New guy, looking for some info on my possible 1st Aquasport

[1moreminute]

Hello everyone, I was referred to this board from another board about my possible purchase of an Aquasport.

Its a 1996 225 Osprey with a Johnson 225 outboard.

What I would like to know is if there is any wood in the construction of this boat, ie. floor, transom, stringers etc?

Also, if anyone knows about the particular year and make of the motor? Any known issues other then routine fixes?

I will be looking at the boat Monday but from the ad it looks like its in great condition, and a (to me) good price..

Thanks everyone for helping me out.

Mike

[JavaDan]

Hi Mike,

I'm also a newbie.  I just bought a '96 245 Explorer.  I did a lot of research on this and other sites before I bought it.  Here's what I learned, generally, about the Aquasports in this generation:

The hull has no wood.  The stringers are glassed foam.  Very solid.

The transom has no wood, either.  It is a poured transom, that seabob4 has referred to in other posts as hard as concrete.

There is wood in the decking.  It is most probably 1/2 inch balsa or marine ply sandwiched in glass.

I cannot comment on the engine.  Mine is a Merc 225, and that's the only engine I did any research on.

If I am wrong about any of this, I'm sure we will learn it together as other souls with more knowledge chime in.

--Dan

[Capt. Bob]

Correct on all points.

I owned a 96 200 Evinrude. Always ran well and is still running as far as I know. Pretty much old school reliability, newer electronics, sucks fuel if you let it. Some problems surfaced about the magnets under the flywheel coming loose but I personally had no problem. Lower unit solid and pushed my 222 CCP real well.

No 96 catalog but we bracket that with the 95 and 97 years here.
http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/

Scroll down toward the bottom.

Good luck.

[1moreminute]

Thanks so much guys for your info, Im ok with the floor being wood as long as theirs no soft spots which I will check out tomorrow.

Cannot wait, hopefully shes as nice in real life as she looks in the pics!

[Georgie]

Read through this if you haven't seen it already.

http://www.classicaquasport.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10634

[1moreminute]

Read through this if you haven't seen it already.

http://www.classicaquasport.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10634

Thanks for that, I did read and search a few things on here but didnt come to see that thread. Thanks so much for that, read it already and did learn a few things.

[wingtime]

As already mentioned the stringers are foam filled composite, the transom is poured composite.  The decks are usually end grain balsa but some of them could be marine ply if they ran short on balsa at the plant.  As long as any fastener holes in the deck are sealed up the deck should be solid.   Walk on the deck in bare feet to find any soft spots.  The 225 Johnson is a solid reliable power plant.  But as already mentioned she can drink some fuel...  (A flowscan fuel flow gauge can help keep that in check)

[1moreminute]

As already mentioned the stringers are foam filled composite, the transom is poured composite.  The decks are usually end grain balsa but some of them could be marine ply if they ran short on balsa at the plant.  As long as any fastener holes in the deck are sealed up the deck should be solid.   Walk on the deck in bare feet to find any soft spots.  The 225 Johnson is a solid reliable power plant.  But as already mentioned she can drink some fuel...  (A flowscan fuel flow gauge can help keep that in check)

Thanks so much wingtime. I will look into the deck fasteners like you mentioned tomorrow when I go see her. I have been doing lots of research on that year engine and I found out that exactly what you said is true, seemed like in 97 things went south from what I read, so I'm going to check the numbers on the engine and just confirm its a 96 model.

Thanks again for your help and everyone else that chimed in.  

[1moreminute]

Ok guys, thanks again for your help and the future help, its much appreciated to me and the family, dont want to buy something thats not good.

I went and saw her today. Here's what I found out, the engine code is J225VXSSS Ocean Pro which is NOT a 96 year its a 2000 even thought the sticker says 9/1999 on it (Lot guys was wrong). Is that one of their good motors as I read where something went wrong in the later years which caused Johnson's demise? I thought I read that somewheres but please correct me if I am wrong. Going Saturday to do a compression check etc and sea trial once my mechanic is available.

The hull is in GREAT shape, the transom is solid as a rock as well as the hull, the deck has a couple soft spots on the starboard side next to the center console. Other then that deck is solid. Trim tabs work as steering seemed perfect from what I did, so just about everything on the boat works, minus some deck lighting and some other very minor stuff that I can fix on my own.

Here's the deal, 96 Aquasport 225 Osprey with 2000 225 Johnson Ocean Runner, with dual axle w/ brakes and wash down Alum trailer in good to great shape with all new tires including the spare (tail lights will need some work). The boat is rigged with a very nice, well built T top with telescopic outriggers as well as a sighting tower that bolts on T top top. And a color Garmin FF, no GPS, stereo, VHF etc. As mentioned everything pretty much works electrical wise on the boat. Nothing major so far that I have found that is broke, so my MAIN concern is the soft spots, dealer said they can be reinforced with plates? I asked the best cash price for the boat and at 1st he said, boat, motor, trailer 10k cash out the door, after finding some things that concern me he said that the price is still negotiable. If I get the boat, motor and trailer out the door for 8k, I would think that's a great deal, and again, please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks so much to everyone that's willing to help and who has. I really like the boat and so does the wife.

[wingtime]

I'm not sure what the dealer means by adding plates to the deck.  The deck can be injected with some thickened epoxy to firm up the soft areas.  That is assuming the soft areas are caused by a deteriorated core (balsa).  It is very common for OMC motors to have a date one year before the model year so the 1999 sticker on a 2000 motor seems correct.  The problem motor your talking about is the Ficht direct fuel injection motors.  So if the 225 has carbs on it, your good to go.  I doubt the dealer will go down to 8k.  The 10K is a reasonable starting point...  if you can get it for 9K you can't loose.  Post some pics if you can!

[1moreminute]

I'm not sure what the dealer means by adding plates to the deck.  The deck can be injected with some thickened epoxy to firm up the soft areas.  That is assuming the soft areas are caused by a deteriorated core (balsa).  It is very common for OMC motors to have a date one year before the model year so the 1999 sticker on a 2000 motor seems correct.  The problem motor your talking about is the Ficht direct fuel injection motors.  So if the 225 has carbs on it, your good to go.  I doubt the dealer will go down to 8k.  The 10K is a reasonable starting point...  if you can get it for 9K you can't loose.  Post some pics if you can!

Thanks again, yes the motor is carb'd. He mentioned something about alum plates being placed under the deck. Ive never heard of that but I don,t know everything about boats, I like the sound of your fix much better, Ill get a price for that and probably have that done this coming winter. Let me see if I can throw up a pic or two of her, she needs a good inside cleaning which they said they would do on delivery day if I do purchase her.

[1moreminute]

And I made a mistake, its a Ocean Pro, not sure if that matters or not.....

[wingtime]

And I made a mistake, its a Ocean Pro, not sure if that matters or not.....

Ocean Runner is a Evinrude. Ocean Pro is a Johnson.  Same motor different dress!  I can tell by the motor stickers that it is a 1999 or 2000.  That boat looks clean.  I'd grab it for sure!  A good buffing and wax and that thing would look like new.

[1moreminute]

And I made a mistake, its a Ocean Pro, not sure if that matters or not.....

Ocean Runner is a Evinrude. Ocean Pro is a Johnson.  Same motor different dress!  I can tell by the motor stickers that it is a 1999 or 2000.  That boat looks clean.  I'd grab it for sure!  A good buffing and wax and that thing would look like new.

Oh ok! Learned something new, thanks!

The sales guy said they would do that "detail" when/ if I buy it! I'm digging it more and more! Just worried about that floor issue. Do you have any clue about how much that will cost to repair? Estimate of course.

I see your from Clearwater, I'm down the road in New Port Richey/ Holiday area!

Going to kill me to do it, but Ill need to have it bottom painted, I did my current boat but don't feel like doing it again from scratch. I'm thinking of renting a boat lift for the time being as I don't have a lift at my house, just a floating dock. Then during winter, have it bottom painted. Have to do some research to find someone that will do the job CORRECTLY and who doesn't take any shortcuts, being this will be the 1st time shes painted it needs to be done correct from the get go! I do residential/ commercial painting so I know all about doing it correctly the 1st time or you will have a hellish time fixing it!

Thank you,
Mike

[wingtime]

I just saw where you are at.  I drove right past you this weekend going up to Bayport to go scalloping.  About the deck.  I'd bet the problem is near a mount for either the T-top or the leaning post.  Water worked its way in a screw and caused the rot. Marc (flounderpounder) injected the deck of his Osprey.  Here is the thread:  viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10525&hilit=flounderpounder

Painting the bottom is all in the prep.  Also be sure to pick the right type of bottom paint! There are all kinds of different typed depending on how you use the boat.  If the boat will come out of the water on the trailer now and then you have to get the right stuff.  I'd suggest you get the ablative type paint that wears off with time (like a bar of soap).