Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by kerrymac on 10/12/09 - 3:04 PM

I have just bought my first Whaler! It's a 1988 17 Montauk. This thing is super clean and hardly used. The engine has approx 450 hours on it. I would like to upgrade the electronics. It currently has a Furuno GP1610CF. I dont know much about Chart plotters and GPS but I'm learning. Any suggestions. GPS, Fish finder ect? I bought the boat to fish Baja California. I have been fishing out of a 14 aluminum boat for years and finally found what I was looking for. Boston Whalers are not so popular here in New Mexico. Not much fishing action (deep sea). Any one ever been to Gonzaga Bay? anyone want to go?????I would love some imput.

Posted by ioptfm on 10/12/09 - 4:10 PM

Welcome to the site and congrats on your new boat............You will be the envy of others when they see the perfomance you'll enjoy with your Whaler. As far as a GPS and Chartplotter you will probably gets multiple suggestions......I have and love my Garmin GPS combo Sounder.............Setup your personal page with some phots so we can see how your boat looks...........

Posted by Guts on 10/12/09 - 4:19 PM

Dose it look like this? if so you have a good machine. As you can see from my personal page I have a combo unit GP-1850 DF and a 582L sounder.

http://www.furunousa.com/Furuno/Rooms...37BF%5D%5D

If furuno dosn't have one BUT THEY SHOULD. here is a link

http://www.online-owners-manual.com/g...guide.html

Edited by Guts on 10/12/09 - 4:52 PM

Posted by kerrymac on 10/12/09 - 4:26 PM

Thanks guys! I started to get worried with no responses. If you dont mind me asking how much did you pay for your unit? What are the Pros and cons? IS garmin the way to go?

Hey Guts, it looks exactly like that. The problem I have is I bought it from a very old man who dosent have any info on the unit and really dosent remember how to use it. (bless his heart) Sounds like its worth holding on to. Will it work in Baja? Or do I need a new card? Thanks once again guys!

Posted by kerrymac on 10/12/09 - 4:34 PM

ioptfm wrote:
Welcome to the site and congrats on your new boat............You will be the envy of others when they see the perfomance you'll enjoy with your Whaler. As far as a GPS and Chartplotter you will probably gets multiple suggestions......I have and love my Garmin GPS combo Sounder.............Setup your personal page with some phots so we can see how your boat looks...........

My boat is in storage until next March. It's approx 200 miles away. I might take a trip out there to check on it and ill take some pics. What kind of ocean conditions will these handle? I LOVE this thing! Cant stay off the computer looking up stuff! I am a little worried about the motor (Year 1988 90 evinrude) are these things reliable. It's been seating for years. I'm going to change out the impeller just in case. Any other suggestion?

Posted by kerrymac on 10/12/09 - 4:38 PM

Guts wrote:

Dose it look like this? if so you have a good machine. As you can see from my personal page I have a combo unit GP-1850 DF and a 582L sounder.

Do you ever head south? How are the La Jolla Kelp beds? It takes me 17 hours from Albuquerque to Gonzaga Bay! but it's worth it. I was suppost to go in October but had to save the trip money to pay for my boat. Plus people dont feel safe in Mexico lately. To bad. I love that place. Where do you usually fish?

http://www.furunousa.com/Furuno/Rooms...37BF%5D%5D

Posted by Joe Kriz on 10/12/09 - 4:40 PM

You can most likely get a new manual from Furuno or at the very least, a copy that you can print off of their site.
Go to Furuno's website and see if you can look up the manual.

If you are going out in big water, I wouldn't do it without a kicker motor.
Not only will this normally get you out of trouble but you can troll slow with it for fishing.
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...ticle_id=7

I would get the lightest 8hp kicker you can find with a 20 inch Long Shaft.
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...icle_id=48

Look thru the personal pages under Montauks and you will see quite a few people with kicker motors on their Montauks.

Posted by kerrymac on 10/12/09 - 4:53 PM

Joe Kriz wrote:
You can most likely get a new manual from Furuno or at the very least, a copy that you can print off of their site.
Go to Furuno's website and see if you can look up the manual.

If you are going out in big water, I wouldn't do it without a kicker motor.
Not only will this normally get you out of trouble but you can troll slow with it for fishing.
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...ticle_id=7

I would get the lightest 8hp kicker you can find with a 20 inch Long Shaft.
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...icle_id=48

Look thru the personal pages under Montauks and you will see quite a few people with kicker motors on their Montauks.

Thanks, Joe
I have a new 15hp (short shaft) nissan off my old boat. Probly to heavy huh? and to short! . I read you can connect the kicker right to the transom because there is extra wood there? Sound right? Thanks to all that replied! You guys are GREAT!!! I'm going to have a million questions! Get ready!!!!!

Posted by kerrymac on 10/12/09 - 4:56 PM

kerrymac wrote:

What is the difference between your Outrage and your old Montauk?

Posted by ioptfm on 10/12/09 - 5:45 PM

#11

It would be worth while to connect that Furuno unit you have up in your back yard to an antenna and battery and not only see if it works, but learn how to use it. Not sure if that is a combo unit or not, but if it is, most can work with the transducer disconnected with no harm to them........You would come out way ahead by getting a new card vs a new unit if the one you have works

Posted by bottomfish on 10/12/09 - 8:26 PM

#12

kerrymac, you bought a great boat for Baja. I drag mine down every summer. If you set up the trailer right you can launch anywhere. Best thing about it is it is stable. I take it out in bigger water than I should but she handles it very well. They are light enough and run shallow enough to fish skinny water as well. Good luck your gonna love it.

Posted by Mr T on 10/12/09 - 10:29 PM

#13

Welcome aboard!

I have the same motor you do and feel it is very reliable and I can work on it. That said, I have a kicker on mine and would not feel right without one; in the ocean you never know.

Posted by kerrymac on 10/13/09 - 6:22 AM

#15

bottomfish wrote:
kerrymac, you bought a great boat for Baja. I drag mine down every summer. If you set up the trailer right you can launch anywhere. Best thing about it is it is stable. I take it out in bigger water than I should but she handles it very well. They are light enough and run shallow enough to fish skinny water as well. Good luck your gonna love it.

Thanks bottomfish! Where do go? I usually go down through Mexicalli to San Felipe and down to Puertecitos. Then to the worst road in Baja! Have you ever gone this way? It would probly tear the boat to pieces! That's why I always used a 14ft aluminium. I would just throw it on my truck and no prob. I've lost shocks and broke multiple things making the trip, but as you know there is no fishing like it. Thanks for replying Bottomfish!

Posted by kerrymac on 10/13/09 - 6:26 AM

#16

Mr T wrote:
Welcome aboard!

I have the same motor you do and feel it is very reliable and I can work on it. That said, I have a kicker on mine and would not feel right without one; in the ocean you never know.

That is a hugh relief comming from a owner. What kind of kicker do you have on yours. Do I have to re-jet it for sea level. I think it was jetted for mid to high altitude. I dont want to burn up the motor! Thanks a million Mr T

Posted by kerrymac on 10/13/09 - 6:35 AM

#17

CES wrote:
Congrats on your new Montauk. Oh, BYW, your model and year is exactly the boat I am looking for!! Post some pictures for us all to gawk at please!!

You got it CES! My boat is in storage currently 200 mi away. As soon as I go check on it I will post pic's. I looked for years for this boat. They are not that popular here in New mexico and low and behold I found one here locally! Unbeleiveable!
The boat has just about every option avaliable at that time, It has a rear deck with a seat which I have never seen on any Montauk. The owner bought it in Florida and traveled from job to job through out the country. I might drive down this weekend to hug and kiss it! I'll let you know! Thanks CES. Keep looking they are out there! Yours is waiting for you!

Posted by CES on 10/13/09 - 6:40 AM

#18

Can't wait to see them!!

Oh, I just finished a great book about three guys who circumnavigated the east coast in a 17' Montauk. It's an excellent book and if you want to read about a boat very similar to yours, I highly recommend this read. Here's the URL

http://www.onlyinamerica.biz/

The Author is an active Whaler Central member under the screen name OIA.

Posted by bottomfish on 10/13/09 - 8:03 AM

#19

Kerrymac, we usually fish the Santa Rosilia/ Mulege area. Sometimes Loreto. Last year we fished Bahia Tortuga and the pacific side on the second week of our trip. The bass fishing was nothing short of epic in the bay. We used to do San Carlos on the mainland side but I like having a larger boat over there as the water is deeper and a bit rougher. Used to have a 23 Mako when we fished that side. As far as the trailer I have a Pacific galvanized single axle. I lengthend the bunks for better support and I carry extra leaf springs, bearings and trailer hardware. Good idea in Baja. I broke a leaf 2 years ago and changed it right there on the beach. It's hard on the gear and boat but worth every bit of effort it takes. We are going down with 2 or 3 boats next June or July for a couple weeks.

Posted by mattgeiger on 10/13/09 - 8:52 AM

#20

Welcome to Montauk 17 ownership. I've had mine for close to 2 years, and have really come to respect this boat for what all it can do.

I put a Gamin 530S chart plotter on mine a year ago and could not be happier.

Posted by kerrymac on 10/13/09 - 9:05 AM

#21

bottomfish wrote:
Kerrymac, we usually fish the Santa Rosilia/ Mulege area. Sometimes Loreto. Last year we fished Bahia Tortuga and the pacific side on the second week of our trip. The bass fishing was nothing short of epic in the bay. We used to do San Carlos on the mainland side but I like having a larger boat over there as the water is deeper and a bit rougher. Used to have a 23 Mako when we fished that side. As far as the trailer I have a Pacific galvanized single axle. I lengthend the bunks for better support and I carry extra leaf springs, bearings and trailer hardware. Good idea in Baja. I broke a leaf 2 years ago and changed it right there on the beach. It's hard on the gear and boat but worth every bit of effort it takes. We are going down with 2 or 3 boats next June or July for a couple weeks.

What area are you heading to in June or July? What kind of electronics are you running? You must go through TJ? Any problems in Mexico? Ever use downriggers? Thanks

Posted by kerrymac on 10/13/09 - 9:18 AM

#22

mattgeiger wrote:
Welcome to Montauk 17 ownership. I've had mine for close to 2 years, and have really come to respect this boat for what all it can do.

I put a Gamin 530S chart plotter on mine a year ago and could not be happier.

Thanks mattgeiger, great looking boat. Did you do anything prior to the motor? Impeller? I love the way you did your hull. I sorry, but I'm going to have to copy you..........Hope you dont mind. Thanks mattgeiger!

Posted by bottomfish on 10/13/09 - 9:40 AM

#23

Kerrymac, Santa Rosalia in June. Yes through TJ and no we have never had any trouble. We are very respectful and keep to our selves. Low key style. Electronics are Lowrance LMS 337 combo unit. No trouble so far in three years and the maps work in Baja. Not real accurate maps down there but maps none the less. I also sent you a PM.