“I chose this boat specifically for many reasons, to be able go anywhere, to fish offshore, to go on a cruise with friends, to be one of the few guy down here in Florida with a Montauk whaler from the 80’s, and because of the famous Boston Whaler slogan “The Unsinkable Legend”.’
(NO NAME) – Boston Whaler 17′
Interview with the Captain — Dany Bravo
About the Boat
Can you tell us a bit about your classic Whaler and how you came to own it?
So, it all started when we saw one in the water on a friend’s boat, at the time we didn’t have a boat for a good 2 years. We then went on a search, to find the perfect whaler, no bottom paint, very little damage that can be fixed. And a dry hull. We found a 1987 whaler, it had come loose off a yacht and washed up on shore flipped over. It only had some minor damage to the front and the 90 Honda it had on there was toast, we sold the lower unit for parts shortly after buying it. We worked on it almost everyday we could till we got to this point. We originally had a 2008 115 Opti on the back but soon changed it for something more reliable since we would be doing a lot of offshore fishing and we only had one motor. We now have a 2018 115 Pro XS, the Gas tank is a 31-gallon tank that is stored inside the console along with all the other things like the two batteries, an amp, two JL speakers, all the rigging, etc. The boat currently goes 58 before it starts to chine-walk with a 22 Laser. Overall this boat is just an all-around boat that can do just about anything you want.
What boats have you previously owned?
I previously owned a 29 Ocean Runner with two 300 Mercs on the back. I owned that boat for about 7 years before selling it for a 5000 profit. This was my father boat of course and this is the second boat he owned. His first boat was I believe a 24ft, 2305 striper with a center console instead of that cabin people put on them. I do not remember it vividly since I was still a very small child (probably 3), but I believe it had one 225 Yamaha on it.
Why did you choose to buy a Boston Whaler?
I chose this boat specifically for many reasons, to be able go anywhere, to fish offshore, to go on a cruise with friends, to be one of the few guy down here in Florida with a Montauk whaler from the 80’s, and because of the famous Boston Whaler slogan “The Unsinkable Legend”.
Who first introduced you to boating?
My father first introduced me to boating on his striper, I’ve liked it ever since, I drove my first boat when I was only 8 and I stuck to the boating world.
What are the features you like most about your Whaler?
Possibly the best feature on the Whaler would be the Jack plate, since if I am on plane, I can go through 6 inches of water. Yes you read that right. But what comes at a close second would be the cooler seat, aint nothing like being able to grab a drink when ever and not have to go to the front of the boat all the time. And being that it is a 65 yeti, it keeps everything cool for a long time.
What features/improvements have you added or do you plan to add?
I am not planning on adding anything else to the boat for the time being, and in terms of improvements since when I bought it, I added everything. We stripped the boat down to the hull and built it back up completely custom, we got rod holders, tanks, the cooler holder for the seat, fabricated custom for us. Shoutout to Aims Welding in Florida for getting the job done right.
How do you typically use your boat over the summer, and where do you go?
We typically will go fishing down in the keys or we will make trips to the Bahamas to stay with friends. Or sometimes go down to Elliot key and just hang out and relax. But other than that, we use it for almost anything you can think of.
What is the biggest challenge you have in servicing your boat?
As of right now we have no big challenges, everything is pretty straight forward at the moment in terms of service. We recently put 100 hours on the motor so its ready for it first oil change. And washing the boat in its entirety takes only 10 mins.
Do you have any advice for those looking to buy a classic Boston Whaler like yours?
If you are looking to buy a Montauk, I advise against buying one with bottom paint, minor damage is okay because that is fixable but if the hull is wet on the inside then you are screwed. If there is damage it will be easier to tell obviously but it is not always guaranteed that you will find one that is completely dry. My whaler was wet on port side towards the transom, but it wasn’t that bad.
What’s the story behind the boat’s name?
There is no story, we just have not named it yet. We were thinking “El Chapin” which means “The Skiff” in Spanish. As of right now it has “No Name”.
CHECK IT OUT
Click the gallery below for more photos and information about No Name Boston Whaler 17′!
