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I find that boat to look just so "Right", especially the ones with an RPS and teak gunwales. I've never been for a ride in one, though have spent hundreds of hours in classic 15 and 17's, plus a couple trips in a friends Outrage 22 classic. On the spec sheet, the looks like the perfect boat for me, as we could take it out in the ocean, inside passge between Vancouver Island and mainland, plus it would be good up here at the lake. I'm not keen for an older 17 as the ride is too sharp edged in chop...the 15's ride better!
I'm curious as to what newer boat best compares to a classic Outrage 18? I'm hoping there are a few of you here who have some seat time in more boats than I and have some wisdom to share. The Outrage 18's are getting a bit old, so finding a good one is slowly getting more difficult. The other difficulty is that the apparent bargain of an older boat will dissappear quickly when incurring the cost of repowering.
Although I own a classic 18, in which I have cruised the BC Inland Passage three times, in your case looking for a newer model, I think the new 190 Montauk is a really great boat, even more boat then the 18 Outrage. Downside is that it is more of a day, fair weather boat, with little all-weather protection.
The classic 18 Outrage, when equipped with Mills Flying Top system, gives really great all weather use. I also like the ability to power it with twins.
If your heart is set on a classic 18, wait it out and find "the" boat as you will never be happy with anything else.
If you want a newer Whaler option 190 Motnauk is a good choice, classic 17 Outrage I and post classic 17 outrage II, and maybe an 18 Dauntless.
If you are willing to look outside of Whalers but, still want the classic Bob Doughtery heritage and unsinkability, look for a nice late 90's 176 Edgewter. Here are images of one I almost bought. Really a nice boat but, I am a classic guy at heart and knew I would not be happy with anything less.
I went and looked at a Montauk 190 and 170 last night, new ones at the dealer, and I'm not crazy about the look of them, and the complete lack of wood, despite the obvious low maintenance quality, makes them look too sterile.
I do like the current Outrage 190, and the Dauntless 18 mentioned is not a bad looking boat. What about perfomance & the ride? How do the newer boats perform campared to a classic Outrage 18? If there is a big performance advantage, then maybe I would modernize my thinking, though I'm hamstrung by the look of the classic...it just so so well proportioned to my eye.
There are those, me included, who feel the classic 18' Outrage is the greatest boat under 20' ever made. It can:
-Handle twin engines and 65 gal. of fuel and go 50 miles offshore. I've been in 8' to 10' seas in mine.
-Can be swamped and not dunk the powerhead.
-Can fish with 4 big guys and have plenty of stability, yet you don't sacrifice a kidney in a headwind like the old tri-hulls .
-Can waterski, tube, etc.
-Can be launched and retreaved by one guy on a single axle trailer with a 4 cyl. Jeep.
-Can fit in the garage.
-Can be easily beached.
-Cheap to run.
-Can be fit out with camper canvas.
-Doesn't loose value if you take care of it.
-Draws a crowd everywhere you go.
They're out there. Skip the new ones and save a bundle on a classic 18'. You won't regret it.
I owned the Montauk 17' for 15 years and was looking for something just a little larger and also with a smoother ride.
I purchased the 1997 Outrage 17' II to try and replace the Montauk.
However, I missed the Classic look and feel so I then purchased the 1985 Outrage 18'...
My wife and I kept trying the different boats out. After awhile, we found that the boat we always wanted to take out was the Outrage 18'....
So, we ended up selling the other two.
Since then, I have owned a 1989 Outrage 20' and a 1989 Outrage 22' Cuddy and another 1986 Outrage 18' with twin engines. http://users.sisqtel.net/jkriz/whaler...alers.html
Although all the boats were great, for our all around use, we found the 1985 Outrage 18' with a single main engine and a kicker motor to be our final choice and one that fit our needs the best.
Keep looking, but be ready to jump when you find one in good condition.
I saw mine on Yahoo search or something similar, the next day I was in Idaho with a Certified Bank Check...
Since I grew up around Classic Whalers in their heyday, worked out of 15's and 17's, plus our family owned a Montauk 17 for a few years, I've been concerned my affection for the OR 18 was because I was living in the past. I was concerned that perhaps time had marched on, meaning the newer boats were much better performers.
By the sound of your comments, the Outrage 18 is still considered to be great performing and functional boat.
I've come full circle. Now I just need to get organized $ and be patient.
