Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by pederj on 07/13/10 - 3:23 PM

Just wondering, What the longest distance you have ever trailered your Whaler to go fishing or sightseeing? I trailered mine to Jekyll Island GA to go fishing for three days. Jekyll Island is about 350 miles from my house. Had a great time exploring down there. Came to the conclusion I need to buy a GPS or Plotter to keep track of were I am and to watch out for shallow spots. My sister-in-law insisted going fishing with me and my brother. I had a ball scaring my sister-in-law with the larger waves, making big "splash-downs". Everything went well driving up and back. I look forward to going back many times in the future. Hopefully, the Florida panhandle can recover quickly from the BP spill, because I really want to give that a try too.

Posted by flatheadfisher on 07/13/10 - 4:06 PM

I have made some 200 mile trips. But, we are hoping to go all the way to Key Largo in the spring for some snorkling at Pennykamp state park if the oil doesn't mess up the plans.

Posted by DWinter on 07/13/10 - 4:25 PM

Towed a 32 Outrage 60 miles including thru a tunnel that was listed at 13' 6" and we measured the height of the boat at 13' 2". Yes the pucker factor was HI. Oh did I mention I did it without a permit for being a wide load. To top it off the dealer I was working for at the time gave me their "blessing". Thankfully i was the one who sold the boat and the commission was over $3 large so I told myself it would be worth it. Considering I was a rigger/demo capt at the time, that was a nice bonus. That doesn't necessarily top the "stupid things I've done list" but I got it done and got paid!!

Posted by CES on 07/13/10 - 4:35 PM

Towed my 13' from South Florida to Dallas Texas which was almost 1,200 miles. We regularly tow it back and forth to Lake Lanier Georgia from Dallas each summer, 1,800 miles round trip. In fact, we're about to tow her again to North Georgia to spend time in Lake Lanier....plan on leaving August 6 for a week.

I just put new tires on my Trailer. The size is now 5.70-8 versus the 4.80-8 I had on it before.

Our 'lil 13 gets around.

Edited by CES on 07/13/10 - 4:36 PM

Posted by 70katama on 07/13/10 - 5:14 PM

we tow from tampa bay area in florida to new hampshire in the spring , then back in october.1550 miles each way . no problems yet,[knock on wood].always check and repack wheel bearings, double check tire condition before we leave.cant bring myself to not have her for six months.

Posted by tyno22 on 07/13/10 - 5:28 PM

Our family towed our 25' Revenge WT from central WI to Marathon, FL (mid-florida Keys) this past June for a fishing trip. Luckily we had no trailer problems. Packed the wheel bearings before we left to help minimize any problems that we might encounter on the way. Fun trip, but the fishing was one of the worst that many of the locals had ever seen. Boat pulls really well with a Ford Turbo Diesel Dulley Truck. In 2005 we did a trip from WI to North Carolina. On the way down we had axel problems and had to replace a new axel along the way. Not Fun when you want to get to your fishing spot and only have so many days for the trip. We have in the past carried an extra axel just in case, but not on our most recent trip.

Edited by tyno22 on 07/13/10 - 5:31 PM

Posted by Finnegan on 07/13/10 - 9:41 PM

I may be the national champ on towing Whalers. Three times I have trailed my 18 Outrage from Chicago to LaConner WA (north of Seattle), 4100 miles round trip.

And since 1986, every year I have towed a Whaler (18 or 25 Outrage) from Chicago to Ft Lauderdale for 5 months of winter use down there, 2800 miles round trip. I calculate that the Continental trailer under my 25 Outrage has about 150,000 miles on it.

Posted by Corey G on 07/14/10 - 7:31 AM

Finnegan wrote:
I may be the national champ on towing Whalers. Three times I have trailed my 18 Outrage from Chicago to LaConner WA (north of Seattle), 4100 miles round trip.

And since 1986, every year I have towed a Whaler (18 or 25 Outrage) from Chicago to Ft Lauderdale for 5 months of winter use down there, 2800 miles round trip. I calculate that the Continental trailer under my 25 Outrage has about 150,000 miles on it.

Wow Suprized your trailer has not just colasped in on itself. You guys make me fell great about my 2-1/2 hour trip to Del every year.

Posted by Marty Johns Isd SC on 07/14/10 - 7:37 AM

#10

Back in 1991 I towed the family 17' Montauk from Murrells Inlet,SC to Las Vegas. We stayed out there for 3 years and moved back. Dad had the boat and trailer loaded into a semi and moved all our belongings back in one shot. This is the same whaler I took out to Lake Mead with my sister, dog and friend of mine when a very bad storm picked up. I forgot to mention that everyone laughed at the whaler and called it the SS Minnow since whalers were not too popular out in the desert. No one laughed after that storm was over and several much larger boats sank. Everything that was not tied down inside the boat was washed out as the swells were coming over the bow. I was scared and everyone else was vomiting but we made it back safe and sound. This wind storm came out of nowhere and extremely fast. There was no warning and that lake is huge. That was the most scared I have ever been on a boat.

Posted by lulurage on 07/14/10 - 9:38 AM

#11

I bought my 18' Whaler Outrage in March. Trailered it home 200 miles. Bought new tires for the 10 year old trailer, had bearings repacked, one hub replaced, and hydraulic brake fluid flushed. We drove 565 miles to South Padre and same back 6 days later. We didn't have any problems but i saw several others that had numerous flat tires. Trailer tires need to be used, if they sit they go bad. Always check that they are inflated to the proper PSI.
Can't wait to go again.

Posted by YatYas on 07/14/10 - 11:11 AM

#12

I've trailered my old boat, a 21' Walkaround, to Key West from Baton Rouge, LA twice...+1000 miles!
It was a great trip, the trailer held up great, but on the second trip I blew a head gasket in the ole 200 Merc.

Edited by YatYas on 07/14/10 - 11:12 AM

Posted by gerobertson1 on 07/14/10 - 8:25 PM

#15

I am towing mine from Worcester MA to Fort Meade MD in two weeks. It made the journey from Maine to Mass last week. Should be just about 550 miles. However, this boat has left Maine in over 30 years! Hope it likes the Chesapeake!

Posted by MW on 07/15/10 - 1:38 AM

#16

Just "ONCE", I would like to trailer my boat the entire 2.8 miles down the road to the ramp all the way without an incident, I make this trip "TWICE" a season. Sparks and smoke are NOT UNCOMMON ! I hate it when people pass me on the road, they always beep their horn and point to one of my wheels !

Posted by bruser on 07/15/10 - 9:37 AM

#17

When I bought my boat, I had to run from West Michigan to Maryland to pick it up and back home in 48 hours. I didn't make it ( 1 flat w/i 10 miles of picking up the boat)..

Posted by OIA on 07/15/10 - 10:12 AM

#18

We must tow our 17-foot Montauk along way for good waterskiing. Redondo Beach CA to the Colorado River is about 350 miles. Sacramento Delta is about the same distance due north! Have made a few trips to Lake Powell in Utah, 600 - 700 miles away (get to go trough Vegas on the way however).

The bain of my existence is trailer lights. Most people I know plug in their lights and everything works as it should. Not me! It seems no matter how much I try and maintain the lights, how many times I rewire the trailer, it's always something. Latest problem, right rear light stays on all the time, even when the car is turned off. My wife now just giggles when she sees me lying on my back under the trailer.

My longest "tow trip" is still Redondo Beach CA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Man, it takes a long time to get through Texas! Return trip was New Orleans to Redondo.

Posted by CES on 07/15/10 - 10:41 AM

#19

OIA wrote:

My longest "tow trip" is still Redondo Beach CA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Man, it takes a long time to get through Texas! Return trip was New Orleans to Redondo.

Isn't Texas a great country or what?? Lol.

If you decide to drive through Dallas on I-20, which might be a little bit out of your way, I can fix your trailer lights for you. I've fixed more trailer light systems (small basic trailers like yours) than I care to count......yours shouldn't be any different.

Edited by CES on 07/15/10 - 1:32 PM

Posted by bruser on 07/15/10 - 1:23 PM

#20

[quote]OIA wrote:
The bain of my existence is trailer lights. Most people I know plug in their lights and everything works as it should. Not me! It seems no matter how much I try and maintain the lights, how many times I rewire the trailer, it's always something. Latest problem, right rear light stays on all the time, even when the car is turned off. My wife now just giggles when she sees me lying on my back under the trailer.
quote]

I solved the lighting problem by running ground wires right back to the wiring harness of the truck. Each light gets its own ground and they are tied together and grounded to the white wire on the trailer plug.
Since I have done this I have not had a single light issue :-)

Posted by mavenmatt on 07/15/10 - 8:10 PM

#21

I think the real question is not what you pulled, but did you pull with. If you drag a 11 footer with a 350 dually who cares as long as you keep air in the tires. Now if you pull a 27 ft dual engine outrage with a preus, I what to hear about that trip and what gas mileage you brag about. I muscle a 19 montauk with a v6 dodge dakota 300 miles to the keys. I'm right on the edge of comfortable. I measure in at a reasonable 13 MPG with no head wind. I used to yank an old 21 ft seabreeze I/O with a damaged 3 cyl toyota corrolla with no trailer brakes. Now that was a story!! Driving in the keys i too often see boats the escape the tow vehicle. I've seem many deep V,s wedged in oncoming car. Bottom line before you leave home inspect your trailer. Not just lights but more important check for rust. Be safe out there guys, I don't want to meet your boat on the road!!!!!

Posted by VAGuardian on 07/22/10 - 5:58 PM

#22

We towed our Montauk from Virginia to Sanibel Island on the Florida gulf coast for a week long vacation a few years ago. All went well, but the 17 hour drive home in my Tahoe towing it in a coastal downpour was very tense.

Posted by CES on 07/23/10 - 3:57 AM

#23

I've already posted concerning how far we have towed our Whaler in the past. However to compare a previous boats towing travel to Mavenmatts post above, I used to regularly tow a classic 1969 20' Sea Breeze bow rider behind a 1985 Nissan truck with a four banger from Key West, Florida to Lake Lanier in North Georgia and back on several occasions. I used to get some serious stares from folks who were amazed that such a big boat was being towed on the highway behind such a small truck.

We made it though!!

Edited by CES on 07/23/10 - 3:59 AM

Posted by kimolina on 07/28/10 - 8:02 AM

#24

I trailered my 18 whaler outrage 975 miles one way to Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Put it in at every launch ramp in Baha. Camped on the beaches the whole trip. Caught fish, water skiid snorkeled. It is the trip of a lifetime, a vey cheap trip. Great showers at every camp area. Very safe. I think I tried a margarita at every cantina in baha. I highly recommend this trip, it is fantastic, with no crowds but enough people to make it very enjoyable. There are even hot natural steam baths for relaxing and all the fresh fish and shell fish for waterside BBQ.

Posted by Jim Keris on 07/28/10 - 8:47 AM

#25

I towed a 17' sakonnett from Cape cod to jacksonville fl with my 86 f 250 pretty uneventful trip 1200 miles also towed a 13' from from cape cod to jacksonville fl.the rough roads of pennsylvania broke the tie down strap and also the winch cable to the bow eye although luckily not at the same time