Forum: WHALER
  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
  DelQuay better than Whalers???

Post New Topic  Post Reply
search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   DelQuay better than Whalers???
63WHALER posted 02-06-2003 05:44 PM ET (US)   Profile for 63WHALER  
Unfamiliar with these boats but ran across add that reads, 17' Del Quay CC built in England for the navy, better than a Whaler Montauk. Anyone know of these boats, from pics. lookes exactly like Montauk from a side view. Also looks like different seating, maybe side by side captains chairs?Are these foam filled like a Whaler I presume?

PS looks like a good deal under 4k in A-1 cond. powered by 19991 90hp. Evinrude

Tom W Clark posted 02-06-2003 10:18 PM ET (US)     Profile for Tom W Clark  Send Email to Tom W Clark     
Del Quay are very nice imitations of Whalers, but they should not in any way be considered as good or as desirable. They are foam filled though.
JustinAndersen posted 02-07-2003 06:39 AM ET (US)     Profile for JustinAndersen  Send Email to JustinAndersen     
My Dad had a 17' Del Quay back in the seventies powered by a 65hp 'Rude and set up similar to the BW Standard. I was too young at the time to draw much of a comparison but my Dad claims my '99 Montauk is far superior both in finish and in handling.
NedsPoint posted 02-07-2003 11:15 AM ET (US)     Profile for NedsPoint  Send Email to NedsPoint     
I looked at a 13 a few years ago on Cape Cod (Ma.). I was very impressed with the construction and layout. If I was in the market for a whaler or similiar and located one, I would definetly go look at it.
j_h_nimrod posted 02-07-2003 03:31 PM ET (US)     Profile for j_h_nimrod  Send Email to j_h_nimrod     
In the past I looked at a few Del Quays and thought they were ok looking boats and rode fairly well. Not as good as BWs in any respect except price, but they seemed like a decent boat with an unsinkable hull at a reasonable price. Then the following story happened and I have never even given another Del Quay a look...

About four years ago in late Sept. or Nov. I went on a weekend trip to do some hunting and gathering. Our main boat was a 68' commercial seiner and for a small cruiser we were towing my friends newly refurbished (minor glass work, painting, new cc and tank, etc.) 17' Del Quay. We dropped off on the little boat to check some crab pots and then planned to run back to the big boat for the final leg of the trip. We checked the pots in the first cove and were on our way to the next when the weather picked up and we decided it would be best to just try and get to the big boat. Heading back thorough some fairly rough water we started mysteriously taking water over the transom. The plug was pulled I was bailing and the bilge pump was going and we still could not keep up. Eventually we fell off plane and decided to run, slowly, for the nearest shore and beach it. We called for the big boat to divert course and come get us.

During this ordeal of bailing I noticed that the floor had a developed a pronounced curve, enough that both sides of the cc were off the floor. About this same time I saw a stream of water shooting out of the top edge of the gunwale. Luckily we got into some calmer water in the lee of a point and were able to keep headway driving in a circle until the big boat got anchored across the bay, a very long hour to say the least.

We finally got over to the big boat and tied along side. Watching over the next 30 minutes the Del Quay just kept getting lower and lower in the water. At the rate it was going it was obvious the boats was going to sink, the 650gph bilge pump was not near enough. We ended up using the hydraulic winch on the boom of the big boat to lift it up and set it on the deck.

Once it was up on deck it was obvious why the boat had been taking on water. There was a crack in the hull about 24" long and forking for about 6" of its length. In excess of 100 gallons of water poured out of the crack when we lifted it and water continued to pour out for the next hour. The next day we went on and ended up having a great weekend, other then not having a small boat to run around in.

This is just one reason I will never buy a Del Quay. Later, unon autopsy, we found out that none of the foam in the hull was adhered to the fiberglass and as soon as the glass cracked the water was forced inside of the hull, filling it, and then found a path into the cockpit of the hull. Granted, we did not sink but, but I have been on many more BWs, in much worse shape and worse weather, and never experienced, much less even heard of, a similar event. Take this story for what it is worth but I would steer clear of Del Quay...

doobee posted 02-07-2003 07:29 PM ET (US)     Profile for doobee  Send Email to doobee     
Dell Quay is definitely not a better boat. The hull is foam filled but I don't believe it's high density. I've seen several with strange hull flexing issues. They were all 13 foot models though.
doobee posted 02-07-2003 07:30 PM ET (US)     Profile for doobee  Send Email to doobee     
DUDE! don't get a Dell! :)
cvsa78 posted 02-07-2003 09:00 PM ET (US)     Profile for cvsa78  Send Email to cvsa78     
I was given what I thought was a 13 whaler about a year ago. And everyone on this site helped me figure out what I had. I did't get a 13 ft whaler but a 13 ft del quay. It's not as nice as a BW and it's a little bit heaver, but still works great. As for the unsinkability. I launched the boat and didn't realize that the bunk support broke and went right through the bottom. Well about 35 min in the water, the boat was very slow and heavy. But it still got me home..But nothing beats a true Boston Whaler

Post New Topic  Post Reply
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.