 pm

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby El Rollo » Tue Sep 03, 2019 9:53 pm

Has that dive-door been been 'glassed-in '?
Are those 'Sea-Tow' stripes?
If so ... 'Barn-Find' is a stretch.
Cool rig regardless.

conch
Posts: 172
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 8:43 am
Location: Florida Keys,Hawaii,Mississippi

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby conch » Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:45 am

The dive door just fits that well into the opening to look sealed and it still has all its original sealing rubber and clamps. I doubt it was ever used much. The original custom short bungee cords to hold/store the door when removed into two chocks on deck were still sealed in a bag in the owners pouch in the electronics box. The dive door is made of welded aluminum as are the rear 10 feet of the gunwales.

The stripes are decals and not Sea Tow, my grand daughter wanted me to leave them on for now. I am the second owner of this 1996 government hull. I believe the Optimax blew in 2006 and was not replaced, and the hull put away in yard storage and the Mercury Optimax slowly stripped of parts for the others until sold as that is the last decal with a date that I have found but who knows. A 12v battery in the console was dated 2005.

Being around salt water my whole life it is very nice to work on a totally corrosion free boat. Electrical connections are still clean and bright when opened. One of the best examples I have seen was the ability to totally disassemble the SeaStar steering cylinder (I am putting a new one) from the Mercury engine bracket (no powerhead or lower unit left) with simple hand tools without any force or drama. In the Keys that would probably involve a torch on a 1996 boat.
Chuck

conch
Posts: 172
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 8:43 am
Location: Florida Keys,Hawaii,Mississippi

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby conch » Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:59 am

I have completed a few installations of rigging before the storm and will post some in the repairs and performance sections.
I think we have agreed to name her "REEL JUSTICE"
Chuck

El Rollo
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:35 pm

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby El Rollo » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:50 am

Wow, that IS a barn find. Very nice. I have 3 friends with those hulls, (not commercial like yours).
Two of the guys bought theirs after riding in the first owners. They are battle wagons.
One guy took his out to the Cortez Bank. Look that up to see where it's located off the So Cal coast. That takes huevos, and a damn seaworthy boat.

sailor dude
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:26 pm

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby sailor dude » Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:55 am

Gotta love a barn find!! My new-to-me '95 Dauntless 15 just finished a 22-year "jail sentence" in an old man's air-conditioned garage. Bill Clinton was still in his first term the last time she saw daylight.

I hope your grandkids know how lucky they are! How far did you have to travel to find that deal?

conch
Posts: 172
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 8:43 am
Location: Florida Keys,Hawaii,Mississippi

Re: Towing Home My "Barn Find"

Postby conch » Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:16 am

Over 3,000 miles round trip.
Chuck