posted 06-22-2013 01:45 PM ET (US)        

I'm seeing a lot of 10, 20, 30 years and older Whalers for sale. Some of these vintage and classic boats have, IMHO, more desirable lines, features, and construction than today's boats. Or at least, I'm more able to afford them.

A philosophy that I think works well from an affordability perspective is 'old boat, new motor'. I estimate that philosophy will net you 95% of 'new reliability' for a fraction of the cost with a Classic 16 footer anyway.

My own experience with a 1968 Sakonnet:
o Hull is still solid after 45 years.
o Wood required significant maintenance at times over the years and is in need of replacement now.
o Internal wiring from the console to the bowlight corroded away just under the light 25 years ago and we got around that by adding a light to the top of the windshield.
o Rails are all good but screws holding them into the hull from time to time need to be torqued, increased in size, or the hole filled and redrilled.
o Rub rail needed replacement over ten years ago.
Boston Whaler sticker is pretty faded.

Repower and undamaged hulls don't bother me. Internal wiring is a concern, as are built in fuel tanks, and any internal hull damage, which I guess would occur primarily form a leak. Anything 'above hull' isn't a significant concern because it can be visually inspected and it can be accessed.

posted 06-22-2013 05:57 PM ET (US)         

My fuel tank cavity foam was completely saturated.

I created a sump in the foam at the transom end of the fuel tank cavity and put in bilge pump and use that to constantly pump out the fuel tank cavity water in hopes I'll actually start drying the foam out. I'm sure I'll pay a price for this sooner rather than later with the aluminum fuel tank corroding from the moisture.

Had I known about the saturation problem and the water in the foam in my '89 boat, I would not have purchased it even though it was the boat of my dreams when I was a kid.

Other big issue with older Whalers is they are not self bailing. You have to store them up out the water with the bilge plugs out to keep them dry and keep you automatic bilge pump from killing your batteries.

I do store mine out of the water on an AirDock and I installed manual bilge pumps in all the bilge areas (two rear and one front) and pump out after rains so I don't have to keep pulling the bilge plugs. I do pull them for winter storage.

posted 06-23-2013 09:41 AM ET (US)            

Rotted wood reinforcement of the central deck covering the fuel tank cavity is more common. Wet foam surrounding the fuel tank is a problem, too.

For more information on deck wood reinforcement replacement and evacuation of wet foam, see

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/centerDeckRepair.html

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/outrageRestore.html

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/outrageRestore2.html

Wet transom wood is a concern. This can easily occur if the engine mounting holes were not properly sealed. The lower holes are always immersed in water, and likely to be a source of infiltration.

For advice about finding water intrusion, a frequently asked question, see this portion of the FAQ:

Q3: Is There Water In My Hull?
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q3

My experience with c.1987 and newer classic hulls has been very good. The only components that I have needed to replace have been opening deck hatches, pry-out access plates, and windshield supports bars.

For details about pry-out deck access plate replacement, see

Pry-out Deck Access Plate Replacement
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/019387.html

For details about opening deck hatch replacement, see

REVENGE Walk-Through Deck Opening Hatch Replacement
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/017057.html

I have had very good luck with rubber fuel hoses, but they are good candidates for replacement on older boats, particularly if the original rubber hoses are pre-1987, which is an epoch date. Rubber fuel hoses should be marked "Alcohol Resistant", and, if not, the should be replaced.

The main fuel filler hose that runs horizontally across the deck to the fuel tank is often found to be soft and permeable. It is difficult to replace with the fuel tank cavity deck cover in place, but it can be done.

The electrical power distribution on older boats typically needs some updating. For some details see

posted 06-23-2013 10:31 AM ET (US)         

Every fitting is a conduit for the moisture. The older the boat, the more likely the fitting is a conduit for moisture.

Climate boat is stored in (rainy NW) or inside/outside, in water, covered etc. likely has a lot to do with it.

After I bought the boat. I was removing screws in the transom from 20 years of mounting [unclear, probably intended to say SONAR transducers]. Previous owner would put a screw in vacant hole using sealant and paint over it. These screw holes were weeping water when removed. Uh oh...saturated transom.

Only way to know how bad is drill in and see how the wood in the transom is. I did this found spots but overall, including a one inch core sample at the apex of the hull was solid. The water would have migrated there. Yard did a knock test of the transom, agreed it was sound.

Installing electronics and pulled up the rear deck and found the fuel tank cavity totally saturated. Again from various and fittings leaking water.

Installed the sump in the fuel tank cavity, had the transom sanded and painted with all the holes plugged. Had about 100 deck fittings (canvas snaps mostly) removed, sealed and painted over.

Weighed the boat (always tricky especially with guessing how much is in 129 gallon tank based on the gauge) I would guess I have 20-40 gallons of water in the foam all told. Ideally would have removed the deck, removed the tank and saturated foam, new foam, new tank but that was cost prohibitive.

It is taking a long time to get the water out of the fuel tank cavity foam. It migrates slowly. Even after a year I will always have an inch or two of water in the sump after a day or two.

Local boatyard has worked on problem for people who want to restore Whalers or other foam cored boats. They drill holes and use the vacuum bagging from their fiberglass boat building tools to drain as much water as they can from the foam. In their view, the Whaler foam does not break down and even saturated, retains some floatation ability.

posted 07-24-2013 04:11 PM ET (US)            

Feeling your pain Eagle.
When I purchased my SuperSport [now a Montauk type clone], I knew that I would strip and restore the hull to as water tight as it could be and given that its a unibond- hull- deck assembly, it was easy w/out 'below deck holds'.
But I did go thru quite a 'West System-Microlite' hole filling excursion, followed by a couple coats of Awlgrip, but glad I did. While replacing the brass tube drains with fiberglass ones, I was able to assess the dryness of the foam and transom wood.
For the time I own the boat, I have determined there is nothing I need installed, other than the outboard, that can't be done without West System, 3M 5200 or 4200. Between fiberglass round and square tube stock or StarBoard, nearly everything can be secured to the boat without metal fasters penetrating the deck, hull or transom, with as good or better strength than penetrating fasteners.

Closing in on 25+ years old, I'd say this boat will be around another 25, if maintained, even if made a permanently slipped boat. It also helps that in southern cal, on average, we get less than 1/8" rain a day, and all of it from January to April.

posted 07-24-2013 06:13 PM ET (US)            

There are, of course, some boats that may have picked up water from neglect to seal fittings, but I don't think you can characterize all older Boston Whaler boats as having that problem.

posted 07-24-2013 08:09 PM ET (US)            

The factory made a minimal attempt at preventing water intrusion in the tank cavity, in my opinion. Aside from the caulk around the deck plate, there was still openings all around the area.

posted 07-25-2013 02:02 AM ET (US)            

I think it's true that one of the worst boat maintenance problems to have to deal with in a used boat (or some new ones too) is water ingress into the hull (with or without foam floatation). Second on the list would be hull blistering advancing to delamination, but that's a separate discussion.

Regarding any boat purchase, it's paramount the buyer carefully assess and know what you're getting for the negotiated price. The best built boats won't last long if continually neglected or abused. Boston Whalers are no exception, but few boats have been as well documented as Boston Whalers. Maybe not a good analogy, but Whalers remind me of GM-350 engines: proven, popular, and still being recycled, built-up, upgraded, etc.

I had only heard good things about Boston Whalers from a friend who owned one and from reading at various boat forums, but I looked at about four before I bought mine. And, of those other three, they were in good shape for 25-year-old's, with only simple and standard replacement items to be addressed. I just wouldn't pay the asking for them.