why was 15' Dauntless short-lived? - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Post-Classic Whalers
  why was 15' Dauntless short-lived?

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   why was 15' Dauntless short-lived?

peterh posted 02-19-2005 08:51 PM ET (US)
I see for sale a 15' Dauntless and, wanting a nice whaler in the $5-10K range, this looks pretty good.
But why did they get discontinued?
Do any of you have one? Problems or endorsementS?
Peter
BOB KEMMLER JR posted 02-19-2005 09:59 PM ET (US)
too $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ pricey
Islandguy posted 02-20-2005 01:10 AM ET (US)
Peter - From what I have read Bob is correct. The main reason some of the smaller 14' - 15' Dauntless's were discontinued was due mainly to slow sales. Translated, they cost to much in comparison to other Whaler models.
That does not mean that they are not good boats. I just bought a 1999 14' Dauntless, and so far so good.
I got it for a decent price. They are not as popular as the other Whaler models, like the Montauk for example, so good deals can be had on the smaller Dauntless's.
Have fun!
Jkcam posted 02-20-2005 03:40 AM ET (US)
Peter
I bought a 15' Dauntless, brand new in 1994. Like a jerk, I sold it to buy a bigger boat. What a jerk. It was a great boat, and the guy I sold it to uses it very little, waxes it and keeps it in his garage. I made a standing offer to buy it back but he has had some fun with it and enjoys just knowing it is ready, when he is.
I especially liked the center console set up. My only gripe with the boat was the well for the lower engine mount bolts. There is no drain for this well, it is covered by flimsey plastic, and you usually have no idea that 1/2 gal or more of watter is sitting in the well, probably seeping into the holes drilled to mount the lower engine bolts. Talk about cheezy engineering. Even if you trailer the boat, most likely, there is water sitting in this well.
If you can get a deal on one, I don't think you would be disappointed, just make sure that the well issue is not a problem.
I used my Dauntless to fish the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and the inshore and offshore waters here in Florida. I wish I had kept the boat. I will not make the same mistake with my 04 150 Sport. It too is a great boat, nicer than the Dauntless, but with a side console. There is no engine bolt issues with the 150 Sport and the ride is superior.
BTW I got sick of the issues with a larger boat(s) and am very happy to be back in a small Whaler. Wednesday, I cleared the St. Lucie Inlet about 6:30 am, ran south along the beach, caught my limit of Spanish Mackrel, and was headed home by 8:30am.
In 1994 I paid about 12.5K for the Dauntless. In 2004 I paid about 15.5K for the 150 Sport with 60 4stroke, trailer, etc. In comparison, considering the decade of inflation, etc. .........What a Deal!!
aubv posted 02-20-2005 07:42 AM ET (US)
It may have more to do with the change in ownership from Reebok to Brunswick, than price.
avwdu posted 02-20-2005 01:58 PM ET (US)
I have a 14' 2000 Duantless, which I read was discontinued because it Porpoises or something like that. It does that at certain speeds but can easily be corrected with tilt/speed. Came with a 50 hp 4 stroke. Needs more hp such as 65 hp. Great boat. Use it to explore, island hop, fish in sounds around Wilmington, NC.
Florida15 posted 02-20-2005 02:09 PM ET (US)
Peter, where are you located ? I've got a 1996 Dauntless 15' that I am about to put on the market.
mbsandflea posted 02-20-2005 03:04 PM ET (US)
Florida15, how much?
Florida15 posted 02-20-2005 06:46 PM ET (US)
It's a 1996 with a Johnson 70. Runs great and looks great.
The only thing wrong with it is the radio doesn't work and I went out there today and the steering froze which is because the grease gets hard from lack of use. That's no big deal. Just gotta clean the old grease off the arm and put new grease on. I'll get that fixed before the new owner takes over. Started it today and it ran fine.
Only selling due to lack of use. $8200.
nydealer posted 02-20-2005 08:33 PM ET (US)
The 13' and 15' Dauntless were redesigned into the 14' and 16' dauntless. The 14' Dauntless was discontinued a few years later because of the cost. The only problem with the 13' and 15' is the Scuppers in the stern. These boats were a little lower than the 14 and 16 and could allow some water through the scuppers. Most whaler dealers have plugs available to fix this. Both the 13 and 15 were great boats. The deeper V gave it a much better ride than the sport series.
Marlin posted 02-20-2005 09:49 PM ET (US)
I've seen but not ridden on a Dauntless 15. It looked to be a nice little boat, well laid-out. It has the center console and stand-up running that many classic 15 and 150 Sport owners have wished for.
I think that nydealer's comment about the 15 Dauntless being redesigned into the 16 is a bit misleading. While the 16 may have replaced the 15 in the lineup, the 16 is a MUCH bigger boat than the 15, more than the 1-foot difference in LOA might suggest.
-Bob
Marlin posted 02-20-2005 09:54 PM ET (US)
By the way, you shouldn't let the fact that a Whaler model was offered only for a short amount of time bother you. A manufacturer takes an item off the market because they're not making money on it, not necessarily because it's a bad item. The 21 Walkaround comes to mind as an example - a gorgeous boat, and on the market for what, 3 years? The 21 Conquest is another example, also for only 3 years if I remember correctly.
-Bob
Sheila posted 02-21-2005 01:00 AM ET (US)
And don't forget the Tashmoo!
Florida15 posted 02-21-2005 08:20 AM ET (US)
Everything I have read said that the Dauntless just got to be too expensive. In the latter years of production, I believe a Dauntless 15 was around $18,000 or so new. A lot of money for a 15' boat. If Whaler doesn't watch the pricing on the new 150, the same thing could happen to it. When the 150 first came out, I could have gotten one for around $11,500 or $12,000. From the posts I have read lately, they are what, around $15,000 now ?
Islandguy posted 02-21-2005 11:20 AM ET (US)
Florida15 - I think you are correct, my local dealer wants around $15K for a new 15' sport. I looked hard at it, but decided to buy a used 14' Dauntless instead. The boat I found was used as a tender for a large yacht and as such had very low hours. After a little clean up it looks brand new.
I paid several thousand less than the price of a new 15' sport and feel I bought much more boat. As a big guy the center console alone was important to me.
In my opinion boats are like cars, if you are on a budget buying somthing just a couple of years old can save you quite a bit of money. However you do have to be patient....:)

dodger posted 02-21-2005 11:34 AM ET (US)
I have a 1994 Dauntless 15 which I purchased used about 7 years ago. Powered by a Johnson 60. Love the boat. We run in the Bay St. Louis and Gulf near Pass Christian. Great boat for fishing and for riding the grandkids in. Also for achoring in the Bay to watch the fire works on the 4th, etc. Bought the boat from a preacher in the area and have had no problems. My wife loves to run her full out on a clam morning.
radiokid posted 02-28-2005 10:05 PM ET (US)
I bought a 1997 Dauntless 15' in March of 97 with a 60 Evinrude and most options. We love the boat and use it for just about everything including offshore jaunts (15 mi) on nice days. It has a nice vee that if you tuck in the motor rally splits chop nicely for a 15 footer. I have agonized with 2 foot itis for years but it would cost a bundle to do much better than what I already have.
Easy to tow p lus it fits in the garage so it looks absolutely brand new. I get a kick out of the old timers who eye me carefully when I pull up to launch and usually say something like "new boat?". I just smile and say nope, she's a veteran of dozens of ocean forays and I've spent a few afternoons scrubbing the blood and scales off her gunnels and deck.
Nobody is getting mine
jimmy c posted 02-28-2005 11:26 PM ET (US)
Both the 13 and 15 are great boats,and are actually going up in valve now as more people discover what a good boat they are...they are becoming a modern collectable...
you will never loose money on it....try it for a season and if you don,t like it I will bet next year you can sell it for more than you paid for it.
The foram memembers are correct in saying the were too expensive thats why they were replaced....key word...expensive
Good Luck and enjoy your new Whaler
rickrfa posted 03-01-2005 10:05 PM ET (US)
I just purchased a 97 Dauntless 13, with 50hp merc 2c. Glad to see the support for the 13 model, I really like it so far. Only problem is as other have mentioned with the scuppers, but that is easily fixed.
The boat feels much bigger than 13' (actually 13' 9" I believe). Interested in anyone's comments and mods they have made to this model.

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: why was 15' Dauntless short-lived?
peterh	posted 02-19-2005 08:51 PM ET (US) I see for sale a 15' Dauntless and, wanting a nice whaler in the $5-10K range, this looks pretty good. But why did they get discontinued? Do any of you have one? Problems or endorsementS? Peter
BOB KEMMLER JR	posted 02-19-2005 09:59 PM ET (US) too $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ pricey
Islandguy	posted 02-20-2005 01:10 AM ET (US) Peter - From what I have read Bob is correct. The main reason some of the smaller 14' - 15' Dauntless's were discontinued was due mainly to slow sales. Translated, they cost to much in comparison to other Whaler models. That does not mean that they are not good boats. I just bought a 1999 14' Dauntless, and so far so good. I got it for a decent price. They are not as popular as the other Whaler models, like the Montauk for example, so good deals can be had on the smaller Dauntless's. Have fun!
Jkcam	posted 02-20-2005 03:40 AM ET (US) Peter I bought a 15' Dauntless, brand new in 1994. Like a jerk, I sold it to buy a bigger boat. What a jerk. It was a great boat, and the guy I sold it to uses it very little, waxes it and keeps it in his garage. I made a standing offer to buy it back but he has had some fun with it and enjoys just knowing it is ready, when he is. I especially liked the center console set up. My only gripe with the boat was the well for the lower engine mount bolts. There is no drain for this well, it is covered by flimsey plastic, and you usually have no idea that 1/2 gal or more of watter is sitting in the well, probably seeping into the holes drilled to mount the lower engine bolts. Talk about cheezy engineering. Even if you trailer the boat, most likely, there is water sitting in this well. If you can get a deal on one, I don't think you would be disappointed, just make sure that the well issue is not a problem. I used my Dauntless to fish the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and the inshore and offshore waters here in Florida. I wish I had kept the boat. I will not make the same mistake with my 04 150 Sport. It too is a great boat, nicer than the Dauntless, but with a side console. There is no engine bolt issues with the 150 Sport and the ride is superior. BTW I got sick of the issues with a larger boat(s) and am very happy to be back in a small Whaler. Wednesday, I cleared the St. Lucie Inlet about 6:30 am, ran south along the beach, caught my limit of Spanish Mackrel, and was headed home by 8:30am. In 1994 I paid about 12.5K for the Dauntless. In 2004 I paid about 15.5K for the 150 Sport with 60 4stroke, trailer, etc. In comparison, considering the decade of inflation, etc. .........What a Deal!!
aubv	posted 02-20-2005 07:42 AM ET (US) It may have more to do with the change in ownership from Reebok to Brunswick, than price.
avwdu	posted 02-20-2005 01:58 PM ET (US) I have a 14' 2000 Duantless, which I read was discontinued because it Porpoises or something like that. It does that at certain speeds but can easily be corrected with tilt/speed. Came with a 50 hp 4 stroke. Needs more hp such as 65 hp. Great boat. Use it to explore, island hop, fish in sounds around Wilmington, NC.
Florida15	posted 02-20-2005 02:09 PM ET (US) Peter, where are you located ? I've got a 1996 Dauntless 15' that I am about to put on the market.
mbsandflea	posted 02-20-2005 03:04 PM ET (US) Florida15, how much?
Florida15	posted 02-20-2005 06:46 PM ET (US) It's a 1996 with a Johnson 70. Runs great and looks great. The only thing wrong with it is the radio doesn't work and I went out there today and the steering froze which is because the grease gets hard from lack of use. That's no big deal. Just gotta clean the old grease off the arm and put new grease on. I'll get that fixed before the new owner takes over. Started it today and it ran fine. Only selling due to lack of use. $8200.
nydealer	posted 02-20-2005 08:33 PM ET (US) The 13' and 15' Dauntless were redesigned into the 14' and 16' dauntless. The 14' Dauntless was discontinued a few years later because of the cost. The only problem with the 13' and 15' is the Scuppers in the stern. These boats were a little lower than the 14 and 16 and could allow some water through the scuppers. Most whaler dealers have plugs available to fix this. Both the 13 and 15 were great boats. The deeper V gave it a much better ride than the sport series.
Marlin	posted 02-20-2005 09:49 PM ET (US) I've seen but not ridden on a Dauntless 15. It looked to be a nice little boat, well laid-out. It has the center console and stand-up running that many classic 15 and 150 Sport owners have wished for. I think that nydealer's comment about the 15 Dauntless being redesigned into the 16 is a bit misleading. While the 16 may have replaced the 15 in the lineup, the 16 is a MUCH bigger boat than the 15, more than the 1-foot difference in LOA might suggest. -Bob
Marlin	posted 02-20-2005 09:54 PM ET (US) By the way, you shouldn't let the fact that a Whaler model was offered only for a short amount of time bother you. A manufacturer takes an item off the market because they're not making money on it, not necessarily because it's a bad item. The 21 Walkaround comes to mind as an example - a gorgeous boat, and on the market for what, 3 years? The 21 Conquest is another example, also for only 3 years if I remember correctly. -Bob
Sheila	posted 02-21-2005 01:00 AM ET (US) And don't forget the Tashmoo!
Florida15	posted 02-21-2005 08:20 AM ET (US) Everything I have read said that the Dauntless just got to be too expensive. In the latter years of production, I believe a Dauntless 15 was around $18,000 or so new. A lot of money for a 15' boat. If Whaler doesn't watch the pricing on the new 150, the same thing could happen to it. When the 150 first came out, I could have gotten one for around $11,500 or $12,000. From the posts I have read lately, they are what, around $15,000 now ?
Islandguy	posted 02-21-2005 11:20 AM ET (US) Florida15 - I think you are correct, my local dealer wants around $15K for a new 15' sport. I looked hard at it, but decided to buy a used 14' Dauntless instead. The boat I found was used as a tender for a large yacht and as such had very low hours. After a little clean up it looks brand new. I paid several thousand less than the price of a new 15' sport and feel I bought much more boat. As a big guy the center console alone was important to me. In my opinion boats are like cars, if you are on a budget buying somthing just a couple of years old can save you quite a bit of money. However you do have to be patient....:)
dodger	posted 02-21-2005 11:34 AM ET (US) I have a 1994 Dauntless 15 which I purchased used about 7 years ago. Powered by a Johnson 60. Love the boat. We run in the Bay St. Louis and Gulf near Pass Christian. Great boat for fishing and for riding the grandkids in. Also for achoring in the Bay to watch the fire works on the 4th, etc. Bought the boat from a preacher in the area and have had no problems. My wife loves to run her full out on a clam morning.
radiokid	posted 02-28-2005 10:05 PM ET (US) I bought a 1997 Dauntless 15' in March of 97 with a 60 Evinrude and most options. We love the boat and use it for just about everything including offshore jaunts (15 mi) on nice days. It has a nice vee that if you tuck in the motor rally splits chop nicely for a 15 footer. I have agonized with 2 foot itis for years but it would cost a bundle to do much better than what I already have. Easy to tow p lus it fits in the garage so it looks absolutely brand new. I get a kick out of the old timers who eye me carefully when I pull up to launch and usually say something like "new boat?". I just smile and say nope, she's a veteran of dozens of ocean forays and I've spent a few afternoons scrubbing the blood and scales off her gunnels and deck. Nobody is getting mine
jimmy c	posted 02-28-2005 11:26 PM ET (US) Both the 13 and 15 are great boats,and are actually going up in valve now as more people discover what a good boat they are...they are becoming a modern collectable... you will never loose money on it....try it for a season and if you don,t like it I will bet next year you can sell it for more than you paid for it. The foram memembers are correct in saying the were too expensive thats why they were replaced....key word...expensive Good Luck and enjoy your new Whaler
rickrfa	posted 03-01-2005 10:05 PM ET (US) I just purchased a 97 Dauntless 13, with 50hp merc 2c. Glad to see the support for the 13 model, I really like it so far. Only problem is as other have mentioned with the scuppers, but that is easily fixed. The boat feels much bigger than 13' (actually 13' 9" I believe). Interested in anyone's comments and mods they have made to this model.