posted 06-11-2003 10:07 AM ET (US)            

I don't believe we have yet heard from any owners of the new 150 sport, if this is the model you refer to. I believe these were released for the 2002 model year.

I have seen the boat at a winter show and was impressed by the hull lines. Its the seemingly inflexible interior that I remain skeptical about.

In its first iteration, from the 70s to the early 90s, the 15' hull came in multiple configurations designed to accomodate fishing, cruising, sporting, etc...

Have you considered looking at these early hulls or is the lone offered configuration appropriate for your intended use?

posted 06-17-2003 04:52 PM ET (US)            

Mine isn't new - a 1976 15' Sport with a '76 Mercury 500 50 HP motor. Nice shape - picked it up last year about this time. Just had to have new motor wiring (insulation had hardened and was falling off)and a tune up before I put it in the water.

Mahagony seats and console - really classy. I recently installed a "substitute" rear thwart seat made of mahagony-stained poplar with two nice, soft seats attached. Didn't want to destroy the original seat. Also installed a 12 gallon under-the-seat tank.

The 15 gets up on a plane very nicely and handles rough water in the Chesapeake much better than our 17' Sea Ray I/O! I couldn't be more pleased.

posted 06-17-2003 05:36 PM ET (US)            

How about some more performance statistics with boat specs for this model. I was more than a bit surprised when this (presumably) heavier and larger 150 came out with a reduced max. hp rating.

Are all satisfied with the 60 hp outboard?

What is WOT? RPM at WOT?

posted 06-18-2003 06:19 PM ET (US)            

I cannot make it porpoise at all. Engine is mounted in middle holes and bottom cavitation plate is exactly even with bottom of boat (also has a smaller secondary cav plate a couple inches above the first).

Very roomy, like the removable seat.

Very nice riding in our small lake.

Only problem is that the maximum speed is only 30-31 at 5600 rpm.

Tried moving the engine up one hole putting the cav plate about 1/2" above keel. This Possibly raised the top speed by only one mph and made the boat "skitterish" in high speed turns. Also caused the prop to break free of the water in any chop more than 4-5". Finally it put the water intake awfully close to the surface (about 1 1/2" below at static balance. I lowered the engine to prevent damage from over revving when the prop ventilated.

All these numbers are with 200 pound driver and 3 gals of gas.

The slow top speed is a real disappointment as I expected close to 40 mph.

posted 06-24-2003 07:20 PM ET (US)         

As an alternative to the 150, one might also look at the 17 Alert version of the old classic. Although it is longer, which means it may ride better, it is basically the same sized beam and weight hull, and the same price too, but a much heavier duty hull. Several BW dealers are now stocking these, and they seem to be popular. Since it is rated for 100HP, you have more speed/power capability, and although I can't understand why, you can get other than a Mercury engine on it!!

posted 06-25-2003 06:29 PM ET (US)            

I have the classic 15 foot hull (1989 GLS)...and I can tell you, new boats might come and go...but when I die, someone in the family will inherit my 15.

Would love to pull up alongside a new Sport 150 to compare and contrast....anyone of you going to the North Channel or Apostle Islands Rendezvous' this summer?

posted 07-23-2003 08:46 AM ET (US)            

I understand the older 15s were more of a deep-V and sacrificed some stability for a much smoother ride, but the 150 looks to me to have the same hull as the 130 which I was considering. I'm also wondering if the 130 is better than the 13 in this respect.

posted 07-23-2003 06:33 PM ET (US)            

You're right about Monday, I went out for a little ride from Wildwood Crest to Cape May with my wife. It was really windy.

Best of luck with the new boat.

posted 07-24-2003 11:21 AM ET (US)            

tombro, contratulations on your new boat!!! Did you get the 2 stroke, like bob wallace, or the Bigfoot 4-stroke, like lakesidelou, kshoaps, and sportroyalwulf?

sportroyalwulf, kshoaps has a 150 prop thread titled "Stiletto vs Hustler" going in the Performance forum

Techmage, is that 60hp a 2 or 4 stroke. Sorry to hear of your problem with it and hope they can fix it right the first time!

posted 07-27-2003 01:49 PM ET (US)            

http://www.engr.udayton.edu/staff/lriggins/Whaler

posted 07-27-2003 01:59 PM ET (US)            

ftp://ftp.engr.udayton.edu/lriggins/Whaler/default.htm

--
Moe

posted 07-27-2003 02:01 PM ET (US)            

ftp://ftp.engr.udayton.edu/lriggins/Whaler/default.htm

posted 07-28-2003 11:45 AM ET (US)            

Due to price though, I am not sure whether to buy an older 15' or 17' hull, restore it and then repower it.

It may probably cost the same as buying the new 150 after all is said and done. May be better off getting with the 150, but not sure yet.

If there are any 150 owners in NJ that would be willing to exchange a test ride for a case of soda, let me know.

posted 08-04-2003 04:36 PM ET (US)            

With people and gear, we had about 480 lbs in the boat. We also had two full fuel tanks, and the bimini was open. Seas on Lake Erie were running 1-2' but we got some 3-4' in the wakes behind the big ferries.

Trimmed in, it would come up on plane at about 3100-3200 rpm in about 3 seconds (that sure feels like a long time, doesn't it), but would sometimes fall off plane at 3200 when encountering a wave. At 3400 rpm, it would stay on plane with no problems, even when rough, and that kept me within the break-in rpm. I think that's going to be a good cruise speed for fuel mileage. Even with a few faster runs, we used about 6.4 gallons and put 4+ hours on the Quicksilver hour-meter, all weekend.

Leaving Put-In-Bay harbor (where I'd topped off after lunch), while still in sheltered water (and after the 2 hour break-in), I saw 5500 on the tach after getting it trimmed up (so did my wife)! I tried that again in the open lake, and only saw 5200, but it was too rough to stay at that speed and spend much time trimming.

Maybe this is premature, but it appears in our case the stock prop is going to be okay. Without GPS, I have no idea what the speed was. Hope to get it out on a small, smoother lake this weekend to verify those rpms.

We're totally amazed at how DRY and comfortable this little 15 is in this kind of water! There were a coupla times we got air coming off a larger wave that hurt Barb's back a little when we slammed down, but she said it wasn't bad.

The funny thing was that a severe thunderstorm came through Friday evening, and it rained and lightninged all night. I'd left the drain plug in and when we got to the boat Saturday, it was bow-high, with about 6" of rain water in the stern, going all the way up into the console. Steve Farnsworth said just jump in pull the drain plug and jump back out, and it will drain. It was hard for me to do, but I complied. Lo and behold, in 10 minutes, the stern, even with the weight of that Bigfoot, was high and the boat was bone-dry! Just about a teaspoonful next to the drain. About 1/2 gallon came back in when I jumped back in and put the drain plug back in, but I bailed that. I SURE wouldn't do that with any other moored boat! We got more heavy rain Saturday evening, but I had the drain plug out for that (due to a reminder from Steve).

WE LOVE THIS BOAT! And we sure enjoyed the camaraderie and fellowship at the rendezvous!

posted 08-07-2003 08:21 AM ET (US)            

Replaced the middle cupholder with the Ritchie F50 compass last night. Just gotta get some wire to extend its light wire over to the Nav/Anch switch.