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Author Topic:   Wahoo boat history

michael10169 posted 08-29-2002 12:27 PM ET (US)
After Boston Whaler was sold, did Richard T. Fisher start building boats under the name of Wahoo, and if so, are they as good as the whaler is? Can you tell me anything about this? Thanks Mike
Bigshot posted 08-29-2002 01:32 PM ET (US)
There were two Wahoo boats. One was the 26' inboard center Console called a Wahoo but actually made by Pacemaker.
The other are Whaler wantabees. Not a bad boat but not built like a whaler. The foam is only in the floors, not in the gunwales, etc. I would not shy away from one but if buying new I would rather have a scout, Edgwater, or McKee compared to a Wahoo. The original Wahoo's were good, now they are made in Sarasota, Fl I believe and am not quite sure about quality.
jimh posted 08-29-2002 03:05 PM ET (US)
I have not heard of any relationship between Fisher and WAHOO.
Fisher was still in the electrical relay business after selling the boat company. That company survives today.
Have you read the historical articles in the REFERENCE section?
lhg posted 09-03-2002 04:44 PM ET (US)
The "Wahoo!" story is interesting. They began by making knock-off Boston Whalers, sizes 15, 16 & 18 I believe. But they were reasonably sinkable, and no comparison to a Classic Whaler. For a while they were quite aggressive, and really going after Whaler's business, and bugging the Whaler people. Finally, BW did a catalog photo showing a submerged Wahoo vs a floating Whaler, filled with 10 people.
Then, Wahoo was sold to Brunswick, who now found themselves in the business of making fake Whalers! Then 2 years later, Brunswick bought Whaler. Now what to do with Wahoo, Whaler's arch enemy and copycat?
For a while, Brunswick formed an Offshore fishing boat division, with Robalo, Wahoo and Whaler! Well, that was a joke in the making, so all of a sudden, Whaler got moved to Sea Ray, where it still resides, and Wahoo just disappeared from the market, including the BW knock-offs. A few of their non-Whaler looking hulls have surfaced in other Brunswick brands, I believe. Brunswick also unloaded Robalo, after sales totally disintegrated.
Bigshot posted 09-04-2002 09:57 AM ET (US)
Wahoos are now made in Sarasota, not sure which models.
Robalo is back and looks to be trying to compete with Seaswirl, Proline and the likes with a midgrade boat lineup......we'll see what happens.
lhg posted 09-04-2002 12:55 PM ET (US)
Nick - Brunswick does not advertize as being the owner of Wahoo. I assume they sold it, but can't imagine they would have included the Whaler knock-off boats in the deal. I assume those are out of production. Are Wahoo's being sold under the Wahoo brand label, or have the non-Whaler looking hulls gone to someone else?
Bigshot posted 09-04-2002 02:18 PM ET (US)
No longer Brunswick. They have a decal that says Wahoo on it and Sarasota, Fl and their phone #. The only one I have seen up close is the 16' hull that Wahoo originally started with. It looks more "standard" than when they were competeing against BW. I can't find anything on the web.....I will ask around. I could be wrong.......happened once:)
jimh posted 09-04-2002 08:52 PM ET (US)
[Moved thread from the META-Forum, where it was completely OFF-TOPIC, but seemed to attract some interesting responses.]

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Author	Topic: Wahoo boat history
michael10169	posted 08-29-2002 12:27 PM ET (US) After Boston Whaler was sold, did Richard T. Fisher start building boats under the name of Wahoo, and if so, are they as good as the whaler is? Can you tell me anything about this? Thanks Mike
Bigshot	posted 08-29-2002 01:32 PM ET (US) There were two Wahoo boats. One was the 26' inboard center Console called a Wahoo but actually made by Pacemaker. The other are Whaler wantabees. Not a bad boat but not built like a whaler. The foam is only in the floors, not in the gunwales, etc. I would not shy away from one but if buying new I would rather have a scout, Edgwater, or McKee compared to a Wahoo. The original Wahoo's were good, now they are made in Sarasota, Fl I believe and am not quite sure about quality.
jimh	posted 08-29-2002 03:05 PM ET (US) I have not heard of any relationship between Fisher and WAHOO. Fisher was still in the electrical relay business after selling the boat company. That company survives today. Have you read the historical articles in the REFERENCE section?
lhg	posted 09-03-2002 04:44 PM ET (US) The "Wahoo!" story is interesting. They began by making knock-off Boston Whalers, sizes 15, 16 & 18 I believe. But they were reasonably sinkable, and no comparison to a Classic Whaler. For a while they were quite aggressive, and really going after Whaler's business, and bugging the Whaler people. Finally, BW did a catalog photo showing a submerged Wahoo vs a floating Whaler, filled with 10 people. Then, Wahoo was sold to Brunswick, who now found themselves in the business of making fake Whalers! Then 2 years later, Brunswick bought Whaler. Now what to do with Wahoo, Whaler's arch enemy and copycat? For a while, Brunswick formed an Offshore fishing boat division, with Robalo, Wahoo and Whaler! Well, that was a joke in the making, so all of a sudden, Whaler got moved to Sea Ray, where it still resides, and Wahoo just disappeared from the market, including the BW knock-offs. A few of their non-Whaler looking hulls have surfaced in other Brunswick brands, I believe. Brunswick also unloaded Robalo, after sales totally disintegrated.
Bigshot	posted 09-04-2002 09:57 AM ET (US) Wahoos are now made in Sarasota, not sure which models. Robalo is back and looks to be trying to compete with Seaswirl, Proline and the likes with a midgrade boat lineup......we'll see what happens.
lhg	posted 09-04-2002 12:55 PM ET (US) Nick - Brunswick does not advertize as being the owner of Wahoo. I assume they sold it, but can't imagine they would have included the Whaler knock-off boats in the deal. I assume those are out of production. Are Wahoo's being sold under the Wahoo brand label, or have the non-Whaler looking hulls gone to someone else?
Bigshot	posted 09-04-2002 02:18 PM ET (US) No longer Brunswick. They have a decal that says Wahoo on it and Sarasota, Fl and their phone #. The only one I have seen up close is the 16' hull that Wahoo originally started with. It looks more "standard" than when they were competeing against BW. I can't find anything on the web.....I will ask around. I could be wrong.......happened once:)
jimh	posted 09-04-2002 08:52 PM ET (US) [Moved thread from the META-Forum, where it was completely OFF-TOPIC, but seemed to attract some interesting responses.]