boats 345Openwhaler

Although it had to happen sooner or later, Whaler had to offer a line of unsinkable cuddys. Thats the Conquest line whose top model is the 345 Open, a model that really looks more like any of the flying bridge models made by many other manufacturers. About the only relation between the original Whaler and the 345 Open is the midships flying bridge.

The basic design of the 345 Open uses a deep-V hull with a narrow beam. The combination allows the forward portion of the craft to serve in whatever function needed. If you are planning a series of heavy offshore cruises, then, you can equip it with staterooms, galley and head/shower facilities.

If one could compare this with car, then this would be a Rolls-Royce of boating, as it comes with such standard items as a rather large flat screen TV, satellite TV service, full electronics package, in-port phone outlets and more.

If, on the other hand, you are after large game fish tarpon, for example then the 345 Open mounts a special tarpon tower from which you can fight that game fish. Sport fishermen and others who note the lowering populations of many game fish such as blues or tarpon are, contrary to public opinion, both fishermen and conservationists.

In something of an interesting twist, the same craft that you use to battle the tarpon can be stopped in even heavy seas because of her design and you can bring the fish alongside, pull out the hook, make sure the fish revives and set it free to fight another day. Its only the big game hunters, if you will who make a great show of their prize catches who are being more than a bit irresponsible to the game fish populations of the world.

Interestingly, the 345 Open not only sports a flying bridge on top of the hard central control area roof, but also has fixed wings coming off the roof so that it is two-thirds enclosed. The only open area, which can serve as a casting area, or fighting fish area with the right tower, can actually serve as a sitting area if you are just heading south on the Intercoastal waterway.

This is a pilot house model. If, on the other hand, you need a more open layout, you can have a semi-open cockpit with windscreen wings or an open cockpit with just a windscreen.

Although the hull is listed at 34-feet, the 345 Open is a tad longer as it mounts a bow pulpit from which you can fish, if you like trying interesting and daring things, or you can use for other purposes. The pulpit puts the overall length at almost 36 feet.

If you are heading south on that particular course, the beauty of this 14,400-pound cuddy is that she can handle open ocean or enclosed, protected island channels because of her 22-inch draft which means she can get into some fairly narrow, low-water channels and maneuver freely. So, whether you have a long run of open water between barrier islands or are running in the waterway itself, the 345 Open will handle the task for you and up to 13 other passengers.

This Whaler can handle a wide-range of power from 550-horsepower to a maximum of 900 and she will carry up to 421 gallons of fuels.

Interestingly, if you were to take an X-ray view of the 345 Open and take a look at the placement of the control console, you would find that it doesnt differ that much from the original Whalers of the 1960s. Its just, as the old saying used to be all gussied up. In other words, hiding behind the sleek line, swept flying bridge and hard roof and almost cigarette-like hull, is still the basic Boston Whaler, ready for the Queens Ball.

The 345 Open is, as you can see, an open-sea fisher or cruiser that has 45-gallons of water storage capacity and 20 gallons of waste storage, so you can overnight in her quite easily.

The 345 Open has a wide variety of clearances from a low of about 11 feet with no flying bridge to a top clearance of about 23 feet with a mounted tarpon outrigger.