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Finally picked up the 1986 Outrage 18 from the shop in Palacios TX and got to water test the changes!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9978785...6672568796

We still have a little more work to go, but I managed to get the boat up to Surfside Marina where we keep our 1989 Whaler 27 for it's very first dip in the water Saturday. The Yamaha's work flawlessly, and the boat sits just right in the water with them on the transom. The Yamaha F-115 with the Yamaha painted SS prop in 17 pitch has PLENTY of power for this boat. Puts the boat on plane very quickly, you have to have your butt firmly against the leaning post padding to prevent whiplash! With the motor mounted all the way down, it still runs 36 mph at 5500 rpm.

Got 1hr on the F-115 running up the Brazos River Harbor in Freeport and back to the marina, pulled the boat, and had it set up on stands for me to inspect after first splashing. All looks great. We left the boat on the stands overnight, intending to run it some more Sunday, but the wind changed out of Freeport offshore and laid the seas so beautifully flat that we wound up spending Sunday in the 1989 Whaler 27 instead. Went out on a short trip about 50 statute miles, did 4 hrs of fishing, caught and released about 30 Red Snapper, an undersize Ling Cobia, and a few sharks.
Had a blast, but had to get back home today, my work still in full swing for the undetermined future. Can't wait to have more time to tweak out the little boat, but I will have to get a break from the workload before I can continue with that.

The Texas Center Console Shootout Fishing Tournament sponsored by Pelagic was going on at the Surfside Marina when I got there Saturday with the Outrage, and there were a LOT of interested folks drawn to the boat while we were getting it set up for dry storage there. The most memorable of these folks was a youngster, (guessing here, but around 13-15 yrs old), that came over to the boat as we were readying it for departure who has a 70's 13 footer he uses to fish. His admiration of the boat meant more to us than all those people throwing out high numbers they thought the boat was worth :) And, of course, the boat is NOT for sale at any price anyway :)

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Very nice.

I also like the Yamaha main and kicker. Those should last you for many years.

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Looks Amazing !!!!'

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The super console is great. That is one of the reasons that I'm considering selling my 1986 Outrage 18 and moving up to a 25'.

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Very Nice

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What a beautiful boat.

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Thank you all for the comments. It's been a 3 year + labor of love, but I really think it's been worth it now. :)

Joe- Having a matching set of motor to kicker I borrowed from you! I saw your Outrage 18 matching motors and I knew that was the best looking way to go :)
I am still trying to get those Yamahas linked in a way they don't interfere with each other, Currently, I have a snag point in the steering link, and I have to figure out how I am going to solve this, but I am of the opinion that the linkage in place right now is way too complicated. It has 3 separate linkages put together. It works, but if the 9.9 is in certain positions, I get steering interference.

Backriverexpress- Thanks for the compliment and I notice you have a good looking Whaler yourself there on your personal page!

dreilly- That super console is big. It takes up a lot of the walkway space around the console, but it sure is nice to sit behind and in front of, and it is huge inside. I have a total of 4 lead acid batteries under it, 1 for engine, 1 for house loads, and 2 for the electric trolling motor with a plug in receptacle to recharge them built into the console. There is still a lot of room in there for the wife's purse and miscellaneous as well :) The ride and handling this weight provides is best compared to the old Lincoln Continentals, and it makes the boat feel like a MUCH larger boat on the water. I was really lucky to actually find a specimen of this model Whaler that had the original SC in good enough condition to restore.
BTW, that's a fine looking specimen of the Outrage 18 you have there on your PP as well! All original, and that's a FAST Outrage with that VMAX on the transom! If I ever see you out there in the bay, I will use the horn, I know I couldn't catch up with you in mine... :)

Wannabe- Thank you. And right back atcha! Your Outrage is original special edition great! One thing about those editions of the Outrage, there is absolutely NO DOUBT, even from a distance, they are Whalers :) I think Finnegan has one of those editions, but maybe a different length, but I could be wrong...just seems like I have seen one in his collection...a 25 I think.

wlagarde- Thank you! Your 15 was a great inspirational influence on my 18. That boat of yours is so well done, it surely can't be topped!

I am humbled by all your responses here. You all have such fine examples of classic Boston Whalers, and compliments from you all really mean something to me. I think this is the greatest site on the internet for Whaler enthusiasts, and I really appreciate the privilege it is to associate and communicate with you all. Thanks again Joe for the work you do here as well :)

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That’s one beautiful boat. Love everything about it. The teak, console, bait well, and even the trailer. Very nicely done.

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Thank you donp! That bait tank is supplied with water pumped through hoses under the deck finally. I struggled with above deck hoses for a few years, and I was relieved to find enough room to route the supply and return hoses above the fuel tank under deck without having to sacrifice foam around the tank.
I also found a channel in front of the console under deck that was perfect for routing the wiring for the electric trolling motor wires and got them off the deck as well. Now, all I have to do is plug the trolling motor into the receptacle in the deck riser on the starboard side of the riser, keeping the wiring out of the way.
I know others have had their decks completely up and seen these under-deck routing ways before and probably even discussed them here at some level, but until I had the decks and console off, I didn't realize what I was dealing with under them. It's not just foam to the deck, BW did leave a few routing tunnels and through-ways under there, but they are sparse. Utilizing them allowed a much cleaner looking accessory install and much safer access around the deck.
The teak is all new and caused much heartburn, both with the acquisition and the finishing. The gunnels were not finished and had to be matched to the cabinet doors that were finished, and several doors and the fire extinguisher box had to be fabricated as a result of acquisition problems as well.
The trailer was custom fabricated for that boat by Charlie up at Magnum Trailers here locally. He is also an avid classic whaler enthusiast, and he loves building trailers that work under these boats that can't cause damage to the classic hulls, and has been doing this since they were first in production and being sold by our local dealers. It is very convenient to have a trailer fabricator that loves these old boats as much as we do.

Thanks again for the nice comment!

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VERY nice! Did Donny(Transport) in Palacios Tx did the work?

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I have never heard of Donny(Transport), but if you mean TranSport boats, no, they had nothing to do with this. I had Tommy at Tommy's Outboards do the fiberglass, mount the motors and tear the boat down and put it back together. Tommy is a Tran, but he is no longer connected to TranSport boats, he now has his own shop My understanding is that Tommy split from TranSport some time ago, and his brother, or uncle, or cousin operates that boat manufacturing operation.

Thanks for the compliment :)

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Yup,, that's them( Transport Boats) Good folks. I think I know who " Tommy" is..I just know him by his Vietnamese name. :-) Hope ya'll tore it up at the Center Console Shootout! I have a place in Freeport.Hope to see you around in that neck of the woods Capt.! Cheers!

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We didn't compete at TX Center Console Shootout this year, we just happened to get there at the marina a couple of hours before weigh-in :) We ran out in the Whaler 27 the following day and had some fun though :)

Anytime you see me, be sure and let me know who you are! I am sure we can get out for a little damage to the fish population in either of our whalers :)

The Tran family are VERY good people! It is my opinion that they build the best, and fastest, shallow water boats on the coast. They even have a couple of longer boats in their models that have gunnels...:) I guess they will cater a bit to chickens like me :)

My daughter is an English teacher and my son-in-law is a coach down there at Palacios High School. (Go Sharks) :)
I have 2 grandkids down there as well, and I expect that those kids will inherit our boat collection when they get older. My daughter and son-in-law recommended the Tran family as not only good people, but as family. Both of them have taught the Tran children, and they are very impressed with that entire family.

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Hey Jerry...glad I checked in...Fresh news!!

Congrats, she looks great! They did a great job...now I really need to get that new 150,..hopefully we get
the Outrages on a run in the future...enjoy!

Best,
JVZ

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I am ready jvz! I could finally NOT be totally embarrassed by the FANTASTIC condition your boat is in! :) I guess I COULD do the Lake Travis "party" thing now...got green underwater lighting and 4 blinding LED spots, as well as the inside under gunnel lighting! Oh, and did I mention the Bluetooth Fusion stereo? :)

And, please. in advance, run under wide open so I can keep up :)


Many thanks for the compliment :) See you soon I hope :)

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Haha! The Whaler has seen more of the Pacific ocean and Catalina than it has Lake Travis the past couple years...

Now that Travis has water...may get it back to the Marina... during the week its a ghost town and decent fishing.

We should really meet up with Duff in Port A for a Whaler Roundup and some fishing...

Soon ~

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HeHe....I know .... :}

I am ready!!!! Let's set a date and just do it! :) Oh, and I certainly hope you threw back those fish caught in the Pacific, and didn't actually EAT them from out there :)

Where the hell is duff in this discussion? One of us BETTER call him before we commit to this :) In advance, I have on hand about 10 gallons of Jack, and about 5 gallons of Gran Patron numbered bottled courtesy of my wife's favorite casino :) Let me know how much I need to have onboard for the party :)

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Congratulations, the boat looks great and I love the way you have it outfitted.

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Thank you Whalerbob, that's a VERY nice looking and well set-up Montauk 17 you have on your personal page as well!

Thanks for the compliment :)

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Yes Sir.Most definitely look out for ya!

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I saw this in person last sunday/monday, i was leaving out of there on an overnight trip.
Great job, the boat looks awesome.
Wish my 18' looked that good

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Dear Silentpartner,
Youve built the nicest older whaler Ive ever seen. Congratulations on an heirloom ! Its incredible, looks like factory new, and im sure , better than. to be able to find the right people to undertake this is no small effort for sure. Very impressive, sea trial must be the best..I love the yammy..Good For you !! enjoy it to the max ! Bob
ps, thanx for showing it

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camowhaler, Thanks for the compliments! I am convinced that anyone can do this with time and money, and a vision, to create a modern version of utility in a small classic Whaler. It only costs about the same as it would cost to buy a new bayboat with comparable features, even with the initial purchase of a suitable for restoration hull.
The cost in time is the biggest hurdle! It took 3 years on mine, but knowing what I know now, I think it could be done reasonably in a year.

bob camire, thank you so much! :) I really tried to maintain the vision that you see looking at the boat now throughout the project, and I went through some real trials during the project. That boat was reassembled twice, I rejected the first assembly due to some details that were overlooked such as door colors on the custom leaning post tackle center that were still the old white color. I wanted everything on the boat to be the same classic desert tan, and this led to automotive finish professionals that were able to get the color I needed on the tackle center doors to be durable. Time will tell if I was successful in my endeavors to insure a very long-lasting restoration.
It means a LOT to me that this boat be 100% useable while maintaining the show-room classic look. The Outrage I have was not chopped up in order to achieve this. This boat was a custom that was ordered from the factory to actually BE a custom 1986 model of the Outrage from its inception. I think a lot of folks don't understand that back in 1986, you could choose to order a boat WITHOUT optional accessories and then add what you wanted to the hull you purchased after it arrived!
We ascertained, to our satisfaction at least, that this had to have been what happened with this boat, and that the story I had pieced together from research with folks like Chuck Bennet and the original owners was historically accurate, as far as it is provable. When we tore this boat apart, all the history was reinforced.
This one had the Super Console on a hull without rails. The dealer added the SS T-Top, the custom manufactured leaning-post and rigged the motor with batteries under the console. The very new revolutionary Troll Tabs were installed as well in 1986. Everything we disassembled was circa 1986, even the custom accessories!

I am proud to have been able to organize this project, but it is important to remember that it was not just me involved in it. I am indebted to the numerous craftsmen that made my vision come true with this project. The Tran family was absolutely invaluable. Tommy's ability with fiberglass and gelcoat is fantastic! Even Stennett at Nautical Marine contributed, but he made an enemy of me in the process :( The promises that he made me pay in advance to get were never actually completely satisfied. I am certain that without assistance that I was able to solicit from Sue Lodel at Twin Cities Marine, I would STILL be waiting on the wood parts that I did eventually get from him.
Stennett's work is un-impeachable, it is as fine as can be done by any craftsman in the world, but his word is meaningless, so I recommend that buyers of his services be VERY wary! A Tran family member was forced to do 1/3 of the work Stennet had promised, including finishing the gunnel caps and manufacturing the fire extinguisher box, and I have still not received my original gunnels from him that were to be returned to me after he used them for a pattern!

I did get the motor rigging worked out last weekend, I have no interference now with the 2 engines, no matter what position I have the 9.9 in while steering, and throughout the entire range of tilt and trim on both engines. I re-drilled the 9.9 steering bracket pivot hole about 1/2 inch from it's original position and was able to keep the factory Yamaha steering link. A standard dual engine link that fits the Yamaha 115 will work, you just have to modify the bracket that comes with the kit to fit the application of a smaller motor.

I should mention that I really am a proponent of putting batteries in the console on this model and length of Whaler. I have a total of 4 batteries under there now, and I could not be more pleased with the ride of this boat! Even in chop, it rides and handles like our Whaler 27!
I know that many here on the site disagree with moving batteries, and I have not actually done that, only added a couple more to the under-console location, but I am pretty certain that the ride and handling of the boat is affected when the added weight of the new 4 strokes over the circa 1980's engines is left without sufficient counter-balance in the center of these hulls. The fuel tank holds a LOT of fuel, (63 gals), and I am certain that the amount of fuel carried affects these attributes of operating this boat from direct experience, even with the original 2-stroke Johnson that we replaced. I will never need 63 gals of fuel to operate this boat again, but that huge tank is still there :)

The boat never actually needed trim tabs and this is certainly proven as a fact now, as I have removed them from the boat completely. The Yamaha 115 pushes this boat immediately onto plane without trimming! I just trim the motor all the way in, accelerate, and within 6 seconds I am on plane! It's no speed boat, but it works for me :)

I have read a lot of comments regarding how quiet the mid-range 4-strokes are in comparison with the old 2 strokes, and they are quieter, especially at idle. At WOT, however, they are still loud :) I have noticed that my 300's on the Whaler 27 seem to be REMARKABLY quieter than the original 200 2-strokes at WOT, but the 115 is less remarkably quieter at WOT than the old Johnson 140. I am sure it IS quieter, just not as remarkably so. You can't hear the new 115 running at idle though, and this IS remarkably quieter than the Johnson 140:) The 300's are the same way at idle, and MUCH quieter than the original Yamaha 200's on that same boat at WOT.

Put the first fish on the deck of the renewed Whaler last weekend as well, a Speckled Seatrout! I am really enjoying this boat already :)

I am humbled and honored by all of your approvals of the refit, thanks to all again for the kind comments :)
HAPPY WHALERIN' :)

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Awesome writeup..truly enjoyed all of it..especially the technical details of how it performs and balancing etc, my dauntless holds 45 gallons and for a small craft its weighted and cuts the chop well..always exceeding my expectations..thanks for sharing in depth..your hard work is inspirational to us whalerites..thank you..these truly are great boats