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Boston Whaler 13 in very good condition with a brand new Venture galvanized trailer. 1964 Boston Whaler 13 in great condition with a brand new 2018 Venture model 1300 trailer. The boat is light and has not retained any water. Wood has been sanded down and finished with 7 coats of marine spar varnish. Boat Trader offers you the best selection of Boston Whaler 130 Sport boats for sale available in your area. Shop all your favorite boat types and makes from one place.
The 13 foot Hull
Dimensions & History
Description
The 13-foot hull was the original Boston Whaler boat, the one that started it all.The story of its conception and developmentis told in a separate article.
In 1958 Boston Whaler introduced a 13-foot utility boatthat would soon become the most succesfulrecreational boat of all time.It was the Volkswagon Beetle of boating.
Fiberglass boats were just being brought to the recreationalmarket in 1958. Compared to other boats of that time,the Boston Whaler offered exceptional utility.The complex shape of the hull could never have been mass producedin wood or aluminum, but its unique design allowedthe ride and stability of a much larger boat.The foam filled construction kept the hull weight low, and at thesame time provided unmatched floatation. The boat was truly unsinkable.Low weight made for good performance with small horsepower motors, too.The fiberglass laminate and gelcoat made for simple maintenance,while the varnished mahogany seats and trimlent a yachty look to the otherwise spartan boat.The molded liner provided a broad flat interior simply unheard of in a 13-foot boat, and by placing the deck floor above the waterline, the cockpit wasalso self-draining.
The design of the 13-foot Whaler was extraordinarily innovative,and its continued production over a 40 year span is testimony to that.It is nearly indestructable--almost every Whaler-13 made is stillafloat--yet the market for it seems beyond saturation. Year after year, the13-foot Whaler is a strong seller.
History
The hull and liner molds had several variations over the 40-plus years of production.From 1958 to 1970 the design stayed relatively constant.In 1971 a major overhaul was made to both hull and liner.The new hull had the bow reworked to add the 'smirk.'This chine, formed by carrying the line of the runners up and across the bow,helped to deflect water away from the boat.In the liner, the motor well changed to a wrap around style;previously a straight bulkhead had separated the transom from the cockpit.The rub rail was changed to a 2-piece implementation.
In 1972, the transom height was raised to 20 inches from 15 inches,probably to keep pace with the use of higher horsepower motors.Both the hull and liner laminates changed to the Desert Tan gelcoat color.The hull had been white and the cockpit either a baby blue or turquoise.
![Whaler Whaler](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125685904/917001477.png)
In 1977, two step pads were molded into the bow at the cornersof the liner and the shape of the forward locker cover became more squarish.The standard steering wheel was changed to a stainless steel six-spoke model.In the early 1980's the steering mechanism was upgraded to TeleFlex-stylecable steering, doing away with wire rope and pulleys.
Embedded Wood
![Boston Boston](http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/13/graphics/13-foot762x408.jpeg)
Because of the unusual construction, it was necessary to encapsulated hiddenwood in the hull/liner composite to provide a suitable bed for attachment of fasteners.The below diagrams show the location of embedded wood in various models:
In the 1990's the wood was replaced with a synthetic 'WhalerBoard' which provided a rot-free alternative.
More Drawings
Several additional drawings for the 13-foot boat are available in the REFERENCE section from the drawing index listing.
Commercial Division
In 1983 the 'Commercial Division' became a secondmarketing entity, but as early as 1970 it was possible to orderthe hull with the 'Workboat/Bassboat'specification, recommended 'for unusually abusive service.'This added an additional 50 pounds of resin and laminateto the hull lay up and about 10-15% to the base hull price.
Photographs
1970 Standard 13 Notice the shape at the bow: no smirk. This is the original hull mold. This catalog photograph shows a constant theme of the 13-footer: boys (big and small) fishing. PhotoCredit: BW Catalog |
c.1978 Sport 13, opt. railing and seatback This photograph ran in a advertisement with the caption: 'The most compelling reason to put your trust in a Boston Whaler just went to baseball practice.' The unsinkable nature of the Whaler and its inherent safety when used by young boaters have always been strong selling and buying points. PhotoCredit: Boston Whaler |
c.1980 Whaler 13 Sport The Whaler 13 was often shown being used by young people without adult supervision. Here a young boy stands and casts his fishing net by himself at dusk, a situation in which, if you're the parent, you've got to have a lot of faith in the boat and the boy. Owning a Whaler encouraged both. PhotoCredit: BW Advertisement |
This 1999 catalog photograph reprises the famous George Silk Life magazine layout from May, 1961, which showed Dick Fisher (in a sport coat, bow tie and hat) yawning while his boat was cut in half by a huge saw. Advertising--as near genius as the boat itself--propelled Boston Whaler into public awareness far beyond just the boating crowd. PhotoCredit: Boston Whaler |
Cutting Whaler hulls in half seems still to be a tradition. This Florida dealer has a 13-footer on display, nicely revealing the construction technique and the hull form. PhotoCredit: Larry Goltz |
Models
The arrangement of seating and consoledetermined the differences among the many models.These are described in more detail in a separatearticle.
Owner Testimonials
Whaler owners are generally pleased with their boats, and the Whaler-13 is no exception.Owner experiences and testimonials document this satisfaction.
Many thanks to all contributors, but especially Larry Goltz, whohas provided me with a wealth of historical documents on this model.
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This article first appeared February, 2000.Copyright © 2000, 2015 by James W. Hebert. All rights reserved.
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Author: James W. Hebert
Author: James W. Hebert