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Joe/All...in a follow up on my post in the comment section of your console article, I contacted BW. Boy were they responsive! Here is what they had to say about our hull.
So it was in fact shipped as a Montauk.
What happened to the original console?
Who knows...

For those of you that did not catch the beginning of this saga, please see pics on my page and the above mentioned "article".

If anyone has any ideas as to what may have happened to the original console...please chime in!

BW;
"According to Whaler's records, Hull id number BWCC5704M78C was built in our old Rockland, MA factory as a 17' Montauk and was originally shipped out to an Eastern Sales in Conway, SC on 11/18/77 (as a 1978 model).
Attached is a spec sheet from 1978...


I mailed out a 2010 brochure today. Good luck with the restoration.

If you haven't already, you might want to check out these great Classic Whaler websites...
www.xxx.com/whaler
www.whalercentral.com "

BTW; Love the Holiday look to the site...very classy!

Merry Christmas to All!

Bill Tex

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Bill the long life of Whalers tends to lead to a lot of parts swapping. A lot of people put stuff in and a lot of people take stuff out to suit there personal taste or need. Your boat has a oem console in it but I think that console was not used until the early 80's. That could have been changed out just because someone thought they would update the look of the boat. So you have a late 70's that looks like a early 80's sounds like YOU Win.

Another thought would be that that console was being produced and was placed in some boats as they phased out the winged console.

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Yeah...it's a bit of a mystery. I guess I have some what of a hybrid; all OEM...various vintage (s).
Hard to understand why someone would swap out a console...the differences really are minor. Unless as Joe noted the original was damaged?

Or maybe this was close to the time they made the change to the new style?

Hard to say...

Bill

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Not hard for me to understand why someone would update there boat. I had a 15 project whaler that I painted fighting lady yellow. It got a lot of complements, and a lot of people asked how new it was, and when did whaler start painting them yellow. check out my current low pro project. I have a newer style dauntless rps for it. The big whaler logo in the back rest is going to scream newer boat. Neither of these boats were pristine when I got them So I get to make them anything I want. The deal is that the hull is timeless so it is hard for most to guess a year of a whaler hull.

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Could be a lot of different reasons the original 1977 to 1982 flat faced console was replaced.
Could have been damaged.
I have also heard of consoles being stolen out of the boat when parked right in front of the house...
The owner at the time preferred the newer style console with the controls located higher up...

The only way you will ever know is to contact any and all of the prior owners to see who did it and why...

Otherwise, no big deal...

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Thanks Guys, I was a little disappointed to find out the boat was not 100% original, as I was careful to find a boat that had all the parts (RPS, wood, etc) and after a little more research discovered the console was the wrong vintage!
But, I guess the consensus is "no big deal"...at least it is a Whaler console.

Oh well, I will continue with the resto...spent more time sanding teak last night!

Happy Holidays...thanx for the input,

Bill

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I agree with others, you got lucky. I like this style of console more. And with a newer console there are less holes everywhere.

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How so?

Bill

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Bill,

I wouldn't worry about the boat being 100% original, it is however 100% unique.

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...less holes because it's newer and less accessories have been attached by fewer owners to the console. My console, had a lot of holes. I filled many.

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A guy in New Bern popped a mold of the console that is suppose to be in this boat if you are interested.

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Bill,

My opinion you have one of the best consoles designs they made. 1983-1985 the best looking design, 1986-1990 close aesthetically and many think better for gauge visibility.

The best thing about the 1983-1990 consoles is the near flat mounting surface for mounting the binnacle controls as they're designed to be operated with fore and aft throttle/shift movement. It amazes me when seeing how many boat builders mount both binnacle and side mount controls on consoles at angles requiring nearly up and down throttle lever motion.

One thing noticed looking at your PP photos, if you do any night boating you'll probably want to get rid of those console mounted nav lights. They will be rough on the night vision reflecting off the interior.

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Thanks Bill, I do intend to keep this console...if it were not a Whaler console I might feel differently.

About the nav lights; is it OEM to mount on the side of the console or is that a mod someone made?
I will be doing a lot of night fishing for stripers...
If I eliminate the console nav lights, what do I need?
Just the bow light and single stern light?

Thanx, Bill

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Bill,
Nav lights are a mod. Best to use the bow or side lights and a all around light. Wire the white to be anchor light also for your still fishing. It looks like you have most of the bow chock light assembly. You could repair that.

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Please explain? Do you mean wire it so the "all around" light is on a seperate circuit to be used as anchor light as well as running light?

As far as the bow light; yes, the chock is still there, I need a lens and the top piece (bezel?). I think the Perko will fit...won't be OEM but it will be functional?
Does this sound OK?

Thanx for all the help,
Bill

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Many of the Whalers come with a switch that has one position for the nav lights and second for anchor. One of the better place I've found for diagrams showing different circuits is www.whalerparts.com They're for the newer Whalers but still very helpful. 2002 first year of the wiring for Montauk there.

No experience with the bow chock/light but others here should be able to help you out with that.

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I guess I don't see what console lights you are talking about.

You should have a bow light like this
http://www.whalercentral.com/photogal...hoto_id=16

And you should have a stern all-around anchor light like this.
http://www.whalercentral.com/photogal...photo_id=8

Not exactly sure what number9 is talking about with the wiring but here is an article I wrote on wiring an Outrage switch which can be applied to the earlier Montauks without International lighting as well.
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...icle_id=51

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Joe, it may be hard to see in the pics I currently have posted;
* Stern light looks like OEM...the problem is where PO mounted it. The outlet is on the flat part of the console, just above throttle. A terrible location as it will be right in my face! I will move this...

* If you look on the side of the console, you may see the port side nave light. We'll see how this works out, as noted this may not be a good location either, and I may just go with bow light, making these redundant?

Sometime's it's hard to understand what a PO was thinking when they makes mods...

Thanx All...Merry Christmas!

Bill