posted 02-16-2011 12:04 PM ET (US)        

I bought it off Norcal CWW member Fishnff/Brian, with huge help from Elaelap/Tony. Brian was the original owner. It is a newish model year for a classic, at 1998, and is powered by a great running, (though nobody's favorite), 2000 Mercury 4-stroke... carbureted.

The best thing about it is how Brian set up the interior... ALL walkaround room. Dual batteries with a multi-selectable combiner, and a 12 gallon tank all under the console. Further, he added a big fiberglass box above the console which essentially makes the console about 3 feet higher, with TONS of aft-facing, dry storage for the VHF, SONAR, and whatever else you want. The standard Montauk plastic windshield is on top of that. It makes for a much drier ride in a more upright driving position.

This thing is set up like a champ for clean, uncluttered operations, at the sacrifice of seating. I love it for my short stints. The only detractor, which didn't stop me or Tony is the crude, home-paint job of the center console stack.

Overall, pretty excited about this. Many thanks to Tony for looking it over for me, and giving a GREAT recommendation. And to Brian, for being a communicative, standup, honest seller, who was very helpful with the many little details of the transaction.

posted 02-16-2011 12:50 PM ET (US)            

This boat is as nice a BW 16'7" craft as I've ever seen in person (though its very functional, very non-OEM console will displease some purists). Enjoy, Peter, and please give me first right of refusal if you ever decide to sell...which I doubt will happen.

posted 02-16-2011 05:41 PM ET (US)            

https://picasaweb.google.com/pcrussell50/WhalerAlertMontauk17#

posted 02-16-2011 06:58 PM ET (US)            

The seller, Brian, a very, very, very knowledgeable, competent NorCal firefighter, seaman, and SF Bay Area fisherman, spec'd that boat himself from the Brunswick Commercial Division...bought the beauty new ten or eleven years ago through our local Whaler dealer, the Outboard Motor Shop in Alameda. Everything is top-of-the-line: extra glass on the decks, very very cool custom midships cleats backed by stainless pads on the interior bulwarks, trim tabs (which I've never seen before on a Montauk-style hull), and all kinds of other cool stuff I can't (or refuse to) remember. Hull, outside and inside, is in remarkable condition -- no spiderwebbing, no noticeable dings. Nice galvanized trailer in good condition as well; and while I'm not an enthusiast of the carbureted Mercury 90 hp four stroke motor, it looks like it's in fine condition and I accept Brian's account without hesitation that the motor was broken in properly and has been well treated for the ~900 hours Brian has put on it.

A very, very fine Boston Whaler indeed. In fact, IMO just about as nice as they come. If I told you what Peter paid for it y'all would cry. Oh what an idiot I am...

posted 02-16-2011 09:32 PM ET (US)            

Fluke, absolutely, you come along on my first island run. Maybe several. I'm still a new mariner here and I have a LOT to learn. I've never done anything like skipper a skiff out to the islands, and there's no way I'm going to consider it before I have some measure of expertise... period. I'm humble with hat in hand in the face of folks who have a lot more time on the water than I do. Not the least of which is, picking the right weather and sea conditions.

posted 02-17-2011 01:47 PM ET (US)            

Congratulations on your new and very fine vessel. I'm sure you'll be getting the decks bloody in no time!

posted 02-17-2011 02:51 PM ET (US)            

You know, I should take her up to Cachuma soon. The bow troller is easily removable, too. Just one wing nut, then you back it out of it's mounting lugs. The reason it's on in the pics is that the back of my Explorer was already full of luggage from my wife and baby for a couple of days visit to San Francisco. So, having it mounted was the most secure way to travel home with it.

posted 02-17-2011 04:44 PM ET (US)            

Southern California weather sure has been nice this winter! This weekend isn't going to work, but I've been going to Anacapa pretty much every other week this winter. There have been days when the channel was very calm. I decided to give fishing a try and caught my first ocean fish (and first fish in maybe fifteen years or so)! It was a guitar fish right off the North coast of Anacapa.

posted 02-17-2011 06:59 PM ET (US)            

Tony, yep, you blew it.

posted 02-18-2011 12:22 AM ET (US)            

Nick! There's no seat, mmmbrah. :) But there IS deck space aplenty. I _might_ get the fitted cushion for the bow cover area for times when I'm out with the wife and baby and we aren't under way. Otherwise, it's all standup all the time. That said, there are sturdy handholds all around the center stack, including room for two to stand behind the windshield.

Tony warmed me up to the idea of the simplicity and all the deck space, and now I'm thrilled with it. Seating can always be added... or improvised, such as with padded seat coolers.

The red 12 gallon plastic tank you see in the pics is not normally there. That's just a spare that came with the deal. The 12 gallon plastic tank that serves as the main tank is under the console, along with the dual battery setup.

posted 02-18-2011 09:05 AM ET (US)            

I repeat...what a fine Boston Whaler! Usually digital photos make boats appear better than they look in person; not in this case. This one only gets better and better with close inspection.

Better keep her locked up well and make sure your theft insurance is up to date, Peter. Santa Barbara is only about six hours south of my home...

posted 02-18-2011 11:25 AM ET (US)            

Coolers work just fine as seats, albeit without backs. Our partnership banana Revenge 'Strike3' has only one captain's seat, but we rest our tired rear ends on our cooler/fish box when necessary.

It's hard to imagine until you've seen it in person how much space there is aft of a classic Montauk's console without an RPS, captain's chairs, or a leaning post. Very cool.

posted 02-18-2011 11:56 AM ET (US)            

In addition to a fishbox cooler seat, I could always run a teak board across between the gunwales and fix it with velcro or some other removable scheme... I guess.