Recommend Suitable Boat for Multiple Criteria

[HALMISFIT]

Recommend a Boston Whaler boat to buy to suit the criteria and comments below.

Give me comments on the criteria below.

Ask me further questions.

• I am 41-years-old, weight 180-lbs, and I am in decent physical shape.
  
• The boat will be used by me alone about half of the time. About 40-percent of the time a second adult will be aboard. And perhaps ten-percent of the use will be with a total of four adults aboard.
  
• The boat will be used primarily for cruising the inland and coastal waters of Florida, exploring sandbars, and possible pulling a water sport tube.
  
• I would prefer to be able to stow the boat in my garage, and be able to tow it to various launching ramp locations in Florida.
  
• I like everything about the 150 Montauk except I feel [its size] may be too limited.
  
• I'm open to the post-2018 170 Montauk or a c.2010 Dauntless.
  
• I have driven the various sized Super Sports and prefer the center console of the Montauk and Dauntless.

ASIDE: I am a long-time reader, but now a new participant. In my time reading questions--and often humorous answers--from the learned participants, I have not been seen the answer to a question unique to me: What Boston Whaler boat should I get?

I hope to get answers from [unclear three-letter acronym--please elaborate].

[jimh]

Based on your criteria and my experience, you should buy a classic era SUPER SPORT 15.

A SUPER SPORT 15 will:

• fit in almost any garage
• be able to be towed by almost any vehicle
• has a wonderful hull design
• easily accommodate two adults of average weight,
• have very minimal draft and be easily put ashore on a sand bar, and
• have reasonably comfortable seating for two with a nice backrest.

If you think a SUPER SPORT 15 is not large enough, then buy a 170 MONTAUK. If keeping the boat in your garage is essential, you should carefully measure the garage door height and be certain to get a trailer with a swing-tongue. Also, carefully assess the towing capacity of your vehicle, as many modern automobiles have very limited towing capacity, and a 170 MONTAUK may be too heavy to be towed properly.

You should not buy a boat that requires you to get a larger garage or a larger towing vehicle, unless you are willing to undertake those considerable expenses as part of the cost of boat ownership.

[Jefecinco]

A 160 Dauntless or Dauntless 16 could fit your requirements if it will fit in your garage. A swing-tongue trailer is very useful if storage space is a problem. A trailer can be easily converted to a swing-tongue trailer using a widely available kit. If a Dauntless is being considered I recommend it be equipped with a 115 HP engine. Most have a 90 HP engine which may be under powered for towing water toys.

[watereeswatson]

Based on your criteria and my experience, you should buy a classic era SUPER SPORT 15....

Jim is spot on, as usual. When you were describing your parameters the Classic 15 popped in my head immediately as well.

I recently went through this same exercise myself with a nearly identical criteria (except I weigh about 80-lbs more than you) and settled on a 1987 STRIPER 15, with a modified custom interior seating arrangement (as I have come to learn that most now are). It has a 1987 Yamaha 50-HP two-stroke=power-cycle engine that still runs well. Boat speed with my wife and I and two dogs is 34 to 36-MPH.

The STRIPER 15 has been great so far and performs all tasks from inshore fishing, comfortable cruising, fun speed, good handling, and easy beaching, all the while fitting in my standard-sized two-car garage where we can still park my wife's car next to it. I did have to install a folding tongue attachment to the trailer, but that went well and has not affected towing at all.

[Todd]

I few years ago I bought a 2003 DAUNTLESS [16] with a Mercury 115 FOURSTROKE on a Continental trailer. When I got the boat there were only 73 hours on [an hourmetere]. The prior owner used it as a dinghy on his yacht. I use the DAUNTLESS 16 for inland lakes in Michigan as well as Lake Michigan when conditions permit. I keep the boat in my garage so I can work on it and save a few dollars in storage fees.

Here are my thoughts for your consideration:

The boat, motor, trailer when outfitted with coolers, 45 gallons of fuel, etc is quite heavy. My tow vehicle is a VW Atlas which weighs 4,600lbs and has a towing capacity of 5,000-lbs. I would be very sure the vehicle you plan to tow the boat has the ability to handle the weight of your rig. I had a Audi Q5 before and the weight of my outfit pushed it around to the point of not feeling safe in certain circumstances.

I was careful to measure the total length of the trailer to motor making certain it fit in my garage. What I failed to do was measure the height of the boat when on the trailer, it exceeded the height of the entrance to my garage. I ended up splicing the center console railing that goes over the windshield and used stainless steel couplings with allen screws to quickly put it up and take it down to get into the garage. Not a big deal but it is something to consider if the boat you acquire has something similar.

Lastly, there are a fairly good supply of DAUNTLESS 16 boats on the market so you can find them to buy. They are built very solidly and I've found I can do most of the work on the boat in my garage myself. Last winter I re-did the seals, drained, and refilled the hydraulic steering system. That cost me $175 in parts and fluid; the dealer wanted $1200 to do the job.

Hope these thoughts are of some value and best of luck in your search.

Todd

[Phil T]

What is the size of your garage? A trailered 17-foot boat has a LOA of 21-feet.

Personally, the Outrage 17 I or II would be my choice. It is the best-handling 17-foot model.

[fno]

First step is to ask yourself this question: Do I want to stand or sit while operating the boat?

Many small-Boston-Whaler-boat owners have migrated to a larger boat for that very reason. After a full day—and possibly in your 41-year-old case, a half a day—in a small skiff-type Boston Whaler will induce what is called "Whaler Butt", in which you can also include the upper and lower spine and legs. Even Boston Whaler acknowledges this in their marketing materials, as you almost always see youngsters and sometimes new younger families operating the smaller boats.

Also, I agree with Butch on the Dauntless 160. I had one, too, and it was great until I outgrew it.