2019 Boston Whaler 160 Super Sport review

Boston Whaler's Super Sport models have been popular with US bay and flats fishermen for years. The boats are exceptionally well built, unsinkable, comfortable, sturdy and stable. They cost more than most comparable craft from rival brands, but few other boats can boast the same high standard of construction, fit-out and finish.

Boston Whalers are legendary in the US and around the world, and the Super Sport models have their own loyal following and return customers.

The Super Sports are not just terrific fishing rigs, but versatile bay and harbour fun boats for family boating and social tow sports.

You'll also see them used regularly as tenders for super yachts. These little Bostons are among the safest, and best-made fibreglass boats in this size range, and this makes them ideal for ferrying people to and from a moored mega-cruiser.

Until the launch of the new 160 Super Sport, the subject of this review, there were five models in the Boston Whaler Super Sport range. For 2019 the Super Sport series drops to four models, the all-new 160 replacing the established 150 and 170 Super Sport boats.

The Super Sport range now includes the 110 Tender, 110 Sport, new 130 Super Sport, and what is now the flagship model, the 160 Super Sport. But for the 110 Tender, each of these diminutive, but capable craft has a side console helm configuration with a steering wheel and remote controls.

Queensland Marine Centre, the Australian dealer for Boston Whaler boats, has package prices for the 160 Super Sport starting at $48,518. For the money, and it is a fair ask for a 5.0m open boat, you get an unsinkable 160 Super Sport paired with a Mercury 75hp EFI four-stroke outboard and a single axle galvanised steel trailer.

The trailer does not come standard with brakes, as the package weighs less than 750kg so trailer brakes are not legally required. I personally would tick the options list here to have mechanical brakes added as the real-world trailer weight, when loaded with fishing and camping gear for away trips, will easily top 750kg.

Included in the standard 160 Super Sport package is a side console helm unit with a lockable storage compartment, drink holders and 12-volt power socket, a fibreglass bench seat amidships, a moulded forward casting deck with anchor/storage locker at the bow, internal grab rails, rear boarding steps and port side ladder, dual 25-litre portable fuel tanks, recessed bow and stern cleats, and a removable ice box/seat situated alongside the helm console.

Many seats and seat cushions can be fitted for comfort and to spruce up the interior. Our test boat was optioned with a two-section vinyl upholstered cushion at the bow for lounging, as well as a clip-on cushion over the removable ice box.

For the amidships bench helm seat, the 160 Super Sport can be optioned with two padded seat squabs (to each side of two included cup holders), or with a full width padded bench seat cushion with fixed backrests for the skipper and co-pilot.

A third option is to fit a pair of bucket helm chairs. Customers can choose between standard hinged chairs with folding backrests, and the premium bucket seats with extra padding that were fitted to our test boat. Both sets of chairs are removable. You can therefore take them out of the boat for safekeeping after each fishing or boating trip.

The bucket chairs can also be reversed so you can sit and face aft to comfortably fish over the stern of the boat.

As well as the bucket seats and cushions our test boat gained a transom ski bar arch and tow point, stainless steel bow rail, white rub rail with S/S insert, 70-litre fuel tank, rear hull accent colour, curved, tinted windshield, dash applique/accent, sports steering wheel, and two rod holders affixed to the internal grab rails.

Our test boat was also upgraded with a larger engine, the 75hp Mercury four-stroke swapping out for Mercury's 100hp longshaft (20-inch) model. With the more powerful (but same weight) engine, and with brakes added to the trailer, the drive-away package price rises to $59,585.

The $60K ask is a substantial sum for a 5.0-metre open boat, but with a Boston Whaler you pay extra for the build quality and the premium fit-out and finish. Only the best quality materials, fixtures and fittings are used during the construction process - 316 grade stainless steel is used for all the deck hardware, for example.

Much of the strength and proven long-term durability of Boston Whaler boats can be attributed to Boston Whaler's patented Unibond construction technique. This involves having closed-cell liquid foam injected under pressure into the cavity between the hull and the inner liner, where it expands to fill every void. This technique not only makes these hulls unsinkable, but also gives them tremendous strength and impact resistance.

Underway the in-built foam flotation also dampens hull slap and vibration to provide a softer, quieter ride.

Quality of construction is not always discernible when you ride in a boat. That's not the case with a Boston. At speed or at rest, Boston Whaler hulls feel strong, solid and durable.

One of the primary criticisms of past model Super Sports has been a lack of storage space. This is still something of an issue, but in the new 130 and 160 Super Sports, you'll find a new helm console unit which contains a decent sized, lockable storage compartment. It is big enough for a few inflatable life jackets, towels, a flare kit, and more.

There's also a large space in the footwell beneath the helm console, along with a casting deck locker for your anchor and rode, and space in the cooler alongside the helm station. Mind you, if you fill your cooler box with ice and drinks (as you do) then you lose that storage location.

There are no side storage bins or sub-floor compartments in the 160 Super Sport because these spaces need to be filled with foam to achieve the Level Flotation standard, and to ensure the boat is unsinkable. It is a bit of bummer to lose these potential storage spaces to foam flotation, but that's the price you pay for safety.

Incidentally, there is no sub-floor fuel tank option for the same reason. Instead, the Boston Whaler 160 Super Sport comes standard with a pair of 25- litre fuel tanks that sit beneath the bench seat thwart. You can also swap these two tanks out for a single (optional) 70-litre red portable fuel tank, as was fitted to our test boat.

With regard to the general layout of the 160 Super Sport, there is little to complain about - and lots to like. The bow casting deck is great for anglers as you can stand and fish from this sturdy front platform.

In calm weather I'd also be tempted to fish from one of the elevated rear boarding steps. They are wide enough, and have a non-slip finish which grips up the fibreglass finish quite well. Better yet, consider fitting the rear steps with the optional teak-look foam rubber matting.

For family boaters there is seating in the 160 Super Sport for five people; two at the helm, two more up at the bow on the forward deck and a fifth person perched on the cooler seat alongside the helm console.

With the optional casting deck cushion fitted, sun lovers will be happy to lounge about on the bow to soak up a few rays.

The optional bucket helm chair is certainly an improvement over the standard bench seat. I found it quite comfortable, and ideally positioned in relation to the sports steering wheel on the fascia and the side side-mounted engine throttle.

The tinted windscreen on our test boat looks the part, but doesn't offer any real shelter from the wind. Beneath it there is space on the fascia for engine instrumentation, but not much else. You could flush-fit a radio or two beneath the steering wheel, but a fishfinder may need to be bracket-mounted alongside, between the two cup holders.

As well as the bow casting platform and rear boarding steps, there is ample fishing and general move-about space forward of the console, and in the aft cockpit. The latter is roughly 1.3m x 1.54m wide, whilst the forward cockpit space is roughly 750mm long x 1.5m wide.

For a sub-5.0m boat the 160 Super Sport is a remarkable performer. We tested this over-achieving small boat just before the arrival in Queensland of Cyclone Oma. The seas outside the Gold Coast were already building, providing an excellent boat testing opportunity.

The 160 Super Sport is not designed for offshore work, but it handles and rides so well that I simply could not resist taking it out through the Seaway to test its mettle in the lumpy, pre-cyclone conditions. This was perhaps not the cleverest idea, but I don't regret it in hindsight because the moderate vee Super Sport hull handled the sharp, untidy sea conditions with deceptive ease.

Providing we kept the hull in the water (as opposed to leaping off the tops of waves) then the ride was very comfortable and stable, and nicely balanced on a fore and aft axis. I really could not fault the handling, ride or performance of the boat. It also was comfortable and dry whilst heading out sea, and safe and sure-footed running back in through the entrance, the hull surfing easily out of wave troughs.

With the maximum 100hp Mercury four-stroke outboard on the transom we also had plenty of power, which proved useful during our offshore test. On the run out we were able to accelerate quickly between the gaps in the wave sets, and then could hold the boat safely on the back of a wave for the re-entry into the Gold Coast Seaway.

Back inshore we recorded a top speed of 35 knots at just under 6000 rpm. For a 5.0-metre boat, that's really shifting! You could easily get by with the standard 75hp Mercury, but the boat is great fun to drive with the more powerful engine.

Performance

The Boston Whaler 160 Super Sport is a terrific fishing skiff, and a great fun family boat. Some storage compromises have had to be made for it to retain its "Unsinkable Legend" capability and status, but it is otherwise an exceptional little boat. It is an absolute joy to drive and the boat's handling, ride, and stability is world class.

The 160 Super Sport commands a higher price than most rival models, but the value in this very capable craft is in the safety features, superior fit, finish and build quality, and in the excellent all-around performance.

Specifications
Model: Boston Whaler 160 Super Sport
Length overall: 5.31m
Hull length: 4.93m
Beam: 2.08m
Draft: 250mm
Deadrise: 15 degrees
Hull weight: 480kg
Weight on trailer: 740kg (est)
Maximum power: 100hp
Maximum engine weight: 190kg
Engine as tested: Mercury 100hp four-stroke
Fuel capacity: 2x25L (1x70L optional)
Flotation standard: Level
Maximum persons: Six

Priced from: $48,518 including a Mercury 75hp four-stroke longshaft (20-inch) outboard and a single axle (unbraked) galvanised steel trailer.

Price as tested: $59,585 including a Mercury 100hp EFI four-stroke longshaft (20-inch) outboard, single-axle galvanised steel trailer with mechanical brakes, sports bucket seats, transom ski bar and tow point, bow rail, white rub rail with S/S insert, 70L fuel tank, bow cushion, rear hull accent colour, windshield, dash applique/accent, sports steering wheel, ice box cushion, and two rod holders.

Supplied by: Queensland Marine Centre