CONTINUOUSWAVE

There is a 1986 Outrage 25 on the market with twin Verado 275-HP engines. As far as I can tell the maximum recommended capacity is 300-HP for this boat.

The seller claims that the boat is fitted with a strengthened transom to carry the two heavy outboards, supposedly factory produced by Boston Whaler.

It there any prior knowledge of Boston Whaler produced a stronger-transom version of a 1986 OUTRAGE 25?

Does such a strengthen transom performed by the factory for an 1986 OUTRAGE 25 actually exist?

Irrespective of whether or not it has a re-enforced transom, there is no practical reason to have this much weight on the transom.

The factory will not install engines that exceed the capacity plate.

A Guardian 25 could come with a "reinforced" transom.

I would be highly concerned of the lack of freeboard on the transom.

This boat would be great with a single 275-HP engine. You could sell the second and re-mount the single.

I agree, [for an 1986 OUTRAGE 25 having twin VERADO 275-HP engines] seems a bit excessive. The weight of the outboards must almost pull the transom under.

Also, I think it might be a problem getting the boat insured [with 550-HP].

While there are a few companies that will insure a boat with horsepower above the capacity plate, this candidate is excessive.

Is the boat for sale by an owner or broker-dealer?

Have you seen it in person?

Are there photos?

Are we sure it is not an Boston Whaler Guardian 27?

A c.1986 OUTRAGE 25 with 550-HP would be a boat capable of more than 70-MPH. I am basing this on a similar OUTRAGE 25 with 400-HP that could go more than 60-MPH.

Why would you want to push a 35-year-old hull to over 70-MPH? The OUTRAGE hull was not designed for those speeds.

Without some added buoyancy, I would expect the weight of two VERADO six-cylinder engines to be excessive, and freeboard at the transom to be limited.

The only option in 1986 when ordering an OUTRAGE 25 with a notched transom with regard to the transom strength would be to order workboat lay-up.

HappyHour wrote:The seller claims that the boat is fitted with a strengthened transom to carry the two heavy outboards, supposedly factory produced by Boston Whaler.

Perhaps whomever is describing the boat to your is unfamiliar with the Whaler Drive. If the boat is actually an OUTRAGE 25 WHALER DRIVE, there would be significantly more buoyancy provided by the Whaler Drive, and the original horsepower rating would be increased to 450-HP.

I have seen photo's of the boat and it is definitely an Outrage 25 without the WhalerDrive, the two Verado's are on the transom of the boat.
She is sold through a broker (but not a very reputable one) and there is something off when you look at the pictures, it just doesn't look right. Also the waterline shows serious signs of leaning back in the water. Not enough buoyancy to support the two beasts. Will technically challenge myself and see if i can put the pictures up in my next post.
I will have to pass on this Outrage 25 and see if a better option comes along. Any leads are highly appreciated.

Below are photos of the boat. It is definitely an Outrage 25 without the Whaler Drive. The two Verado engines are on the transom of the boat.

The boat is sold through a broker--but not a very reputable one--and there is something off when you look at the pictures. It just doesn't look right. Also the waterline shows serious signs of leaning back in the water. Not enough buoyancy to support the two beasts.

I will have to pass on this Outrage 25 and see if a better option comes along. Any leads are highly appreciated.

I take it you are outside the US, possibly in the Netherlands based on the registration?

Given how rare a Outrage 25 is, consider asking the dealer to remove one engine, remount and remove the bottom paint on the transom.

You could do it yourself but research what selling the extra motor would get you and the cost to re-rig the single and remove the bottom paint from the transom.

Then again, keep looking?

Hope all this helps.

Phil--thanks for your input.

I am in the Netherlands and the market here is very small for this boat. I have owned two Boston Whalers before, an Outrage 22 which I imported from Rhode Island in mint condition and later an Outrage 25 which was a real project. The owner started a rebuild and lost faith, time, or money halfway through. It was just the hull sitting on a crappy trailer and a pile of parts.

Frankly, that is the one I enjoyed the most, we did a full rebuild and she came out fantastically well. I sold her about five years ago unfortunately. I brought both boats over from the US and will probably do so again with the next one.

This Outrage 25 in the Netherlands just does not look right to me--not just the Verado engine but also the interior floor looks off-- and priced at more than US$60,000.

What really gets me going is the Outrage 25 or Outrage 22 with Whaler Drive, maybe as a project boat again. I am tchy to get going once more.

There was an OUTRAGE 25 WHALER DRIVE boat for sale in Boston this week which was just snatched away from under me. I will keep the search going. Thanks again.
Jan

There is some irony in this discussion. There have been very few classic-era OUTRAGE hulls re-powered with a six-cylinder VERADO engine, but the one I recall seeing was on an OUTRAGE 25 hull. To see an OUTRAGE 25 with notched transom with two VERADO six-cylinder engines is really quite astonishing. I am surprised the hull could handle all that weight. And I don't think it really does handle it.

Based on Figure 2 and where the bottom paint is applied, the boat's static water line at the transom had about ZERO freeboard.

The general rule for assessing weight on the transom is the location of the engine splash well drains relative to the water line. On the boat seen here, it appears the engine splash well must have ALWAYS been full of water at rest. Perhaps underway the boat gained some freeboard at the transom from the hull lift and propeller lift.

In Figure 4 the aspect ratio of the image looks like it was stretched horizontally. This may be from use of a lens with an extremely short focal length.

Yeah it is excessive when you look at it, i don’t see the added value except for the Wow factor maybe. Who knows, I will keep looking for a better opportunity.

If I recall correctly, the Guardian 25 was rated at 300-HP. These two Verado engines could weigh 500-lbs more than two c.1986 150-HP engines. That water line shows the weight difference.

Phil T wrote:The factory will not install engines that exceed the capacity plate.

A Guardian 25 could come with a "reinforced" transom.

I was not aware the factory was installing motors back in 1986, I thought they were dealer rigged at that time.

D-

While you are correct for the recreational version, the commercial division installed whatever brand the customer wanted I recall.

Recreational hulls in the 1980’s were (and still are) really sold only to authorized dealers, and that dealer would install the engines. Hulls for government or municipal buyers were probably sold directly to those buyers by Boston Whale CGP. A buyer like a county sheriff probably would not want to buy a hull with no engines and finish the boat; they’d more likely want a turnkey boat ready to run.

Phil T wrote:While you are correct for the recreational version, the commercial division installed whatever brand the customer wanted I recall.

Thanks Phil, I learned something. The town, where I've moored my boat since 1976, ordered an early 80s commercial Frontier with the cutout door, tow bits and large coil fabricated reel of tow line from Whaler, but had the Evinride dealer in town rig the motors. I remember this because I would ride my bike to the Evinrude dealer and look over the boat and watch the progress. If I remember correctly they rigged with twin 140s, counter rotating wasn't avail in that size back then and underway they complained it was underpower and would heel due to the similar rotation of the props.


It was replaced years later with a hand me down Coast Guard Protector series boat.

D-