Boston Whaler Dauntless 16, the Beamy 16-Foot Whaler With Seats for Six

Which Boston Whaler 16 foot boat is the Dauntless 16

Search for a Boston Whaler 16 foot boat and you will find several very different hulls. The classic 16-foot cathedral-hull Whalers of the 1960s to 1990s, such as the Nauset and Eastport, sit at one end. The current 160 Super Sport, which Whaler lists at 16 feet 2 inches with a 90 hp maximum and a six-person rating, sits at the other. In between is the Dauntless 16, a beamy modified-V center console that Whaler built from 1999 and later sold as the 160 Dauntless.

The Dauntless name covered a family of family-and-fishing center consoles from the 1990s on. A canvas maker's fitment list from 2009 shows Dauntless 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20 and 22 models in the 1990s, and lists the Dauntless 16 and 160 with bow rails from 1999 to 2007. York County Marine, which sells used Whalers, says the 16 Dauntless came out in 1999 and ran, as the salesman recalled, until 2007.

That timing matters. Brunswick bought Boston Whaler in 1996, and Wikipedia notes that no classic tri-hull Whalers were built after 1996. The Dauntless 16 belongs to the new generation of deeper, conventional-V Whalers built in Edgewater, Florida.

What we could verify, and what we could not

This is an older model with little surviving factory literature online, so we are strict about numbers. Verified: it is a 16-foot boat, the fuel tank holds 45 gallons below deck, and the Coast Guard capacity plate allows six people. York County Marine also notes that it is nearly a foot wider than a classic 17-foot Montauk, which explains why owners describe it as a big 16-footer.

We could not confirm the exact beam, dry weight, draft or maximum horsepower rating from a primary source, so those fields are left blank in our specs rather than estimated. If you are buying, read the capacity plate on the boat: it will give the maximum horsepower and weight capacity, which matter for insurance and repower decisions.

Seats for six on a 16-footer

The feature that makes the Dauntless 16 sought after is seating. A cooler with a cushion in front of the console seats two. The reversible pilot seat behind the console has a backrest that locks in several positions, so it works as a forward-facing helm seat, a rear-facing seat or a leaning post. Aft, two cushioned rear seats with handrails give passengers a proper place to sit. As York County Marine put it, how many 16-foot Whalers have functional rear seats?

Bow rails, side rails and a large bow cushion for lounging at the sandbar round out the layout. A tilt steering wheel lets the skipper drive seated or standing, a small touch that Dauntless owners appreciate.

• Forward console cooler seat for two
• Reversible pilot seat that doubles as a leaning post
• Two aft seats with cushions and handrails
• Bow and side rails, bow cushion and tilt steering

Below-deck tank and a self-bailing cockpit

Many small center consoles of the era used portable or above-deck tanks. The Dauntless 16 has a 45-gallon tank under the deck, which keeps the cockpit clear and gives useful range for a boat this size. The cockpit is self-bailing through scuppers, so rain or a wave over the bow drains overboard rather than collecting in the bilge.

Combined with Whaler's Unibond foam-filled construction, that makes the Dauntless 16 a reassuring boat for families, bay fishing and coastal day trips. It is not an offshore boat in the sense a 23-footer is, but it is far more capable than its length suggests.

Engines you will find on used boats

Original power on the boats we found in listings ranged from about 90 to 115 hp. A 1999 boat carried a 1999 Yamaha 115 two-stroke, a 2003 boat in Martinique a Yamaha 115 V4, and a 2004 160 Dauntless a 90 hp outboard. Many have since been repowered: listings show a 2007 Yamaha 100 four-stroke, a 2014 Evinrude E-TEC 90 and a 2016 Yamaha SHO 115 four-stroke on boats built in 1999 and 2000.

When comparing boats, a modern four-stroke or E-TEC repower is worth paying for, because a new outboard can cost a large share of the boat's value. Check the capacity plate before buying a boat repowered with a larger engine, and ask for documentation of the installation.

Life with a Dauntless 16

Running costs are low. A single outboard, a small trailer and no systems beyond a bilge pump, livewell pump and lights keep annual costs in the $2,500 to $6,000 range for fuel, service, insurance and storage, depending on use and where you keep it. The boat tows behind a midsize SUV or pickup and launches easily.

The weak spots are age-related rather than design flaws. Listings mention chipped gelcoat at the bow from years of anchor handling, nonfunctioning navigation lights, worn cushions and tired coolers. Some boats have added trim tabs, which help a 16-footer trim level with a full crew.

Alternatives inside the Whaler range

If you want a newer 16 to 17-foot Whaler, the current 160 Super Sport and 170 Montauk are the obvious options, and the 2002 to 2008 180 Dauntless offers more room in an 18-foot 6-inch hull with an 8-foot beam and 60 gallons of fuel, according to Salt Water Sportsman. The Dauntless 16's appeal is the combination of a below-deck tank, real rear seating and a Whaler hull at a price well under $30,000.