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Author Topic:   water sports with a 13' whaler
timbo posted 09-28-2002 01:49 PM ET (US)   Profile for timbo   Send Email to timbo  
I was sent an ad from an old magazene or owners manuel and it states that the 13' whaler is a better ski boat than any other in its size class. I havent yet water sported off mine yet but if any one has had experience with it let me know. Thanks a bunch.... Tim
msullivan006 posted 09-28-2002 03:44 PM ET (US)     Profile for msullivan006  Send Email to msullivan006     
Hi Timbo,
I've used my 13' with 40HP Johnson for water skiing for 15 years - Never any sense of any safety or stability issues (one skier limit of course). Thata is with three sons who are now 20 and up. I really can't remember seeing any other 13's doing it as well. This is not to say that it is as good as say a Montauk with 90-100HP, but is certainly servicable and safe. Note that the prop choice makes a big difference on how well the boat gets the skier up out of the water. I changed to a new cupped Michigan prop last year and lost so much low end pull that I can't ski until I get another prop. (but the top end is out of sight ;-) )
Luck, Mike Sullivan
chrisb posted 09-29-2002 06:35 PM ET (US)     Profile for chrisb  Send Email to chrisb     
I skied behind my dads 1966 13 first with the original johnson 40 then with a 78 merc 40 from 1978 untill 1996. I dont know what the prop was. As a kid it did great, but after I passed 160lbs got stronger and pulled like crazy it was do-able but not fast enough to be really fun. Noboby likes to drive for me because the boat really swerves with the cuts. You need to use a special technique to get up on the one ski- rear foot way out behind you like a tail. Fat skis help heavy begginers alot. But hey any day you waterski is a good day!
timbo posted 09-30-2002 04:06 PM ET (US)     Profile for timbo  Send Email to timbo     
Well fortunatly speed isnt that big of an issue with my 13 footer haha. I guess im just gonna have to figure out how it works becuase i am gonna go out in a few days. Thanks for the feedback
jimp posted 09-30-2002 04:49 PM ET (US)     Profile for jimp  Send Email to jimp     
Ditto what the others said. We kept our 1963 13-ft from 1966 (got it used) to 1981. Started with an 18 Johnson - a dog for skiiing. But with Johnson 33s and 40s, it was great for kids up to about 150 lbs. Then as Chrisb says, they pull too much.

We also used to take the boat from Great Peconic Bay on Long Island to Shinnecock Inlet to scuba dive for lobsters. No parents went just 2 13-ft Whalers (other was my future brother-in-law's boat)and an old plywood 15' Eltro with a huge 55 Johnson on it.

This was all back in the days when New York had a boating safety certificate that kids aged 12-16 could get to operate a boat - a couple week course called "Make Sure, Make Shore".

JimP

jimh posted 10-03-2002 09:43 AM ET (US)     Profile for jimh  Send Email to jimh     
The advertisement in the old magazine that extolls the virtues of the 13-Whaler should probably be considered in the framework of what other 13-foot boats were available at the time. Prior to the introduction of the Whaler, most 13-foot boats were simple little fishing skiffs with tiller control for the outboard. Such boats also probably lacked much stability when climbing into them from the water (a necessary part of 'water sports"). They were likely to be round bottom boats with high freeboard.

The 13-Whaler by comparison was a vast improvement.

BQUICK posted 10-03-2002 10:53 AM ET (US)     Profile for BQUICK  Send Email to BQUICK     
My opinion is that 13 ft Whalers stink as ski boats beyond the beginner level. Way too light....any good slalom cut would pull the boat back even with a power (low pitch) prop. Nothing to pull against. We used a 15 ft Glastron with a 65 Evinrude....far better.

Bruce

Dr T posted 10-03-2002 12:33 PM ET (US)     Profile for Dr T  Send Email to Dr T     
I use my 13 with an 82 Johnson 35 to pull my daughters and their friends around on a big tube. The tube is a big Sevlor with sort of an airfoil cross section that fits insided a nylon shell. The stability of the boat and tube are such that they can crawl directly from the boat onto the tube without getting in the lake. Since the lake water up in the mountains may be in the 60's while the air temperature is near 90, this reduces the problems of thermal shock.

As noted, the rear end does get jerked around during violent manouvres, but, hey, it is only a 13' boat.

timbo posted 10-03-2002 04:44 PM ET (US)     Profile for timbo  Send Email to timbo     
I love the stability of the boat. I get to enjoy it even more now with my new dock space!!!! getting in and out of the boat being 15 years old is a breeze even without a boarding ladder. Thanks for the feedback.
jbtaz posted 10-03-2002 05:25 PM ET (US)     Profile for jbtaz  Send Email to jbtaz     
I have a 13 classic as well as a new 13, bith with 40 hp..They're fine for kids-and in fact I learned as a boy on one..But as the skiers get heavier, they really aren't good ski boats-especially if your skiers like to slalom. I got a 20' bowrider with a Mercruiser V8 for our skiing.

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