Got this e-mail from a friend who is thinking of buying this boat.
I am going to give him my opinion, but I thought it would be good to bounce it off some more "boaters" like you guys. Lemmi know..

Hey Van
got a super line on a boat - 23 foot Neptune center console with a '95 200 HP Johnson.
At 6 grand (six) it is a steal and I cannot pass it up - going in on it with a friend Went for a test ride when we got there they were working on the engine (replaced the fuel/oil pump - LOW OIL warning problem over the weekend) 5 minute spin & returned
as we idled in, the NO OIL alarm went off.
SO!
what are we getting ourselves into? is this going to be a problem? is this an isolated thing? anything you can tell me about the engine - no idea how many hours are on it (has a new bottom end)

thanks!

<http://www.boats.com/listing/boat_details.jsp?searchtype=buy&showDL=false&searchid=1&back=session&showMD=false&entityid=10426411>

VRO prob? 6K - That is a good price - is that the same hull as the rebadged Hydrasport? THe boat on that link is a 97. Not sure if the hull is the same. So if your pal is getting this for 6K, he's saving so much money that he can get a professional survey AND have the motor checked - why screw around...

Thanks John,

I just e-mailed him back and asked shy the link was different than what he wrote.

14K asking, but selling for 6K ??
Don't seem right.. I'll find out whats up.

Good looking boat, with a head taboot.

If that motor hasn't been getting oil, it may be short lived, but it looks like a deal even if needs to be repowered.

Just got off the phone with him.
I told him that my first engine was a 95 150 Hp johnson, which also had issues with sensors. I would get ghost alarms, no oil alarms etc... but there was never anything wrong with the engine, only the sensors. If they replace them now and the problem goes away, he should be all set.
I also found out it is owned by his friends brother, and yes he was asking over 14 for it and will let it go to them for 6.

But AS IS. He said,, at that price , anything happens you own it!!!
Like you said though with the $ they are saving, its well worth it,
fix whatever and go. He said it ran strong and fast at WOT, so i think it just small annoyances that he'll have to deal with. Geez for 6K, I would buy it just to sell it again. The lower unit was replaced under warranty so its not that he ran aground. Maybe a bad seal and bye bye LU..

He is pretty much going forward with it.

I'd recommend seatow or boatus, and then go fishing!!

dump the oil tank an pump an put the oil right into the gas. those things are nothing but trouble.

Cape,

I agree with the nothing but trouble part, and its an
interesting idea, but will that work?

I thought these engines meter out oil depending on rpm.
ie.. 50:1 at low speeds and up to 100:1 at WOT ?

I know in my old merc (50 HP) I did just that;
add the oil to the fuel and forget about it.

Not sure if a newer engine will perform right.
Just wondering..

The boat is also listed here:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp?checked_boats=1042641

This is the same boat as the current Hydra-Sports 230. At any price under $14K it's a good deal if the engine checks out.

Looks like a good deal to me.There used to be one in Milford harbor here and it was a good looking rig.Like the full transom.
My guess is that it is probably a sensor problem because if you ran the engine without oil even for a few minutes it would be toast.Thats why I disconnected the VRO on mine, and just add oil to the gas.You can do it, it smokes a little at idle but not enough to do any harm like fouling plugs.I would think it would add more oil at wot, not less - but not really sure if the old systems did much metering at all.I say go for it.

just don't forget to add ring free as well, I know its already in the oil but it's realy not enough......two things kill a motor, no oil or very little an carbon build up on the rings, which scores the piston walls which leads to worn rings which leads to low compression. better to have more oil than you need, I know guys that add oil even to the gas when the motor has vro.....just in case.

Thanks guys,, I'll relay the info to him..