CONTINUOUSWAVE

Hi. A friend wants to sell me this boat, and I am trying to find some details about it. The original HIN is not available, it has a state-issued one now.

The registration says it is a 1970 13.3 Boston Whaler. That is all the detail it provides. It has a transom cut for a 15-inch-shaft outboard, and looks like it has an aftermarket interior. There is no storage locker in the bow but there is under the pilot transom seat.

I attached some photos. The boat isn't pretty by any means, but with a little elbow grease I feel like I could breath new life into it.

Any help would be most appreciated.

A 1970 boat would never have had a federal hull identification number; they were not in use then.

The forward cockpit at the bow looks very odd.

Unless a stencil number is found there is no proof it was a Boston Whaler. The stencil number might be under that plate on the inboard face of the transom, or painted over.

Whether Boston Whaler or not, the boat is in rough shape.

I defer to Nick for a more authoritative opinion.

That looks like a Dell Quay Dory 13. One of several attempts to copy the Boston Whaler Classic 13.

With that bow it looks like a Del Quay Dory.

Well, there you have it.

I am sure [the seller] isn't going to be too happy about this. Although the registration record goes back quite a few years it seems to end in the [1990's]. The boat does have a Boston Whaler Logo on the side. It seems someone pulled a fast one on someone, and the lie just perpetuated itself for all these years. I am glad I decided to do a little research first.

[What is the General opinion of a] Dell Quay Dory?

With a little power washing and paint, I am sure the boat will clean right up.

But what is the boat worth? It seems like it could be a hassle to register and and re-sell someday, now that I know what it actually is.

Any thoughts about that?

Thanks everyone.

The Dell Quay isn't bad, the hull shape is almost identical to the original 13. As you can see the bow does not have the small locker. Originally they had storage under the stern seat similar to the later Whaler Super Sports. The are a little heavier than a Whaler, and unfortunately, I have never seen one where the original transom wasn't badly rotted.

Check the transom for rot. If good, less than $500.

Once you are aware of the deception regarding the boat being falsely identified as a Boston Whaler, to not remove the decals, and to not change the official title or registration document would be unethical, if you did become the owner.

There are thousands of real 13-foot Boston Whaler boats out there. If you want a Boston Whaler it will be wise to keep looking and pass on this non-Whaler. But for $500, heck, why not take a chance.

There are many prior discussions about Dell Quay boats that might inform your decision. Here is a link to a list of them:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sou ... gle+Search