A site dedicated to discussion of these classic boats
End of the season
End of the season up here in Boston and I pulled my Wahoo! from the water yesterday. Although I would have hauled out anyway due to the lateness of the season, if I needed any other reason Hurricane Sandy, currently just south of Cuba’s southeast tip, looks like it will give the US East coast its first (and likely only) tropical storm of the year early next week.
2012 was my third year as a Wahoo! owner and the best so far. Lots of quality time on the water. Many problems solved, but still no shortage of tweaks I’d like to make to the boat next year. Thanks to the many Wahoo! owners who contribute to and read this blog. It’s been a lot of fun sharing experiences and learning from you guys. Boston Harbor, when the wind and chop are up, can be a pretty rough ride. So three years in I still feel like I’m getting to know this my 16.2’s capabilities, especially in big water. Once thing I know for sure though, when she planes on a flat surface, what an amazing ride! Like a magic carpet.
This past week my friend Gary C. of Philadelphia was here. Every year in the fall Gary comes up for a short week and we go striper fishing. This year winds gusting to 30 mph kept us off the water much of the time but we managed to have a few nice days and my son Ben (pictured) took his first stripers from my Wahoo!
Now the boat’s in the driveway. Time to get busy winterizing before the cold sets in.
WOW, how fitting that I find this website as I begin to restore my 18.5 1989 Wahoo. The pictures remind me of what my boat used to look like back in early 2000 when I took it 25-30 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico just about every weekend. Now, 12 years later my boat shows its age and needs a facelift. The floor is solid but the gelcoat looks bad. Can anyone speak to the quality of stringer in the Wahoos? I have no reason to think they are bad but I would love some re-assurance that they were made to last a lifetime.
Hey Franz, welcome aboard. Wish I could speak to your stringer question. I’d like to know myself. But lots of Wahoo!s close to 30 years old still going. One of my goals for next season (as it was for this) will be to bring back the shine on my deck. It doesn’t look too bad when it’s clean, but it’s dull and doesn’t shed the dirt. Best of luck on your restore. Hope you find time to post anything you learn in the process.
I too am in planning stage of restoring my wahoo 1987 16.2.
Used Mary Kate Bottoms off acid cleaner in a spot on hull to test prior to winterizing, took the stains/oxidation right out. Probably going to uses on entire boat this spring. Hit it with a polish/wax.
I use mine to fish and transport surfboards so I am not overly concerned with perfection. Thinking of painting deck with that speckle paint, like that of boston whalers and carolina skiffs.
Any advice or input would be great from those who have done a wahoo restoration
Hi plecofish, and welcome aboard! RE acid cleaner, haven’t used it myself. My understanding is that it’s powerful stuff when it comes to getting out stains but also needs to be used with care. (Some further reading: http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/48548-muriatic-acid.html)
My question would be why paint? Now you have a maintenance issue. I’m a newbie here, but have had a couple Wahoo’s. My 1st & favorite is an ’89 1750CC. 90 hp Evinrude that I had rebuilt when I bought it 7 – 8 years ago. I thought I was buying another for my son in Florida, but it was a 16.2. They are so much less boat than the 1750. Not just shorter, but not as wide nor nearly as tall. I never fit in it & I just sold it. I think I’m going to look for an 1850 now.