Why I Bought a Whaler - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
  Why I Bought a Whaler

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Why I Bought a Whaler

elaelap posted 01-28-2003 10:32 AM ET (US)
I worked as a photojournalist for the Gannett Westchester/Rockland newspaper group in New York in the mid-'70s, and lived on City Island, a small maritime community tucked away in the northwest corner of Long Island. It was there that I first saw BWs, and, even though I was a life-long sailor, fell in love a little. I was impressed by their functional, utilitarian form, and their apparent unsinkability. I fished for blues and stripers half-a-dozen times with a writer friend of mine off his 16/17 footer (I can't remember, if I then knew, which model it was). I was amazed at the boat's stability and seaworthyness, and enjoyed being able to move around with relative ease as I played the fish. I was driving a Jeep CJ5 at the time, and likened the craft to the car: function over form and glitter equaling a certain beauty. I wanted one, but for various reasons had to wait almost thirty years...
Now living on the west coast, and finally a new/old Whaler owner, I read in today's paper about the loss at sea of four teenagers, who set out Friday night in a small open boat from City Island to make a short trip to another small island a mile or so offshore. The Coasties received a frantic cellphone call from the teens, who said that their boat was taking on water fast...the phone went dead, a search was instituted, but no luck...
The kids' boat sank -- it wasn't a Boston Whaler. Sank, a horrible word to those who go to the sea to work or play.
Stay safe and enjoy, mates,
Tony
Bigshot posted 01-28-2003 11:15 AM ET (US)
Ya know I never worried aout a boat sinking. maybe because I grew up on whalers exclusively or the fact that 80% of Barnegat bay is 5' or shallower so you could basically walk home or make it to port being it was relatively narrow in most places. Being I never run offshore too far, I do not think about it but since I have moved here 5 years ago, man have a lot of people died from sinking boats(and bad judgement). I don't think you need an unsinkable boat(Bertrams sink) but it can't hurt.
doobee posted 01-28-2003 09:30 PM ET (US)
I saw pictures of the aftermath of a hurricane in the bahamas. One showed a swamped bertram 31 flybridge sportfish that had washed up against a beached fishing boat.
Inside the cabin was a 17' Montauk! Apparently the Montauk went up against the fishing boat first then chewed its way through the side of the Bertram.
I suspect the bertram was sitting on the bottom, but it looked as if the Whaler was keeping it afloat.
whale on!
JBCornwell posted 01-28-2003 10:36 PM ET (US)
I bought my first Whaler (a new '66 Sakonnet) in 1967 after a squall line decimated the salmon fishing "fleet" in Lake Michigan, sinking and swamping hundreds of boats and killing hundreds.
Three boats survived the squall line by running across the Lake to the Illinois shore. All of them were Boston Whaler 16s.
Red sky at night. . .
JB
BugsyG posted 01-29-2003 07:02 AM ET (US)
And after all these years, the old 16 hull style (i have that in a montauk), it still is as strong as the day it came out of the hold at the factory.
Carver yachts are also built very well. Better than Sea Ray, but we had a Laguna, those were nice. In my opinion, Carver gets my vote for being the "well-built-big-boat" award! :)
JAZZ ; )
Clark Roberts posted 01-29-2003 08:08 AM ET (US)
In one of Whaler's early brochures was the following..."Sooner or later the weather gods will frown upon you and there will be nothing between you and death but your Whaler"... may not have gotten that quite right? Happy Whalin'... Clark... Spruce Creek Navy
DaveH posted 01-29-2003 08:12 AM ET (US)
Sorry Bugsy, I disagree about Carver. It is as good (or bad) as most production boats catering to first time buyers (e.g. Cruisers, Wellcraft, Bayliner etc.). I would just laugh every time a 33' Voyager model would pull up to my gas dock on Long Island in my youth. They reminded me of the great Pyramids of Egypt in profile.
Bigshot posted 01-29-2003 09:20 AM ET (US)
Carver....hands down the ugliest boats ever made....but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Friend had a 29 or so. Had about 36' of boat stuffed in it.
masbama posted 01-29-2003 09:46 AM ET (US)
Remember 'Burnscraft'? They were 'value priced ' yachts that could be bought for$59,999 or something like that.
11 footer posted 01-29-2003 06:19 PM ET (US)
Only thing I worry about when in my whaler is a big boat with a drunk or moronic driver running me over. If a 30' bayliner runs me over at WOT from behind the whaler will see the next day but I won't. Just because they don't sink does not mean other stuff can't happen.
11

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Why I Bought a Whaler
elaelap	posted 01-28-2003 10:32 AM ET (US) I worked as a photojournalist for the Gannett Westchester/Rockland newspaper group in New York in the mid-'70s, and lived on City Island, a small maritime community tucked away in the northwest corner of Long Island. It was there that I first saw BWs, and, even though I was a life-long sailor, fell in love a little. I was impressed by their functional, utilitarian form, and their apparent unsinkability. I fished for blues and stripers half-a-dozen times with a writer friend of mine off his 16/17 footer (I can't remember, if I then knew, which model it was). I was amazed at the boat's stability and seaworthyness, and enjoyed being able to move around with relative ease as I played the fish. I was driving a Jeep CJ5 at the time, and likened the craft to the car: function over form and glitter equaling a certain beauty. I wanted one, but for various reasons had to wait almost thirty years... Now living on the west coast, and finally a new/old Whaler owner, I read in today's paper about the loss at sea of four teenagers, who set out Friday night in a small open boat from City Island to make a short trip to another small island a mile or so offshore. The Coasties received a frantic cellphone call from the teens, who said that their boat was taking on water fast...the phone went dead, a search was instituted, but no luck... The kids' boat sank -- it wasn't a Boston Whaler. Sank, a horrible word to those who go to the sea to work or play. Stay safe and enjoy, mates, Tony
Bigshot	posted 01-28-2003 11:15 AM ET (US) Ya know I never worried aout a boat sinking. maybe because I grew up on whalers exclusively or the fact that 80% of Barnegat bay is 5' or shallower so you could basically walk home or make it to port being it was relatively narrow in most places. Being I never run offshore too far, I do not think about it but since I have moved here 5 years ago, man have a lot of people died from sinking boats(and bad judgement). I don't think you need an unsinkable boat(Bertrams sink) but it can't hurt.
doobee	posted 01-28-2003 09:30 PM ET (US) I saw pictures of the aftermath of a hurricane in the bahamas. One showed a swamped bertram 31 flybridge sportfish that had washed up against a beached fishing boat. Inside the cabin was a 17' Montauk! Apparently the Montauk went up against the fishing boat first then chewed its way through the side of the Bertram. I suspect the bertram was sitting on the bottom, but it looked as if the Whaler was keeping it afloat. whale on!
JBCornwell	posted 01-28-2003 10:36 PM ET (US) I bought my first Whaler (a new '66 Sakonnet) in 1967 after a squall line decimated the salmon fishing "fleet" in Lake Michigan, sinking and swamping hundreds of boats and killing hundreds. Three boats survived the squall line by running across the Lake to the Illinois shore. All of them were Boston Whaler 16s. Red sky at night. . . JB
BugsyG	posted 01-29-2003 07:02 AM ET (US) And after all these years, the old 16 hull style (i have that in a montauk), it still is as strong as the day it came out of the hold at the factory. Carver yachts are also built very well. Better than Sea Ray, but we had a Laguna, those were nice. In my opinion, Carver gets my vote for being the "well-built-big-boat" award! :) JAZZ ; )
Clark Roberts	posted 01-29-2003 08:08 AM ET (US) In one of Whaler's early brochures was the following..."Sooner or later the weather gods will frown upon you and there will be nothing between you and death but your Whaler"... may not have gotten that quite right? Happy Whalin'... Clark... Spruce Creek Navy
DaveH	posted 01-29-2003 08:12 AM ET (US) Sorry Bugsy, I disagree about Carver. It is as good (or bad) as most production boats catering to first time buyers (e.g. Cruisers, Wellcraft, Bayliner etc.). I would just laugh every time a 33' Voyager model would pull up to my gas dock on Long Island in my youth. They reminded me of the great Pyramids of Egypt in profile.
Bigshot	posted 01-29-2003 09:20 AM ET (US) Carver....hands down the ugliest boats ever made....but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Friend had a 29 or so. Had about 36' of boat stuffed in it.
masbama	posted 01-29-2003 09:46 AM ET (US) Remember 'Burnscraft'? They were 'value priced ' yachts that could be bought for$59,999 or something like that.
11 footer	posted 01-29-2003 06:19 PM ET (US) Only thing I worry about when in my whaler is a big boat with a drunk or moronic driver running me over. If a 30' bayliner runs me over at WOT from behind the whaler will see the next day but I won't. Just because they don't sink does not mean other stuff can't happen. 11