---

Hi All,

I made the mistake of going to the NY Boat show on saturday and now i have new boat fever. Its really bad. I cant eat sleep or look at my oldie.

I am looking to run my thoughts by the rest of you since my mind is fogged and most people probably have more experience then me with boats. I am at 1.5 seasons now. I hope you can chime in to let me know if my choice is a safe one and if you ahve any other craft ideas.

As much as i love to think i use the boat for going to have fun with the finance (errr...wife i mean) and fishing with dad and uncle, i dont. I the 1.5 years i had the boat we went fishing twice and took friends out to have fun once. BUT i have used the boat every weekend from April 1 to the end of October. I take a couple of firends (2-3) and myself to an island about 3-4 miles from shore. We take about 100-150 pounds of gear with us. We spend about 25% of the transit time going at no-wake speeds and the motor trimmed up as we approach the island. It is very shallow. At this island we rig our kiteboarding gear and ride all day.

The boat is basically a taxi for us and the occasional rescue boat when someone has ane bad crash or a gear malfunction we use it to fish them out and get them back to the island.

The one thing we need to kiteboard other than water, is wind. We need anything form 15-35 mph. Once it starts to get to 30/35 we have gotten stuck in 40 mph winds and headed home. And with wind usually comes a small craft advisory. The bay that we are doing this in is Bargnegat Bay, NJ. It can get relatively rough with 2-3 foot waves.

Realistically, as much as I like taking friends to this island, i dont want to shell out 10K just for them to be able to go. In the end me and my kite buddy are splitting the boat and the minimum is that the two of us can get there an back safely. The occassional rescue of a third kiter shoudlnt be a problem as it will just be 3 people and 1 person's wet gear (40 pounds).

So at the boat show me and my buddy found our calling with Boston Whaler, We saw the new 2009 Boston Whaler Supersport 130 and 150. The 130 is rated for 4 people, and comes with a 40HP 4-stroke mercury and a trailer with LED lights for 10K. The 150 is rated for 6people and comes with 60HP 4-stroke mercury and trailer with LED lights for 14K.

Both seem like a really great deal. The new hull designs also look sreally nice, a bit of a departure from their classic look. I figure the 130 "CAN" fit our needs. With two of us on the bench seat and our gear (100 pounds or so) we are within the weight specs. Considering the 7" draft with engine up we are definately in business. The self bailing hull that is foam filled also seems to seal the deal.

We made plans to test botht he 130 and the 150 with the dealer in early spring on a rough day. We are planning on throwing our gear onto the boat and taking human cargo of three(both of us and the dealer) to give it a test to see how viable each boat is.

A lot of the guys on the island use jetskis to get to and from. But in rough water i woudl rather have a self bailing small boat. And the idea of a boat means i can use it on that rare day for some recreation.

My questions is this (if you read this far): How safe are either of these boats considering our uses and the conditions we will be using them? Would you have any other suggestions?

Thanks for bearing with my essay.

---

Welcome to WC! Great explanation of your needs and experiences. Personally, I would go for the 15 foot BW. The 13 is great and a lot of fun but the 15 gives you so much more versatility.

---

Thanks and I full agree. But I am just wondering, will the 13 do the job and get me there and back safely? I can take the wet ride and a bit of a beating.

---

I have been caught out in poor conditions in a 13, not a 130. Still remember it was not fun at all.

Given the investment you are making, I would with a 150. I think (just one opinion) a 130 is more for lakes and rivers and not for the ocean.

---

I think you should keep your old boat and take your wife out in it on a regular basis, and forget about flying kites on some island with your friends. But on the other hand, maybe she`s not sitting home either.:o LOL
Rich

---

If it was only that easy. Its not just flying a kite, take a look:

The video starts out slow, but you will LOVE it. I cant jump that high, but practice makes perfect:
http://vimeo.com/1725278
http://vimeo.com/1725278

---

Wow, what a cool video! I think a 150 would suit your needs better than a 130 for what you're going to do with it.

---

Ah, youth. Rich, let's get together and try that!LOL

Perchick, I've been in three fters in my 13. It's safe to an extent but I'd go bigger if the option is there. If you want to stay under that $10g mark I'm sure you can find a nice classic 15 or even 17 that would handle the gear and water much better and much more versatile.
Mike

---

There are some real nice used Whalers out there for a lot less than 14K. In my mind any Whaler hull in decent condition is plenty safe. Then, assuming you find a good hull, what you need next are a dependable engine (which you can buy if the boat didn't have one) and some good gavinator skills (which you already have).

Also, my brother and I fished the Straits of Juan de Fuca in an old 13' in any weather for many years. Rough and tumble ride but not unsafe. I'll bet the new 130 is quite a bit more comfortable than a '68 classic!