Buying a Vintage 18 to 22-footer with Four-stroke-power-cycle-engine

[OldWhalerGuy!]

Hello all,

I feel like I've returned to my hometown, it's been over 15-years since I've been on this forum. Congrats to JimH and all who've kept it going!

Now back to business.

We really love the ease of our 2009 Super Sport 130 although "that special island" just seems to be on the cusp of the comfort zone. I am thinking that buying an older Boston Whaler boat in the 18 to 22 foot range would be ideal.

My target would be an unmolested 1980 to 1990 OUTRAGE 18 or OUTRAGE 20 or OUTRAGE 22 with a four-stroke-power-cycle engine with minimal running hours and roadworthy aluminum trailer.

Help me find the target boat.

Thank you.
Jim in FL

1963 Sport 13
2002 Montauk 170
1988 Super Sport 13
2009 Super Sport 130 (current)

[Phil T]

What was your prior username 15 years ago?

[pcrussell50]

You may be in a dead zone with your wish for a low hour four-stroke-power-cycle engine in that age range.

I have a collection of boats and motors, well five boats, two of which are Boston Whaler boats, and both two-stroke and four stroke motors, and I can tell you this,

My two-stroke-power-cycle engines are 35-year-old to 45-year-old Evinrude V4 engines and Mercury V6 engines. These engines have all their wear-parts widely available and still in production.

Whereas my otherwise very good running, twenty-year-old four-stroke-power-cycle engine’s. parts are getting harder and harder to find. It would be a sick shame if I had to junk a great engine due to lack of parts one day.

If you are hell bent on a four-stroke, you should not only be looking for low hours, but also relatively new. I don't know if [the reason for trouble getting parts for themm%] is that four-strokes aren't built to last, or if the kind of people who are obsessed with them aren't the types to keep things for the long haul—irony, in the people who use greenness as a justification—but if you want to have a four stroke for the long haul, the newer the better. I would not expect widespread parts availability over the long haul. My experience, anyway.

Best of luck and let us know what you find.

-Peter

[Phil T]

You will have a long search.

With the passing of time, the number of vintage Whalers in the 18 to 22-foot range has fallen and prices have increased.

A classic Outrage 22 in decent condition with a post-2000 engine in the Gulf region fetch close to $40,000.