320 OUTRAGE Production History; Readers Begin Referendum on the meaning of G2

A conversation among Whalers
elkfever
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320 OUTRAGE Production History; Readers Begin Referendum on the meaning of G2

Postby elkfever » Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:48 pm

Good afternoon. I am starting my search for a 320 Outrage. My plans are for a older boat but in good shape, with plans to install new G2's.

Are there any years to be aware of?

Did the HULL change at any time?

[Are there] years to look for?

Years to stay away from?

Thanks to all for your help.

jimh
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE

Postby jimh » Wed Jan 31, 2018 12:22 am

If you intend to immediately re-power, I would look for a boat with very high-hour VERADO engines, as they will have the least value. When you buy the boat, you'll be paying the least for the engines that you plan to remove and replace.

What sort of engines do you plan for the re-power? I am not clear what you meant by "G2". Second generation VERADO?

Boston Whaler production processes are generally subject to very good quality control. The hull carries a ten-year-warranty. It would be unusual for a defect in original manufacture to go unnoticed for ten years, so if you buy a hull that is older than ten-years-old there is unlikely to be any hidden defect in it. If you buy a hull less than ten-years-old, it will still be under warranty.

Boston Whaler has a very good reputation as a quality boat builder, and if a hull does have a defect in original manufacture, they are generally very strong in providing a remedy--in some cases an entire new hull if warranted.

Boston Whaler boats are built with the Unibond process, so the molds are very strong and expensive. I think it would be unusual for Boston Whaler to make any sort of running changes in the design of the hull during production, as changing these very large and strongly reinforced molds would be expensive. I would expect that hull design would be worked out in the prototype stage before production hull molds were made. There might be some minor variations is topside structure, location of accessories, hatches, deck layout, but I would be very surprised if the hull design were changed during production.

PeteG
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE

Postby PeteG » Wed Jan 31, 2018 4:54 pm

G2 is the second generation E-TEC from Evinrude.

EF- Where are you located?

Pete

elkfever
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE

Postby elkfever » Wed Jan 31, 2018 6:17 pm

Thanks jimh and Pete for the replies.

Jim--I know all about the [Unibond] build process and such, I have owned Boston Whaler boats in the past.

Pete--you are correct, G2 as in the E-TEC.

I believe the 320 OUTRAGE has been around since around 2003.

Jim--if you are correct (that the hull has not changed) then that answers most of my needs.

In my mind [from 2003 to 2018] is a long time to not have an upgrade. If an upgrade were made, I was looking to find out when. Thanks for your help.

jimh
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE

Postby jimh » Thu Feb 01, 2018 8:47 am

ELK'--thanks for the clarification on your re-power plans with the latest model Evinrude E-TEC engines. When you find a nice 320 OUTRAGE and undertake that big project, I would be very interested to hear more about it.

Call Chuck Bennett at Boston Whaler Customer Service (877-294-5645) to confirm any queries you have about the production history of the 320 OUTRAGE.

From what I can tell the 320 OUTRAGE was launched in 2003 and was in production to 2015. In 2016 a 330 OUTRAGE appeared. I would expect that the 330 OUTRAGE was probably a refreshed design for that product slot.

The Mercury VERADO FOURSTROKE engine was not announced until February 2004. Maybe there are some very early c.2003 320 OUTRAGE boats out there without VERADO engines. Since you plan to re-power, those boats would be the least expensive to buy as their non-VERADO engines would put them at a substantial disadvantage to later 320 OUTRAGE boats with VERADO engines in the used boat market. VERADO power for the 320 OUTRAGE did not become available until c.2005 models.

In 2003 the standard engines for a 320 OUTRAGE were twin Mercury OptiMax 225-HP engines, with options for twin 250 OptiMax or old-fashioned Mercury 250-HP two-stroke engines with simple fuel injection. The value of any of those c.2003 engines after 15-years of saltwater use would be quite low. I'd say a 320 OUTRAGE with that sort of power is probably a good target for your purchase and re-power project.

jimh
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE

Postby jimh » Thu Feb 01, 2018 9:03 am

elkfever wrote:...-I know all about the [Unibond] build process and such....


Then I guess you have seen the massive steel-reinforced molds that Boston Whaler has to use to create their hulls and can understand how hard it would be modify them or make new molds for minor changes. Have you visited the factory and seen the production process?

jimh
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE

Postby jimh » Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:55 am

PeteG wrote:G2 is the second generation E-TEC from Evinrude.


G2 is the second generation of VERADO from Mercury, especially when talking about a Boston Whaler boat which was only offered with VERADO engines, never with Evinrude engines.

vze2gbs4
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Re: Referendum on the meaning of G2; Ride of 320 OUTRAGE compared to other boats; Price of used 320 OUTRAGE boats

Postby vze2gbs4 » Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:32 pm

I do believe that boating world refer to G2 as latest generation of E-TEC.

Regarding 320 OUTRAGE--I have been on a 320 OUTRAGE and had a ride. They do demand high [prices] even used ones. With all respect to my beloved Boston Whaler, there are boats that cost the same but deliver better ride. The Regulator 29 comes to mind--same deck space.

I have seen 320 OUTRAGE boats every once a while coming down to [$]7[0,000] to {$]80[.000] with high-hour VERADO engines--usually yacht tenders that are about to be upgraded . They don't last long at these numbers.

jimh
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Re: Referendum on the meaning of G2

Postby jimh » Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:55 pm

vze2gbs4 wrote:...boating world refer to G2 as latest generation of E-TEC.


Boaters refer to G2 as the second generation of the Lowrance HDS. Now made obsolete by the G3, which itself was made obsolete by the CARBON, which sometimes is called G4.

ConB
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE Production History; Readers Begin Referendum on the meaning of G2

Postby ConB » Thu Feb 01, 2018 4:42 pm

Glock pistols are up to G5 so I was pretty sure it wasn't those.

Con
!987 Outrage 18 / 2011 Yamaha F150
1969 13 / 30hp Johnson tiller

jimh
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Re: 320 OUTRAGE Production History; Readers Begin Referendum on the meaning of G2

Postby jimh » Thu Feb 01, 2018 5:56 pm

Pontiac had the G7--it was a great V8 rear-wheel-drive sport sedan. I should have bought one before GM killed the whole marque.