Advice on boat/motor purchase

[Muskieman_26]

Greetings fellow enthusiasts - first ever post on this site - I hope I am in the right place

I sold my 17' Tracker V17 with 90 horse VRO two summers ago. Been sad and lonely ever since.

I have been scouring craigslist for months and I think I found the next boat for me. Pics attached.

Found an extremely well cared for 1988 Javelin 378 F/S. I have two young kids and need the extra seating and space provided by the F/S models.

Seller asking $5500, comes with 80-lb minn-kota trolling motor, three new batteries and lifetime sirius radio subscription. Electronics are out-of-date and will be replaced.

My only apprehension is this rig is powered by a 1990 Johnson 110 Horse VRO. We all know the risks involved with running a VRO.

However, the seller has reassured me that this motor has been rock solid for the 10+ years he's owned the boat - never had an issue, always pro serviced and well-maintained.

I went to see it and put muffs on the motor. It fired right up and ran like a top. Tested the float switch on the oil res and the low oil alarm works as it should.

I figured I will just add oil to my gas for peace of mind. Better to run a little rich and smokey than blow up my motor.

What are your thoughts? Are these motors reliable when well cared for or should I keep on searching?

Any older Javelin owners have any suggestions or advice? Never been on a Javelin. I will be using the rig to chase muskies and take my kids out tubing and swimming.

Just looking to find a clean, dependable rig to enjoy with my family. Thank you for reading.

[Nightmare]

My only apprehension is this rig is powered by a 1990 Johnson 110 Horse VRO. We all know the risks involved with running a VRO........I figured I will just add oil to my gas for peace of mind. Better to run a little rich and smokey than blow up my motor.

Not a Javelin guy and will leave that aspect to others, but I suspect that would be an 18' model? 110 hp is a little shy (suspect rated for 150?) but as long as it's propped to run proper rpms, especially for tubing - you should be okay. Won't be a speed demon but no F&S is. Solid platform for your purposes is what counts.

Regarding your allusion to VRO issues - this has been shown to be essentially a wife's tale. Although "old" technology, it is as reliable as others of the day. First models were variable 50-120 : 1. That was narrowed to 50-80:1 in the next version along with mods regarding alcohol being added to fuel. The majority of actual VRO failures are on the fuel side of the pump system and is not going to cause engine "failure". Either type provides an alarm. I've had 2 pump failures and one of those was having swapped on a used unit. Both were fuel-side failures. Adding oil "for peace of mind" results in burning a 25:1 ratio. You run a higher risk of sticking a piston due to carbon build-up than protecting it. One or the other.


The motor design itself has always been touted as a solid design, so no concerns there barring a good check-up for compression, etc.

Older model hulls are tough to value except by what the market bears and what you're willing to pay. Again, a good knowledgable going-over is a must.

Good luck on your search.

[Indianabasser]

If it were me I'd look into a 99 or up. I'm not sure what your budget is but the hull you speak on contains wood. Was the boat stored indoors? Transom check out? Not saying a 100% composite boat cant have issues boat all wood will rot. Do a thorough check before dropping the coin.

[e-tec]

VRO system is ok. $5500 is way too much for that rig IMO.

[Muskieman_26]

Thanks for taking the time to respond, guys. I appreciate the information. I read a bit about the history of the VRO system this weekend and have gained some confidence in it's reliability.

I plan on testing the compression and digging into the transom this week when I take a final look and test drive.

e-tec, I am curious if this boat in the southern states would be worth less $ due to being used year-round VS a garage kept, all original model in near-mint condition only used a few times/year.

My budget is 4-5K and I had hoped to find a turn-key rig in that range - meaning all set up with usable (somewhat modern) electronics and decent trolling motor.