Boston Whaler 315 Conquest Buyer's Guide, and How It Stacks Up Against a Boston Whaler 345 Conquest for Sale

Why a Boston Whaler 345 Conquest for sale search often ends at a 315

A lot of buyers start out looking for a Boston Whaler 345 Conquest for sale, the 36-foot flagship that Whaler launched for 2008, and then discover what a triple-engine-capable cabin boat costs to buy and run. The Boston Whaler 315 Conquest is the boat many of them end up with: four feet shorter, twin engines instead of an optional three, and a layout that still lets a couple spend a weekend aboard.

Whaler presented the 315 Conquest at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2012, alongside the new 285 Conquest, its pilothouse version, the 210 Montauk and the 170 Dauntless. Soundings reported that the 315 was being shown for the first time and quoted a price of $330,905 with twin 300 hp Mercury Verados. It replaced the 32-foot 305 Conquest in the lineup.

The model ran until Whaler introduced the 325 Conquest and 405 Conquest at the Fort Lauderdale show in the fall of 2019. Yachting's report on that launch still listed the 315 as part of the Conquest line, so the last boats were built around the 2019 model year.

Dimensions and the Unibond foundation

Whaler's specification for the 315 lists a length overall of 31 feet 3 inches, a beam of 10 feet 8 inches and a dry weight of 8,800 pounds without engines. That makes it slightly shorter and a little wider than the 305 it replaced, which measured 32 feet 1 inch by 10 feet 7 inches. We could not verify fuel capacity, draft or the maximum horsepower rating from a primary source, so those fields are left blank here rather than guessed.

Like every Whaler of the period, the hull uses Unibond construction, with the hull and liner joined in their molds and the cavity injected with closed-cell foam. That gives the boat its level flotation and a solid, quiet feel, and it means there is no wood in the structure to rot. The penalty is weight, which is why Whaler priced the boat with a pair of 300s rather than smaller engines.

Full glass up front and a clever companion seat

Whaler's own description highlighted a full front glass windshield with open sides, plus an optional sheet-glass enclosure, to give a clear view from the helm. Choosing between open sides and full glass is the biggest variable in how a 315 feels. Open boats are breezier and lighter in Florida; enclosed boats are far more comfortable for fall fishing in the Northeast or on the Great Lakes.

One detail from the 2012 launch is easy to miss when you walk a boat at a dock. Whaler industrial designer Charlie Foss showed Soundings a pullout station recessed into the companion area of the helm deck that can serve as a barbecue or a fishing station. On a used boat, check that it slides freely and that the electrical connections, if fitted with a grill, are dry and corrosion free.

Fishing features that hold up today

Whaler pitched the 315 to both saltwater anglers and cruising families, and the fishing list reflects that. Standard equipment included an insulated 30-gallon livewell that doubles as a cooler, dual in-deck fish boxes and increased storage over the 305. Add the gunwale and hardtop rod holders typical of the Conquest line and the boat handles trolling for tuna or drifting for flounder without fuss.

Thirty gallons is a modest livewell for serious live-bait fishing, so pelagic anglers often add a second well or a larger transom unit. The cockpit is smaller than on an open center console of similar length because the cabin and helm deck take up the forward half of the boat, which is the price of sleeping aboard.

315 versus 345: the honest comparison

The 345 Conquest is a different scale of boat. Soundings' 2007 launch report lists it at 35 feet 11 inches by 11 feet 8 inches, 14,200 pounds, with 347 gallons of fuel on twin engines and 421 gallons when ordered with triples. It carried a standard 8 kW diesel generator, reverse-cycle air conditioning for the helm deck and cabin, an island berth forward and a separate midcabin, and the base price at launch was $320,970 with twin 275 Verados.

That extra space shows up below and at the fuel dock. The 345's island berth and bigger galley make it a real weekender for two couples, while the 315 suits one couple or a family with young children. On the other hand, the 315 is easier to dock, cheaper to insure and slip, and burns noticeably less fuel with two engines instead of the triple 250s many 345 owners chose.

• 315 Conquest: 31 ft 3 in, 10 ft 8 in beam, 8,800 lb dry, twin 300s at launch
• 345 Conquest: 35 ft 11 in, 11 ft 8 in beam, 14,200 lb, twin or triple outboards
• Choose the 315 for easier handling and lower running costs
• Choose the 345 for a true island berth, diesel generator and more tankage

Costs, depreciation and where values sit

Without a published fuel curve for the 315 we will not quote a gallons-per-hour figure, but twin 300 hp four-strokes on a boat of this weight will burn in the same broad band as the 285 Conquest's twin 250s, plus a margin. Budget roughly $20,000 to $38,000 a year for fuel, twin-engine service, insurance, bottom work and storage, depending on how far and how often you run.

Values are anchored at both ends. Early boats compete with late-model 285s, and the youngest 2018 and 2019 boats bump up against early 325 Conquests. That keeps 315 prices honest and gives buyers leverage on boats that need engine work or electronics upgrades.

What the 325 Conquest changed

The 325 that followed is 32 feet 3 inches long with a 10-foot 8-inch beam, rated to 800 hp and carrying 300 gallons of fuel, according to Boating. It added a private midship double berth, full-beam windshield, a starboard dive door and a Pilothouse option. If your budget stretches to a 2020 or newer 325, it is the more modern boat; if it does not, a well-kept 315 gives you most of the experience for considerably less.