posted 12-15-2008 02:01 PM ET (US)        

I made the mistake of going to the NY Boat show on [S]aturday and now [I] have new boat fever--really bad. I can't eat sleep or look at my oldie. I am looking to run my thoughts by the rest of you since my mind is fogged and most people probably have more experience than me with boats. I am at 1.5-seasons now. I hope you can chime in to let me know if my choice is a safe one and if you have any other craft ideas.

As much as [I] love to think [I] use the boat for going to have fun with the finance (errr...wife [I] mean) and fishing with dad and uncle, [I] don't. The 1.5 years [I] had the boat we went fishing twice and took friends out to have fun once. BUT [I] have used the boat every weekend from April 1 to the end of October. I take two or three friends and myself to an island about four miles from shore. We take about 150-lbs of gear with us. We spend about a quarter of the transit time going at no-wake speeds and the motor trimmed up as we approach the island. It is very shallow. At this island we rig our kiteboarding gear and ride all day.

The boat is basically a taxi for us and the occasional rescue boat. When someone has a bad crash or a gear malfunction we use it to fish them out and get them back to the island.

The one thing we need to kiteboard other than water, is wind. We need anything from 15-35 mph. Once it starts to get to 30/35 we have gotten stuck in 40 mph winds and headed home. And with wind usually comes a small craft advisory. The bay that we are doing this in is Bargnegat Bay, NJ. It can get relatively rough with 2-3 foot waves.

Realistically, as much as I like taking friends to this island, [I] don't want to shell out [$10,000] just for them to be able to go. In the end me and my kite buddy are splitting the boat and the minimum is that the two of us can get there and back safely. The occassional rescue of a third kiter shouldn't be a problem as it will just be three people and one person's wet gear (40-lbs).

So at the boat show me and my buddy found our calling with Boston Whaler. We saw the new 2009 Boston Whaler Supersport 130 and 150. The 130 is rated for four people, and comes with a 40-HP FOURSTROKE Mercury and a trailer with LED lights for $10,000. The 150 SUPERSPORT is rated for six people and comes with 60-HP FOURSTROKE Mercury and trailer with LED lights for $14,000. Both seem like a really great deal. The new hull designs also look sreally nice, a bit of a departure from their classic look. I figure the 130 can fit our needs. With two of us on the bench seat and our gear (100-lbs) we are within the weight specs. Considering the 7-inch draft with engine up we are definately in business. The self bailing hull that is foam filled also seems to seal the deal.

We made plans to test both the 130 and the 150 with the dealer in early spring on a rough day. We are planning on throwing our gear onto the boat and taking human cargo of three (both of us and the dealer) to give it a test to see how viable each boat is.

A lot of the guys on the island use jetskis to get to and from. But in rough water [I] would rather have a self-bailing small boat. And the idea of a boat means [I] can use it on that rare day for some recreation.

posted 12-15-2008 02:09 PM ET (US)            

I agree with Jeff - Montauk or Outrage for the money, maybe Dauntless 16 some people like. I am not familiar w/ post classic 15s but 130 is probably not the best choice although wider than classic 13. Go with Montauk for shallow draft as well. Dauntless is heavy.

posted 12-15-2008 02:32 PM ET (US)            

As someone who once owned a 150 Sport, and currently boats on Barnegat Bay (in a 210 Ventura)I would have to go with the Montauk suggestion. When that south wind howls up--not sure where you launch from--that bay can be a real bear. A 130 or 150 is doable, but a wet, rough ride, for sure. The 170 or classic Montauk 17 would be best, with the shallow draft you need for those skinny-water shoals there.

posted 12-15-2008 02:47 PM ET (US)            

Thanks for the suggestions.

I dont have a dealer I am dealing with yet. Talked to a NJ dealer and a NY dealer at the boat show.

I would keep the boat in NJ. I currently keep my bowrider in Forked River. I drive a 2007 Highlander and drop it down a ramp and pull it out every day. It is stored in an open log 100 feet from the ramp. If [I] get the whaler [I] woudl probably bottom paint it and keep it wet next in a marina in Waretown. The drive is much faster to the island that way.

You are mentioning the same island. Yes, on a good S/SW wind the bay is not fun on the return trip. Ironically thats the best wind to kiteboard in.

Thanks for the idea of buying a 17 slightly used. Would you suggest for looking for something with a Yamaha/Honda, or are the Merc's that are pre-rigged dependable. I currently have an Evninrude that was taken care of, and that I baby and is in good shape so [I] am not Japanese only kinda guy.

posted 12-15-2008 02:50 PM ET (US)            

I regularly use my Whalers on the breezy, lumpy Pacific north of San Francisco, BTW, so I have some experience with windy conditions. Thirty knot winds are strong and dangerous in a small motorboat, especially as the seas kick up. Think about it like a sailor would--if you're forced to head into them, even off plane you're looking at an apparent wind speed approaching 40 mph, and motoring across that kind of stuff you'll find a flat-bottomed, keel-less boat being pushed around like crazy. And while Whalers are great surfing downhill, with that kind of breeze you have to be real careful about either having your craft overwhelmed from astern or broaching in the troughs.

Anyway, that's just my cautious opinion...maybe I'm a wimp when it comes to outboard motorboating, but there it is for what it's worth.

posted 12-15-2008 03:31 PM ET (US)            

I am not too worried about the wet ride part as we are wet from kiting all day anyway. The only time we are in in trunks and slippers is in the middle of summer. The rest of hte time its either a 3/4 or a 6/5 wetsuit, whatever is appropriate for the weather since we are in the water all day.

So the consensus seems to be that even the new 150 supersport is to small and the best option is to go for the 17 footer?

How are the whalers if a wave comes over the bow, since its self bailing it shouldn't be an [problem] right?

posted 12-15-2008 08:19 PM ET (US)            

In the Classic 18' Outrage, there is a small splash dam that would retain some water, but most of it would just flow right over it and out the back, and the remainder would either drain through the open plug, or via a bilge pump. I'm not sure what the new Outrages are like; not that you're considering one.

The problem with taking green water over the bow is not so much where does the water go, but what does it take with it. The faster it exits, the more stuff it's likely to take with it; gloves, kiteboards, people. Of course, the slower it exits, the more likely the boat is to roll over and possibly capsize, dumping all of the above into the water.

posted 12-15-2008 08:45 PM ET (US)            

I don't think you can easily swamp a classic Montauk, not while you are running anyway. You would need to be stopped or backing down and take a wave over the stern. I'm sure the conditions exist to make a liar out of me, but I'm staying out of those. If you get water in (and I sometimes do that on purpose to clean it out) you just hop up on a plane and pull the stern plug. Its faster than the bilge pump if there is lots of water.

I suspect the design is such that even with water to the level of the transom you can still plane out enough to bail. The Outrage 18 is clearly designed to do a better job of self bailing, with the floor above water level and a lower transom.

posted 12-15-2008 09:16 PM ET (US)            

Once on Lake Erie I took a couple of waves over the bow of our Montauk. These waves filled the cockpit with 6" - 12" of slashing water in a hurry. It filled quicker that the thru-hull could get it out alone. I had to keep the now unstable water logged hull under power and heading into the seas until the water could empty out of the cockpit out.

Story goes, I had 4 people and gear in the boat and we were going to run out the the landing area to water was fairly calm and we got to the destination, anchored in a cove out of the wind and waves, unloaded, and hiked around the island. now it was time for me to leave however, the wind had shifted and now the once protected cove was getting large rollers coming head on into it. There were a few waves that were rolling over the bow into the cockpit and begin to flood it. So, I pulled the plug stern plug, started the motor, and began to motor out. The boat was very unstable and I had to keep the boat going into the waves. On the way out I took two to three more large waves that rolled into the cockpit and now it was really flooded. My idea was to do what everyone says, power up and put the boat on plane. Bad idea. When I tried to power on to plane all of the water rushed to the stern and some even went over the transom. The bow went straight up in the air, the fuel tanks began to slide out for under the RPS to the stern, I nearly slid myself under the rps seat, and the motor started to go under water. Way under. I quickly backed down and kept bilge pumping overboard with the plug out while still taking on water every once and a while. Fortunately the bilge was able to help dewater quicker than it was coming in. I know the thru hull alone would have not been able to dewater as fast as I needed. Once most of the water was out I was able to turn between the wave crests, power up while keeping the powerhead above water, and run with the waves home. I have never been that afraid in a boat as that day. It was also the day that truly sold me on the safety of Whalers. While most boats would have just sank the Whaler kept going. It took a lot of work to keep it going into the waves and keep it right side up but, it did it.

So, yes you can swamp a Montauk and no you can not just power up on plane if there is to much water in the cockpit.

A classic 17 Montauk has got to be the most versatile boat Whaler ever made. The center console makes for an open cockpit great for fishing and other family activities. You can trailer the boat behind most small cars with relative easy. The hull is very fuel efficient and planes off with great ease. The hull has enough V to it to make it's way through a lot of slop. While it can pound at times it will always make it home. The best way I can describe the sea handle capabilities of a Montauk is, you will always say uncle before the boat does. So, long as you are willing to take it the hull is willing do it.

posted 12-15-2008 10:24 PM ET (US)            

I cannot add any good stories about swamping a small Boston Whaler. The most water that came aboard my SPORT 15 was a few inches of rain from having forgotten to take the plug out while the boat sat overnight. Other than that I can't remember any water coming aboard.

You can't really combine this discussion about the new SUPER SPORT boats with a discussion of what brand of motor is more reliable. Motor brand preference is something like a religion for many, and there are strong devotees of just about every brand. A good index of engine popularity in your local waters is found by just looking around the marina at boat transoms.

In the price range of $10,000 to $14,000 you can find many used Boston Whaler boats these days, and, as Jeff commented, you can find some rather big ones in that price range now, too.

The nice part of a new boat is everything is new, and with a new Boston Whaler everything should be just about perfect right out of the gate. Used boats often turn into restoration projects, even the ones that were pretty darn close to perfect when you bought them.

posted 12-15-2008 10:43 PM ET (US)            

The fact is that ALL Whaler's won't sink, and MOST Whaler's will let you pull the plug (while sitting) without swamping. When I pull it, mine (late '60's 13 and 16) will fill up partly before leveling out with a few inches of water. Furthermore, in reasonably calm water if I plane up, said water will self drain. What should be noted is that the drain hole is very small and that water is really in no rush to leave. Couple that with more water coming in and trying to get on plane in conditions that facilitated all that water in your boat to begin with = swamped mess.

I love Montauks and I have an Eastport, but in the conditions you describe those rides stink. They are plenty safe when operated properly, but just not very comfortable. If I'm gonna be fighting through 2-3 seas everytime out in those kind of winds my money is with the 18-21 Outrage -- they won't pound nearly as much and every bit as stable.

posted 12-16-2008 12:11 PM ET (US)            

I think once things get a little warmer we will just take our gear and take the 130 and the 150 on a rough day and see how we feel.

posted 12-16-2008 01:04 PM ET (US)            

The good news is that the bay is always busy.