posted 09-24-2001 11:36 AM ET (US)         

The Montauk would be uncomfortable on what the bay can dish out! I might add what it can dish up pretty quickly to boot.

posted 09-24-2001 02:38 PM ET (US)            

You're gonna get whacked around a bit in rough water, but you wont be in danger unless much bigger boats are also.

With T&T you can almost fish a heavy dew.

Very easy to tow, quite fast and agile. Economical to operate. Put a 50 or 70 4 stroke on it. More nimble with the 50 and still capable of over 30mph. Near 40 with a 70, about 45 with a 90.

The 80's Outrage 18 is a wonderful big water boat, but awkward in very shallow water or tight quarters (compared to the Montauk). It is a LOT bigger boat than a Montauk. Tows bigger, launches and loads bigger, rides bigger, drinks bigger and goes like hell with anything over 115 on it.

I would love to have both. For now, I love my Montauk.

posted 09-24-2001 10:34 PM ET (US)            

Blackdog to bad you missed the Wye River Regatta. I have a small tale to tell……

Most of the Chesapeake Whaler Club launched out of Kent Narrows that morning. There was a good stiff wind and a heck of a chop.

There was a (I guess 80's vintage) 22 Outrage, 18 Outrage, two Montauks and me in my Dauntless 16 (the smallest of the fleet).

It was a very rough ride (airborne quite a bit) across the Eastern Bay to the mouth of the Miles River. The 22 and the 18 Outrage handled this stuff with ease. The 22 did better though. I ended up drafting the 22's wake for a better ride. One Montauk we met up with slowed down and caught up with us later. They were more like me, did not care for the bucking bronco ride on the water that day. One of my comments at Wye Landing was that it was times like that which makes you want a bigger boat, while I eyed the 22 Outrage.

Well after the regatta we all headed back. One of the Montauks screamed back crest to crest at around 43 mph WOT. I cut back 600 rpm because I did not want to get beat up as bad again, and another Montauk that was following me cut back even more.

When I got to the No Wake zone I saw the first Montauk and was worried about the following Montauk. I was starting to go back to look for him when he came in. So I headed in.

When I talked to the fellow members after they came in I was surprised to find out that the first Montauk in had almost all the heads of the screws holding his bow rail had sheared off. The second Montauk that came in after me had slowed down after he had lost the screws on a stanchion on his bow rail and was in damage control mode. These Montauks were powered with 90s and were 7 - 8 mph faster than me at WOT. This is where a 115 HP outboard like Blackdog's would have been nice. All the Whalers made it through that mess at a good speed, and this was a time were length really mattered in comfort. What surprised me was I had received a nice comment from one of the Montauks on that my Dauntless appeared to take the chop better. There were some other nice comments about my boat from some of those on the Montauks. I believe these guys love their boats and would not trade them for the world, but it was nice to hear. From my point of view all of us in the smaller hulls got thrown around pretty good that day.

Moral, don't count out the Dauntless. I have taken mine out on the Bay in some rough stuff, something I do not plan to do again, and it can handle it. I am getting older and like a smoother ride through a chop. I live off the Corsica, talk about skinny water at times, and the 11 inch draft works well for this.

If you want go fast get a 115 like Blackdog, he does around 45 mph with two people, the same as a Montauk with a 90. I might have gone with a Suzuki 115 4-S if it had been around when I bought my boat. The Dauntless 16 also has a 45 gal in deck tank.
Heck just give it chance. It might not be your cup of tea. The Montauk has a larger cooler seat and I believe a larger cockpit. The Montauk is a great boat, and someday the Dauntless just might be considered one also.

posted 09-25-2001 12:43 AM ET (US)            

A really nice, comfortable inshore boat, though.

You bring up a valid point about the rails on Montauks, though. Since about '95 hull backing has been a composite material with superior holding power to mahogany plywood and instead of ripping out those too-small screws snap the heads off. The WhaleBoard (or WhaleLite) can hold machine screws. If drilled and tapped for #12 (or even 1/4x20) SS machine screws they stay on. The earlier, wood backing can be drilled 1/2" and plugged with WhaleBoard, which is then treated as above.

posted 09-25-2001 11:44 AM ET (US)            

When I meant smallest, I was referring to the LOA. Most Yards and shops around the Chesapeake Bay, outside the Whaler community, recommend a Vee hull at least 20 feet in length for the bay such as a Parker or Privateer.

The extra weight of the Dauntless requires another 25 ponies to achieve the same performance as the Montauk. What the weight, the Vee hull and broad beam does for the Dauntless is to provide a stable and smooth ride through a chop. The little higher freeboard also helps. Length will do this more effectively.

If he uses it in the Potomac mostly the Dauntless should be considered. I use my boat mostly in the rivers, the Eastern Bay and out on the Chesapeake Bay on occasion. The Dauntless has worked very well for me in these areas.

I know the Montauk is easier to garage vs the Dauntless. This might be a consideration.

In the end, as always, my best advice is to try these different hulls and to see what would best fit his needs.