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I grew up on Long Island in NY, where Whalers are King, and I have wanted a Whaler since I was a kid. I now live in Seattle, where I fish and crab on the Sound. I have an older Seasport 22, but am looking to downsize a bit to something more easily trailered and single handed. I don't really go out in the winter, or heavy weather (at least not knowingly), and the Seasport 22 is probably more boat that I need (more $$ too). Probably will be looking at an 18 Outrage, used. Any comments on how Whalers do in the great (wet) NW? I see there are a number of NW members to this esteemed group, including Tom Clark, of course.

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Yukon Peter,

Welcome to WhalerCentral.

Yes, Tom W Clark is all wet.... :)
Last time I saw him he had a beard and was gearing up for the winter weather.

I think an Outrage 18 would be a great choice. The 20's and 22's get much heavier for towing purposes. You might even consider a Montauk unless you need more space inside for crab pots, etc...

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Well the crabbing season is July to September. Salmon season can run June thru January. Not too many people fish much past the end of September. The Outrage and the Montauk will handle most of what you will find inside, but I would watch the weather if you are going out in the Straits. You will miss the cabin on the SeaSport if it is raining. If you put a bunch of canvas on an Outrage or Montauk, it makes it hard to fish or crab out of. Personally, I think the SeaSport is a fine Pacific Northwest boat. For a while I was really looking at the 24 Explorer, but after I sold my Revenge 22, I figured I would still be at least 30 grand short. Guess I will have to wait untill my dependents become self sufficent.

Now going off subject, what year is your SeaSport and how has it held up? John

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Joe and John - thanks for your responses.

My Seasport is a 1992, and it is rock solid. Its a great boat. Handles well (has a duoprop on the Volvo outdrive), and is tough as hell, and very dry and comforable. Nice vee berth. A lot of boat for a 22 ftr. It's just a little heavy to truly trailer around and launch regularly, and it required more of an investment, and a loan, thatt I would rather reduce, since I live in Seattle and have a young family (and I'm not Bill Gates - I don't even work for Microsoft). Also, since I use it mostly in the summer, I miss the opportunity to be outside, wind and water in the face, etc. Its just not the same running from inside the wheel house on a nice day. Granted, there are days when the cabin, with heat, is sweet indeed.

Of course, all boats are a compromise. I just wanted to see what others with Whalers in the NW thought about this issue. I may well end up keeping the Seasport -- I just have always loved Whalers and am considering a possible change, as I indicated, since I boat mostly from April - October, in "protected" but not necessarily always calm, waters (Central Puget Sound, Lake Washington, Lake Chelan).

Joe - I would definitely also consider a Montauk, I just had heard the Outrages did better in a chop, less pounding, better stability, etc.

Thanks for your thoughts guys. Any add'l thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

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Peter,

The Outrage definitely gives a better ride in chop. That is why I sold my Montauk.

I got tired of not being able to go where I wanted to go on a large lake after the wind came up without getting beat to death or having to "Troll" all the way home and taking two hours instead of 15 minutes... Now I can stay out there fishing and still come back through the chop much easier and much more comfortable than before.

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The SeaSport is a lot of boat for 22 feet. You will want an Outrage, maybe even a 20 footer. I was thinking that we could do a swap. You could take the canvas down on the Revenge and have the wind in your face. I could get a boat more suited for staying the night. But, the trailering part, load/unload and weight will be maybe at most, just a little bit easier. I put my boat in a marina from May thru September so I do not have to deal with the single hand load and unload. It is not that big of a deal, just time consuming. SeaSports hold thier value so I bet you will have no trouble selling it. Your problem is going to be finding an Outrage. For some reason, I see 22's, but seldom see a 20 or an 18. John

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I try to use my Outrage 22 all year long. Right now I have it in the shop for winter projects while waiting for winter blackmouth to open up in February.

I have used my old Sakonnet in the winters with the full Mills canvas, but mostly just used with the canvas down. My Outrage has a T-top, which I am getting really used to, especially in the rain and breezes. I am in the process of adapting a small propane heater, mounted to the consol rail, to help warm up hands after handling wet lines.

I can understand that you would like to be out in the warm air with the wind in you face during nice weather, but your Seasport is a great boat for when the weather is just a little bit less than ideal. I hate to say this, but I may be tempted to hang on to the Seasport, unless you are mainly trying to have a lighter, easier to trailer and launch boat.

Doug Vazquez

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22' Sea Sport is a great NW boat, and in my opinion one of the best all around trailerable boat for this area. Not too many 22' boats that you can actually spend a weekend on in comfort and boat all year around as well. Not sure if you tired yet, but you should trailer it up north from your location (Anacortes works well) and do a few days (and nights!) in the San Juans, then you will want to keep that boat for sure (or want a bigger one LOL).

I would love to have one, powered with a Merc 250xs :)

If you can swing it, I say keep the Sea Sport and add a 17' whaler to the fleet for those nice days when you want the wind in you face and you don't plan on spending the night.

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This is great. Yukon Peter finds a Whaler site and asks about what Whaler works well in the PNW. He is thinking about downsizing from a 22 foot boat he has now. If it was a Bayliner, or some sort of 22 foot "lake boat" as I call them, we would have no trouble recommending a Whaler. But nooo, he has a SeaSport. Well, at least we are honest in pointing out that he has a fine Puget Sound boat now. You can take the SeaSport out for a day of fun and then put it back on the trailer and sleep in you own bed. You can also spend the night in a nice quiet little bay out in the islands with the SeaSport. You can take a Montauk out for the day, but spending the night out in the islands is a whole different ball game. You really need to be honest with how you use a boat. If you would use a smaller boat more often, get one. The only way you can justify owning a boat is to use it. I got rid of my overnight boat when I had a young family. Now I am trying to get back into the overnight mode and I find the Revenge 22 is just not set up for it and I am envious of Yukon Peter's SeaSport. Luckily, what I really want is the SeaSport Explorer, so I will not be badgering Yukon Peter to sell me his 22 at a highly discounted price. John

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Yes JMARTIN, there is a little irony there...

Truth being told, I love our little whaler and do plan on getting a larger one some day, but if you really want to enjoy all there is in NW boating, you probably need more than just one boat.

Our 13' whaler mainly used as a towable tender for our 32' cruiser (a "B" word, lol), and eventually I will probaly get a 17' whaler, but I still want an overnighter for the islands...

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You folks live in boating paradise.
I spent a week up in the San Juan's this past September and really enjoyed cruising around in my friends Outrage 18'. I could see that there were many other fine boats more suited to staying overnight in than even my Outrage 22' Cuddy. So, that is one of the reasons I sold the Cuddy.
Here is a small movie of the San Juan Island trip:
San Juan Island Trip

I also agree that one boat may not satisfy all the needs a person has. That's just the way it is.

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Yukon Peter-

I fish my Montauk from Neah Bay to Olympia, year round on the Sound and the inner Straits, during the summer on the ocean and outer Straits. An 18' outrage would be an advantage some days on the ocean but a Montauk can handle all an Outrage can and is perfect for the Sound and Straits.

In my opinion there is just an additional measure of apparent security with the Outrage. An earlier post on the site comparing the Montauk to an 18' made this observation as I recall: "An Outrage is half again as heavy and needs half again as much power and half a gain as much fuel to cover the same distance." That said, there are times when I wish I didn't have to cary so much fuel on deck to get my Montauk to and from fishing spots.

In the end your question is about weather and how one handles it in a Whaler. I have had my Montauk for 18 years. It came with full canvas. I haven't mounted the canvas and fish the boat in the winter. Good raingear and warm clothing are all I need to make a winter trip managable. I enjoy the visibility and unobstructed rod management benefits of the open boat at all times of the year.

I would be happy to talk further if you are interested. George Milla

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Peter,

Either a Montauk or an Outrage 18 will be excellent choices. I have owned both. My best advice would be to buy a Montauk and keep the SeaSport. Best of both worlds.

The Montauk is like a little sports car compared to other boats. Very light, nimble and fast...and fun! I have owned three of them and used them here on Puget Sound for fishing, skiing and general fooling around. I used to fish Sekiu in one and it was great for that. Neah Bay is another matter entirely. In fact it was Neah Bay in 1989 that convinced me the Montauk had to go and an Outrage 18 was in order. If you ever go out in big water (not like what we get here on Puget Sound) then something larger than a Montauk will be best.

George is quoting (or paraphrasing) me above. To add to what he wrote it should be recognized that an Outrage 18 will handle half again as much bad weather and have half again as much stability and capacity.

There are very few small boats other than a Whaler I would want. The classic 22 foot SeaSport is one of them and maybe even choice #1. I have considered buying one on two different occasions. It is Whaler-like in its simplicity and quality even though it is a little bit ugly looking. I have a lot of respect for SeaSports and of all of them, the 22s with a DuoProp I think are the best for a trailer boat. I seriously think you should hang onto your SeaSport.

A good turnkey Montauk can be had around here for $10,000 or less. Just go buy one and have fun with it.

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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.

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I am looking to buy a preowned Boston Whaler, 15 to19 ft. but I live in Edmonton Alberta Canada and there are none available here. Does anyone out there know of a dealer in Vancouver B.C. or NW Washington that I could contact in regards to finding a used one?:|

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I subscribed to this OLD thread to maybe bring it back. The video Joe put on here is very nice and knowing the likes of Tom Clark is a local, is inspiring.
I am sure a N00B in Washington and especially fishing.
More to come and I am going to post more here when I do have some fun.