Richard Fisher is the man known for bringing his invention called a Boston Whaler to the 1958 Boston Boat Show. He was an engineer by trade and a boater by choice. It was this combination that resulted in not only the talk of that boat show, but a conversation that continues today about hull design. More than 70,000 Boston Whalers later, the 13 foot "Sport" model remains an industry favorite. It is marketed as being able to withstand more than 1,000 rounds of automatic weapons fire and remain floating as a result of the Whaler's unique design. Boston Whaler boats are built in Edgewater, Florida with models ranging from the 12 foot Impact to the 34 foot Defiance. Charged with keeping a classic idea up to date with new technology, is Boston Whaler president Michael Myers. In this interview with BoatUS Trailering Magazine, Myers talks about the boat's rich history from that first boat show in Boston, to present day where the Boston Whaler is a common and popular exhibit wherever boat shows are held.

How did it get the name Boston Whaler?

The name was an intentional contradiction in terms to attract attention. The first model didn't look like any other boat available because of its blunt bow. It's this bow shape in fact that helps Whalers perform well in a following sea because they are not prone to stuffing the bow into the next wave. This was in contrast to the old whaling dories with their pointed bows. So, since there were no whaling boats in Boston where the boat was designed, and since the boat did not perform like a whaling boat, they called it a Boston Whaler.

How has the Whaler changed over the years?

Boston Whaler's original twin sponson hull shape is alive and well in our Classic series. The 13' Sport and 17' Montauk are direct descendants of the original design with a few modifications to improve the ride and functionality. But their extraordinary stability, shallow draft and optimal performance with minimum horsepower requirements remain intact. Over the years we have expanded the product offering to include modified and deep-v hull designs for bay and offshore use. They draw more water than the Classic series but they provide a softer ride in rough water. We've also improved our technology and design, incorporating molded in storage and other customer friendly features. But what hasn't changed is our legendary unsinkability. You can still cut a Whaler in half and drive away in the half with the engine. Our founder Richard T. Fisher used a buck saw but we use a chainsaw... sometimes two.

What is it about the hull that was different from other hulls during that first year it was built?

Two factors were unique to the first Boston Whaler: one was its construction and the other was its hull shape. Boston Whaler's founder was an engineer. He dabbled in a variety of fields including sailing and making sailboats as a hobby. He experimented with the newest material available in his quest to produce a strong, lightweight hull. This was in the mid-50's. At one point he constructed a hull of balsa wood. It was lightweight all right, but it wasn't very durable. So when Styrofoam emerged, Fisher used it as a synthetic balsa wood and covered it with a protective fiberglass skin. Its remarkable buoyancy, and the Whaler's legendary unsinkability, was simply a coincidence. The shape of the original 13' Whaler hull was fashioned after a craft
called the Hickman Sea Sled. The first prototype had two keels, but there was a cavitation problem. So Fisher and his close friend Ray Hunt added a third keel in the middle to resolve that issue and to produce a drier ride. And the first Whaler was born.

In your opinion, what is the future of outboard propulsion?

We have seen quantum leaps in outboard technology in recent years. The new direct fuel injection technology and four-stroke engines are infinitely cleaner burning and more fuel efficient than what was available only five years ago. Companies like Mercury Marine have been working feverishly toward producing a more environmentally friendly product. In fact, some of
their latest engines already exceed the EPA requirements for the year 2006. By model year 2006, Mercury will have completed the transition away from selling conventional two-stroke engines in the United States and Canada. The outboard engine category continues to be strong. They are practical because they can be trimmed up for shallow water access or fully trimmed
out of the water if the boat is left in the water for extended periods. And they are much easier to replace than an inboard or inboard outboard engine. And now that they are making quieter, more fuel efficient outboards, we'll probably see more people considering outboard propulsion in the future.

What standard equipment will a Boston Whaler feature 10 years from now?

This is tricky because, 10 years ago, few of us would have predicted the common use of cell phones and wireless laptop computers. So predicting what will be popular 10 years from now is next to impossible. I would imagine there will be some standard guidance system- the next generation of GPS but maybe with a combination communication screen in lieu of a VHF radio and wireless internet access so you can download information. And of course we'll see advances in technology and materials used to construct boats and components.

What will be new for 2002?

We have several new models on the drawing board for the new model year, ranging from 15-32 feet. We are looking at various replacement models and a few new additions like a 30-32 foot Outrage. These will be introduced throughout the 2002 model year.

The Whaler is considered the first of the center console boats. How did that idea come about?

This is another one of those innovations that came about accidentally while Fisher was developing a 16 foot model. They were testing the performance characteristics of this new hull but they had decided they did not want to make the boat tiller steered. So they fashioned a temporary plywood box and moved it forward to the center of the boat so a single test driver could
test the boat with the weight evenly distributed. After several different drivers tested the boat, they determined it was an excellent way to run the boat since you could easily get around either side of the console and the boat didn't list with only one person on board. So they built an ornate mahogany console and the center console was born.

Tell a story about a Boston Whaler being used on patrol or for a rescue mission.

Boston Whaler has a dedicated commercial boat division. They make boats specifically for the military, law enforcement, fire rescue and utility purposes. These operators have enough to worry about without having to stress about taking on water. That's why they use unsinkable Whalers. One of the accounts I remember was from a man who had served in the military in Viet Nam. He was stationed at a post that performed port security. Their job was to identify ships and grant permission to enter the harbor. They would hail the vessels via radio and make the necessary arrangements with friendly ships. One night the crew saw lights on the horizon and hailed the approaching vessel. But they got no response. After repeated attempts to hail the approaching vessel, they had to go into action. Unfortunately, all they had as an intercept vessel was a 13' Boston Whaler. Nevertheless, he climbed in with a rusty assault rifle and a few hand grenades and made his approach. During this time, he continued to try to raise the vessel by radio. Ultimately he had to issue an ultimatum to the approaching boat that they
needed to stop or he would be forced to open fire. Finally the captain of the ship, which turned out to be a U.S. aircraft carrier, laughingly told him to "fire at will." He said the encounter was heard over the radio by all of fleet command and it provided a lot of entertainment.