http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=2468535 382


You are bidding on an "unsinkable" 1989, 18'6" Boston Whaler Raider
RRC, and trailer. This boat is really rugged - built for US Marine
Special Operation units to "...conduct amphibious raids on short
notice at night in adverse weather conditions from over-the-horizon
via air or surface means against distant inland targets." It's one of
a small number built by Boston Whaler's Commercial Products Division,
which was formed in 1983 to produce heavy duty combat, law
enforcement, fire/rescue and general purpose workboats.

Military documents say it's designed for "...deployment from
amphibious ships 20 miles from shore, ..in varying sea states, up to
and including Sea State 3/Beaufort Force 4, and surf zones
characterized by predominantly spilling breakers with a Significant
Wave Height of six feet and a period of 17 seconds for trained
coxswains."

This boat is rare, of unique design, and extremely heavy duty - the
ideal boat for commercial work, heavy weather conditions, diving,
frequent beaching, or anything that places heavy demands on the hull.
Here are some of the key features:

The length is 18'6", beam 7'2". A military spec sheet found online
says the "payload is 3,010 lbs; occupant capacity 8-10 excluding crew;
and a draft of 10" or 8" on plane".

According to quotes from BW, the "..fiberglass hull is twice the
thickness of the civilian 18' model, which would make it 5 times the
thickness of most conventional boats in the water today". I don't see
any structural problems with the hull, or cracks at the transom, and
it looks like only cosmetic work for minor dings will be required for
full restoration. The hull is not painted.

The bolster seat & supports, and the center console are held in place
by quick release pins and can be removed in minutes. I'm told this
was designed so the deck could be cleared and boats stacked on top of
each other prior to deployment. This feature makes it a simple job if
you prefer to remount the console in another location. You could
remove the bolster supports if you didn't like the appearance, and
weld or bolt the bolster in a fixed position - it's sturdy! The
bolster has new upholstery, and the support post is fitted with a
heavy-duty cleat for towing, mounted at a height for lines to clear
the engine guard.

The Center Console is in good condition and without cracks in the
fiberglass. Instruments are in place for the previously installed
motors and wiring runs aft in an above-deck protected loom. Battery
cables are present. The steering wheel and shift/throttle controls
move easily. There is a grab rail around the front and sides, in good
condition and firmly mounted. Three stainless holders of some kind
are mounted on the front and one side, but I don't know their purpose.
There is a cutout on top of the console to receive a Ritchie Compass,
and a light switch is mounted for it in the console. There are twin
instrument sets for RPM and trim, with wiring intact for the previous
motor installation - the keys are in the ignition. I don't see any
navigation lights, but there is a switch for them. A handy feature is
that the wiring and battery inside the console are easily accessed by
pulling the quick release pins and tipping the entire console forward.
Access is also possible through a large door on the port side of the
console - it's metal not plastic.

The hull is designed for four lifting/stacking eyes, two on each side,
with outboard backing plates.

There are dual six-foot grab rails on each side of the boat, one
inside and the other outside. These are strong, firmly mounted and in
good condition. The inboard and outboard rails serve as backing
plates for each other, so I don't doubt you could lift the boat with
them.

There is a heavy duty stainless full-keel guard running from bow to
stern, about 1/8" thick. I think you could drag it down the road and
leave only sparks!

There are 27 heavy duty metal tie-downs recessed into the deck which
would be great for securing even very heavy and odd-size cargo, dive
tanks, or commercial equipment. I'm told some of these, plus an
aluminum plate mounted on deck, were used to mount a machine gun.
There are also 5 smaller fasteners mounted to the gunnels inboard -
the type that might be used to fasten a bimini top.

The bow eye is through-hull with a backing plate, in good condition
and firmly mounted. It has a stainless fitting on the inside suitable
for an anchor rode or to secure gear. There are two heavy duty
stainless U-bolts at the transom.

I'm told the boat is the only Whaler model that doesn't use a drain
plug in the transom. Water taken on-board exits through high volume
openings in the transom. A single deck cover held in place by screws
permits access to fuel tanks and internal inspection. There are 3
access plates in the deck cover which open to the fuel overflow hose,
sending unit, fuel filler tank entry, and dual fuel lines. Another
access plate opens through the deck, offset on the starboard side near
the transom, providing access to a through-hull drain for water, fuel
or debris trapped below the deck cover. It exits the boat below the
water line so would work out of the water, and perhaps when underway
through venturi effect.

The stainless fuel filler is located midway on the port gunnel, and a
screened thru-hull overflow valve is positioned outboard below the
filler.

A thick, black, rubber-like Rub Strake protects the boat and is in
good condition.

There is a motor guard made of heavy gauge aluminum, and reinforced
with backing plates mounted at the stern above the transom. It
protects lines from becoming tangled in the outboard(s).

The fuel tank is present and has been flushed of debris with water. I
can't guarantee the integrity or capacity, but specs found online say
it holds 63 gallons.

I believe it was originally powered by twin OMC 70hp outboards, and
the electronics, steering cable, and connecters remain in place -
including keys in the ignition. I don't know if this stuff works or
not, but it's there. I've heard the boat is rated for 150hp, and that
people have run twin 115's, and one person has a single 200hp. Twin
in-line OMC fuel filter mounts are mounted near the transom. No motor
or batteries comes with the boat.

I haven't had the boat powered or in the water (just got it through
government auction for resale), but it appears to be in good condition
and ready to go once new power is added. However, it could have
problems I haven't discovered, so the boat is offered as is. Here are
all the things I can see that need attention.

The hull is oxidized throughout, and all glass surfaces need
re-conditioning or painting if you want perfection.

All the metal surfaces need repainting.

The hull has several dings that will need attention, all above the
waterline. The worst is a 3-4 inch gouge that needs filling on the
transom (see photo and look above the water line at the left of the
engine cutout), and a small one on the opposite side of the transom at
the corner. There are probably a dozen dime or quarter size minor
dings on the outer hull, one on top of the bow rail, and another on
the forward deck (small and minor). There is fine spider-web cracking
of the glass near many of the deck fittings, but the glass is not
bouncy and nothing suggests water has entered. There are numerous
superficial scratches on the hull above and below the waterline, but
none appear to penetrate the glass.

Three of the 4 lifting eyes and backing plates are missing. It would
be simple and inexpensive to install through bolts with aluminum
backing plates.

The rub strake is a fraction out of place at a couple points, but
should be easy to fix if you're a perfectionist.

The covers are missing for all the deck access plates, and
replacements will be required.

The fuel sending unit needs replacement and the mounting flange is
bent and needs some attention. It doesn't look like a big problem.
The tank will need to be flushed and fuel lines may need replacement.

The non-skid surface on deck at the bow needs to be replaced or
redone.

The buyer should plan on cosmetic repairs, spending some dollars on
detailing, and plenty of elbow grease to bring the boat back to new
condition. Lifting the deck cover to inspect the tank and clean out
any debris that may have come through the missing access plate covers
would probably be a good idea. I have more pictures, including ones
showing the console and seat tilted and close-ups of the dings on the
transom, which I can email if requested. It's an awesome boat!

The trailer is a Commercial Duty model made by Load Rite for BW, model
W7185 if I read it correctly. It shows it's age more than the boat
but looks structurally strong and without major oxidization or rust.
The main problems appear to be the need for re-wiring and to work out
some bends in the wheel covers. Here's a description:

Single axle, with Bearing Buddies. Tires are Heavy Duty 8-14.5LT with
good tread. There is no spare, but a mount is provided for one.

Surge brakes - I assume they work but haven't tested them.

Very heavy duty pintle hook type hitch - not ball.

The manual winch works OK, but the cable should be replaced.

The trailer has a great combination of bunks and rollers. The boat
rolls onto/off the trailer over 3 wide rollers at the keel, and ten
sets of twin rollers guiding and supporting the hull on each side.
The hull gets further out-of-water support from 9' bunks which flank
each side of the keel rollers. 5' padded guides are present above the
wheels at each side.

The trailer sells with the boat, and is offered as is.

The government paperwork shows the acquisition cost of the boat was
$24, 662. A low reserve has been set in acknowledgement of the boat's
age and need for reconditioning. The boat and trailer are offered
with clear title and paperwork from the government to permit
licensing, which hasn't arrived yet but has been promised by the time
the auction closes. It's hard to read the hull number, but it looks
like ??(either 6, G, C or 8)273 H889.

The boat is located and may be inspected in Fairfield, Iowa (52556).
Buyer must make full payment by cash, cashiers check, or money order
within 5 days of auction close, and the boat must be removed within 30
days. Buyer is responsible for transportation, and all related cost,
liability and arrangements. However, we will be driving to both the
DC area and Denver from Iowa in April and could deliver the boat to
points along the way. This would require some truck repairs, so a
minimum fee of $500 would be asked, and additional fees to locations
off our route. Delivery to other parts of the country may be
possible. These delivery options are not guaranteed, only a
possibility, and any agreement for delivery must be made in advance of
the auction close.

Payment is accepted by cash, PayPal, Money Order, or Cashiers Check.
Please email with any questions prior to auction close. Good luck!