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Yachting’s Dozen: Boston Whaler 13

The Boston Whaler 13 may have been the first fiberglass boat with full foam flotation between the hull and liner. One of Yachting Dozen from our October 2011 issue.

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Builder**: Fisher-Pierce Co.
Year: 1956

Why this boat matters: C. Raymond Hunt designed the Whaler 13, based on the geometry of the Hickman Sea Sled, for Dick Fisher. This may have been the first fiberglass boat with full foam flotation between the hull and liner, and the company’s ads touted it as “unsinkable.” Fisher actually cut one in half and used the after section to tow the forward section to shore. The boat was extraordinarily stable. That and the flotation made it ideal for children learning the rudiments of powerboat handling.

From the pages of Yachting: The Boston Whaler is a small boat that has proved to be as versatile in use as it is unconventional in appearance. … The broad bow is said to make her steer well in a following sea. …

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View the rest of Yachting’s Dozen here.

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