Large hulls destined to be Classic Boats undoubtedly include Boston Whalers, and specifically, here we see one of the first to gain wide acceptance in Italy: the Boston Whaler Outrage 21.
In the late 1950s two brilliant men had an equally brilliant idea. They were actually two friends, Richard “Dick” Fisher, an American entrepreneur, and designer Raymond “Ray” Hunt, inventor of the deep-V hull, the Moppie and the very first Bertrams. When Hunt saw a sailboat with polyurethane foam inside designed by Fisher, he was surprised, in a positive way, and made an argument that is still very relevant today: “Nice, but the sailing market is limited. Why don’t you power it with outboards?”
Starting from the basis of an old hull design Hunt made the water lines for what would become the first Boston Whaler by taking advantage of precisely the polyurethane in fiberglass gaps that made her effectively unsinkable.
Boston Whaler Outrage 21
When it appears on the market, it is an immediate success. It is new, unique, comfortable and safe. It is, in short, unlike any other and, as if that were not enough, it carries the name guarantee: Boston Whaler. It is unique because its designer is Ray Hunt and because the hull is protected by a unique broadside that, starting at the bow, is an integral part of the deck and, at the stern, terminates in a natural planking-gradino that facilitates boarding from the water. It is safe because it develops the concept of central wheelhouse, singular in design, practical in development, and practical while sailing.
Are you passionate about classic boats? Discover our Classic Boats section.
Boston Whaler Outrage 21 – Spaces
The Outrage 21, it is understood, is a totally open boat, ideal for fishing as well as summer bathing. A system of canvas canopies allowed the volumes to be closed in different stages, thus leaving space for those who wished to do so to carry out any nautical camping. A Spartan solution but no less functional than others.
Under the wheelhouse seat was a large icebox and, in the bow, a comfortable lounge area for a sundeck. A locker was also located here, which, supplemented by several spaces made in the broadside, allowed stowage of all kinds. Instead, the fuel tanks were housed in the aft portion of the hull.
Construction
The basic material-queen of much of its construction-is fiberglass. Once the deck was welded to the hull, however, the gap between the GRP ‘shells’ was filled with high-pressure injected polyurethane foam, thus eliminating any air bubbles and ensuring a solid, unsinkable monolithic structure. A ‘miracle’ that made the brand so famous, spreading its cult status around the world. Becobalsa supports, on the other hand, were set up at the anchorage points of the various accessories, while the wheelhouse structure, made of wood, was anchored to a rigid base made of solid fiberglass.
Read our Classic Boats articles! Here is the Baglietto Elba and the Riva 25 Sport Fisherman
- Do you have a Classic Boat to report? Tell us about it in the comments.
- Do you have a historic and significant boat over 25 years old? Write to us and send us photos to deluise@panamaeditore.it You might see it on our website!
- Are you interested in the topic Classic Boats? Visit our collection of dedicated articles
by clicking here
.
Technical Specs
Length Over All (LOA) | 6.50 m |
Baglio Massimo | 2.23 m |
Dive | 0.23 m |
No-load displacement (without engine) | 0.725 t |
Maximum installable power | 200 hp |
Top speed with 135 hp engine | 35 kn |
Fuel tank | 80 lt |
Construction site | Boston Whaler |
NAVIGATE INFORMED!
To stay up-to-date on all the boating news, selected by our editorial staff, sign up for the Motor Boats newsletter! Just click the link below, accept the Privacy Policy, and click the “Subscribe Me” button. You will then receive the best powerboat news on your email, twice a week! It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time, no obligation! CLICK HERE.