Boston Whaler Montauk 17 and 170 Montauk Buyer's Guide

The Boston Whaler Montauk 17 in one paragraph

The Boston Whaler Montauk 17 is the boat that marinas, yacht clubs and coastal families reach for when they want one boat that can do everything small. Today's version, the 170 Montauk, is a 17 foot 4 inch center console with a 7 foot 3 inch beam, rated for seven people and up to 115 horsepower, built with Whaler's foam-filled unsinkable construction. Whaler itself describes it as a multi-purpose inshore center console that can do anything, and for once the marketing is accurate.

From the classic 16-foot-7 Montauk to the 170

The Montauk name goes back to the classic era. Boston Whaler launched its 16 foot 7 inch hull in 1961, and the Montauk model, with a molded center console and the reversible pilot seat, appeared on it in 1973. A redesigned hull, sold as the 17 from 1976, kept the same length and a 6 foot 2 inch beam, and together with the 13-footer it was one of the company's two best sellers through the late 1980s. Thousands are still on the water, and they remain sought after by restorers.

The classic 17 Montauk stayed in production until 2002, when Whaler introduced the 170 Montauk at the Miami boat show in February of that year. The first 170 was a new, heavier hull at 17 feet with a 6 foot 10 inch beam, a 90 hp maximum and two portable 6.6-gallon tanks, and it sold for about a quarter less than the classic it replaced.

For the 2018 model year Whaler reworked the boat again. The current 170 Montauk grew to 17 feet 4 inches with a 7 foot 3 inch beam, gained an integrated 25-gallon fuel tank, a self-bailing cockpit, a forward fish box and an optional 115 hp engine. Searches for the Montauk 17 now return all three generations. The classic is a heritage purchase; the 170 is the modern workhorse covered on this page.

Boston Whaler Montauk 17 specs and weight

Weight is the most searched spec for this boat, because it decides what vehicle you need to tow it. Boston Whaler lists the 170 Montauk at 1,700 pounds dry without an engine and 2,254 pounds with the standard engine, fuel and water. Add a typical galvanized or aluminum single-axle trailer and the towing weight lands at roughly 2,800 to 3,000 pounds, within the capability of most midsize SUVs and pickups.

Maximum weight capacity is 1,900 pounds, and the swamped capacity, the weight the boat will float even when full of water, is 2,800 pounds. That figure is the practical meaning of unsinkable.

• Length overall: 17 feet 4 inches
• Beam: 7 feet 3 inches
• Draft: 12 inches
• Dry weight without engine: 1,700 lbs
• Weight with standard engine, fuel and water: 2,254 lbs
• Fuel capacity: 25 gallons
• Persons capacity: 7
• Horsepower: 90 hp minimum, 115 hp maximum
• Maximum engine weight: 410 lbs
• Bridge clearance: 4 feet 11 inches (6 feet 11 inches with suntop)
• Transom height: 25 inches
• Optional livewell: 12 gallons

How it runs with 90 or 115 hp

The standard engine is a Mercury 90 EXLPT Command Thrust FourStroke. Command Thrust models use a larger gearcase and propeller, which suits a stable, beamy hull like the Montauk and gives strong hole shot with a full load. The 115 is the popular upgrade and the one most used buyers look for.

Boston Whaler's own test of a 2018 boat with the 90 recorded 38.7 mph (33.6 knots) at 5,800 rpm and a comfortable 25 mph (21.7 knots) at 4,000 rpm on 4.1 gallons per hour, about 6.1 mpg. The same hull with a Mercury 115 reached 46.0 mph (39.9 knots) at 6,000 rpm and ran 27.9 mph at 4,000 rpm on 4.8 gallons per hour. Boating magazine's test reported a similar picture, planing at 10 to 12 mph, cruising at 18 to 25 mph and topping out around 40 mph with the 90 and 45 mph with the 115.

With 25 gallons aboard, Whaler's sheet gives about 137 nautical miles (roughly 158 statute miles) of range at the 4,000 rpm cruise with a 10 percent reserve, more than enough for a full day of fishing or beach hopping. The ride is dry and stable for a 17-footer. The Montauk is not a deep-V offshore boat, and in a steep chop you slow down, but in bays, sounds, rivers and calm coastal water it is very hard to beat.

One layout, a dozen jobs

The console sits in the middle with a stainless grab rail, an acrylic windshield, Mercury SmartCraft and analog gauges, and lockable storage. Forward there is a casting and seating area with storage, and aft a bench seat, rod holders and a swim platform with a telescoping stainless ladder.

That simple arrangement is why the Montauk works for so many people. Fishermen use it for inshore species, families use it as a beach boat, yacht owners use it as a tender, and sailing clubs use it as a committee and safety boat. The optional livewell, suntop and T-top let owners lean it toward their main use.

The open layout also makes the boat easy to keep clean. There is little to trap water or dirt, and most owners simply hose it down after use.

What a 170 Montauk costs to buy and keep

A new 170 Montauk typically sells for about $52,000 to $62,000 with engine and trailer in 2026, depending on engine choice and options. Dealers often run seasonal promotions, so timing a purchase can save several thousand dollars.

Used prices run from about $18,000 for older boats to $55,000 for nearly new ones. Depreciation is gentle, and boats with low-hour Mercury four-strokes are the easiest to sell. Annual running costs, excluding depreciation, are around $3,000 to $7,000 for insurance, registration, engine service and storage.

How to buy a used Montauk 170

Because the hull is so durable, the engine is usually what you are really buying. Check the outboard's hours, service records and compression, and look for corrosion on the lower unit. A boat with a fresh repower can be a better buy than a newer one with a tired engine.

Inspect the hull for cracks, especially around the bow and where the boat sits on its trailer bunks. Like all foam-cored Whalers, water can enter the core through cracks or fastener holes, so check fittings and the transom carefully.

Finally, check the trailer. Many Montauks live on trailers, and a corroded trailer can cost a surprising amount to replace.