Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by action on 03/27/15 - 1:31 PM

The 1988 Montauk 17 I bought had the wrong cooler cleats and no cooler or rod holders so I decided to try to get it back to the original configuration. I made the cooler cleats from mahogany using the prints located here (came out nicely). I also made the rod holders using the drawings located here along with the mounting instructions. Everything came out and installed nicely. Then I received my Anderson cooler seat cushion and rod holder back cushions. I found that the 94 Qt. Igloo recommended here along with the seat cushion is too high when it sits against the center console. I don't think moving it forward enough will be a good idea because of the V narrowing towards the bow. When the rod holder cushions are installed it gets worse. The cooler will not open (placing the opening towards the stern makes it a little better. It seems the only solution is to add some pieces to the rod holder mounts to allow the backrest cushions to be installed higher than the rod holders. This actually will put therm in a more comfortable height (with the 94 Qt. cooler and cushion). Unfortunately it will hamper the use of the rod holders because of reels protruding. I guess I might use the cushions when riding around and just unsnap them and stow when carrying rods. The boat is not at my home so I only get to work on it sporadically.
I was wondering if anyone has the same cooler / rod holder / cushion set up.
Any comments on this will bill appreciated.

Posted by Joe Kriz on 03/28/15 - 10:03 AM

I had the 86qt on my 1978 Montauk and didn't have any problems as this was how it was designed.
http://users.sisqtel.net/~jkriz/Monta...ntauk.html

I also had the 94qt on my Outrage 18' but the Outrage cooler does not sit on cleats like the Montauk does.
So, again, no problems there.
http://users.sisqtel.net/~jkriz/Outra...trage.html

On a Montauk with the 94qt, you can turn the cooler around, move it forward a little, and also make sure you install the rod holders as high as possible almost touching the windshield.
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...icle_id=33

That's about the best you can do.
Browse through other Montauks in the personal page section:
http://www.whalercentral.com/viewpage...page_id=65

Edited by Joe Kriz on 03/28/15 - 10:20 AM

Posted by action on 04/24/15 - 7:14 PM

Here is a photo of the my replacement 94 qt. cooler in a Montauk 17. It is higher than the original cooler. I added some wooden pieces to the rod holders (also recently fabricated) to raise the backrest cushions. all the cushions are new from Anderson. I got the cushions after I fabricated the rod holders. When I get motivated, I'll probably make the rod holders taller.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/36a66xx4j2e...3.jpg?dl=0

Posted by Joe Kriz on 04/24/15 - 8:02 PM

Those teak rod holders you made don't look anything like the drawings that I made in the download section.

My drawings are precisely like the original rod holders were.
http://www.whalercentral.com/photogal...hoto_id=38

Why would you need to make the rod holders taller if they were like the drawings?

Edited by Joe Kriz on 04/24/15 - 8:05 PM

Posted by action on 04/25/15 - 4:00 AM

The rod holders were like the drawing and mounted as high as the would go. With the cushions on the cooler would not open when the opening was facing either fore or aft.

I added some 2X2 pieces of wood next to the rod holders to attach snaps and raise the cushions up higher. I expect to get more use out of the front cooler seat than the rod holders with grandkids and family cruising. When I want to fish, I'll unsnap them and leave them home.

To each his own I guess

Posted by cas1947 on 04/26/15 - 4:15 AM

action wrote:
Here is a photo of the my replacement 94 qt. cooler in a Montauk 17. It is higher than the original cooler. I added some wooden pieces to the rod holders (also recently fabricated) to raise the backrest cushions. all the cushions are new from Anderson. I got the cushions after I fabricated the rod holders. When I get motivated, I'll probably make the rod holders taller.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/36a66xx4j2e...3.jpg?dl=0

The Igloo cooler shown in your photo is the latest design with a much thicker lid than the one they sold in 1988. The 1988 version had a lid about 1" thick with a "waffle" design molded into the top surface. The thicker lid could be the problem.