Have seen Haines hunter 17 L's for sale with hull years into the mid 1990's.
Does anyone know when this hull was first produced and when it was retired by the haines hunter brand?
Are the more recent ones built differently i.e. less wood or have a lesser chance of wood rot?
Is there any difference in the V17L vs 17L??
Have a 2011 HH 600R but can't resist buying one of these classic beauties! Any insight appreciated.
The serial no. will give you a hint. Generally the first two numbers will be the year. My boat's serial no. begins with 81XXXXX so it was made in 1981. Why would you want to go to a 17L unless it was for monetary reasons? The 600R would be a better boat.
Duck
Thanks Duckfish. Ok so you have an earlier model, so when was the last one made by HH brand e.g. 1999, 2001?
Sure the 600R is a modern boat but a 17L is like an E-type you can't compare that to modern cars.
People say that the 17L has a soft ride. I agree but my 565L is just as soft has more room and that much better. I'm sure your 600R is much the same. I'll say one thing, be careful when coming into Bars with the 17L. Not too much speed and watch the waves. I came back in the SPB with too much speed and drove the boat straight thru the next wave in front. Broke the windscreen and ended up with a boat full of water. Luckily the motor was still going. the bilge pump was still working even though the batteries were under water. LESSON learnt. Not sure when the last 17L was made but when the first HH520 came out in the late eighties Haines Hunter discontinued the 17L.
Duck
Not too sure driving into the wave in front has anything to do with boat model? There seems to be some sort of fascination with what is termed "classic" boats, when in fact, some of them are OK, and just perform OK, but in reality, they are bare bones hulls and moden designs leave them for dead in finish and standard equipment, most of them were pretty poorly built, and rotted to bits, just because a boat was common/popular doesn't make it a classic, some that come to mind... The old VC, various Haines, Sharkcats, some of those have an almost cult following.
1977? Scroll down to the V17L
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...s-hunter-boats
I have a 1977 V146C. Original floor and transom still going strong. Many people rate that hull the best 15 ft hull ever made. Just saying Noel....
Hi Noel. Just saying being a narrow boat with that sharp bow.
Duck
You guy's need to read Old School Haines Hunter group on FB lol. I think the value of all those rotten hull's has doubled since that started.
And, I am just saying... What did that boat come with as standard equipment when new? A steering wheel, some seats and a windscreen, and that's about it, if a new boat were to be displayed like that you couldn't give it away, unless of course it was a tiller steer tinny, people also rate the VC as one of the best hulls made! But........Originally Posted by Jeremy
Yep. A lot of knob jockey's in that lot. My HH has tripled in price since that group started.
Attachment 111752Transom on a 1998 HH560SF . OMC built. You could see the knots from the ply imprinted into the Glass. Certainly not structural grade ply.
THE POOR MAN ALWAYS PAYS TWICE
Yep. A lot of knob jockey's in that lot. My HH has tripled in price since that group started.
Really? How is it any different to internet forums that have been around for years? Id say no more "knob jockey's" there than on forums such as this. Always going to get the keyboard worriors who read info and consider that as first hand knowledge.
It is easy to argue that "newer is better", in a lot of cases it would be true..but try telling that to People who have spent tens of thousands of dollars restoring an old HR Holden, or Chevy Impalla. A new club sport has power steering, air con, reversing camera, traction cans stability control.....you could go on for ever. That fully rebuilt old classic still turns the heads!
Each to their own. For the record, I've nearly finished my second Haines rebuild and would love to do a 17l one day.
Last edited by jeffo; 06-12-2015 at 06:42 AM.
Just saying that what you said doesn't apply to all old Haines.
I don't know what mine came with when new. I didn't buy it new. What I do know is that in terms of value for money, my 38 year old second hand hull poos all over 90% + of new hulls of the same length and I would rather be in my 15' hull 30 km out to sea when a 25 knot Southerly comes through than a $30,000 + mass produced tinny! Drink holders and glove boxes aren't going to count for much then!
Anyway, what would you know about mono hulls Noel?You are a cat man. How long is it since you have been in a mono?
Steve,
If it is a mid 1990's, then it isn't a 17L.
More likely a Haines Hunter 520 or perhaps a Haines Signature 520/530/532.
The Haines Hunters of that era were not owned or built by the Haines family, but the Signatures certainly were.
The Signatures were based on the original HH design of plank hulls, but advanced a bit further sometimes by stretching and widening a touch, and incorporating some newer age add on's.
From the late 1990's, the Haines family who ran Signature added the variable deadrise feature to there proven hull design.
Built quality was ordinary though. The underfloor and hidden timbers were ordinary and never glassed over, and internal condensation ate them up fairly quickly.
It wasn't only Haines Hunter or Signature who were guilty of this quality control, everyone who built boats around these times were guilty of building to the same standard..... very ordinary where you couldn't see.
I've had a 1 x HH and 2 x Siggy's from this era and all required floors/transom/stringer work.
But they ride like a dream, and as such my latest boat is a pre variable deadrise, mid 1990's Signature 532F, fully rebuilt, and I love it.
What ever it is you're looking at, the pedigree of the 1970's John and Gary Haines boats which is carried forward, makes them special.
The newer models have a few more bells and whistles, but that doesn't make them go any better.
Tim
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