posted 07-29-2013 08:43 PM ET (US)         

For cruising about, I find 4 adults to be comfortable in this boat. For salmon fishing on the west coast, 3 is the max comfortable number.

I think that if your kids are young, a family of 5 in an 18 would be fine. If the kids are in their teens, it might be a bit tight.

posted 07-30-2013 05:06 PM ET (US)            

There is no comparison, but there is more upkeep. Depending on the motor, the gas hit may not be too bad as the Outrage is pretty economical as 22 footers go.

If you have teak, there is maintenance there.

I would consider a 190 Montauk if finances allow. It would keep things pretty simple as well.

Good luck. It is a good dilemma to have.

posted 07-30-2013 11:56 PM ET (US)            

The Outrage 19 is perfect! The 22 was just too big. The 22 is a lot heavier too so when operating you feel a lot of mass wanting to porpoise. I felt I needed a full size v8 SUV or pickup.

The OR 19 is easy to tow with my 6 cylinder BMW SUV.

One thing that was more fun in the Montauk was that you felt like you were skipping over the waves. The OR 19 rides much better but you feel like you always have part of the bow chines touching the water.

posted 07-31-2013 07:29 AM ET (US)            

It wasn't until a few years later when I had some time behind the Montauk console that I discovered exactly what they expecting when hitting waves at that angle. In the right wind and wave conditions, the Montauk can have a tendency to get you wet. In those same conditions, that won't happen in the Outrage 18. While only 2 feet longer, the Outrage 18 is a MUCH better big sea boat -- softer and drier ride.

posted 08-02-2013 07:27 PM ET (US)            

I think Montauks are incredible. I don't think you drive a Montauk, I think you wear it like great skis, or a cutting horse or KTM motorcycle - an incredible MTB bike that is nimble on the trickiest trails. There is a feel and a vibe about that boat like no other I've experienced and at times I wish I had that with my boat. More specifically, I get in situations where water is shallow and I want to fish top waters - My 13 is perfect and 40 yamaha is bombproof sucking muck and weeds or filtering not sure which - Montauk would probably be great too.

posted 08-07-2013 11:37 PM ET (US)            

quote:

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& many of the smaller center consoles are not great for more than two people, and you have to stand all day.

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AFAICT, for HARDCORE fishing, which the previous owner of my classic 17 was, it's almost a one-man boat. Mine has no seats at all, all in the name of deck space. But I am nowhere near the hardcore fisherman that Brian/Fishnff is. I think he used his alone a lot. OTOH, I take my clutzy landlubber brother and senior citizen mother out in it all the time. If it's smooth out, a passenger can sit on a large cooler in front of the console like a stock Montauk. If it's rough, the ride is surprisingly good in the back of the boat. We have discovered that it's pretty darned comfy to sit on a duffel bag of beach towels just in front of the transom. A long duffel becomes like a lounger. You sit low, but the low freeboard makes the height of the gunwale feel about right anyway.

Not trying to talk anyone out of a bigger boat like an Outrage. The Whaler collector in me wants an Outrage 17/18, (I already have a Montauk and a 13), and I'm jealous of the folks that have one when I don't. But I can't honestly say that I _need_ one for my uses.

In my nearly 5 years as a boater, only a few blocks from the launch ramp at either residence, the boat that gets used the most is the small one that is quickest to get wet when I decide on a whim to go boating... which I often do after a hot day of yard work, because I live close to ramp.

posted 08-24-2013 11:00 AM ET (US)            

Getting into this Outrage 18 as compared to the 1979 Montauk 17 (I'm now selling), is like stepping onto a basketball court. There is so much room it is amazing! I can't wait to get it on the water and see how it performs. I am expecting nothing less than a major change in every aspect of our Walleye fishing experiences in Lake Erie. This should make a day on the typical Lake Eric Chop much more tolerable. I believe that a day trip/cruise with up to 5 adult sized people would not be too crowded given the 2 stern seats, helm seat and front Cooler seat.

posted 09-01-2013 11:59 PM ET (US)            

I have the same model, yeah, they they an amazing amount of boat jammed in to 18 feet, eh? The link is a 1999 model, somehow over the years I've lost the link for the 2000 year, but they were identical from my understanding. To the best of my knowledge this model was only available as a 1999 and a 2000, not as a 2001.

http://web.archive.org/web/20000301233722/http://www.whaler.com/Boats/ outrage18.html

As far as performance, I'm still with the orginal outboard that came with it, a 2000 Optimax 150. Sadly mine does not have any clever modern gauges to provide precise fuel use numbers. My best calculations have consistantly provided evidence that I'm somewhere in the area of 4 miles per gallon. It took me quite a few years to get comfortable with that and stop using 2.5 - 3 MPG to base my gas purchases on. I was constantly over buying gas on trips and towing it home with more in the tank than I started the trip with.

Speed has never been big with me, but in flat water with two people on board I've seen 38-40 MPH at about 4,500 - 4,600 RPM. I've only seen 4 or 5 other boats of this model over the 13 seasons I've owned mine, but never with anything larger than a 175 HP, I'd be interested in hearing how much higher your top end may be with the 225 and how the gas consumption compares, 60 miles on 14 gallons sounds pretty good.

Have fun out there,

posted 09-02-2013 07:30 AM ET (US)            

Hey! there was a nice tall boat festival on the Canadian side. I am amazed how nice the Canadians have made their river front look from the water side. It is disgraceful how ugly Detroit looks from the Canadian side. We are not doing them any favors in what they have to look at when looking West across the river.