Identify Brand and Model of Boat From Photos

[NorthCoast44]

Q1: is the boat shown below in several photographs made by Boston Whaler?

Fig.1. A boat to be identified from this photograph

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Fig. 2. A boat to be identified from this photograph.

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Fig. 3. A boat to be identified from this photograph.

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BACKSTORY
The current owner of the boat seen in the photographs hired a surveyor. The surveyor thought the boat was a c.1980 Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 18 or OUTRAGE 19.

The boat has a length-over-all of 18-feet 6-inches and a beam of 7-feet 4-inches.

This boat looks different from other Boston Whaler boats based on many photographs I have seen.

The boat also went through an extensive refit in which old foam, stringers, transom, battery boxes, console, fuel tank and deck were removed and replaced. Some photographs show the boat as it was before the refit.

[NorthCoast44]

Fig. 4. A boat to be identified from this photograph.

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Fig. 5. A boat to be identified from this photograph.

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Fig. 6. A boat to be identified from this photograph.

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[jimh]

In Figure 6 the transom is unlike the usual very wide notched transom of a Boston Whaler boat. This suggest two possibilities:

• the boat originally had a wide notched transom and a full-width engine splash well but the stern was extensively reconstructed to eliminate the wide notched transom and the full-width engine splash well; or,
• the boat as it was originally molded did not have a wide notched transom and did not have a full width engine splash well.

If the latter case is true, then the boat was not (and is not) a c.1980 Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 18 boat.

If the boat were originally a Boston Whaler boat, the transom would have a very wide notch, there would have been a full-width engine splash well, and--most importantly--there would have been a federal hull identification number on the transom, usually on the Starboard side a few inches below the top of the transom. In Figure 6 there does not appear to be any hull identification number visible.


Fig. 7. The wide notched transom and full-width engine splash well as seen on a classic c.1980 Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 18.

[jimh]

In Figure 5, if this were a classic c.1980 OUTRAGE 18 there would have been a molded anchor locker at the bow, but none is seen.

[jimh]

The hull as seen in profile in Figure 1 certainly has the appearance of a classic Boston Whaler c.1980 hull. This is the best indicator that at some point this boat was a Boston Whaler boat, or that at the least, the hull was molded in a mold very similar to a classic Boston Whaler boat.

[Phil T]

Not a Boston Whaler production model.

There are many companies that made ~18' center consoles. Some even copied the smirked bow.

It could be a CPD Raider (modified hull of the Outrage) that was heavily modified.

What does the HIN show?

[jimh]

The two-tone gel coat with non-skid area in dark gray is unusual for a c.1980 OUTRAGE 18.

[NorthCoast44]

Thanks for the information.

Unfortunately there is no HIN anywhere on the boat. The original transom was reinforced at some point with a large metal bracket that sat over the original but this was removed during the refit.

In Figure 6 the boat is shown with the new transom.

[The suggestion that] the boat might be a a copy is making more and more sense.

I was told that 1980's Boston Whaler did NOT use stringers in their construction; that means the configuration shown in Figure 3 could not be a Boston Whaler boat.

[NorthCoast44]

Knowing that this isn't a Whaler now, what do you think the fair value of this would be? I know it will be less than the current owner has invested in it because he did such a significant refit.

It has a 2020 galvanized trailer and the engines are from 2017 with under 1000 hours. It also has all the accessories like downriggers and electronics. All the wiring was replaced too.

[jimh]

I was told that 1980's Boston Whaler did NOT use stringers in their construction; that means the configuration shown in Figure 3 could not be a Boston Whaler boat.

I don't think that the construction shown in Figure 3 would completely disqualify the boat as having been produced by Boston Whaler. What is shown in Figure 3 is could be the hull liner. It is common that that the hull liner of a Boston Whaler boat has various structural elements molded into it. You can compare with another hull that is seen in with the console and the fuel tank deck cover removed:


Fig. 7. A Boston Whaler OUTRAGE V-20 boat with the console moved out of its normal position and the fuel tank cover and fuel tank removed, showing the hull liner component.