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Salt Water Sportsman magazine ranks “Best Fishing Boats of All Time”

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 5:38 pm
by Clarinet28
Two Boston Whaler models were noted in this ranking [by the magazine Salt Water Sportsman as being among the best fishing boats of all time]:

50th place: Boston Whaler 13 Sport

4th place: Boston Whaler Nauset plus sister models Eastport and Sakonnet

Re: Salt Water Sportsman magazine ranks “Best Fishing Boats of All Time”

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:20 pm
by Oldslowandugly
When I was a kid I got Salt Water Sportsman in the mail. I remember the Whaler advertisements as well as ones for the Bearcat outboard engine. I also an article by Frank Woolner about trailering a Whaler to the beach and pushing it into the water with the prime mover. Those guys loved the Boston Whaler boats back then. I'm not sure any of the current crop of writers would be caught dead in a small Whaler these days.

Re: Salt Water Sportsman magazine ranks “Best Fishing Boats of All Time”

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 9:27 am
by jimh
I am impressed with the longevity of a printed magazine with a paid subscription with such a narrow focus. Salt Water Sportsman magazine must be approaching the same age as some Boston Whaler boats we use.

Re: Salt Water Sportsman magazine ranks “Best Fishing Boats of All Time”

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 11:47 am
by Oldslowandugly
[Salt Water Sportsman magazine] is older [than some of the Boston Whaler boats we use].

[Salt Water Sportsman magazine] began in 1939 as a single-page paper focused on Boston area fishing. Right after WWII Frank Woolner and Hal Lyman launched the magazine version covering New England waters. They were the first to exploit Cape Cod with home-rigged dune vehicles such as Model A's, Army surplus Jeeps, and step vans. Surf casting was the main objective but they also focused on pier, dock, rocky shore, and party boat fishing. In those days that's all most people could afford to do.

They ran articles on the "Brand New Boston Whaler" as well as the "revolutionary" Bearcat motors as both were made by the Fischer-Pierce Company. Back then wood boats were the rule and the new fiberglass boats were heavy and cumbersome. The Whaler broke all the rules by offering a sleek unsinkable hull laid out with maximum fishing space. It was not cheap but compared to the other offerings at the time it was a great investment. Something your Grandkids could use. SWS ran many articles about it and most stories showed a Boston Whaler being the choice craft. Even though it was primarily a surf casting magazine any time a boat was on the cover it was usually a Whaler.

As a kid I devoured SWS. Contributing writers fished all the spots normal people could access. They ran articles on fishing tackle, techniques, and species that no other magazine ever considered. The team of Woolner and Lyman also wrote many books on Striped Bass, Bluefish, Weakfish, Surf Fishing, Bottom Fishing, and Boat Fishing. Many famous writers started out at SWS like Al Ristori, Milt Roscoe, Al Reinfelder, Lefty Kreh, Mark Sosin, Frank Daignault, and my favorite, Charles F. Waterman.

Over the years the magazine drew criticism because it evolved more into a big expensive boat related magazine. But any look around a marina will reveal that is where boating is these days. To me, they are still relevant and I am still a subscriber.