Newbie looking for insight!!! Utopia? or Challenger?

[Fastricky]

New to the Sea Doo world but love the look of the boats.
I have read many threads about all the workings of jet boats.
So today had the chance to look at two boats. Here are the details:

Boat 1:
2005 Utopia 205 SE with Merc Optimax 250 3.0L engine with 176 hours on it.
Body, interior in good shape. Was only used twice last year for about only 16 hours.
Love the layout of the boat.

Boat 2:
2006 Challenger 180 with a Rotax 4-tech Supercharge with 60hours.
Body is good. Has a couple of marks but nothing to worry about it.
Not sure on the history. Layout is nice but the intetrior does not see as nice at the
utopia.

Since it is winter here not able to get a sea test till spring but looking to get anybodies insight on
what I should know about each boat? Something I should be worried about? As they say the hidden
stuff that nobody tells you at the dealership.
Thanks

 

[alexd51]

First Welcome to the forum.
I have a challenger myself but a 787 2 stroke not as fancy as the 4 Tech. From what i have learned in here is that you should check the compression on any of the boats you are looking to buy. I made that mistake and right now about to invest in 2 new motors for not knowing about doing a compression test. But 176 hrs sounds like a lot you might be looking at an engine rebuild soon.
From what i have read about the supercharger they are fun and fast but the supercharger goes bad you will be spending some coin to get it fixed, but wait till others give you more info on this, they have a lot more experience and knowledge.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

I really like everything about the Utopia too, except I prefer the 4-tec over the Mercury welfare engine. Thus, I'd probably go for the 4-tec but first always check cylinder compression on any boat and learn about the engine's special maintenance requirements.

Oh, and a fast way to ruin any boat engine is to run full speed for too long. If you need speed get a boat with more power, IMO.

 

[Fastricky]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the info.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the info.

In the case of the 4-tec, here's a thread of how to check the supercharger. This is important b/c if the ceramic washers in the clutch shatter it's possible for the small pieces to get into the crankcase oiling system and cause damage. Best case, the washers are still in good condition and haven't been replaced but they need to be replaced before they can shatter and cause damage.

http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?71869-When-should-a-Supercharger-be-rebuilt

 

[Fastricky]

thanks for the link. It seems to me that no matter which engine your boat has the maintenance is high.

 

[alexd51]

thanks for the link. It seems to me that no matter which engine your boat has the maintenance is high.

Boating is not cheap. But it is a lot of fun ,so one outweighs the other lol

 

[Fastricky]

I know boating is not cheap. But from the what I read in the link that was posted. It says the rotax engine needs to be rebuilt every 75 to 100 hrs of use.
That could mean I am rebuilding it every year. That seems like a lot to me.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Not the 4-tec engine, if nothing unusual happens and you run it with sanity it should give you 3,000 hours I'd bet. It's more powerful, 4 stroke as opposed to 2 stroke thus more fuel efficient and the remanufactured powerhead (assuming something does go wrong) will cost less I'd guess.

The Supercharger should be rebuilt periodically, between 100 and 200 hours depending on which one you have (upgradable for ~$800).

The 4-tec driveline is a straight shot, doesn't turn a corner through gears, so more torque is transferred to the impeller instead of wasted going around corners.

Jet boats aren't as efficient as propeller drive though, so give some thought as to why you want a jet boat. A mercruiser sterndrive is about as bulletproof as any setup, I've seen 3,000 hours on them many times with nothing but scheduled tuneups and oil changes.

I chose a Sportster jetboat 2-stroke b/c the price was right, replacement engines are inexpensive, and the boat is small, I don't enjoy larger boats beyond 18' b/c it's just too much to deal with. The jet is great for my water b/c there are many shallow sand bars in the areas I want to ride, I've smacked up enough props to know where the shallow areas are and felt I couldn't go where I wanted. I also like to be able to reach into the water from anywhere in the boat, to pick skis and grab a swimmer's arm if I need to, the Sportster allows me to do this b/c the sides aren't 3 feet tall like other boats, my arms must be shorter than everyone else?

So even though the fuel consumption is greater for a jet, in my case the jet is the preference. I probably run mine an hour each weekend during summer so fuel consumption isn't a big issue. If you want to ski around all day and don't mind staying in deep water, a sterndrive or v-drive prop boat might fit your needs better than a jet due to the fuel efficiency.

Many people argue jet boats are safer but I view that argument in a similar way as driving down the highway in a car with the doors open. If people are in the water, the engine should not be running on any boat until they're at a safe distance.

Ski ropes love to get sucked into a jet pump, I've sucked many more ropes through jets than propeller boats. The reason is, jet boats constantly pump water, even when idling in "neutral", tons of water is being moved. A propeller boat doesn't move any water when in neutral thus doesn't suck your rope into the drive if the wind is blowing an unfavorable direction just kick it into neutral till the rope can be adjusted. In a jet, you must not run over the rope while the engine is running so you need to shut down in that case.

So, how do you intend on using your boat, is the water shallow, will you ride all day or go out to the island and splash around? Will you cruise around the lake or just go to a favorite spot? Are you traveling out to Catalina Island, a 50 mile trip, or just a few miles?

It can take a decade for some people to rack up 800 hours on a boat, others might accomplish that in 2 years.

 

[Fastricky]

thanks sportster. This clarifies it more for me. SO the engine doesnt get rebuilt just the supercharge every 100 or so hours. The boat will mostly be for my wife, 2 dogs and me to go out enjoying a day on the lake.
The idea is to get on the lake around 10am on a beautiful day. Go where we want, when we want and at the end of the day get it out of the water and head home.

I might do some light fishing 2 or 3 this a year with some buddies but not into the water skiing or tubing thing. We just want a nice boat to tour around in.

We may and this is a big may one day bring down to florida to enjoy while on vacation.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Yes that's correct, just the scheduled supercharger maintenance besides the normal annual engine oil change during winterizing, and regular spark plug/antifreeze change. The 4-tec is a responsive powertrain that runs really well, smooth and feels strong, about as fuel efficient as you can get with any jet. Some people say it's too loud, maybe they never rode in my 2-stroke boat, LOL. But I'm confident you'll appreciate the performance of the 4-tec vs the Mercury sportjet.

Make sure to check the supercharger and cylinder compression though. It's hard to do in winter but when buying any boat, you also SHOULD take the boat for a 30 minute ride around the lake as well. They can run great on the trailer, but that's no way to judge performance. This unfortunately places winter buyers at a steep disadvantage.

Occasional saltwater use won't have a substantial effect on durability or service life and negligible if properly flushed with freshwater to wash away salts immediately afterward.

Cheers!

 

[AirSniper]

I have an '03 205 with the 250 Opti. Have now over 260 hrs with near zero issues. Exhaust hose tears (bad design - I wrapped with hi-temp silicone tape, good now), new air & fuel filters. Take the expert's advice, but my experience is very good with the boat & the engine.

 

[Fastricky]

thanks for all the details. So I get the supercharge rotax deal. So now the question is what do I need to know about the Merc Optimax 250 3.0L engine?