Rib Sided Whaler Vs Smooth Side. Or Dick Fisher Vs Bob Dougherty.
A Masterpiece of Visionary design
So what is it about the rib-sided 21 Outrage that makes some people think it’s ugly as sin, while others see it as absolute perfection? Me included. The rib-sided 21 Outrage story feels exactly like the kind of thing that could only happen in the golden age of boat design. Back when companies were run by people that wanted to push things forward. 
Outrage prototype 1970
Well according to Everything Boston Whaler on Instagram, facebook and Youtube. BTW a great resource, who shared the story from conversations with Bob Dougherty himself, the answer is simple. Even inside Boston Whaler, people fought about it. And honestly? That makes me love it even more.
Screenshot
Apparently Dick Fisher and friend designer Ray Hunt, yes, that Ray Hunt who helped design the original whalers influenced by Hickman Sea Sleds, were passionate about the ribs because they added rigidity to the hull. This had something to do with it not being foam filled. Function first. Always. Dick never designed boats to sit under fluorescent lights at a boat show. He designed them to survive idiots, weather, docks, and reality. That was the magic of Boston Whaler.
From LHG and yesterdays comment section, with an amazing comment. MUST READ LIKE A SPLASH OF COLD WATER
Bob Dougherty, meanwhile, reportedly hated the design. Which is hilarious because today that exact design is what gives the boat so much personality. It’s awkward. Industrial. A little overbuilt. A little strange. Which is exactly why people like me obsess over them. Bob by the way was no slouch, he was one of the best designers in the world. Links BTW at the end of the story.
And here’s where the story turns into full-blown boatyard folklore.
Could be a problem to find
Legend has it that the very shortly after Dick Fisher retired, Bob had the rib-side molds dragged out back and cut up. BAM. Gone. The later Outrages became smooth-sided after that. And the Dougherty SMIRK, was incorporated into ll whalers. Some of it was aesthetics, some of it was manufacturing practicality. The smoother hulls were easier to pull from molds and easier to build. That’s usually how these things go.
This one was sold up in Maine, if you look around, Metan marine seems like the restorer. But could be wrong.
But the rib-side? That was the original thought. The original sketch. The original stubborn vision before committees and manufacturing efficiency entered the room.
And that’s why the rib-sided 21 matters. It marks a moment in time when one strong-minded guy could still shape an entire company through sheer force of conviction. You can literally SEE Dick Fisher’s thinking molded into the sides of the boat.
I owned this 1969 Whaler for a short bit. From Michigan and a TIME CAPSULE.The Bearcat was loud, and never really got it running right with a cooling issue.
After that, the world changed. Actually before that, In 1969 Fisher had to sell Whaler to the CML Group, and the Outrage was produced to dig out of the BEARCAT investment. BTW, the 20 years CML owned Whaler where very very robust. Then Rebock…. yes that Rebok and then even worse, and finally Brunswick Corporation bought Boston Whaler who owns it now, BTW Corporations smooth things out. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes not. Innovation becomes meetings. Design becomes consensus. Weirdness gets expensive.
That’s the tradeoff. Corporations love predictability. Visionaries love risk. In a way, this thinking cost Dick Fisher Boston Whaler. Crazy
And somewhere in the center of it all sits a weird rib-sided Boston Whaler that half the world thinks is ugly, and the other half would drive across the Bay to save from a backyard. One of the last plastic production boats made with a soul.
Here is a one hour presentation on the history of Whaler from the Chesapeake Bay Museum and Everything Boston Whaler
Okay here is the link farm as promised.
This is SOLICE boats, Bob Dougherty, and his legacy live on here.
Here is the Complete History of Boston Whaler from the Continuous Wave, the long time Whaler Resource
Here is the Boston Whaler Website. Still a wonderful brand and of course a dream boat. UGH, that I will never be able to afford. DREAM BIG! A new Outrage is starts at $140K specd out $180K, you know, with an engine! Thats OUTRAGEOUS! BTW, so is a restored one done right. SO THERE IS THAT.
SPECIAL NOTE! The more you dig into this Whaler World, the more it’s just like the Woody world. Only far larger these days and just as bitter and fun. The comment left yesterday by LHD, was sobering, and a harsh reminder that Glass boats can be even more difficult to restore than wood boats. STAY TUNED! OH there is more. Like a fiberglass milkshake. I WILL ADD, it’s fun to dive into a world you have no idea where the bottom is again. Then again, never dive into water you can’t see the bottom of. NEVER.
What a great story! The links at the end are a fantastic plus! But I do wonder, are we slowly moving from Woodyboater, to Vintageboater? Not that it matters, as a lot of old boats are a thing to behold!
NO WAY IN HELL!
I’m sorry Matt! I did not mean to strike a nerve! I love wood boats! Once again, my apologies!
That comment must have come in pretty late yesterday as I had checked back in and never saw it.
It cracks me up that here we are discussing the age old dilemma in the Woody world. Do you want a user boat that is not “as delivered from the factory” or do you want the 100 point perfect boat.
It sounds like you (Matt) want a reliable fun boat to run around the bay and let Suzy fish out of. Yesterday’s Outrage with twin Yamahas will definitely do that, however I expect that you attention to detail would at some point take over and you would be looking for all those missing parts. Of course you enjoy that part of the process, so maybe it is still worth it.
The history of the Whaler – one of the many seminars the Chesapeake Bay Chapter has had at the boat show at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. This year’s show June 19-21 has 10 hours of seminars on Chris Crafts, Larsons, Matthews, Thompson and Gar Woods. (Greg isn’t the only one that can do a shameless boat show plug!!!)
👍
PLUG AWAY! It’s a worthy show to plug a lug
Dammit! Now I want one of those. Did you ever sell used cars?
Well all I will say is Bertram and the lift strakes are the key elements of this boat as per performance. And I history has proved that Brunswick Corp should have stayed with Bowling stuff…renting smelly shoes was more their style…and their other stuff had so little style. John in Va
Need to take a shower with all this fibreglass talk, is this web site called Fiberglassboater
A magnificent classic “woody”, but not a deserved comment.
Thats one heck of a boat!
I still have great memories of the 13 foot Whaler I had as a teenager. My Dad saw the famous video of the boat being cut in half (both ends still floating one guy rowing and the other guy starts the motor and takes off) at the NY boat show and he said that’s the boat for you. Brunswick took over and ruined a lot of companies. Mercury Marine included.