posted 09-20-2008 09:20 PM ET (US)            

The sea keeping characteristics of the OUTRAGE 21 are very unusual. The boat's ride is often likened to a surf board. The boat has excellent lateral stability. The hull is quite easily planed. Like all Boston Whaler boats, the hull is not optimized for banging into large head seas.

Recently there has been something of a revival of interest in the OUTRAGE 21 and there are now several very beautifully restored boats that are well photographed.

posted 09-21-2008 07:39 AM ET (US)            

Here are the details from Chuck at Boston Whaler.

"According to Whaler's records, serial number 000109 was built in our old Norwell, MA factory as a 19 Whaler and was originally shipped out to a Boyer's Marine, Inc. out of Ocean City, NJ on 11/14/72. This boat had one of the first 19' models with a 12 digit hull identification number (started in November of 1972). According to the HIN it is a 1972."

posted 09-21-2008 01:01 PM ET (US)            

"No such hull ever existing before August 1970."

I take that to mean the first production Outrages were built in August of 1970.

posted 09-21-2008 03:34 PM ET (US)            

Forgive its condition - she is my current big project.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/sraab928/ 1973%20Boston%20Whaler%2019%20Outrage/0605081649.jpg

posted 09-22-2008 04:49 PM ET (US)            

He also said he disliked the boat for it's tendency to leak water between the hull and the gunnel cap. Also, some of the early boats had all stainless hardware the was used to hold the gunnel cap to the hull. This caused problems for hulls in saltwater as the hardware was leaving rust stains on the gel coat so they then switched to chromed brass. So if your hull has stainless hardware you have one of the earliest 21 Hulls from whaler.

An other tid bit I learned was, Bob designed the two triangular sponsons on either side of the transom to act as a heavy duty bracing elements to support the transom. They thought it may be needed if someone was to rig the boat with large twin motor applications. Uncertain of the weights of future outboards they wanted to be sure the boat would support it. He said back in the day there was no one doing the math needed to figure out leverage or cantilever weight calcs. So they did what they thought would be the best. Also they thought they would help improve the ride as it would increase the water surface area of the hull.

Finally, the 21 Outrage was the only Boston Whaler Model to ever have two secret scales made for it. One for the beam elevation and the other for the profile elevation. You see Bob would hand sketch all of his designs for the Whalers and then create the wooden measuring scales to fit the drawing. This way if the drawings were ever to get in the hands of a competitor they would need the scale that corresponded to that drawing.

posted 09-23-2008 04:02 PM ET (US)            

Erik

posted 09-23-2008 05:27 PM ET (US)            

Do you remember that in the commercial versions of the boats, they would add up to 200 extra pounds of fiberglass for reinforcement?

I love the ribsides! Maybe I'm just an old fart, but the Evinrude boats from the late'60's, and the Whalers from the '70's and '80's -- now there is some beautiful engineering work!

Your opinion may vary (YOMV).

posted 09-23-2008 07:38 PM ET (US)         

As many of you know, I bought my ribside from a seller in Enfield CT, and since I need a mooring cover and new Mills Canvas, Bob Mills picked up the boat for me and brought it to his shop so he could do the design work for the cover.

When I went out to pick it up and see the boat for the first time, I also met Bob's dad, William Mills Sr, a super classy guy, Yale classmate of President George Bush Sr, friend of Dick Fisher, and the one who initally called the ribside outrageous (in design). Fisher picked that up, and called the boat just plain "Outrage" as we all know.

According to Bob Mills, the person piloting the "Outrage" in the Whaler catalog photo posted by Jim McP, wearing the checkered shirt and brimmed hat, is none other than William Mills Sr.

What is really interesting, is that now BW has come full circle. In that 1970 photo, the 21 "Outrage I" is shown factory equipped with an 85 HP *FOUR-STROKE* Bearcat engine. Now, 35 years later, BW and the industry are back to that original idea, factory rigging 4-strokes. Fisher, indeed, was a guy way ahead of his time in many respects. The ribside Whaler has Dick Fisher written all over it, like no other Whaler does. His finest moment in boat design from my perspective.

posted 09-23-2008 08:06 PM ET (US)            

One aspect of the older 21-foot hulls which is most distinctive, other than their general hull shape, is the abundance of fine wood trim. The several boats mentioned in this discussion are generally all beautifully restored and have highly varnished and finished wood. You just don't see wood trim like this on any current production fiberglass boat.

posted 09-23-2008 08:20 PM ET (US)            

I'd agree about the selling of an updated 21 and maybe a 19 hull. However, I'd love to know how many of the ribbed upper shells the factory had to toss due to problems with extricating them from the mold. Maybe modern production techniques might eliminate those issues.

The factory might be able to gauge the interest through their network, and only build a certain amount of the hulls per year, with deposit.

After spending ten years with mine, I'd volunteer to help with suggestions on how to tweak it based on the knowledge I've gained.

Jim -

When I got a factory tour, back in the fall of 1977, I saw a 21' hull, lower only with a tuna tower mounted on it. It was mentioned to me that it was used as a photo platform. Wish I had taken a camera through the plant with me. I had no idea how valuable certain images would mean now.

Don

posted 09-24-2008 01:40 AM ET (US)         

The gasoline crisis is all of a sudden making these hulls relevent again. And they are not all that different on the bottom than the 170 & 190 Montauks, also good mileage boats. So clearly BW is aware of their history.

posted 09-24-2008 09:23 AM ET (US)            

With a 40 gallon tank, I would have 120 mile range. Using the rule of 1/3rd's, I could go 40 miles out, 40 miles back and have 40 miles in reserve. Never thought it would have that kind of range...

posted 09-24-2008 10:55 AM ET (US)            

Your idea does have merit however I know there are all kinds of business cases that would be made against it. That said, we should talk, I may be able to provide you with some needed info.

goldstem,