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I need an HONEST opinion!

99ULLET

New member
Hey guys! I'm new here, and i already love it! I'm 19 years old and I've saved up about $10,000 from working so i can buy my own fiberglass bass boat. I found a 2001 Javelin 17' Venom w/ a 2001 Johnson 90 h.p. for $7,000 in excellent condition. Everything I've read about this motor says it's a V4, and on that 17' bass boat, I'm wondering if that is alittle underpowered. I don't want to spend the money on a pile of junk that's going to give me problems and i don't want to be passed by a kayak either. This boat is so clean i hate to pass it up, but is this boat with that motor worth it?
 
I agree with papyson, check it out. There are a lot of "scored cyclinders" on newer motors due to ethanol in the fuel these days. But to answer your question, a 90hp on a 17' bass boat is a good combination. I have a 150hp on an old 18' Hydra-Sport which will do 50+ (GPS) which never get run WOT unless the water is like glass. Besides, hitting a stump at 20 will ruin your whole day!:)
 
That's true. I planned on meeting the guy halfway since he lives in Oklahoma...but i was kinda wondering a relative speed. I'm used to 80+ in our Bullet witha 250. Iknow this won't bea speed demon but i would like to get across a largelake relatively quickly. I don't know much about Johnson's either. Thank y'all for the advice thoigh!
 
Is the motor a four stroke? Fuel prices are going up, if I was running a personal boat, i would like it to have a little bit smaller motor so I can go fishing without breaking the bank. The 4 strokes are a million times better. I have had both, and the 2 strokes burn a ton more gas, and make a lot more noise and don't last as long.
 
Take it to a good marine mechanic that is certified for Johnson/Evinrude. Make sure they do a compression test. The spread between cylinders should be no more than 10% PSI. Also have them do a leak-down test which tells you whether the rings have good seals. Drain the lower unit and make sure there is no water or metal filings (a little metal like talcum powder is normal.) Have them check the VRO (variable ratio oil - thats the pump that mixes the oil with the fuel before combustion. That was a weak point on the earlier Johnsons.

Go the the Johnson/Evinrude forum on this site and search for any posts dealing with your engine.
 
a four stroke will burn less gas at 3500 to 4000 rpm....open em up and they suck it up also...i have an entry on here on that...look at the manufacturers specs if you want the true story...all the salesmen bullchit on that and avoid mentioning what happens at 5500 to 6000 rpm....actually the availability of 2 strokes is limited so we dont have a choice...
a 90 omc is a good motor...ran one for 19 years and would still be running it if someone else hadnt burnt it up...you can expect about 40 mph on that rig with the proper prop...
i would get rid of the vro if it has one...
 
well guys thanks for all of the advice! But i have some good news for all of you! I took a friend of mine, who is a certified Mercury mechanic with me and test drove a boat for sale on consignment from our local dealership. Everything checked out and the boat is in mint condition. Needless to say i, I am the proud new owner of a 1997 ProCraft 180 single console with a 1997 Mercury XR6 150. With me, the Merc Mechanic, the dealership owner, and a half-tank of fuel, we ran 58-60mph on GPS all day long at the lake. I've had the rig for four days now and as i continue to play with it, i get more and more mph. I'm running a Mercury Marine 21P Laser II and I've seen 63mph on GPS with a full 38 gal tank and all my gear. With the right conditions and the right prop I'm sure I'll see 65-ish. Other than that, this thing is more stable than my dads 21 foot Bullet 21XDC when I'm fishing....I'm already in love!!! Oh yeah, and i only paid $6600 and that's after T,T,&L and other taxes! STOLE IT!!!
 
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