posted 07-18-2001 07:52 PM ET (US)         

The issues are these, as far as I can tell:

1. If you want a permanent "hard shell" cabin, either for overnighting or having a lockable (but marginal real security) storage space, you want a Revenge. The downside is that the bow of the boat goes to waste most of the time while underway.

2. If you like the feel of an "automotive" style enclosure around you as you sit and ride, you want a Revenge.

3. If you want a lighter weight boat, less bow heavy, and a more open feel when riding, you want an Outrage.

4. If you want a more flexible use of space, including a large open bow deck, you want an Outrage. This depends on the climate types where the boat will be used.

5. If offshore fishing is a big interest, you probably want an Outrage, although a Revenge can work here, too.

6. If there is woman in your life who has agreed to sleep on the boat, but insists on a hard roof over her head, you must have a Revenge. If you're not going to sleep on the boat at all, you want an Outrage.

This being said, here are a few of my conclusions favoring the purchase of an Outrage over a Revenge.

1. Less weight, better running attitude because of a lighter bow.
2. More flexible, multi-purpose uses, especially if the full Mills canvas is installed.
3. For overnighting aboard, the OUTRAGE has a bigger, much higher cabin, under the Mills Forward Shelter. A so called "convertible" style boat. Headroom in a Revenge cabin is low, but not so under the Forward shelter. The Outrage actually has more convenient and large sleeping space. Most don't realize this.
4. the Outrage is a better fair weather boat, with a lot of open space for people to lounge around in the sun & enjoy the sights.
5. the Outrage is easier to handle at the dock and while anchoring, with it's open bow.
One person can do it.
6. the Outrage center console design has more space for instruments and electronics.
The Revenges come up a little short here, unless you want to scatter stuff across the top of the "dashboard".

posted 07-18-2001 09:35 PM ET (US)            

One thing to realize, the hull and liner moldings are the same on these boats. The Revenge adds more structure and more weight to the boat by the addition of several large laminated/molded overlays which form the forward deck and the companionway. This means that for a given size hull, the Revenge model will always weigh more, will always have a bit more pitching motion, will roll a bit more, etc. There is just more weight and it is distributed farther from the center of resistance of the hull form.

Esthetically, I think the Revenge will also suffer slightly, as the top molding disturbs the wonderful shear line and other beautiful curves of the Whaler hull.

Now, that said, let me tell you a few things about the Revenge to like!

First, the notion of the "cabin" is very appealing. It's a place you can throw you gear and it's out of sight. You can bunk down and feel quite cozy. I think there is something in the boater's DNA that says, "Here is a cozy little cabin--what a nice place to sleep!" There is a sense of security about it; you're not going to get wet if it rains, etc.

Now the actual space and headroom are likely bigger with the Outrage and forward shelter than on the Revenge, but I think there is more of a "tent" feel to it. (Larry may disagree.)

We also love the "companionway". It reminds us of our sailboat, the sliding hatch and teak doors almost the exact duplicate of what we were so acustomed to with our sailboat.

The center helm position on the Outrage is an advantage, but I find I can stand on the Revenge centerline and still handle the steering quite nicely. It is also easier to see forward through the center section of the glasss windshield than the side sections.

Larry is completely correct when he says that both boats need the Mills Canvas options to make them comfortable. Even in warm weather and fair skies, we found we kept the Flying Top, the Windshield, AND the Side Curtains up for a week of cruising.

The fixed windshield is a very nice thing to have on the Revenge. If there is rain, you can have wipers, and even without wipers the vision through the windshield glass is better than through the clear plastic of the curtains/windshield canvas.

We don't (at the moment) do any fishing, so we don't find the Revenge a drawback.

With the very low water on the Great Lakes, we find the forward deck very nice to use for boarding or leaving the boat. The height of the deck on most docks on the Great Lakes is about five feet above the current level of the water, so climbing out of the cockpit is a chore. Stepping up from the deck of the Revenge's bow is much easier.

There is also the question of storage. There are spaces on the Outrage available for storage that get used up on the Revenge as part of the cabin. But on the other hand, in the Outrage you often have to make up and put away the accommodations under the Forward Shelter, whereas on the Revenge we can leave most of the cabin "as-is" when we get underway. We do generally remove the Vee-berth filler and roll up the bedding, but we don't stow our duffels and other gear; they just stay on the bunks or get moved to the floor if we expect some rough weather.

The one final thing I will mention is that on a Revenge it is possible to have a Porta-Potti below in the cabin and for it to be used in complete privacy when the hatch and companionway doors are closed. (The Porta-Potti was the first piece of gear we removed, by the way. Who wants to sleep in the toilet?)