CONTINUOUSWAVE

Q1: Am I correct in assuming that boat seen in Figures 1 to 7 below is a 1990 MONTAUK 17 model, and the hull weight (including console and RPS seat) would be around 950 lbs?

[Moderator's note: I took considerable time to make the images included as attachments to this thread so that the images would be more easily seen. The original form of this post was to include small size images that linked to very large images, which made for an awkward way to view the photographs. Also, the photographs have all been cropped to remove a lot of very attractive local scenery from the image, but in all cases the hull, which is the topic of this thread, has been retained in full view.]















BACKSTORY
I'm trying to clear up some confusion regarding the weight and approximate age of a 17-foot Boston Whaler [that I may purchase]. The boat is said to be from around 1990 and has been restored, as shown in the above images.

Also, I’m having trouble identifying the exact year of manufacture. The HIN plate on the original boat is visible in an older photo, but the restored version has had that area gel-coated over, and the plate in anchor locker also is obscured. I don't think owner tried to hide anything, they just didn't care.

Here is what I see from the seven images:

Figure 1 shows a non-original manufacturer's identification plate. I don't see any value in this information to answer your questions.

Figure 2 shows what perhaps might be an original hull identification plate but now obscured. I don't see any value in this information to answer your questions. If you could very carefully remove the paint or gel coat that is atop the plate, you might find more information that could identify the year of manufacture.

Figure 3 shows what appears to be a stencil number, which can be useful in identification. The sequence 3Ennnn suggests that this hull was a 16/17 foot hull. The 3E prefix suggests the boat was made sometime after 1972, but nothing further can be inferred from this number without consulting with Boston Whaler archives. However, recently the customer service department at Boston Whaler no longer offers callers information from those archives, if the archives themselves still exist.

Figure 4 shows the transom on Starboard side. The cleat is not OEM. The swim ladder is not OEM. There are odd rectangles of what appears to be different color gel coat [but on further study the strong sunlight has created shadows of the swim ladder which cause the gel coat appearance to change due to the lighting]. I don't see any value in this information to answer your questions, other than the weight of swim ladder would not be included in any weight provided by Boston Whaler.

Figure 5 shows the boat has a non-OEM cleat at the bow centerline, not the distinctive Boston Whaler navigation lamp-chock assembly. The boat has a reversible pilot seat, which was often seen on a MONTAUK. The decals on the hull sides are not in proportion to the original decals. The engine remote controls are mounted to the port side of the center console, which is very non-OEM style. The RPS has a teak seat back. In later models (such as 1991 30th Anniversary MONTAUK 17 model) the RPS had a laminated molded seat back.

Figure 6 shows the boat from the Starboard bow quarter. The bow cleat is also seen in this view. The navigation lamps are attached to the center console, again not in accordance with the original design. The hull has the bow smirk design. This indicates the hull was molded in 1976 or later. The console has an odd two-tone gelcoat color, which is very unusual [but on further study, the cause of the apparent console gel coat change is due to the windshield having a dark tint, and that changes the color of the gel coat under the windshield]. The typical Boston Whaler center console did not have completely flush-with-the deck bottom edges, but had reliefs so that deck water could flow through the console. Compare with several images in the REFERENCE article.

Figure 7 shows the cockpit from ahead. The anchor locker hatch is a different color than the hull, which suggests the hatch is not the original hatch, which could have been made from wood, or could have been a molded laminated hatch. But if the original hatch were a molded laminated hatch, there would not be a need to replace it with a new hatch. The original hatch was probably wood, and it was likely abandoned and replaced with a new hatch made from some synthetic material whose color did not match the hull gel coat. The side railings are seen in detail. These railing are the welded railings used in later models, where the horizontal railing is attached to the vertical railings by welds, not by mechanical fasteners. This suggests the railings are from some time newer than 1979.

Conclusion: about all that can be learned from the photographs is the hull was made sometime after 1976 and the railings were made sometime after 1979. The boat is not an actual MONTAUK model, but it does have several elements of the MONTAUK model, such as a center console, RPS, and railings. The weight cannot be deduced from the photographs. Among the weights listed in the REFERENCE article on the 16/17 foot hull, the 950-lbs weight for a MONTAUK 17 in 1999 would probably be the closest approximation.

The boat appears to be in nice condition, and the newer four-stroke-power-cycle engine should provide very good propulsion. But establishing its exact year of original manufacture to be a precise year is not possible, at least not by my interpretation.

Perhaps other readers can offer additional insights into the year of manufacture based on the seven photographs provided.

Let me add some further information and clarifications.
Figure 1. doesn't show manufacturer ID plate but a plate of importer company from Milan,Italy.
Marine Union
Viale Espinasse 106 – Milano
Tel: 30 13 225
"Boston Whaler 17' OMOL R.I.Na. N° 8 persone"

As per chatgpt:

What This Plate Tells Us
1. Official Importer
Marine Union, based in Milan, was an authorized importer/distributor of Boston Whaler boats in Italy.
They handled the certification and sale of Whalers, probably during the 1970s through 1990s.
The presence of their own metal identification plate riveted to the hull confirms the boat was brought into the Italian market via a legitimate commercial channel—not just surplus resale or gray-market import.

2. RINA Certification
The mention of "R.I.Na." refers to the Registro Italiano Navale, Italy’s official ship classification and inspection body.
“OMOL” may refer to “omologazione” (certification/homologation).
The plate indicates that the boat was certified for 8 persons for use in Italian waters, following local safety and capacity regulations

.

2. Figure 2 was show just to clarify location of HID [HIN] plate, now obscured since owner/worker didn't care when restoring the boat.

3. Understanding the Stencil Number “3E 1999”
Stencil number according to this forum link could be indicating that boat was built around 1990.

https://www.continuouswave.com/ubb/Foru ... 04623.html

89 montauk.BWCM 58901 889-3E1583-

1990 Montauk - teak with brass latches BWCM7336L900 3E3025

1991 Montauk, BWCN 5196 B19I, 3E3699

'91 30th version white w/ phantom grey interior (and a plaque from BW with the original owners name and Hull # 0034 engraved)

BWCN5305C191 3E3866 wood in hull, but no wood on hull.

My '91 has tag BWCN5504E191 and stencil number 3E4051. Teak trim with brass catches.

I noticed Hans has a 30th edition: BWCN5603H291 3E4002
Note the hull# is not too far away, but what's up with the serial #? Blue interior??
Year manufactured 1991, or 2?

95 Montauk ; Stencil 3E5708; Tag ( Hard to read, a bit corroded....BWCN 7244K495

4. All cleats aren't OEM, they were added by current owner after restoration. Original boat didn't have them. Also the ladder was custom.

5. Decals aren't original. I don't know why they didn't ordered them or make from vector images available on the internet. Again failed restoration detail.

6. Original central console did have reliefs for flushing water but they were closed and sealed.

7. Hatch was a custom molded job. Original was wood.

My concerns are with boats weight, so I'm looking for information on Mountauk's 1990 approx weight with this setup and a place that I can weight it.

Regards,
Ivo

IVO--the 22-year-old thread you have found does contain very interesting information regarding 17-foot hulls, their stencil number, and production or model year information.

The stencil numbers mentioned in that thread that are closest in sequence to your hull's number (3E1999) are:

3E1583 ---> HIN BWC M5890 1 889 which is not quite in correct format, as the "1" should be a letter, and perhaps is "I", so indicating production month as September 1988 and model year 1989. This would be typical as the model year change over usually came after Summer of the previous year, roughly July.

3E1999 (your hull) is 416 hulls later than the above hull, and 1,026 hulls earlier than the below hull.

3E3025 ---> HIN BWC M7336 L9 00 indicating production month as December 1990 and model year 1990.

We can perhaps interpolate from this bracketing of the production epochs to get a better estimate of when 3E1999 was made.

The numerical range is from 1583 to 3025, or 1,442-hulls made. The time frame is from September 1988 to December 1990, which is a span of 15 months. Now we can presume a production rate of 1,442 hulls made in 15-months or 96-hulls each month. On that basis, a jump of 416 hulls would suggest that your hull was made about 416/96 = 4.3-months later, or sometime around January 1990.

Looking at the upper bound of production, your hull was made 1,026 hulls earlier than a boat from December 1990. Interpolating back from December at the rate of 96-hulls per month, suggests your hull was made 10.7-months earlier. This again points to around January 1990.

On this basis, a reasonable interpretation of the stencil number 3E1999 is now possible: early 1990, perhaps January.


ASIDE: That old thread is a gold mine of information regarding stencil numbers and production epochs. I will look further at that data with the intention of adding it to my REFERENCE article on the 16/17 hull with regard to what range of stencil numbers correlates to what era of production. Thank you for pointing to it.

As for an estimated weight of the hull, a figure of 950-lbs is a good place to start.

Generally weighing the hull on a scale will be done with the trailer as part of the weight. You will also need to get an accurate weighing for just the trailer, preferably on the same scale as used to weigh the boat and that trailer.

Q2: do you need to have the hull weight with some precision in order to register the boat for use?

Regarding the ID plate from Marine Union: there is no year nor weight mentioned, but the certification [in Italian language] of a capacity for eight persons is certainly useful information.

jimh wrote:Q2: do you need to have the hull weight with some precision in order to register the boat for use?

Regarding the weight, I briefly saw some photos of the restoration project, and I’m a bit concerned about possible water intrusion. I don’t need an exact figure—I just want to be reasonably sure the hull isn’t wet inside.

The owner mentioned there was some flexing on the deck when walking, so he sanded it down and glassed over the entire deck (walking area) with new fiberglass sheets to stiffen it up. While it’s now very firm, that approach worries me, since it’s not really the proper way to fix structural problems. Ideally, he should have cut out sections of the old fiberglass to inspect the foam core for moisture.

The boat hasn’t been in the water for about six years, so it’s possible it had time to dry out before the restoration—but that’s just a guess.