On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 13:27:29 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 12:50:20 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

I've owned (in order) a 13' Whaler, a 22' Whaler, and a 23' Grady-White.
I
currently own a 17' Whaler and 25' Whaler. My dad owns a 15' Whaler, and
my
brother owns an 18' Whaler. For the exact reason that you give, I prefer
the
Whaler. I loved the lay-out of the Grady (easier to fish), but the ride
was
worse than the 22 or 25 Whaler, it was wetter, and it wasn't unsinkable.

Prior to the Contender, I was looking for a new, larger boat for
longer offshore trips and trips outside of the islands. Boston Whaler
was high on my list of boats, but the pricing was outrageous compared
to other boats I looked at. I could certainly afford one - it just
went against my natural reluctance to pay the biggest bucks for
something. That and Whaler didn't really make a boat similar to the
Fountain/Contender/Regulator/Mako type of center consoles with the
enclosed cuddy in the bow (although they did once).

That's the one that I have. 25' Boston Whaler Outrage Cuddy. It's great
with the kids because they can escape the sun or bad weather and take a nap.
To be honest though, I'd rather have Whaler's 28' Outrage from 1999-2002.
It's a center console...but the console is really just a big cabin plunked
down in the middle of the boat. It provides true 360 degree fishability
without having to step up onto a narrow walkaround platform like a Grady
requires. Contender makes a 31' and a 36' with this same configuration...but
Contender's cabins are sleeker, thus providing more fishability above decks.
Tarpon, Kings, and Permit are three fish that will circle your boat several
times while fighting them. If you happen to be anchored, you better be able
to pass that rod under the anchor line when the fish goes under it.

I've never had that problem although I've come close. Normally, I'm
fishing with guests and I maneuver the boat to prevent that kind of
problem.

I prefer fishing for tarpon from the 17' for that very reason. The biggest
one I caught weighed about 100 lbs. I fought him on spinning gear (Penn
7500 SS and 30 lb test) for 45 minutes...and he passed under the anchor line
7 times.

I also didn't
care for the lack of room in the Outrage series - the cockpit seemed
very cramped.

Yes, the new ones are tight. I believe that Whaler has mislabeled them, by
counting the added length from the pulpit and Euro transom. The 24' has the
cockpit and walkaround room of a 21-footer. The 27' has the room of a
24-footer, and the 32' has the room of a 29-footer. When you take that into
account, then the Whaler *really* looks expensive when you compare it to
boats with equal room. Nevertheless, I'd buy one...but I'd wait until it was
4 or 5 years old and a little bit cheaper. Once the initial depreciation is
out of a new Whaler, you can sell it several years later for almost the same
price that you paid for it..

Good point.

But they are good boats - no doubt about it.

I still wouldn't trade my Contender for one. :)

Even in 8 foot confused seas, with two dead batteries, and a leaky live-well
thru-hull? ;-)

Sea//Tow. :)

Later,

Tom

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 13:27:29 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in
message
. ..
On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 12:50:20 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

I've owned (in order) a 13' Whaler, a 22' Whaler, and a 23'
Grady-White.
I
currently own a 17' Whaler and 25' Whaler. My dad owns a 15' Whaler, and
my
brother owns an 18' Whaler. For the exact reason that you give, I prefer
the
Whaler. I loved the lay-out of the Grady (easier to fish), but the ride
was
worse than the 22 or 25 Whaler, it was wetter, and it wasn't unsinkable.

Prior to the Contender, I was looking for a new, larger boat for
longer offshore trips and trips outside of the islands. Boston Whaler
was high on my list of boats, but the pricing was outrageous compared
to other boats I looked at. I could certainly afford one - it just
went against my natural reluctance to pay the biggest bucks for
something. That and Whaler didn't really make a boat similar to the
Fountain/Contender/Regulator/Mako type of center consoles with the
enclosed cuddy in the bow (although they did once).

That's the one that I have. 25' Boston Whaler Outrage Cuddy. It's great
with the kids because they can escape the sun or bad weather and take a
nap.
To be honest though, I'd rather have Whaler's 28' Outrage from 1999-2002.
It's a center console...but the console is really just a big cabin plunked
down in the middle of the boat. It provides true 360 degree fishability
without having to step up onto a narrow walkaround platform like a Grady
requires. Contender makes a 31' and a 36' with this same
configuration...but
Contender's cabins are sleeker, thus providing more fishability above
decks.
Tarpon, Kings, and Permit are three fish that will circle your boat
several
times while fighting them. If you happen to be anchored, you better be
able
to pass that rod under the anchor line when the fish goes under it.

I've never had that problem although I've come close. Normally, I'm
fishing with guests and I maneuver the boat to prevent that kind of
problem.

I prefer fishing for tarpon from the 17' for that very reason. The
biggest
one I caught weighed about 100 lbs. I fought him on spinning gear (Penn
7500 SS and 30 lb test) for 45 minutes...and he passed under the anchor
line
7 times.

I also didn't
care for the lack of room in the Outrage series - the cockpit seemed
very cramped.

Yes, the new ones are tight. I believe that Whaler has mislabeled them,
by
counting the added length from the pulpit and Euro transom. The 24' has
the
cockpit and walkaround room of a 21-footer. The 27' has the room of a
24-footer, and the 32' has the room of a 29-footer. When you take that
into
account, then the Whaler *really* looks expensive when you compare it to
boats with equal room. Nevertheless, I'd buy one...but I'd wait until it
was
4 or 5 years old and a little bit cheaper. Once the initial depreciation
is
out of a new Whaler, you can sell it several years later for almost the
same
price that you paid for it..

Good point.

But they are good boats - no doubt about it.

I still wouldn't trade my Contender for one. :)

Even in 8 foot confused seas, with two dead batteries, and a leaky
live-well
thru-hull? ;-)

Sea//Tow. :)


That's true. Plus, if you were sinking, the Coast Guard could always come
out to help you in *their* Boston Whaler. ;-)

On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 17:27:21 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 08 Dec 2004 13:27:29 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in
message
~~ snippage ~~

But they are good boats - no doubt about it.

I still wouldn't trade my Contender for one. :)

Even in 8 foot confused seas, with two dead batteries, and a leaky
live-well
thru-hull? ;-)

Sea//Tow. :)

That's true. Plus, if you were sinking, the Coast Guard could always come
out to help you in *their* Boston Whaler. ;-)

With Honda engines.

Go figure. :)

Later,

Tom