"Dan Millard" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply. Whalers are expensive, what in your opinion
makes them worth the $$?

Most of the Whaler's ever built are still afloat today. I like them for
several reasons, but the number one reason is that they're "unsinkable".
You've probably seen ads where a 16' boat is cut in half and a guy is
driving around in the back half? A whaler has "two" hulls...an outer
fiberglass layer, several inches of foam, and then an inner fiberglass
layer...which makes them pretty darn tough boats without the need for a
stringer system. There are stories of 1 foot holes smashed through the
bottom of the hull from hitting a floating piece of debris, and the Whaler
made it home with the engine above the waterline.


They're also extremely seaworthy and stable boats, capable of handling much
heavier seas than most boats their size.

The only thing to watch out for if buying a used Whaler is any signs of
water intrusion into the foam core. Whaler uses a closed-cell foam, which
means it doesn't trap water. However, water still can work its way into the
laminate and cause a fiberglass/foam delamination over time. If there are
any unsealed holes (from old screws, etc.) below the water line or in the
bilge, or any soft spots in the hull, look elsewhere.

BTW--I'm partial to the older classic Whaler Outrages(prior to
'94/95)...which are the ones designed by Bob Dougherty (the founder of
Edgewater boats). The Outrage has a deeper hull than the other whalers, so
the ride is pretty good. A 22' Outrage with that 225 Suzuki should go 50+
mph.

Here's a link for all the info you ever wanted to know about the hisotry of
Whalers:

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/ref...ry/whaler.html