CONTINUOUSWAVE

I have made an offer on a 2006 [later clarified to be a 2005] 270 OUTRAGE boat, and I will be hiring a surveyor and a mechanic to go over the boat and engine.

Q1: {What elements of a 2006 270 OUTRAGE and its engines] should I be looking at?

The [owner's manual] says the fuel tank is aluminum.

Q2: [Are aluminum fuel tanks on a 2006 270 OUTRAGE likely to need replacement]?

The access to inspect [the aluminum fuel tank on a 2006 270 OUTRAGE] seems limited.

--John

John--well done.

I would spend many hours on the boat, opening everything, closing everything. Turn everything on and off. Walk the deck in bare feet. Pull and push. Is the boat clean and solid? Stripped screws, scrapes? Doors, drawers aligned? Hardware clean? Cushion snaps all present.? Seals and weather striping pliable?

Sit and observe. Relocate and sit again. Be methodical. This is a complex and sophisticated boat.

A large purchase is worth your time inspecting the boat in detail.

For the engines, get a certified Mercury mechanic, not a yard guy to pull the engine reports. Note: finding a Verado mechanic may be a challenge.

Any engine faults? Hours?

Do a compression test at least.

If you select a surveyor, select one that is very knowledgeable with Boston Whaler's as the construction is very different that all other brands. Many say they know whalers but don't.

Moisture meters are not a good tool to use due to the fully foamed hull. They will give inaccurate readings.

There are 48 drawings of your 2006 year model 270 Outrage. Note, refer to your boat by its full name. If you call it an Outrage 27 readers will think you have a completely different boat, the Whaler 27.

To get the drawings, enter the year, family (Outrage), model (Outrage 270 and document type (Drawings) [at the link below]. Note they also have the Owner's Manual, too.

Click on the down arrow to download the PDF's. Save to your computer.

https://www.bostonwhaler.com/resources-and-maintenance.html

The aluminum tank fit in a finished cavity under floor. They tyically last more than 25 years. As you can see from the drawings, there are two inspection ports on the fuel tank cover. The cover can also be removed, but that is some effort. With the owner's consent you can remove the cover but that is a bit much. If the boat is very clean and the gelcoat is polished, I doubt there is a concern about the tank or hoses. The smell of gas may be a good indicator.

This is the drawing for the fuel tank system.
https://www.bostonwhaler.com/content/dam/boston-whaler/technical/resources/270-Outrage-Fuel-System-Installation-and-Parts-List-2006.pdf

The key areas to inspect are the through hulls. For each, inspect the inside and outside to ensure they are fully sealed and not damaged. Look for weeping, water drip marks.

Given the boat's age, as a precaution, I would replace all the through hull fittings to ensure proper waterproof seal (using a marine sealant, not adhesive) and all the fuel hoses (fill, vent, and supply) with fuel hose that is rated "alcohol resistant" to ensure they can handle ethanol-gasoline blended fuel. All of this work are DIY tasks, with parts available at your local dealer or marine chandlery.

The advice above comes from 20 years of hands-on knowledge of whalers. Currently own my third. I have done a few inspections over the years.

Any more questions?

PHIL--thanks, that is exactly the information I was looking for.

I’ve had to replace fuel tanks on previous boats I’ve owned, and I’m always suspicious of fuel tanks located under the cockpit deck.

For the drawings I think these tanks are NOT foamed in place--which is a good thing.

The engines are almost-new Yamaha 250-HP models with 11 hours run time. Still I’m going to get a Yamaha mechanic to survey.

Is wood used as a coring in the 2006 270 Outrage?

[Moderator's note: two threads on the topic of 2006 270 OUTRAGE boats are combined into one thread.]

The wood locating diagram for a 2006 270 OUTRAGE shows wood backing in strategic areas for attaching hardware.

What specifically are you looking for?

I am hoping no wood coring was used in the transom or decks as a structural material.

The wood-locating diagram for the 2006 270 OUTRAGE boat should clearly show the locations of embedded reinforcements in the hull.

Boston Whaler has used marine plywood in the transom of their Unibond hull boats for over 50-years. Boston Whaler also embeds wood into the Unibond hull to receive fasteners and to stiffen large panels, such as cockpit deck panels.

In addition to wood, other materials are embedded in the Unibond hull. For higher strength fasteners, phenolic sheet material or aluminum plate is used and threaded to accept machine screw fasteners.

Boston Whaler used aluminum fuel tanks fabricated by Florida Marine Tanks (FMT--which has since relocated to the Carolinas). Typically exact OEM replacement tanks can still be ordered from FMT, should the need arise. On more recently made boats, Boston Whaler has also used plastic fuel tanks, probably made from polyurethane.

You may benefit from reading more about Unibond hull construction. See

BOSTON WHALER FACTORY TOUR
Where Legends Are Made
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/factory.html

By 2006 Boston Whaler was delivering boats with only Mercury engines, an artifact of the ownership by Brunswick corporation. The Yamaha engines on a 2006 270 OUTRAGE suggest perhaps a recent re-power. The very low run-time on the engines suggests a very recent re-power.

As a general rule, re-powering a boat with twin 250-HP engine then selling it shortly afterwards seems like a very good way to loose money on your investment in those new engines. I suspect the seller will be asking for a substantial premium price due to the almost-new engines.

The transom of all Boston Whaler's, from their start and today, are made with marine plywood. They have not had a reason to change.

All of the "strength" in a Boston Whaler, other than the transom, is derived from the bonded sandwich of fiberglass and foam.

PHIL—thanks.

Wood coring is not a deal breaker for me. The use of wood coring means I have to see if holes or screws or bolts were put where they could allow water to get into the coring and rot out the wood. [For that to have occurred in the 2006 270 OUTRAGE boat I have offered to buy] would be a deal breaker.

There are boats made entirely out of fiberglas over wood and they last years and years so long as some bozo doesn’t drill holes without properly glassing them.

The wood location diagram is very helpful.

How Boston Whaler documents their boats amazes me.

The engine lower mounting holes passing through the transom are often routinely submerged in water, and those holes and fasteners are important places to check for the integrity of their water-tight seal.