Got an abandoned Boston Whaler today!

So my buddy at the coast guard hooked me up with an abandoned Boston Whaler at the stations dock this weekend that's been sitting there for a year. He and some other guys found it floating out along the coast of cape cod on a patrol and towed it back. It drifted all the way up from New York, but who knows how long it was out there for...

Anyway it's just the hull with the mahogany bench and console which I took out because I'm going to make new ones. As far as I can tell it's the 13' Boston Whaler Sport (even though its 14.5' overall) and one of the older models, made sometime around the 60s or 70s. The hull is in pretty much perfect condition, with only one tiny puncture in the hull and needs a new paint job.

As far as the paint job I'm not sure what I want to do, either paint it the original colors, or something different... Like flat black... Or not. Anyway, suggestions would be cool for color schemes, and anything else you guys and girls might think. Also, and I know this is a long shot, if you're in the New England area and have an old outboard motor or know of anyone who needs to get rid of one, let me know!

This thread will slowly develop into a re-build thread for this boat, so I'll get pictures of it and update the thread when I get stuff done!

: this isn't my boat, but it's the same model. Mine is just an empty hull with nothing in it, tomorrow I'm cleaning it up, sanding it, patching the small hole, and getting it ready for paint. I'll probably have enough time to make new mahogany bench seats, console and all that jazz as well!

Thanks for looking!


Update:
Here's some pictures of the hull stripped down. Got what was left of the wood out, and all the other crap as well as a quick power wash.





It rained yesterday, and had to help my friend with some fun stuff, so next weekend I'll get some more done!

 

NICE... Just need a nice yama outboard.

 

Neato

 

WOW!

That's the score of the century right there!

My buddy has extolled the virtues of the "unsinkable" Whaler since high school.
His first boat was that very boat with console.
Bought a 22ft "Revenge" and sold the 13' to a friend.

A couple of years ago he bought another 13' and he tows it out to Catalina behind his 45ft Silverton so he can leave the wife and kids on the mooring while we take the Whaler out diving or fishing.

He still has that 22ft Whaler... that's what we take when his family doesn't come with us.

 

That is a score like rich said!!!......I was out on the bay last year in one....super nice boat to fish from and dip around the points on. Went out to P town on choppy ass water and never skipped a beat.

congrats.....................lmk if you need a first mate!!!!

 

oh the revenge is an awesome boat! All whalers are super sturdy, perfect for the waters in and around Massachusetts! I'm so excited that I got this deal, there's one up the street, same exact boat but with a motor and the guy wants $4000!!

You're it man! Once it's together it's spending all it's time fishing! And wakeboarding

 

What a score, dude!! Can't wait for pics!

 

Nice dude.....I got fishing rods...........but never wake boarded.......congrats again! start looking for a dope outboard

 

That is awesome! You can't beat that price.

I have had good experiences with two different four-stroke Tohatsu outboards FWIW.

 

Score!

But it's a serious mistake to consider painting a boat flat black.

On the deck/floor/console, it'll get so hot to burn you.

On the topsides, it'll make it hard for other boaters to see you. And trust me, you want "joe sixpack" to see you out on the water.

 

+10,000

There's a reason that boats are normally white or cream colored.

Leave it as God and Boston Whaler intended.

 

Or repaint the hull Da-Glo Orange

 

Cool, can't wait to see the rebuild.

 

Lol no kidding! Don't worry it's staying white and blue!

Me either!

I've heard good things about them as well! Whatever I can get my hands on that's reliable is going on the boat. my neighbor has a couple old evinrude 2 strokes both 40hp... But need a lot of work, also old enough that getting parts will probably be a nightmare... oh well, got plenty of other stuff to do to keep busy.

 

Very nice score indeed. My father recently acquired the 13' Whaler Super Sport I had. I loved that boat and had a great time in it.

I sent you a PM regarding a motor for your new boat.

Good luck and enjoy the new toy.

 

I've always liked that style BW with the mahogany bench and console. Makes it stand out from other similar class boats. You have a great boat there and you can put a bigger motor on it than other boats of the same size because it is heavier. When your done with it, it's going to last you forever.
Please update us as you suggested.

 

bad ass!! at this point, i cant afford a free boat

 

They are great looking! And will indeed keep this updated as things move along. Have a very promising motor lining up right now! Things look good to say the least!

Dern things are expensive! Lol

 

Got a motor for it! 1986 35hp Mercury 2 stroke

It was brought to my attention by the member I bought the motor from here on TW that this hulls transom is built for a 15" short shaft outboard motor, which are pretty rare nowadays... so what that means is I have to raise the transom 5" for the 20" shaft motor which I just bought. Not a huge deal, but it is still going to be pretty involved and require cutting into the hull, removing the plywood in the transom, glassing it all back together and in the meantime making it look like the factory 20" transom. It is possible to buy brackets that would accomplish the same exact thing, but I think they are ugly.

Anyway these are the next few steps that need to be done (not in any particular order)

Transom rebuild, patch the hull, build seats and console, sand and paint the hull, gel coat hull(dreading), get the motor ready, buy steering stuff... I hear that's important... And other little odds and ends here and there.

At the moment that's all I can think of. Hopefully this weekend I can get at least one of those tasks mostly finished if not completed outright. We'll see!