JB and others with Montauk info!

mako

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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May 15, 2001
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110
I've been looking for a good center console in the 20' range, but have expanded my requirements considerably. I do quite a bit of inshore striper fishing and occasionally venture about 20 miles out. This year I'll be happy to get a nice in shore boat. I've seen you mention the Whaler Montauk and I've seen a few for sale locally at decent prices (I Think). There's a 79 with a 79 100 horse Evinrude for $4500.00, and there's a 85 with a 99 90 horse Merc for $9500.00 and several in between these. I've heard you get some pounding from these boats, is it pretty mild? How do they handle some 4 footers with chop? Any info greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
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Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Ahoy, Mako. Montauks are safe, stable, fast for their class, safe, finished with the best materials and workmanship, extremely versatile and safe. You can bury the bow in green water, swamp her, and drive her dry. I don't know of another offshore fisherman that can do that. I have taken Montauks to Bimini from Haulover, trolled the gulf stream on days that you look up at water on both beams, prowled upper-midwestern lake shallow bays for bass and esox and explored L.O.T.W. nooks and crannies 40 miles from camp. Remember, the Montauk got her name from the waters she was designed to inhabit.<br /><br />Watch out for: neglected mahogany fittings, unrepaired holes and cracks in outer bottom that allow water to ac***ulate inside. They are fixable, but are signs of less than tender, loving care.<br /><br />A Montauk is not a caddilac in rough water. . .more of a SUV . . .and not very dry. This is a boat for fairly rugged outdoors people . . .wusses may not like it.<br /><br />The prices you found are very good, and the boats are very unlikely to depreciate.<br /><br />Good luck.<br />JB
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mako

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 15, 2001
Messages
110
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Thanks for the scoop JB, I'll let you know if I'm the next proud owner of a Whaler Montauk!
 

roverguy

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Joined
Jun 7, 2001
Messages
6
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

My dad has a 1969 Setauket, the mahogany version with fish platform up front. We bought the boat when it was 2 yrs old with a 55 Homelite 4 cycle & trailer for $2300! Repowered it in 89 with a 90 Merc. The boat is still in near perfect condition, flies 40mph with the 90 & trolls great with an aux 6hp. It has landed hundreds of pounds of blues & bass off Long island & lived the last 18 yrs on a lake in the Adirondak mtns. The hardware is the best quality & the boat still gets comments. It is a beater in rough water, gets you wet, but stand up & flex your legs. If you fish near shore & make a few outside trips a Whaler will serve you well for many years. I still have my 1960 13' that I cut my teeth on the lake.<br /><br />Comments from other gent on hulls stand, watch for punctures & soggy foam, tough to fix. <br /><br />Good luck with your search!<br /><br />Gary Hamilton<br />Cape Ann - North of Boston, MA
 

JB

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Mar 25, 2001
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45,907
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Ahoy,Gary. My first Whaler was a '69 Sakonnet which I bought new for $3100. She had the mahogany console and reversable pilot seat and the casting deck foreward. I suspect that is what your Setauket was. It was a wonderful boat. Replaced the Johnson 100 with an Evinrude 70 in 1979 and sold her in 1983 for $6500. The revised modern Montauk hull is smoother and dryer, but not as fast as the old 16s. Thanks for stirring great memories,<br /><br />Keep your line wet,<br />JB
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roverguy

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Joined
Jun 7, 2001
Messages
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Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Your right, that is the model. The boat does fly with the 6cyl tower of power merc, close to 40+. It can get you out to the fish pretty quick.<br /><br />Regards:<br /><br />Gary Hamilton
 

montauk

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Joined
May 9, 2001
Messages
12
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Hey Mako,<br />I'm a Montauk owner of 19 years and everything that JB said is right on the nose. If you've got a family, don't expect them to go out with you on choppy days - it'll pound your teeth out. But....... i've never been in a boat that I felt so confident in - unsinkable, shallow draft, and top end hardware/construction.<br /><br />All of that said, if I were buying another boat, I would find an old Outrage 18'. It is quite a bit more boat than the 1' difference - more V in the hull, more beam, etc. They are both outstanding boats, and the only reason I would want an Outrage is for getting more than 15 miles out in the Gulf. <br /><br />Go drive one of each and you'll sea what I mean. Good luck - hope to have you in the Whaler family soon!<br /><br />jg
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
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45,907
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Yes, Montauk. For salt water, especially offshore, the Outrage is a better boat. When I lived on the Dania Cutoff Canal in FL I had an Outrage 18 at my dock. It is a LOT more boat, a LOT more comfortable in rough water, costs a LOT more bux and uses a LOT more fuel. Non-macho passengers like it a LOT more, too.<br /><br />The reasons I prefer the Montauk are the versatility, the ease of towing long distances with my ML 320 and launching/loading.<br /><br />Hope that helps Mako decide.<br /><br />Smooth waters and hungry lunkers.<br />JB
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MikeSlater

Cadet
Joined
Jan 3, 2002
Messages
8
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

I bought a 16 1/2 Whaler last summer. I fish in the Grand Isle, La area and rigs off shore. I was caught in a storm offshore so thick I had to rely on gps to get me back. I was worried for my new wife (was our honeymoon) but never even gave a second thought to the boat. We just aimed into the waves and trucked it in. <br />Superbly constructed boat! I havent seen another like mine yet. Its a 16 1/2 ft Montauk, completely fibrglassed front and rear casting decks, center console. Only wood is the dash. No bow rails. I was told it was Boston Whalers official Bass Boat design. fish mainly salt, bay and near offshore with ZERO problems! (Except for my current shifting problem with my evinrude.
 

Pursuit2150

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 3, 2001
Messages
553
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

I had a BOSTON, They are a great boat , But you are going to get wet in 4' chop & waves!
 
D

DJ

Guest
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Like JB, can't say enough good about the Montauk. She can be a little bit bone jarring though. If that's the case just back off the throttle.<br /><br />Also echoing JB. Watch for waterlogged hulls. I restored an early 70's model for my dad in 1995. When I drilled a couple of small exploritory holes in the floor, no EVIN300 I didn't use a chainsaw, water seeped out.<br /><br />After consulting a Boston Whaler dealer about it, they advised me to drill some small holes at the bottom outside of the transom and let it drain. I did so and water ran out for several days. I let it sit tilted up high for almost a month before I patched all my surgical work and had it painted. It was much lighter than when I bought it.<br /><br />It's been dry as toast and rock solid ever since. <br /><br />I bolted on a new Johnson 70 and it runs in the mid 30's easy.<br /><br />I bought the boat for $600.00. Put a new trailer under it and the new engine. My dad has been offered close to $10K more than once. This one looks new because of the restoration and TLC.<br /><br />Great, very versitable boat. That's why they still make it!
 

Pursuit2150

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 3, 2001
Messages
553
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

Whalers, were always a great boat, BUT, keep an eye on them, I'm afraid the quality will go down now that Brunswick owns them, it happenrd to Robalo.& Bayliner.
 

Makofanatic

Cadet
Joined
Jan 7, 2002
Messages
24
Re: JB and others with Montauk info!

if you want a center that will be there till the bitter end get a 201 mako and you wont be let down they just get better with age.
 
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