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Author Topic:   9-foot Tender

burning_hXc_soul posted 12-17-2012 03:33 PM ET (US)
I can't put my Eastport in a lot of the small ponds and lakes around here because they don't allow anything with a gas engine. I've been looking at aluminum jon boats but I found a 9' Boston Whaler a little less then an hour-drive from me. Its [asking price is] $600 dollars with a c.1980 Mercury 4.5-HP outboard engine and a trailer. I already have a 2002 Mercury 5-HP, so the engine would probably be resold. Is that [price] good? Are these stable little boats? It would be used primarly for two adults fishing in little lakes and ponds. Might try to bowfish out of it to so we'd be standing a lot. I did a search and everyone seems not to like them, but maybe they're using them on open water. I wouldn't be out on the ocean, [and I am] mainly concerned with stablity side to side. Thanks.
contender posted 12-17-2012 04:46 PM ET (US)
I had one I got in a trade, felt it was too unstable for my kids, and traded instead for an 11-foot Boston Whaler boat. With two adults you are maxed out in the 9-foot Boston Whaler boat. You will have no room to move around and it will be tipsy. I will not own one again. The only good thing about it is that it will not sink. Hate to say it, but I think an aluminum jon boat--about an 11 to 12-footer--is the way to go for a pond. Good luck
jimh posted 12-17-2012 05:51 PM ET (US)
I think the asking price of $600 sounds very attractive.
frontier posted 12-17-2012 06:24 PM ET (US)
If it's a standard 9' Whaler (not a Squall), and in decent shape, $600.00 would be steal.
Especially with a motor and trailer.
They are very popular and hard to find in our area for use as tenders.
I agree, the 11 footer is a lot better all around boat, but the 9 footer fits on the stern of many more yachts.
And, many like the security of an unsinkable Whaler for a tender, as opposed to a 'poke a few holes in it and you're a goner' inflatable.
fno posted 12-17-2012 10:26 PM ET (US)
It does not look like he is looking for a tender. A pond fishing boat, I would look for a 11' it is stable enough for three if you are careful and put the task of passing beer out to one person. I have been thrown out of on though, but that was on plane and I hit a submerged tree. The German Shepherd that was with me was not amused.
Buoy posted 12-17-2012 10:47 PM ET (US)
If this is the same hull as my former 1983 Squall, not price nor unsinkability could make up for how darn tipsy the thing was. I can't see two guys standing up and fishing for more than five minutes in this hull, the fish will pull you overboard :-)
jimh posted 12-17-2012 11:43 PM ET (US)
I do not agree that it is a reasonable assumption that the 9-foot TENDER and the SQUALL share the same hull. One is designed to be a stable tender; the other is designed to be a small sailing dingy. I would be shocked that the hulls are the same.
burning_hXc_soul posted 12-18-2012 11:00 AM ET (US)
If its too tipsy then it won't suit my needs at all. I'd rather buy one of those little pelican pontoon boats they sell at bass pro then. I just thought it would be neat to have a whaler pond boat haha. Ideally I would love to find a junker 13 to turn into a bowfishing rig for the river up but I always miss out on those deals. Thanks for all the help.
Freddy posted 12-18-2012 07:41 PM ET (US)
I would purchase the 9' Whaler and spend a weekend cleaning
it up the best I could. I would then try to sell the 9' Whaler for at least a $600.00 dollar profit.
In the meantime try to find a 1961 thru 1975 13' Whaler.
There is no other 13' boat as stable as the 13' Boston Whaler. You can have 400lbs. on one side and retrieve
fish all day long. You will have plenty of room for two adults.
Buoy posted 12-18-2012 11:26 PM ET (US)
Well you have one CW memeber advocating the purchase of this 9' tender based upon the requirements you specified, another member suggests that it would be appropriate for the stern of a yacht, and the concensus is that you should look to the 11' plus offerings based upon your intended uses.
Hopefully you've gathered the feedback you sought, good luck :-).
David Pendleton posted 12-19-2012 12:12 AM ET (US)
If the condition of the boat, motor and trailer are good, buy the 9', because that sounds like a steal.
Flip it for a grand and buy a 13'.
frontier posted 12-19-2012 12:35 AM ET (US)
Freddy and David nailed it - you may end up with a free boat!
Dave Sutton posted 12-19-2012 07:18 AM ET (US)
Personal Experience with owning one compels me to say this:
It's a very heavy boat for it's size.
It's WAY too small for two people to fish from.
It was the only completely unsatisfactory Whaler I ever owned.
Pass on it and buy a basic alumimum generic rowboat and you'll like it lots more for the use described. .

Dave
.
contender posted 12-19-2012 02:15 PM ET (US)
Dave: the other Whaler That I will never own again is the squall. I have owned them both, both are unstable, But both will not sink, that's all I can say about them...
frontier posted 12-20-2012 12:22 AM ET (US)
The Boston Whaler 9' Squall is a great boat when used as it was designed for.
Great rowboat - I love rowing and it's my favorite rowboat. Even better than some of the high-priced custom rowboats. It glides through the water with each stroke.
Great small sailboat - especially for kids to learn on.
Good for a tender. It's self bailing - just leave the plug out when moored. And it has 2 rowing positions (two sets of oarlock sockets), you can load stern heavy and row from the bow seat.
Because is has the deep keel, it tracks very well when towed.
The Squall is one of the most versatile boats Boston Whaler has ever made.

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Author	Topic: 9-foot Tender
burning_hXc_soul	posted 12-17-2012 03:33 PM ET (US) I can't put my Eastport in a lot of the small ponds and lakes around here because they don't allow anything with a gas engine. I've been looking at aluminum jon boats but I found a 9' Boston Whaler a little less then an hour-drive from me. Its [asking price is] $600 dollars with a c.1980 Mercury 4.5-HP outboard engine and a trailer. I already have a 2002 Mercury 5-HP, so the engine would probably be resold. Is that [price] good? Are these stable little boats? It would be used primarly for two adults fishing in little lakes and ponds. Might try to bowfish out of it to so we'd be standing a lot. I did a search and everyone seems not to like them, but maybe they're using them on open water. I wouldn't be out on the ocean, [and I am] mainly concerned with stablity side to side. Thanks.
contender	posted 12-17-2012 04:46 PM ET (US) I had one I got in a trade, felt it was too unstable for my kids, and traded instead for an 11-foot Boston Whaler boat. With two adults you are maxed out in the 9-foot Boston Whaler boat. You will have no room to move around and it will be tipsy. I will not own one again. The only good thing about it is that it will not sink. Hate to say it, but I think an aluminum jon boat--about an 11 to 12-footer--is the way to go for a pond. Good luck
jimh	posted 12-17-2012 05:51 PM ET (US) I think the asking price of $600 sounds very attractive.
frontier	posted 12-17-2012 06:24 PM ET (US) If it's a standard 9' Whaler (not a Squall), and in decent shape, $600.00 would be steal. Especially with a motor and trailer. They are very popular and hard to find in our area for use as tenders. I agree, the 11 footer is a lot better all around boat, but the 9 footer fits on the stern of many more yachts. And, many like the security of an unsinkable Whaler for a tender, as opposed to a 'poke a few holes in it and you're a goner' inflatable.
fno	posted 12-17-2012 10:26 PM ET (US) It does not look like he is looking for a tender. A pond fishing boat, I would look for a 11' it is stable enough for three if you are careful and put the task of passing beer out to one person. I have been thrown out of on though, but that was on plane and I hit a submerged tree. The German Shepherd that was with me was not amused.
Buoy	posted 12-17-2012 10:47 PM ET (US) If this is the same hull as my former 1983 Squall, not price nor unsinkability could make up for how darn tipsy the thing was. I can't see two guys standing up and fishing for more than five minutes in this hull, the fish will pull you overboard :-)
jimh	posted 12-17-2012 11:43 PM ET (US) I do not agree that it is a reasonable assumption that the 9-foot TENDER and the SQUALL share the same hull. One is designed to be a stable tender; the other is designed to be a small sailing dingy. I would be shocked that the hulls are the same.
burning_hXc_soul	posted 12-18-2012 11:00 AM ET (US) If its too tipsy then it won't suit my needs at all. I'd rather buy one of those little pelican pontoon boats they sell at bass pro then. I just thought it would be neat to have a whaler pond boat haha. Ideally I would love to find a junker 13 to turn into a bowfishing rig for the river up but I always miss out on those deals. Thanks for all the help.
Freddy	posted 12-18-2012 07:41 PM ET (US) I would purchase the 9' Whaler and spend a weekend cleaning it up the best I could. I would then try to sell the 9' Whaler for at least a $600.00 dollar profit. In the meantime try to find a 1961 thru 1975 13' Whaler. There is no other 13' boat as stable as the 13' Boston Whaler. You can have 400lbs. on one side and retrieve fish all day long. You will have plenty of room for two adults.
Buoy	posted 12-18-2012 11:26 PM ET (US) Well you have one CW memeber advocating the purchase of this 9' tender based upon the requirements you specified, another member suggests that it would be appropriate for the stern of a yacht, and the concensus is that you should look to the 11' plus offerings based upon your intended uses. Hopefully you've gathered the feedback you sought, good luck :-).
David Pendleton	posted 12-19-2012 12:12 AM ET (US) If the condition of the boat, motor and trailer are good, buy the 9', because that sounds like a steal. Flip it for a grand and buy a 13'.
frontier	posted 12-19-2012 12:35 AM ET (US) Freddy and David nailed it - you may end up with a free boat!
Dave Sutton	posted 12-19-2012 07:18 AM ET (US) Personal Experience with owning one compels me to say this: It's a very heavy boat for it's size. It's WAY too small for two people to fish from. It was the only completely unsatisfactory Whaler I ever owned. Pass on it and buy a basic alumimum generic rowboat and you'll like it lots more for the use described. . Dave .
contender	posted 12-19-2012 02:15 PM ET (US) Dave: the other Whaler That I will never own again is the squall. I have owned them both, both are unstable, But both will not sink, that's all I can say about them...
frontier	posted 12-20-2012 12:22 AM ET (US) The Boston Whaler 9' Squall is a great boat when used as it was designed for. Great rowboat - I love rowing and it's my favorite rowboat. Even better than some of the high-priced custom rowboats. It glides through the water with each stroke. Great small sailboat - especially for kids to learn on. Good for a tender. It's self bailing - just leave the plug out when moored. And it has 2 rowing positions (two sets of oarlock sockets), you can load stern heavy and row from the bow seat. Because is has the deep keel, it tracks very well when towed. The Squall is one of the most versatile boats Boston Whaler has ever made.