CONTINUOUSWAVE

I am in the process of buying my first boat, a 1986 Boston Whaler MONTAUK [17]. After inspection, I only had one area of concern. At the bow, where the bow rail meets the deck above the Norman pin there is some fiberglass damage. The current owner, who has had the boat since 1988, reports that it has been there for about five years and hasn't gotten any bigger. He seems to think that it is a very quick fix, and "not a big deal" in his words.



My worry is that the [damaged] area is structural because: the rail meets there, the Norman pin is below, and the bow eye is below. I also worry water has gotten in over five years and caused internal damage. And I'm not sure what is in there.

Should I be worried about this damage?

Is repair of this damage going to a quick fix?

--Tim

ASIDE: this is my first post on this forum. The forum has lots of great information, and a huge thanks for that. I am glad to be part of this forum

Any opening in the Unibond hull of a Boston Whaler boat that could allow water to enter into the interior of the hull is a concern. The area seen in Figure 1 is at the gunwale at the bow, so it is unlikely to have been underwater, but certainly rain or splash could have gotten into the opening.

When the seller describes the damage as "not a big deal", the seller is trying to dismiss your concern about it. Your concern about this damage is a proper concern.

To assess if the damage is a structural problem, apply force to the rail base to test how securely the rail base in fixed to the gunwale. If the rail base shows any sign of being loose, then the damage will be more than "not a big deal."

It is curious how sellers will present a boat with damage, then insist the damage is "not a big deal." If the damage were "not a big deal" the obvious question is why wasn't it repaired five years ago? If repair of the damage "was not a big deal" then why wasn't it repaired before the boat was offered for sale?

I would not reject this MONTAUK as a purchase candidate just for this defect, but in negotiating with the seller, you can suggest that the price be reduced by an amount equal to the expected repair cost. If the seller offers a small reduction in price as the expected cost, then you could counter by asking him to make the repair at his cost, and you will pay the original price.

You have not mentioned the asking price for the boat. Lately it seems like Boston Whaler classic era boats are still selling at strong prices. Be aware that if the asking price is appropriate for the whole package being offered--that is, for the boat, the engine, the trailer, the accessories, and their overall condition and state of repair--MONTAUK 17 boats are very popular and sell easily. Generally the first serious buyer to show up with cash will be the successful buyer, as long as the asking price is appropriate.

As for making a repair, there will be more to it than might be thought. The bow railing may have to be loosened so the rail base can be removed from the gunwale, allowing access to the gunwale to repair the laminate. Since most of the repair is going to be covered by the rail base, the repair does not have to be cosmetically perfect, and this will reduce the difficulty somewhat.

A loose rail base is a common problem. See the FAQ for advice on repair:

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q7

Also seen in Figure 1 is the classic Boston Whaler combined sidelight lamp and chock assembly. There appears to be some rust on this lamp housing. I would anticipate that the boat was probably used in saltwater. Generally on freshwater boats you would not see rust on chrome plated or stainless steel fittings.

Jim--I really appreciate your fast and thorough reply. I will definitely check for loosening of the rail and go from there in discussing with the seller.

Yes, the boat was used in saltwater at Cape Cod.

[This 1986 MONTAUK has a] 1990 Yamaha 90-HP engine.

The seller is very confident the hull is in great shape; the boat has been in his family since 1988.

The outboard has been maintained by a boatyard every year.

The trailer is in poor shape and needs to be replaced.

The asking price was $10,900 but we are agreed at $10,000--a little more than I had wanted to pay, but, as you say, the price of Boston Whaler boats is strong.

I will check on the structural integrity as you had mentioned and go from there.

To get a better sense of the damage at the bottom of the rail base, you will need to lift up the rail.

To do this, remove all the screws to the rail bases and place two 2 x 4 planks across the gunwale under the rail bases.

You may need to open up the damaged area.

Report back the dimensions of the damaged area, width and depth. This will help us recommend products to use to repair.

Grab two or three tubes of Boat Life Marine Sealant. You will need this to sea lthe screw holes in the boat. Put a dab in the hole, dab under head. Wipe away excess.

I would be concerned the owner left it like that for years. Doesn't say much for his level of maintenance.

Holes in the hull or deck of a Boston Whaler Unibond hull are the Achilles heel.

Pre-covid this would be a $7,000 boat.

Most older Boston Whaler boats can still be restored to extraordinarily good condition with a bit of work.

The Yamaha 90 is probably a two-stroke-power-cycle engine, but it is a classic design, well made, and can run for another decade or two with routine maintenance, good fuel and oil, and proper care.

Trailers around saltwater don't have the long service life that you would get with only freshwater use. The cost or renovation of a saltwater-used trailer that needs a lot of repair may be almost as much as getting a new trailer. Check out the cost of a new trailer before spending too much on the old trailer.

When buying a boat, having a roadworthy trailer under the boat is very desirable so the new purchase can be trailered home.

A final thought: damage to bow railings often occurs in maneuvering around a dock. The bow railing stanchion base damage may have been created by a somewhat forceful encounter with a dock who height was just right to come above the hull but below the horizontal railing and hit the stanchion.

Jim and Phil,

You guys are great. I so appreciate the replies, insight and knowledge. After deliberating I am going to pass on this particular MONTAUK and keep searching for the right one.


Many thanks,
Tim