Please help a newbie-gctid811395

[dp17]

I am looking to purchase a 2005 184 FS this week. I am going for the test ride on Friday and wanted to see if any of you have any experience or knowledge with this boat. It is a very clean single owner boat and everything appears to be in great shape. My biggest concern is that it may be underpowered. It has a 90 hp Merc 2-stroke on it and max hp is 135 which is why I insisted on a water test. The boat will primarily be for my wife and I to do some joy riding and for me to do some fishing. I am not looking for a fast boat and will probably not do any ski/tube towing since the kids have grown up and moved out, but want the boat to be safe and comfortable to ride in. Any advice on what to look for on the water test and/or any experience with this boat would be greatly appreciated. This is only my second boat and the first one was a complete and total disaster so I am trying to gather as much info as possible before Friday. Thanks.

[Download_Complete]

Its likely just fine, but you are correct to demand a water test.

[dp17]

Thank you. I thought this site might be a good place to get some info on this boat since there is very little online about it. Thanks again.

[Download_Complete]

Well I am not familiar with this model, but I bet it's related to the 185 stern drive. If so, the 90 hp is the standard engine for that boat, and the 185 works just fine with the 135 hp sterndrive.

Given your use case, it will probably be just fine.

[Pcpete]

Pictures when/if you get it and some information in your signature so we can understand what you have and where you are when you ask those enevitable questions. I'm not familiar with that boat either, but 90hp ought to make it move just fine. You may need to do a bit of tweaking of the prop size and pitch to maximize the performace based on how you load it or are going to use it on a specific outing. For instance, you may cruise around just fine with a 21" pitch prop and it works well. But then you are going to a party where you will be expected to tow some water skiers or make waves for a wake boarder. This is where you will want what we used to call a "power prop" many years ago, and change to a 19 or even 17" pitch so the motor gets into the power range of rpms, effectively putting it in low gear to get that heavy load moving.

Good luck on your sea trial.

[dp17]

If I pick the boat up Friday I will certainly upload some info and photos this weekend. I am sure I will need plenty of advice from you guys and will probably ask way too many questions. We are really hoping that the 90hp motor is going to be enough for this boat. I haven't found much info on this year/model online, but most of the photos I see of similar boats have a 125hp motor. The wife fell in love with the boat when we looked at it and everything appears to be in great shape so my fingers are crossed.

[Download_Complete]

125 hp would have been from the Force days, I think. Not comparable.