*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
Random Quote: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to use the inter-net and he wont bother you for weeks.
Anyone see this boat atthe Miami show? I think it was introduced there. I saw the boat on the BW website, and there is a link to a video review/commercial. Not very good fuel economy #s, but was curious about the boat otherwise. She looks huge.
I have a customer with a 33' Whaler with twin 250hp Verado's, when we hauled the boat for winterizing and shrinkwrap I noticed alot of cracks in the gelcoat all around the boat. I like the layout of the boat, it is not a speed demon but does have a large back deck and decent cabin. I just worry about a choppergun shot skin filled with foam.
...I just worry about a choppergun shot skin filled with foam.
I'm not defending Whaler however, there is more to the build than a skin coat applied with a chopper gun. Most skin coats are a mear 2 - 3 ounces (60 - 90 mils thick) with the sole purpose of acting as a barrier for the gel coat. The alternative is using chop strand mat which isn't horrible (at least it will be consistant). Most old school boat builders worry about the binder in the mat causing blisters for boats that sit in the water. More often than not builders will chop the skin on the hulls...I'm not saying all, as Grady handlays all of their hulls.
I don't recall Whaler using knitted fabric in the build of the hulls so that would lead me to believe they are using a by-ply (woven roving with 1.5 ounce mat stitched to it). The last time I was at Whaler I believe the hull bottoms were 5 - 7 layers of fabric with the standard overlap (4 - 6 inch) at the keel.
Cracks in the gel can be caused by an number of things one of which is thick gel coat...18 - 20 mils is typical for above the waterline with 22 - 26 below.
I just worry about a choppergun shot skin filled with foam.
Great point!!! Being that Whaler is a new player in manufacturing boats, it may be sage advice to wait until it has proven itself...........Give the Whaler line another 30 years to prove its construction, and prove there is nothing to worry about!!
As for cracks in the gel, that may have much to do with how the specific boat is treated (or abused) and not the actual construction process of the boat
The 37 Looks to be a nice boat,and as much as I like Whalers, there may be so other choices out there with a better ride, and a better value, dollar for dollar
Location: On My 340B SeaVee With Very Big Verados!
Posts: 5,138
Re: 370 whaler OR
Quote:
thomas70 - 2/17/2009 3:42 PM
I have a customer with a 33' Whaler with twin 250hp Verado's, when we hauled the boat for winterizing and shrinkwrap I noticed alot of cracks in the gelcoat all around the boat. I like the layout of the boat, it is not a speed demon but does have a large back deck and decent cabin. I just worry about a choppergun shot skin filled with foam.
Since they've been around 50+ tears I would not worry about that.
p.s. For those bucks I'd be looking at Intrepids, Seavees and Yellowfins. Probably have enough change left over to hire a swedish full time boat cleaner.
FYI, the 370 at the Miami show is the first hull built and some of the final details were hurried a bit to make it to the show. Hence, the wiring harness and some of the details are not typical of Whaler standards. Anyone in the R&D field knows its pretty common to expedite an alpha model to make a major debut date. Although hard core fisherman may not like some of the "luxury" features on the new 370 Outrage congratulations to the whaler engineering team for creative thinking and a big ass center console that even the wife will enjoy.
yes it is... the 34 has wiring just the same - seen it with my own eyes..it sucks for supposedly high end product...they have never wired like the high end builders..do a search for pics here last year of the 34 by bluewaterpirate...
I was just thinking to myself what the boat buying market is hungry for is a brand new design of just this sized boat with all the trimmings priced in the several hundred thousand dollar price range. Yep, they should have hundreds, if not thousands of orders for this very desirable boat by the time spring rolls around next month.
Boston Whaler has been around for quite a while. I certainly hope this bonehead decision to make that bloated 37' whaler won't be their financial un-doing...
It's a really nice boat, but I dont foresee alot of people standing in line to get one. Seems to be a little over-the-top for your average fisherman. Not that its not nice, but I would want something thats easier to maintain. Just seems to be alot of things on that boat to go wrong or have to do maintance on.
But hey, if I had plenty of money to waste and someone else to do all the cleaning and maintance, I'd have to consider it as an option. Does have alot of cool features though....
__________________ WARNING!!! My posts may contain content not intended for children or cry babys. Consider yourselves warned.
Thanks for the input. I saw the pics in the show forum. Way too many gadgets to be interested in. If you want all those things in a boat, I wouldn't be looking for a CC. No wonder she is a fuel pig compared to the others in that size range.
I went over the boat in detail at the Miami show. There were some innovative things on the boat, but other things made me wonder how far they've gotten from their roots. I cannot imagine the logic that led them to put an electric barbecue in the very same surface and adjacent to the live well. Both are on the back of the tackle center/leaning post. Barbie on the port, livewell to starboard. One dose of saltwater and the barbie is history. The knife edged vessel sink in the console was done by someone who has never been in the console of a moving boat.
Did anyone consider the spatter from the barbecue onto the deck? I'd rather have a place to CLEAN the fish before I tried to COOK the fish.
As a matter of fact the Boston Whaler 25 was featured in Boating mag i got in the mail yesterday. With twin 200 verado 6's cruise mpg never got over 1.5 mpg!!! That is fuelish for a 25ft boat. To add insult to injury top speed was about 47-48mph. Very Very slow for a boat with a LOA of 24 1/2 and 400 hp.
To me at least, Boston Whaler as a boat brand is a lost soul. I see nothing appealing about their boats. Incredible how a classic Whaler 10 years older than a newer model can actually sell for more $$$.
I would not be at all surprised if they go belly up.
__________________ . . . . . . BALLYHOO PIN RIGS For SALE HERE 10 pack:
370 whaler OR 
THT sponsor
