1982 Boston Whaler Sport 13'4"
2004 Mercury 50 HP Four Stroke EFI
For nearly two years, I researched Craig’s List for an older Boston Whaler. It had to have a high-quality interior, good trailer, and excellent motor (preferred 40 HP largest recommended by OEM). There was always several to consider on Craig’s List. I further narrowed down the hunt to be a 13 foot Boston Whaler from the late sixties. This I thought would help reduce the cost. As I saw boats come and go, my purchase price started to rise. There were 13 foot Boston Whalers from $2500 to over $8000 USD. Again, I was looking for a high-quality interior, good trailer, and excellent motor.
Spring of 2012, a 13 foot Boston Whaler showed up near home, I was excited to check it out. Price $4800. 40 HP Evnord. Good trailer. Interior, good, nice cushion seats, but wood weathered and old forgotten equipment still having mounting hardware installed. The motor stated it was well maintained but showed it age. A week later the craft was gone.
After some dozen or so boats coming a going, I got interested in Fall of 2012 on a very clean Whaler with a 40 HP Mercury. Just the one I wanted, love those Mercs. Had a 50 HP Mercury on a 14 foot Fiberform runabout boat in high school. The seller wanted $5800 firm for a 1972 13 foot Boston Whaler and stated he was looking for a good home cause he loved his whaler. I wasn’t ready to drop $5800. But it was exciting to know one was out there I was interested in.
Spring 2013, close to home, another 13 foot Boston Whaler 1983. Must be a good one, seller looking for $6400. Turns out not much to interior and motor was an older Johnson 40HP. This one was on the market for months… I stopped checking on it.
August 2013, started searching Craig’s List almost daily.
Always at least three or four 13 foot Boston Whalers were listed for sale at any given time. A beautiful restored listed for $8200.
September 2013, Tuesday the 3rd
Called on a 1982 Boston Whaler with a 50 HP Mercury. Seller said, “I think it’s sold.”
Bummer.
Couldn’t sleep that night. The photo, the description, everything, just what I was looking for.
I decided the next day to call on boat again. Asking if the boat has been sold since the seller stated “I think so ..”
Someone laid down a deposit and seller was waiting on balance. I gave him my number and said, “call me if it falls through.”
Thursday, September 5th – get a call, boat is mine if interested.
I needed to see this boat but it wasn’t in town, or even close. It was in Canada. I made arrangement to see boat on Saturday, September 7th in Vancouver BC. The seller informed me that the trailer will not have a license plate and therefore I stopped on the way and picked up a three day tag pass just in case I bring trailer and boat back.
Perfect. More than perfect. Sold, I’ll take it.
The 1985 trailer wasn’t perfect, but did have a newer spare tire, new wiring, and LED tail lights.
What’s the story? A 2004 50 HP Mercury with only 17.4 hours? And the mahogany interior looked NEW!
The Seller had purchased the boat back in 1996 out of La Connor, Washington. He mainly used it as a tender for his large watercraft. In 2005 someone snatch the motor and did heavy damage to the wood interior. The insurance company paid over thirteen thousand dollars (Canadian) for parts and labor. So, in 2005 a “new 2004” Mercury 50 HP 4-stoke with electric tilt was installed, replacing the stolen 40 HP Suzuki. A complete new mahogany interior installed. All new instrument gauges, that included an hour meter and fuel gauge. And speaking of fuel, a custom 12 gal. aluminum in-boat tank was installed. Since 2006, the Boston Whaler has been in a garage. On getting the boat ready for sell, the motor was serviced recently adding new blades to the water pump and a new Marine Battery.
The Trip Home
Yes, perfect, and US – Canadian exchange rate was in my favor. I saved over two hundred dollars.
That extra two hundred or so may come in handy at the US border.
Border traffic was light. The boat and trailer were found acceptable to enter USA. The cost, only a two hour delay and no money required. The Boston Whaler was home again.
Title Change
Possession they say is nine-tenths ownership. I thought that the boat trailer would be the problem child to transfer the title into my name. No, it was the boat. The title transfer agency accepted the current Canadian insurance card as proof of seller ownership along with the bill of sale to transfer trailer and gave me a Washington State license plate to install. As for the Boston Whaler, the agency requested more than just the Canadian Marine Vessel Registration card. She requested that I contact Seller for additional documentation. Since I knew the Seller had given all he had, including the original Washington State Title from the previous owner, I had no reason to contact him.
A few days later I decided to try a different title transfer agency. Now she did a little checking on the phone and said I needed to get with the Canadian authorities and bring back a signed letterhead stating that Canada releases the boat. Fine, I left an agency for the second time without transferring the boat into my name.
Now would you call a Canadian government house and try to explain this? No, I think I’ll try a third time.
For my third time is a charm, I tried the county licensing court house.
Again, wait a minute she’ll check with someone. This time with all the some paperwork as before, there proved to be enough documentation and I walked out with a Washington State Vessel Registration Title. The boat, trailer, and motor are mine!