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Author Topic:   1996 21' Outrage w/225 Johnson Oceanrunner

heslmn15 posted 03-18-2002 07:58 AM ET (US)
I just purchased a '96 21' Outrage with a 225 Johnson on it. Does anyone on this board have a similiar setup? You can view this boat on boattraderonline. It is the one from Cleveland Ohio. I am meeting the guy half way from his house to mine next weekend in Nebraska. I am wondering how it will perform in the Pacific ocean for bottom fishing and tuna off our coast. I live in Oregon and haven't had the opportunity to drive one or even see any from this particular year. Is it true that this is the same model as this years 21' Justice? I am having a survey on the boat done wednesday to make sure everything is on the up and up. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I've sorta been lurking here the last couple of weeks and haven't seen anything negative on this boat yet. If I had my choice of engine I think I would of taken a Yamaha over a Johnson but a Johnson with only a couple of hours on it aint to bad. Thanks in advance.
Tim
hauptjm posted 03-19-2002 10:54 AM ET (US)
heslmn15,
I can't comment specific to the boat, but I can assure you regarding the motor. I'll put your '96 225 Oceanrunner up against ANY motor out there of comparable size; new or old. I have a '95 150 Oceanrunner, and know from experience, they are fantastic.
It might be one of the most reliable engines EVER manufactured. These are not complicated, computerized whiz bangers. These are iron horses. Ask any professional guide that operates his boat in saltwater and HAS to have it start, get him (and his paying customers) to the fish and back. I'll bet this engine gets named more than any other, for being at the top of their favorites.
They aren't fancy. They don't get the best mileage. And they aren't he quietest. But, they work. What a concept!!
Back in '96, you could have bought a yammy for more $, and it probably would have salted through by now. The Mercurys were faster and more efficient, and were/are still more fickle to operate. Suzi's and Hondas are good, but how many did/do you see on guide boats??

Bigshot posted 03-19-2002 11:00 AM ET (US)
I have that same engine in a 1994. Never been in the shop except for a voltage regulator in 1994.
reelescape1 posted 03-19-2002 12:14 PM ET (US)
I fished a friends for a summer...nice boat! The engine is rather thirsty...
Jerry Townsend posted 03-19-2002 12:32 PM ET (US)
Last year, my son and I fished for salmon in BC. Two things that really stuck in my mind are - the majority (by far!) of engines I saw on the boats owned and used by professional guides were Evinrude/Johnson or Yamaha. I saw one such guide pull his boat out in the late afternoon, take it to his shop, install a 225 Evinrude and launch again by midnight. The only two comments the guide offered were reliability and mileage.
But then, another BIG salmon fishing outfit on the BC inland passage use a LOAD of BW montauks and mercury engines. I suspect, but obviously don't know, that this was a "package deal".
There are undoubtedly pros and cons to any engine. I have used my '96 115 Evinrude/Johnson Ocean Runner for 5 years with nary a problem and just good, dependable performance. ------ Jerry/Idaho
David Ratusnik posted 03-19-2002 01:26 PM ET (US)
Heslmn15- Sounds like a great set up. I don't know the boat but the motor is bulletproof. I have an older (than yours) Johnson 225 with a mid 90's powerhead. We have run that thing constantly every weekend-cruising, pulling kids on boards etc and drag racing it with other boats. I agree with the comment above that they are noisy compared with other makers 225's. I have flirted with upgrading to a 225 02Ficht yet when friends come out with us they comment on how well the old puppy runs. They do suck gas yet the reliability has been fantastic. For the time being I'm gonna stick with what works.
For grins last weekend I had made up one of those new Bombardier corportate logo stickers. Placed it right on the old pups cowling. I wonder if it will fool anyone into thinking that it is the 2002 model.
Before using the boat I'd have the lower unit gone thru, check compression and test out coils electric etc. Good luck David
heslmn15 posted 03-19-2002 02:40 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the input. If the marine survey comes back positive, I will be picking the boat up this weekend. Thanks for all the helpfull insight. It's nice to get opinions from people who use them instead of salesmen or the owner of the boat your trying to buy. This forum has been alot of help to me over the last couple of weeks. Look forward to all your future posts regarding whalers.
Tim
zpeed7 posted 03-19-2002 11:12 PM ET (US)
Ditto for the engine. I have a 1994 150 and never had any problems with it...
And that's one hell of a good boat by the way...
Randyg posted 03-20-2002 09:31 AM ET (US)
I own a 1995 21 outrage and love it. I know you will love yours too. The strongest point of the boat is its relative usefulness for both fishing and family boating activities. The safety label on the boat indicates that it will carry 11 passengers. While I've never had that many kids on the boat, I have spent many days skiing and pulling tubes with 6 or so kids on board. With a 225 EFI Mercury motor, it will pull anything faster than you need to go.
As for fishing, my boat is set up with the super leaning post with a 30 gallon live well. This thing is as nice as it gets for live bait and its fold down top doubles as a large bait prep area. The two six foot long fish boxes located in the floor are, of course, insulated and make handling even the toughest fish (wahoo, cobia, etc.) easy, because you simply open the lid and slide the fish in.
I like the setup of this boat so much that I bought a 1997 24' outrage with the same features. The 24 has twin engines and a T-Top and weighs a bunch more than the 21. As much as I would love to keep the 21, my wife insists that "we" don't need two big boats, so I have listed the boat on boattraderonline.com.
BTW, the 24 is my 3rd whaler, having started with a Montauk back when my sons were just getting to the age to enjoy boating and fishing. Although the Montauk was, no doubt, a very versatile boat, I would never go back to a cathedral hull after owning the deep vees.
Enjoy your new boat.
Randy

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Author	Topic: 1996 21' Outrage w/225 Johnson Oceanrunner
heslmn15	posted 03-18-2002 07:58 AM ET (US) I just purchased a '96 21' Outrage with a 225 Johnson on it. Does anyone on this board have a similiar setup? You can view this boat on boattraderonline. It is the one from Cleveland Ohio. I am meeting the guy half way from his house to mine next weekend in Nebraska. I am wondering how it will perform in the Pacific ocean for bottom fishing and tuna off our coast. I live in Oregon and haven't had the opportunity to drive one or even see any from this particular year. Is it true that this is the same model as this years 21' Justice? I am having a survey on the boat done wednesday to make sure everything is on the up and up. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I've sorta been lurking here the last couple of weeks and haven't seen anything negative on this boat yet. If I had my choice of engine I think I would of taken a Yamaha over a Johnson but a Johnson with only a couple of hours on it aint to bad. Thanks in advance. Tim
hauptjm	posted 03-19-2002 10:54 AM ET (US) heslmn15, I can't comment specific to the boat, but I can assure you regarding the motor. I'll put your '96 225 Oceanrunner up against ANY motor out there of comparable size; new or old. I have a '95 150 Oceanrunner, and know from experience, they are fantastic. It might be one of the most reliable engines EVER manufactured. These are not complicated, computerized whiz bangers. These are iron horses. Ask any professional guide that operates his boat in saltwater and HAS to have it start, get him (and his paying customers) to the fish and back. I'll bet this engine gets named more than any other, for being at the top of their favorites. They aren't fancy. They don't get the best mileage. And they aren't he quietest. But, they work. What a concept!! Back in '96, you could have bought a yammy for more $, and it probably would have salted through by now. The Mercurys were faster and more efficient, and were/are still more fickle to operate. Suzi's and Hondas are good, but how many did/do you see on guide boats??
Bigshot	posted 03-19-2002 11:00 AM ET (US) I have that same engine in a 1994. Never been in the shop except for a voltage regulator in 1994.
reelescape1	posted 03-19-2002 12:14 PM ET (US) I fished a friends for a summer...nice boat! The engine is rather thirsty...
Jerry Townsend	posted 03-19-2002 12:32 PM ET (US) Last year, my son and I fished for salmon in BC. Two things that really stuck in my mind are - the majority (by far!) of engines I saw on the boats owned and used by professional guides were Evinrude/Johnson or Yamaha. I saw one such guide pull his boat out in the late afternoon, take it to his shop, install a 225 Evinrude and launch again by midnight. The only two comments the guide offered were reliability and mileage. But then, another BIG salmon fishing outfit on the BC inland passage use a LOAD of BW montauks and mercury engines. I suspect, but obviously don't know, that this was a "package deal". There are undoubtedly pros and cons to any engine. I have used my '96 115 Evinrude/Johnson Ocean Runner for 5 years with nary a problem and just good, dependable performance. ------ Jerry/Idaho
David Ratusnik	posted 03-19-2002 01:26 PM ET (US) Heslmn15- Sounds like a great set up. I don't know the boat but the motor is bulletproof. I have an older (than yours) Johnson 225 with a mid 90's powerhead. We have run that thing constantly every weekend-cruising, pulling kids on boards etc and drag racing it with other boats. I agree with the comment above that they are noisy compared with other makers 225's. I have flirted with upgrading to a 225 02Ficht yet when friends come out with us they comment on how well the old puppy runs. They do suck gas yet the reliability has been fantastic. For the time being I'm gonna stick with what works. For grins last weekend I had made up one of those new Bombardier corportate logo stickers. Placed it right on the old pups cowling. I wonder if it will fool anyone into thinking that it is the 2002 model. Before using the boat I'd have the lower unit gone thru, check compression and test out coils electric etc. Good luck David
heslmn15	posted 03-19-2002 02:40 PM ET (US) Thanks for the input. If the marine survey comes back positive, I will be picking the boat up this weekend. Thanks for all the helpfull insight. It's nice to get opinions from people who use them instead of salesmen or the owner of the boat your trying to buy. This forum has been alot of help to me over the last couple of weeks. Look forward to all your future posts regarding whalers. Tim
zpeed7	posted 03-19-2002 11:12 PM ET (US) Ditto for the engine. I have a 1994 150 and never had any problems with it... And that's one hell of a good boat by the way...
Randyg	posted 03-20-2002 09:31 AM ET (US) I own a 1995 21 outrage and love it. I know you will love yours too. The strongest point of the boat is its relative usefulness for both fishing and family boating activities. The safety label on the boat indicates that it will carry 11 passengers. While I've never had that many kids on the boat, I have spent many days skiing and pulling tubes with 6 or so kids on board. With a 225 EFI Mercury motor, it will pull anything faster than you need to go. As for fishing, my boat is set up with the super leaning post with a 30 gallon live well. This thing is as nice as it gets for live bait and its fold down top doubles as a large bait prep area. The two six foot long fish boxes located in the floor are, of course, insulated and make handling even the toughest fish (wahoo, cobia, etc.) easy, because you simply open the lid and slide the fish in. I like the setup of this boat so much that I bought a 1997 24' outrage with the same features. The 24 has twin engines and a T-Top and weighs a bunch more than the 21. As much as I would love to keep the 21, my wife insists that "we" don't need two big boats, so I have listed the boat on boattraderonline.com. BTW, the 24 is my 3rd whaler, having started with a Montauk back when my sons were just getting to the age to enjoy boating and fishing. Although the Montauk was, no doubt, a very versatile boat, I would never go back to a cathedral hull after owning the deep vees. Enjoy your new boat. Randy