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Author Topic:   2002 Dauntless 180

TBOCNJ posted 06-09-2010 09:02 PM ET (US)
I am new to this forum and new to power boating in general. This is my first post. I've been researching and looking at a small center counsole boat for about a year and think I've found one that perfectly suits my needs - a 2002 BW Dauntless 180. It has a Merc Optimax 150 engine. Right now it's on consignment at a local dealer. It's in pretty good shape but not perfect. There are usual wear and tear items like missing cup holders and broken cooler tie down straps as well as some delamination on the rear seatback and anchor locker hatch. All of the problems will be fixed by the dealer before purchase. The engine checked out just fine with good compression. The asking price will be about $15,000. This includes a trailer but there is no GPS/Fishfinder/VHS.
Is [$15,000] a fair price [for a used Boston Whaler 2002 DAUNTLESS 180]? Is the Mercury OptiMax 150-HP a well regarded engine? Should I be worried about the delamination on the seatback and anchor locker hatch? What questions should I ask to help me in my decision to purchase?
Any information and guidance anyone can give is greatly appreciated. I have searched the site and I'm pretty sure the Dauntless is highly regarded. We will use it manily for inshore fishing, cruising and, when the kids get older, tubing.
Thanks!
Kanawha1 posted 06-10-2010 08:33 AM ET (US)
The price sounds reasonable, I purchased a 1998 Dauntless 180 with the 150 Optimax approximately two years ago for about the same price. After running the boat for a few months I got a persistent alarm sounding and took it into the dealer for repair of an injector (~$300.00). While in the shop he was able to plug his laptop into the engine and tell me how many hours it had on it and more precisely how the engine had been run with regards to RPM and hours. He was also able to determine that a new power-head had been installed in 1999. My suggestion would be to have your dealer download the information for you. Other than the injector repair/alarm replacement it's been an efficient engine and we really enjoy the Dauntless layout. I think that the earlier years (such as mine, pre-2000) of the Optimax were the ones prone to problems.
Dauntless 180 posted 06-11-2010 02:58 PM ET (US)
Does the dealer have any idea of how many hours are on the boat??? it could be 50 or 500. That would make a BIG difference in the price
Jefecinco posted 06-11-2010 07:40 PM ET (US)
It sounds like an excellent buy to me because the dealer will repair all problems. You can always find a better deal somewhere, somehow but how much more potential boating time with your family are you willing to give up? How long did it take to find that Dauntless you like?
Any original electronics found on a 2002 model year boat are obsolete and if any problems developed with electronics from that year you would probably be unable to get them repaired.
Just plan to put new electronics on the boat if you buy it. Depending upon your requirements you should be able to get a GPS/Fishfinder and a VHF on-line for a good bit less than a couple of thousand dollars. You would then have a boat you like with modern electronics with new warranties.
Butch
jimh posted 06-13-2010 08:32 AM ET (US)

quote:
"While in the shop he was able to plug his laptop into the engine and tell me how many hours it had on it and more precisely how the engine had been run with regard to RPM and hours."
I don't think you can use a conventional laptop computer with Mercury engines for diagnostic purposes. The service technician has to use a proprietary Mercury Digital Diagnostic Terminal which he buys from Mercury at considerable cost. Then the technician has to buy a data cartridge from Mercury that is appropriate for the engine he wants to service. Then he has to buy the appropriate wiring harness to connect the Digital Diagnostic Terminal to the engine. This array of specialized hardware is not what I would characterize as "a laptop."
jimh posted 06-13-2010 09:27 AM ET (US)
[Moved to POST-CLASSIC. Where the boat under discussion is specifically a newer model, please use POST-CLASSIC for the discussion. We have set an epoch data of c.1990 as the division between eras of Boston Whaler boat designs.]
TBOCNJ posted 06-13-2010 09:36 AM ET (US)
thanks for the replies everyone. Like I said, I'm new to the forum so I wasn't quite sure where/how to post this at first.
The engine has roughly 300 hours on it

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Author	Topic: 2002 Dauntless 180
TBOCNJ	posted 06-09-2010 09:02 PM ET (US) I am new to this forum and new to power boating in general. This is my first post. I've been researching and looking at a small center counsole boat for about a year and think I've found one that perfectly suits my needs - a 2002 BW Dauntless 180. It has a Merc Optimax 150 engine. Right now it's on consignment at a local dealer. It's in pretty good shape but not perfect. There are usual wear and tear items like missing cup holders and broken cooler tie down straps as well as some delamination on the rear seatback and anchor locker hatch. All of the problems will be fixed by the dealer before purchase. The engine checked out just fine with good compression. The asking price will be about $15,000. This includes a trailer but there is no GPS/Fishfinder/VHS. Is [$15,000] a fair price [for a used Boston Whaler 2002 DAUNTLESS 180]? Is the Mercury OptiMax 150-HP a well regarded engine? Should I be worried about the delamination on the seatback and anchor locker hatch? What questions should I ask to help me in my decision to purchase? Any information and guidance anyone can give is greatly appreciated. I have searched the site and I'm pretty sure the Dauntless is highly regarded. We will use it manily for inshore fishing, cruising and, when the kids get older, tubing. Thanks!
Kanawha1	posted 06-10-2010 08:33 AM ET (US) The price sounds reasonable, I purchased a 1998 Dauntless 180 with the 150 Optimax approximately two years ago for about the same price. After running the boat for a few months I got a persistent alarm sounding and took it into the dealer for repair of an injector (~$300.00). While in the shop he was able to plug his laptop into the engine and tell me how many hours it had on it and more precisely how the engine had been run with regards to RPM and hours. He was also able to determine that a new power-head had been installed in 1999. My suggestion would be to have your dealer download the information for you. Other than the injector repair/alarm replacement it's been an efficient engine and we really enjoy the Dauntless layout. I think that the earlier years (such as mine, pre-2000) of the Optimax were the ones prone to problems.
Dauntless 180	posted 06-11-2010 02:58 PM ET (US) Does the dealer have any idea of how many hours are on the boat??? it could be 50 or 500. That would make a BIG difference in the price
Jefecinco	posted 06-11-2010 07:40 PM ET (US) It sounds like an excellent buy to me because the dealer will repair all problems. You can always find a better deal somewhere, somehow but how much more potential boating time with your family are you willing to give up? How long did it take to find that Dauntless you like? Any original electronics found on a 2002 model year boat are obsolete and if any problems developed with electronics from that year you would probably be unable to get them repaired. Just plan to put new electronics on the boat if you buy it. Depending upon your requirements you should be able to get a GPS/Fishfinder and a VHF on-line for a good bit less than a couple of thousand dollars. You would then have a boat you like with modern electronics with new warranties. Butch
jimh	posted 06-13-2010 08:32 AM ET (US) quote: "While in the shop he was able to plug his laptop into the engine and tell me how many hours it had on it and more precisely how the engine had been run with regard to RPM and hours." I don't think you can use a conventional laptop computer with Mercury engines for diagnostic purposes. The service technician has to use a proprietary Mercury Digital Diagnostic Terminal which he buys from Mercury at considerable cost. Then the technician has to buy a data cartridge from Mercury that is appropriate for the engine he wants to service. Then he has to buy the appropriate wiring harness to connect the Digital Diagnostic Terminal to the engine. This array of specialized hardware is not what I would characterize as "a laptop."
jimh	posted 06-13-2010 09:27 AM ET (US) [Moved to POST-CLASSIC. Where the boat under discussion is specifically a newer model, please use POST-CLASSIC for the discussion. We have set an epoch data of c.1990 as the division between eras of Boston Whaler boat designs.]
TBOCNJ	posted 06-13-2010 09:36 AM ET (US) thanks for the replies everyone. Like I said, I'm new to the forum so I wasn't quite sure where/how to post this at first. The engine has roughly 300 hours on it