Before Posting, Please Read Our Posting Guidelines Below.
1. Use the full 4 digit year for everything you are asking your question about. Example: 1962, 1988, 2000, 2011 2. Include the correct name of your Whaler model. Example: Montauk 17, Montauk 170, Outrage 26, Outrage 260 3. Include the length when necessary. Example: 16, 17, 18, 20, 22 4. Do not post your email address anywhere on this site as it is already in your user profile.
I have a 13' Dauntless that I'm taking to a stainless steel fabricator to design a custom frame that would attach to the floor at the corners of the center console, and run up and around the windshield. I am doing it to protect the windshield when the boat is covered and to provide a place to clamp things like rod holders, cup holders, antennas, electronics, etc.
Does anyone have a whaler with a similar frame that could share some photos with me? I've seen a few 13's out there with what I'm looking for, but a picture or 2 would be very handy to show the stainless guy what I'm trying to do.
Take a look at my Personal Page. There are several pics that show the frame around my windshield. Should give your fabricator an idea.
Note: The frame on my boat doesn't go to the floor. It thru-bolts to the console itself. This attachment method should be much easier than dealing with anything that mounts directly to the floor.
Your idea is spot-on. The stainless frame give you something to hold on to, could mount any number of accessories to it and it will provide protection when a mooring cover is deployed.
Great looking Whaler, thanks for sharing your pictures. Generated some great ideas for the frame, but also some other things like your fish finder and VHF mounting location. Looks plenty doable. How do you like your driver's seat? Is that custom made, or can you buy them like that? I will post some pictures of mine when I get it back to show you mine. It's a bench that rests on each side of the boat, so I don't have access to the back portion of the boat without climbing over the seat and under the bimini. I'm a big dude, so it's not as easy as it should be!
Anyway, thanks again for posting a reply to my request. Talk to you soon.
I've inserted a scan on my Personal Page of the Dauntless 13 spread from the 1998 catalog (fourth picture down from the top, also available here ). My seat is shown in the lower left and is listed as the standard seating option in 1998. The bench seat you described was listed as an option, as was the seat cushion with backrest.
I wouldn't mind having the stern deck with livewell option but I'm not complaining about the seat I've got. We use the boat for tubing a lot so the seating arrangement I've got makes it easy to move around and get in from the swim ladder.
