CONTINUOUSWAVE

Hi, I'm new to the forum and soliciting some feedback for a first Boston Whaler boat. I've been on and off Boston Whaler boats since a teenager. All of my time was spent on either a 13-footer or 15-footer workboat owned by the marina, and I have no experience with anything larger. I now have four kids of my own and want to get them on the water to fish, dive and explore the bay and coastal areas.

I'm specifically looking at an older model Montauk 17 or an Outrage 18. The 13 or 15-footers would be too small for my crew and would be a wet and bumpy ride in even light chop.

I'm located in San Diego and have been watching for-sale postings for about a year. I plan to buy an older hull that has been repowered or needs repower.

Q1: is a Montauk 17 large enough for a grown man plus four small children to spend a day on the water?

We would use it in the bay to a few miles out.

Q2: how does the ride compare between the Montauk 17 and the Outrage 18?

I'm leaning more towards the OUTRAGE 18, but I am curious to hear what others think.

I look forward to reading replies.

Short and sweet opinion:

The Montauk 17 will be too small.

This is a difficult time to find used Whalers. Prices are up 100% since 2019.

CA is the most expensive state for used Whalers.

In addition to the Outrage 18, consider:

Dauntless 180
Dauntless 200
Outrage 20
Outrage 210
Ventura 210

If you go with a 17' model, you will find you will want to upgrade in a year.

A fellow at my marina has an 18 Ventura. I would love to own abs 18 VENTURA. He takes his wife and three kids out in the 18 VENTURA, and all are seated comfortably. The bow seats and stern bench seat are what makes it so versatile. He knew what he wanted but an 18 VENTURA. To find one took him quite a few years..

Thank you both for the information and opinions. I think I'll rule out the Montauk 17 as a contender unless a very good deal comes along, which is unlikely these days. It boggles my mind how much $$$ is out there, especially here in California and how much people are willing to pay. I suppose when you consider the price of a new whaler, the used ones aren't that bad even if the prices have doubled in the last 2-3 years.

I hadn't considered the Ventura but will give it another look for a family oriented comfy seating floater.

Appreciate your thoughts!

As PHIL mentions, right now, January 2022, is a strange time to jump into buying a boat. New boat prices are crazy high, and supply is limited. That has pulled used-boat prices very high. A further problem: many people who own a Boston Whaler think that no matter what condition the boat might be presently in, its value is the same as a like-new-condition boat just because it says Boston Whaler on the hull.

If you do find a reasonably priced older Boston Whaler boat in excellent condition, you better be the first guy to show up with money. A boat like that will sell fast. For example, a notice of for-sale was posted in MARKETPLACE a couple of weeks ago. I read it very shortly after the post was made. I immediately thought the asking price was very reasonable, the boat was a highly sought after model in good condition, and I figured it would sell very quickly. The next day the seller emended the post from FOR SALE to SOLD. That is what is happening now--really what has been happening for the last 20-years--to used Boston Whaler boats in excellent condition that are desirable models and priced quite reasonably.

The only way to find a boat is keep looking. Get there first.

Regarding the "family" boat: many times people buy a boat based on the assumption that the boat is always going to be used by the whole family. Sometimes that happens, but some other times--maybe a majority of the time--the rest of the family is not quit as keen on going boating as Dad. So the boat ends up mostly used by Dad. The boat was bought on the basis there might be five or six aboard all the time, but maybe more likely the boat is run by just Dad and his dog.

Regarding the MONTAUK 17 and the OUTRAGE 18: they are both very popular models. I suspect that there are ten-times more MONTAUK 17 boats out there than OUTRAGE 18 boats. Therefore a used MONTAUK 17 is probably ten-times more likely to be available than a used OUTRAGE 18.

The MONTAUK 17 is really a wonderful boat. Boston Whaler are still selling the same basic boat (now the 170 MONTAUK II or post-2018 model), so it's been in production for about 50-years. A MONTAUK 17 is easy to store, easy to trailer, easy to launch. A 50-HP engine will be enough to have fun. The boat is very simple: on-deck fuel tank, fuel hose, primer bulb, engine fitting. No worries about a leaking below-deck fuel tank surrounded with wet foam. A battery to start the engine and maybe power the navigation lighting if underway after dark.

As a first-time boat owner, you should consider these other elements of boating besides the boat:

• the trailer
• the vehicle that is going to tow the boat trailer on the highway
• where you are going to store the boat
• where are you going to tow the boat on the trailer to use the boat
• what waters are available to you

Smaller boats need smaller trailers, only one axle, maybe no trailer brakes. Smaller trailer can be towed by smaller cars.

Smaller boats on smaller trailer can often be stowed at your home. The storage is free, and you can work on the boat any time.

Can your present vehicle tow the boat you buy? Don't buy a boat you cannot tow on a trailer, because you might have to buy a new truck to tow that boat.

Get a boat that you can use on the waters nearby. If you have to trailer the boat for six hours to launch it, you won't be using the boat as much as you thought you would.

Shellington wrote:Q1: is a Montauk 17 large enough for a grown man plus four small children to spend a day on the water?

Good luck with four small children on a boat and spending a day on the water. Unless your children are preternaturally interested in boating, I would suspect that an hour on a boat might be about the most they would tolerate.

Shellington wrote:Q2: how does the ride compare between the Montauk 17 and the Outrage 18?

The OUTRAGE 18 will have a better ride because it is longer, wider, has a moderate V-hull, and is heavier. But in small waves in protected water, there will be little difference between the two boats. If you have four small children aboard, you should only go boating on really calm days with very little wind, and on those days there won't be any difference between the two boats.

Jim has given some great advice. Something else to consider: small children don't stay small for very long!

Some great comments in this thread. Here is my take.

Both the Outrage and the Montauk are great boats. I have had Boston Whaler boats for a very long time, but not very many of them. I started with a SPORT 13 in 1982, then changed to a Montauk 17 in 1994, which I still have. I often had our small kids and their friends with us. We do our boating in south Florida, where there are a lot of options. You can go offshore in the Gulfstream fishing for the big stuff. Or you can meander to your hearts content on the Intracoastal or to a sandbar. Or go to Lake Okeechobee. Or the Florida Keys.

Given your scenario, your first choice likely could be the Outrage, for its deeper V hull. And higher gunwales, I believe. That’s for going into heavier seas. There is something to be said for that.

But, I absolutely love my Montauk and wouldn’t trade it. It depends on how you rig out the boat. In my case, I ordered mine with all of the cushion sets in the bow, the seat in front of the console, and the stern seat. It is like a nautical minivan. Kids love to sit in the bow, especially running at speed. We have occasionally had seven adults in the boat, and everyone had a comfortable seat. Yet the rails all around the boat give excellent safety. And we have a good Bimini top to keep the sun at bay. And standing up at the console to con the boat is a huge advantage over the smaller Whalers.

You can fish, trolling or drift or anchor. You can easily swim with the kids off the boat. You can go to a beach where there is no one else, and have a great day. You can tow a raft. You can go diving. Or just cruising and sightseeing. Or visit the one of the numerous restaurants along the Intracoastal.

And if you do encounter heavy or difficult weather the Montauk handles it well. I have never felt concerned when that happened. Yes, you will likely have to slow down more than with the Outrage. But the Montauk just keeps going up on those seas. Some people take them 30 to 40-miles off shore without even thinking about it. I know some people take them to Catalina Island. Yes, there could be some waves that will come over the bow. But no problem. It is a Boston Whaler. Most kids get a kick out of that when it happens. But they are safe.

You as the parent have to know your limitations with the boat and just have to teach the kids safe boating practices and what they have to do when they are in the boat. You just have to keep a good eye on them, and have them in life jackets when necessary. We normally had two adults in the boat, so one could con the boat and the other could see to the kids. As they get older of course, they become more responsible and part of the crew, so that wouldn’t be necessary.

The other advantage of a Montauk besides its flexibility, is its low cost of operation. Requires a smaller engine. It has the gas tank on deck, which I prefer over a built-in tank. It is also easy to tow for long distances if necessary--without needing a huge truck. I use a Honda minivan. It is also easy to store and it fits in my garage.

You can’t ask for anything that does more in such a great combination. And we had a great time with the kids when they were growing up. They remember those times fondly. As do we.

There are many reasons the Montauk is such a success. I have never envied any other boat.