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Author Topic:   18' whaler rage jetboats

truckadsjoe posted 06-20-2003 02:28 PM ET (US)
I am interested in any information that can be supplied concerning Whalers jet boats, specifically 1996 18' with a v8 Ford engine. I have owned a 13' for 16 years and am looking at this jet boat and do not have any experience with them
tuna1 posted 06-20-2003 03:08 PM ET (US)
The 18 RAGE has a RedLine pump with the FORD engine.
Goto: http://web.archive.org/web/19961219092245/http://www.whaler.com/
for a archived 1996 Boston Whaler web site.Then click on "Recreation Line",and then "The Jets",and then "18' Rage" and you will have all the info on the Rage 18 for 1996 .Post back and email if you want more info.
tuna1 posted 06-20-2003 03:21 PM ET (US)
The "RedLine Pump" is a "American Turbine" unit pump and parts are still availiable for it.
truckadsjoe posted 06-20-2003 03:50 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the link to the factory info. It is helpful. I am interested in hearing from any owners of them to see if they are satisfactory or do they have an inherent problem. As whaler does not build them any longer and why not. Are they a good family boat? ski, boarding and general fooling around? thanks
DCPeters posted 06-20-2003 04:34 PM ET (US)
I picked one of these up over the winter to serve as a ski boat for my kids. The boat's a blast, and I've learned a bit during the first 10 hours of use.
I think some of these were set up quite wrong, and this may be why some folks here really vehemently rile when the RAGE line comes up. The 18 is very different from the other smaller boats, and the power plant is unbeatable. Both the block and jet are still made, readily available parts removed my primary concern.
Mine is the 351 block with 285 HP. With hydraulic trim. Without the trim, I'm afraid the boat would really suffer.
The boat is very comfortable at 25MPH, doesn't struggle to get to 45. Don't know true top end. I've had to tweak with the jet gate to get proper reverse function and have probably not yet optimized for top end ( that's not my thing anyways).
It gets to plane in ~4secs with no skier. Still too cold here to put the kids in the water, but in a couple of weeks I'll have that datapoint. I am thinking of adding a central trim tab on the drive bracket to make it pop quicker and stay up easier at slower speeds. Saw one for the big merc jet somewhere, but can't find it again.
The only stress so far was a Teleflex problem, and even that might have been attributed to lack of attentiveness on my part. The steering was stiff, and I didn't know better. The replacement (did the entire unit) cost $150 and two hours time.
Fishermen hate this runabout; but it's a good complement to a real fish boat if you have one or plan on one.
It's fast and fun and everything a runabout should be, and it can't sink.

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Author	Topic: 18' whaler rage jetboats
truckadsjoe	posted 06-20-2003 02:28 PM ET (US) I am interested in any information that can be supplied concerning Whalers jet boats, specifically 1996 18' with a v8 Ford engine. I have owned a 13' for 16 years and am looking at this jet boat and do not have any experience with them
tuna1	posted 06-20-2003 03:08 PM ET (US) The 18 RAGE has a RedLine pump with the FORD engine. Goto: http://web.archive.org/web/19961219092245/http://www.whaler.com/ for a archived 1996 Boston Whaler web site.Then click on "Recreation Line",and then "The Jets",and then "18' Rage" and you will have all the info on the Rage 18 for 1996 .Post back and email if you want more info.
tuna1	posted 06-20-2003 03:21 PM ET (US) The "RedLine Pump" is a "American Turbine" unit pump and parts are still availiable for it.
truckadsjoe	posted 06-20-2003 03:50 PM ET (US) Thanks for the link to the factory info. It is helpful. I am interested in hearing from any owners of them to see if they are satisfactory or do they have an inherent problem. As whaler does not build them any longer and why not. Are they a good family boat? ski, boarding and general fooling around? thanks
DCPeters	posted 06-20-2003 04:34 PM ET (US) I picked one of these up over the winter to serve as a ski boat for my kids. The boat's a blast, and I've learned a bit during the first 10 hours of use. I think some of these were set up quite wrong, and this may be why some folks here really vehemently rile when the RAGE line comes up. The 18 is very different from the other smaller boats, and the power plant is unbeatable. Both the block and jet are still made, readily available parts removed my primary concern. Mine is the 351 block with 285 HP. With hydraulic trim. Without the trim, I'm afraid the boat would really suffer. The boat is very comfortable at 25MPH, doesn't struggle to get to 45. Don't know true top end. I've had to tweak with the jet gate to get proper reverse function and have probably not yet optimized for top end ( that's not my thing anyways). It gets to plane in ~4secs with no skier. Still too cold here to put the kids in the water, but in a couple of weeks I'll have that datapoint. I am thinking of adding a central trim tab on the drive bracket to make it pop quicker and stay up easier at slower speeds. Saw one for the big merc jet somewhere, but can't find it again. The only stress so far was a Teleflex problem, and even that might have been attributed to lack of attentiveness on my part. The steering was stiff, and I didn't know better. The replacement (did the entire unit) cost $150 and two hours time. Fishermen hate this runabout; but it's a good complement to a real fish boat if you have one or plan on one. It's fast and fun and everything a runabout should be, and it can't sink.