| Author | Topic: Whaler as a Tender: 9-foot hull |
| Whaler Lover |  posted 01-13-2005 08:40 PM ET (US) Hello,I have been reading here for a couple months, and the website has been a haven for me in getting knowledge on little Whalers. I boat on the Great Lakes and some inland lakes. I currently have a 29-foot Sea Ray--don't kill me--and a 9-foot inflatable dinghy. Last year I wasn't very happy with my dinghy as it can't handle even 1-foot waves without trying to throw me out of it. If I got a 9-foot Whaler as a tender and put my 15-hP Evinrude on it, how it would perform compared to the inflatable? I am not going out in gales with it, I just need something a little more comfortable. I will occasionally have the wife and two little kids on it in calm conditions, but with me alone I like to rip it up a little. I dont want an 11-foot Whaler because I plan on getting a 15 Sport or Super Sport in the near future, and may even try to sell the Sea Ray. Thanks for your input. |
| frontier | posted 01-13-2005 09:38 PM ET (US) We've had a few 9' Whalers over the years. As with all Whalers, it's safe & could save your life in the high seas. That said, for an all-around fun, stable, dry dinghy, get a 9' Livingston. The 9' Whaler takes water over the bow in even a light chop and with a light load. The Livingston has a lot more freeboard, is lighter and is actually more stable. High quality, but not up to Whaler standards. |
| PeteB88 | posted 01-13-2005 10:13 PM ET (US) IMHO 15 is alot for a 9ft, buy the 11.5, say by, by to the Sea Ray. An 11.5 or 13 is a great boat for your kids when they are ready. |
| SpongeBob | posted 01-13-2005 10:34 PM ET (US) Talk about heresy, well here I go. As far as size (read small) and stability is concerned it is hard to beat an inflatable. However 9 feet of anything is not much. I know, I have a 9'Dyer Dhow for my sailboat. Over the years the youth sailing program I have been involved with has had several 10.5 to 11.5 RIB's in use in it's summer program as chase boats for the Optis. It is amazing how much difference a couple of feet and fiberglass bottom will make to an inflatable. In that size range an RIB will handle your 15 fine (the youth programs had 25's on them). You also don't have to worry as much when you run into the mother ship. |
| David Jenkins | posted 01-13-2005 11:18 PM ET (US) Ahoy, Bob. I don't understand why you would consider buying a 9' Whaler but you would not consider getting an 11'. quote:I dont want an 11' because I plan on getting a 15 Sport or Super Sport in the near future, and may even try to sell the Sea Ray.The 11' is a dinghy like the 9, only it is a much better boat. The 15 is not a dinghy. I have owned two 9' Whalers, an 11, a 13, a 15 and a 19. My all-around favorite was the 15 and my least favorite was the 9. |
| jimh | posted 01-14-2005 12:58 AM ET (US) My wife and I used to be very intense sail boaters. I raced every Wednesday night on Lake Erie with 2-3 other guys. Chris and I raced on a larger boat with a crew of ten on Saturday's in Lake St. Clair. We went on evening sails 4-5 times a month, at a minimum. We lived aboard for at least two weeks a year cruising the North Channel and Manitoulin Island. We sailed early in the spring. We sailed late in October. I subscribed to about 5-6 sailing magazines. One year we decided to replace the inflatable dingy with a small Boston Whaler. We thought we'd have more fun zooming around the harbor in a Whaler than an inflatable. That was back in 1997. I think the last time I went sailing was in the fall of 1997... Be careful if you get a Whaler for a dingy. They get to be so much fun they're hard to resist. |
| Whaler Lover2 | posted 01-14-2005 09:13 AM ET (US) I cant post under my other name for some reason, so I registered again. My boat has a beam of 9'5", I figured I would go with a 9' tender since then I could attach it to my Sea Ray with davits if I so desired. The idea of using a 11' is a good one, however, I know I would then want to put a 35 on it instead of my 15 and then I would be in all kinds of trouble :) I thought a 9' would be a good place to start but from the sounds of things it sounds like a bare bones 11' might be a better place to start. Thanks |
| hardensheetmetal | posted 01-14-2005 10:20 AM ET (US) Bob- Be careful of this... I had a boat with the same beam (9'6") and caried a 9' Avon (2.8 RIB) on the swim platform with Weaver clips. The boats advertised beam was 9'6", but this was the max, not figuring that the boat gets narrower towards the stern (tumblehome?). The tubes of the 2.8 stuck out past the transome just far enough to catch the water rushing by the hull when the bigger boat was underway. I ended up partially ripping off the rub strip off the side of the RIB. When I was younger, we had a 9' Whaler tender on my dads boat. I remember that it was not the lightest boat around. I think the 9'would be a really big drag on your Searay. Just a thought Dan |
| TampaTom | posted 01-14-2005 11:36 AM ET (US) I just bought the 9'(Squall) for my kids. Seemed like a deal for $250 (spent another $250 for a new sail and rigging.) The id plate lists max 5 HP. With that, I don't think it will plane with an adult. If the centerboard dropped at planning speed, the boat would probably wipe out. Its a perfect dingy for towing behind a a cruising sailboat. The sailing rig can store inside the boat and the "keel-rail" was probably designed to help it track straight when being towed. Swamped capacity it 600 lbs. I (200lb) can be in it with the plug out and it doesn't really take on water. If your plan is to put a 15 HP on it, get the 11'. |
| David Jenkins | posted 01-14-2005 11:52 AM ET (US) You would not want to put a 35 hp motor on an 11. With console steering, it is max rated for 20 hp. Boston Whaler made two hull designs for 9' dinghies. The Squall is fun to sail and row but it flips over to easily to be safely used with an outboard of any size. The other 9' (with no sailing capabilty) would be the one you wanted if you intended to use it with an outboard (although a 15 would be too much). |
| CJ7Laredo | posted 01-14-2005 05:43 PM ET (US) I've got a 15hp Johnson that I occasionaly put on my 9' Tender. Overpowered...definately. Fun...without a doubt. I didn't know you could get one of these to plane. Slappin that 15 on there reminds me of the day I bought my first 13' Sport w/35 Merc. Put's that same smile on my face. I would not recommend the 15hp while using the 9' as a tender. Thats what my 4hp Johnson is for. Kevin |
| PeteB88 | posted 01-16-2005 12:09 AM ET (US) Agree with last two posts - a 35 would be nuts on an 11.5 - I run a 25 and it is very fast and sketchy enough at WOT it would easily get away from any experienced driver - I rarely run WOT but enjoy the reserve power if necessary. I can't even imagin a 35 on an 11 - helmets, Class IV PFD, O2 tank, snorkel, kill switch, good insurance - Maybe. The 9 footer is no boat for anything over maybe 9.9 - get some plywood and make yourself a little hydro and go race it!!! Power the boat based on design and use intent. I know folk that would buy that 11.5 you have. Best |
| Whaler Lover2 | posted 01-16-2005 11:05 AM ET (US) Pete I think you misunderstand my post, I dont have any Whalers at this time. I was being sarcastic that knowing how I am, if I bought a 11 footer I would be trying to put some rediculous sized outboard on it for the occasional thrill. I think I will hold off on the 11 or 9 for now, because I want to concentrate my funds on getting my 15 for now. I want to get a nice one with a 70 or 75 on it, so it will not be cheap. I just cant wait to actually own a boat for once instead of the bank. Thanks for all the opinions and experiences. Bob |
| doobee | posted 01-16-2005 01:20 PM ET (US) good idea. Hold out for a 15' and set up a good towing harness. Incidentally I once towed a 9' Whaler behind a new 29' boat with no equipment on board. All we had was a 15' dockline to attach to the Whaler from a stern cleat. We towed the tender for about 15 miles at planing speed with the tender skidding along at @ a 30 degree angle as it was pushed sideways by the stern wave. (it wasn't my idea) I was amazed at how stable the tender was. If that had been a Dyer, or even a squall, I'm sure it would have rolled over. |
