---

Peter- I live on Lake Washington. I would agree with Tom Clark with one exception.I would recommend the 18' Outrage.While a Montauk is great on weekdays on the lake or Puget Sound, the weekend water will challenge your lower back and your fillings. The Outrage, though not a superior ride either, will be much drier, and very much more forgiving. The covers and windshield/s on open Whalers (Montauk/Outrage) are pretty much useless to protect yourself or your belongings in any kind of rain that lasts for more than an hour.You need to be less than 5' tall to get into the forward cover when the windshield and flying top are fastened, and everything sweats and fogs the plastic windshield/s. The boat becomes useless for cruising, and near useless for fishing with the canvas up.Bottom line....toss the canvas.Become a fairweather boater, or hardcore fisherman with real good raingear. T-tops don't sell well in this area, but are becoming more common. Seriously limits where the boat can be stored. A Montauk will get into almost any garage. The Outrage is higher, and requires some crafty stuff to get thru a 7' door. Either boat would be a cinch to launch and retrieve solo, compared to the Seasport. If you are a young, sturdy soul and don't mind rain/cold, you can boat almost year 'round here in either boat. If your primary time is fall/winter....keep the Seasport. If you bought the Seasport right, and sell it....then regret it, another Seasport ?????? Tom could better advise you on the larger Whalers, but then you're back in Seasport territory. That bulkhead, and the heater sure will seem like heaven if you are out in the Straights or Pacific on a blustery/rainy day in your Whaler. But- they (Whalers) are so delightful when you just want a one hour boatride on a sunny day! or a fast trip to Canada for the weekend.