Notice the shape at the bow: no smirk. This is the original hull mold. This catalog photograph shows a constant theme of the 13-footer: boys (big and small) fishing.
PhotoCredit: BW Catalog
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DIMENSIONS (from 1998 Catalogue listings)
Length......................13 feet 4 inches (13 feet 3-1/2 inches c.1960)
Beam........................5 feet 5 inches (5 feet 3-inches c.1960)
Length/Beam Ratio...........2.5:1
Draft.......................6 inches (with engine tilted clear of water)
Weight......................320 pounds Standard to 410 pounds SS Limited
Original hulls c.1959 weighed approximately
250 to 275 pounds
Maximum horsepower
--steering wheel............40 HP for steering wheel models
--tilller steering..........c.1958 25-HP
c.1963 22-HP
c.1966 "ideal for up to 20-HP"
c.1968 20-HP
Minimum Horsepower..........9 HP
Capacity....................6 Persons
Swamped Capacity............1,600 pounds
HISTORY
Designer....................Dick Fisher, Ray Hunt, Bob Dougherty
First year offered..........1958
Last year offered...........Still available in the GLS model
Color.......................1958 - 1972 White Hull/Blue interior;
1973 - 1993 Desert Tan
1994 - 2000 White
1998 - White Hull/Blue interior on Limited Edition
M.S.R.P.....................$ 750 in 1970 for Standard hull
MODELS AVAILABLE
RECREATIONAL
Standard ..........1958 - 1970 white hull, blue interior
("The Cox'n") mahogany thwart seats, white rub rail,
transom cut for 15-inch short shaft
outboard motors.
Sport .............1958 - 1970 as above, plus mahagony side console,
("The Bos'n") wheel, and pulley steering; thwart seats
move forward about one foot.
Trophy............ 1969 - 1971 tamdem swivel seats, stick steering
on molded interior insert.
Standard .................1971 new hull design with "smirk", new sink-style splash well,
and new two-piece black rub rail;
mahogany thwart seats. The change
came mid-year and without much
fanfare from the factory.
[Note: In the following years,
the Standard model was always
available on special order but may
not have been shown in catalog.]
1972 changed to 20-inch height transom,
hull and interior gelcoat changed to
desert tan.
1977 liner mold changed to add two step pads
in the bow; bow storage becomes more
squarish.
Sport..............1971 - 1993 as above but with mahogany side console
and steering wheel; initially wire rope
and pulley steering.
c.1980 steering wheel changed to six-spoke
stainless steel; wire rope and pulley
steering replaced with cable steering
Sport .............1971 - 1976 steering moved to centerline;
(Center Steering) full-width narrow console.
Sourpuss...........1971 - 1975 similar to Sport but has center Steering
wrap around railing with pilot seat back;
blue padded seat cushions.
Special Edition....1982 - 1983 [need details of this model]
Super Sport .......1985 - 1994 adds low profile combination
bow/side railing, seatbacks, and
storage compartment.
Super Sport
Limited ........1986 - 1989 molded dual console with
windscreens, upholstered seats.
GLS................1989 - 2000 replaced SS Limited; all molded interior,
no wood; thwart seats and side console.
GLS................1994 - 2000 hull and interior gelcoat changed to white;
new interior and side console.
40th Anniversary Classic
Limited Edition.........1998 returned to blue/white gelcoat, white
rub rail, mahogany seats and
console of Sport style; only 250 made.
COMMERCIAL
Alert..............1983 - 2000 grey gelcoat hull and interior,
tiller steering
Utility............1983 - 2000 as above but with molded side console
[NOTE: Prior to the creation of the "Commerical Division" Whaler
offered the option of "workboat" specification layup, adding
additional laminate and resin to the hulls for heavy duty use.]
SERIAL or STENCIL NUMBERS
1958-1961...........100 thru 4499
1961-1963...........4500 thru 8499
1963...........8500 thru 11300
1964...........11301 thru 14700
1965...........14701 thru 17500
1966...........17501 thru 21200
1967...........21201 thru 24600
1968...........24601 thru 28500
1969...........28501 thru 2A2400
1970...........2A2401 thru 2A5600
1971...........2A5601 thru 2A7800
1972...........2A7801 thru 2B000
1973...........2B001 thru 2B2700
The 13-foot hull was the original Boston Whaler boat, the one that started it all. The story of its conception and development is told in a separate article.
In 1958 Boston Whaler introduced a 13-foot utility boat that would soon become the most succesful recreational boat of all time. It was the Volkswagon Beetle of boating.
Fiberglass boats were just being brought to the recreational market in 1958. Compared to other boats of that time, the Boston Whaler offered exceptional utility. The complex shape of the hull could never have been mass produced in wood or aluminum, but its unique design allowed the ride and stability of a much larger boat. The foam filled construction kept the hull weight low, and at the same time provided unmatched floatation. The boat was truly unsinkable. Low weight made for good performance with small horsepower motors, too. The fiberglass laminate and gelcoat made for simple maintenance, while the varnished mahogany seats and trim lent a yachty look to the otherwise spartan boat. The molded liner provided a broad flat interior simply unheard of in a 13-foot boat, and by placing the deck floor above the waterline, the cockpit was also self-draining.
The design of the 13-foot Whaler was extraordinarily innovative, and its continued production over a 40 year span is testimony to that. It is nearly indestructable--almost every Whaler-13 made is still afloat--yet the market for it seems beyond saturation. Year after year, the 13-foot Whaler is a strong seller.
The hull and liner molds had several variations over the 40-plus years of production. From 1958 to 1970 the design stayed relatively constant. In 1971 a major overhaul was made to both hull and liner. The new hull had the bow reworked to add the "smirk." This chine, formed by carrying the line of the runners up and across the bow, helped to deflect water away from the boat. In the liner, the motor well changed to a wrap around style; previously a straight bulkhead had separated the transom from the cockpit. The rub rail was changed to a 2-piece implementation.
In 1972, the transom height was raised to 20 inches from 15 inches, probably to keep pace with the use of higher horsepower motors. Both the hull and liner laminates changed to the Desert Tan gelcoat color. The hull had been white and the cockpit either a baby blue or turquoise.
In 1977, two step pads were molded into the bow at the corners of the liner and the shape of the forward locker cover became more squarish. The standard steering wheel was changed to a stainless steel six-spoke model. In the early 1980's the steering mechanism was upgraded to TeleFlex-style cable steering, doing away with wire rope and pulleys.
Because of the unusual construction, it was necessary to encapsulated hidden wood in the hull/liner composite to provide a suitable bed for attachment of fasteners. The below diagrams show the location of embedded wood in various models:
In the 1990's the wood was replaced with a synthetic "WhalerBoard" which provided a rot-free alternative.
Several additional drawings for the 13-foot boat are available in the REFERENCE section from the drawing index listing.
In 1983 the "Commercial Division" became a second marketing entity, but as early as 1970 it was possible to order the hull with the "Workboat/Bassboat" specification, recommended "for unusually abusive service." This added an additional 50 pounds of resin and laminate to the hull lay up and about 10-15% to the base hull price.
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1970 Standard 13 Notice the shape at the bow: no smirk. This is the original hull mold. This catalog photograph shows a constant theme of the 13-footer: boys (big and small) fishing. PhotoCredit: BW Catalog |
 |
c.1978 Sport 13, opt. railing and seatback This photograph ran in a advertisement with the caption: "The most compelling reason to put your trust in a Boston Whaler just went to baseball practice." The unsinkable nature of the Whaler and its inherent safety when used by young boaters have always been strong selling and buying points. PhotoCredit: Boston Whaler |
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c.1980 Whaler 13 Sport The Whaler 13 was often shown being used by young people without adult supervision. Here a young boy stands and casts his fishing net by himself at dusk, a situation in which, if you're the parent, you've got to have a lot of faith in the boat and the boy. Owning a Whaler encouraged both. PhotoCredit: BW Advertisement |
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This 1999 catalog photograph reprises the famous
George Silk Life magazine layout from May, 1961, which
showed Dick Fisher (in a sport coat, bow tie and hat)
yawning while his boat was cut in half by a huge saw.
Advertising--as near genius as the boat itself--propelled
Boston Whaler into
public awareness far beyond just the boating crowd.
PhotoCredit: Boston Whaler |
 |
Cutting Whaler hulls in half seems still to be
a tradition. This Florida dealer has a 13-footer
on display, nicely revealing the construction technique
and the hull form.
PhotoCredit: Larry Goltz |
The arrangement of seating and console determined the differences among the many models. These are described in more detail in a separate article.
Whaler owners are generally pleased with their boats, and the Whaler-13 is no exception. Owner experiences and testimonials document this satisfaction.
Many thanks to all contributors, but especially Larry Goltz, who has provided me with a wealth of historical documents on this model.
DISCLAIMER: This information is believed to be accurate but there is no guarantee. We do our best!
The page has been accessed (many) times.
This article first appeared February, 2000.
Copyright © 2000, 2015 by James W. Hebert. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
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Author: James W. Hebert
