Identifying 13-footer

A conversation among Whalers
mrgadgt
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2021 5:40 pm

Identifying 13-footer

Postby mrgadgt » Sun Aug 08, 2021 5:58 pm

I'm new to the forum and to Boston Whalers. Recently I purchased a 13-footer with no paperwork, no title, and no HIN. The boat is in decent shape for not having been in the water for about 20 years.

The only number stenciled on the inside of the transom is 25321, which seems to indicate it may be a 1968 Sport.

The closest pictures I could find online make it look more like a 1971 to 1975 Sourpuss, with a center steering wheel and a Bimini top frame. But he stencil number, if accurate doesn't seem to make that possible.

In doing a search from the last boat registration, it came back with a controversial HIN that initially didn't match, but indicated that the manufacturer was Massachusetts Homemade Boats with a manufacture date of May 1994.

Is it possible that it was a state assigned HIN after the fact, because of repairs or remodeling?

All of the measurements are exact with a genuine Whaler. I would sure love to restore it to original condition, but don't want to sink a bunch of money into a knockoff.

Any help by someone much more knowledgeable than I am would be greatly appreciated.

I can send pics.

I want to be certain of the model and year, if possible. The original owner is deceased, and the family does not have any additional information. Thanks in advance.

jimh
Posts: 11672
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: Identifying 13-footer

Postby jimh » Mon Aug 09, 2021 8:08 pm

In some states the manufacturer of a boat may be listed as “homemade” when the applicant for registration has no paperwork or documents authenticating the boat as a product of a known boat builder.

Since Boston Whaler boats originated in Massachusetts and for decades were built there, to be unable to authenticate a Boston Whaler boat in Massachusetts seems particularly ironic.