Would work fine.
There are dozens of boats that would work fine.... and dozens more that would perform better.

Do you already own this boat? Or looking to buy a 17 Whaler or a Shoalwater? What trying to accomplish?

 

I am considering graduating from a solo skiff. My wife would like to move to SC and am not sure a bay boat is the best choice for more open water. I need something I can trailer and get in and out on my own. I saw the 17-foot Montauk and thought it looked like it might work well both in the bay and slightly offshore. This is the beginning of a lengthy decision-making process. What are your recommendations? I had a 25-foot Parker I really liked, a Glacier Bay, and a 18-foot flats boat by Shoalwater that I really liked. The Parker and Glacier Bay are open water boats, the Shoalwater is ideal for here but in the future might be too flat and shallow for the SC coast.

 

I have owned a few Whalers over the years. I preferred the classic. The 17 ft Montauk is the most all around boat that i or many whaler owners is drawn to.Easy tow, easily docked, shallow or run it to the first rig on a nice ice cream day.If you are coming from a 25 Parker, 17 Montauk will be a breeze.

 

Go to the boat ramps for the areas you are interested in. You will see a common theme.

I would recommend a boat from one of the Texas manufacturers for the Texas flats we have. They excel for a reason. Haynie, Majek etc.
That "17" whaler is actually 16'7" and will get real small real quick with any winds over 14mph....which is very very often. More often than not.

 

We have had a 17' Montauk since 2005. The newer style is definitely larger than the older style so I'd stick to those. For 17', it really has a lot of room and it's no problem fishing 3 out of it. The trailer is a single axle and easy to maneuver. With a 90 hp, it is very fuel efficient. We have taken it anywhere from wading shallow flats to offshore for kingfish. You definitely have to pick your days in it but anything under 15 mph is doable to run in. Anything over that and it can get a little sloppy in open water. It's very seaworthy and we've had it in some pretty nasty stuff but I probably wouldn't take it 20 miles across Galveston Bay. There isn't much storage on it but we've always made it work. It's a good boat for sure.

 

I would not go less than 21’ To many windy days on our coast where you will want something big enough to shoot across the bay.

lots of different depths and bay sizes between rockport and rollover. Not 1 boat will fish them well but I would go classic banana hull or the 22 or 25’ outrage.

 

I have a classic 17’ Montauk that I completely restored including a new Yamaha F70. Very easy to tow and launch. Primarily used for the Port Aransas jetties and near shore. Not great for shallow bays. If you want to see how they handle the chop at the jetties send me a message, we’ll organize a trip.

 

Back in 2013 when I was looking for my first boat, I really wanted a 17ft Montauk and looked at a bunch. I was certain that was the boat I wanted UNTIL i came across an 18 Outrage. Then there was no comparison. The 18 outrage had a 150 on it with an integral 63 gallon fuel tank. It's a much bigger boat than the 17 Montauk. I was absolutely fearless in that boat. I sold it in 2020 when I got my Grady, but I haven't forgotten her either. One day my seven year old son will be running an 18 Outrage as his first boat. We fished that Outrage all over Galveston bay and up to 40 miles offshore snapper fishing when the winds allowed. We snapper fished at least two times per year from 2017 thru 2020 during the federal season and a few state water runs in the wintertime. I took it down to our family's fishing cabin in the land cut many times and ran across nine mile hole back to the cabin one day when the tide was up. That boat never ever failed me, and that was even over the course of two different 150 E-techs on it.

 

^^^...I concur with the 18 Outrage as well if you'll be doing any offshore time...and it will be good on those windy days in the bays too. It's not going to get real skinny, but if you want that find an 18 or 20 Gulf Coast...it has the same bottom of the ole classic Whalers. I've had a 20 high side GC and it was a boat my wife enjoyed being on given it's a dry hull like the classic Whalers. I had an ole classic 25 Outrage with twin 150's before these, and I could jump it up in knee deep water with a soft bottom.