The Boston Whaler is one of the most popular small boats in the world for a good reason. They are sturdy, seaworthy, versatile and best of all, unsinkable. Believe it or not, they are actually now made in Florida. Here is a brief history of this wonderful boat. For a more detailed history click here.
The original 13 foot Boston Whaler was designed by Dick Fisher with the first boat being commercial manufactured in 1958. Oddly enough, Mr. Fisher, a Harvard graduate had originally set out to create a small sailboat similar to the popular Sunfish. What he created instead has come to be the most popular small skiff in America. We will go into the manufacturing process in another article but basically the boat is created by making two fiberglass shells, bringing those two shells together while still in the mold and then while under pressure filling the void between the two shells with foam. This results in a very sturdy but lightweight boat that is unsinkable. In a world dominated by wooden hulls this was a big deal ! Boston Whaler manufactured only the 13 foot model for the first two years and then in 1961 they introduced a 16 foot model which would eventually be replaced by the Boston Whaler 17 in the mid 70’s. The popular 15 foot model was also introduced around the same time.
The company has had 5 owners with the first being Dick Fisher. Mr. Fisher sold the company to the CML Group in 1969. CML owned the company until 1989 at which time the Reebok Shoe Company purchased business. In 1994 the company was purchased by the Meridian Downhill Slalom Company. Finally, in 1996 Brunswick purchased the company and still owns it today. Brunswick owns Mercury Motors and Sea Ray boats as well. Because Boston Whalers are so rugged and don’t sink, there are many available for sale all over the world. We have some articles on the right on how to find used 13, 15, 17 and other Boston Whalers. We also have a section showing you how to restore a Boston Whaler. I hope you enjoy our site.