Honda 225 4 stroke

[jmoneilthe2]

I am looking to buy a 1994 GW 25 foot Sailfish with two 2004 Honda 225 4 strokes and would like your opinion on the motors. They have 600 + hours and seem to run fine.

 

[deepwaterdreamer111]

You might want to check the horse power rating for that year and model. Also the normal stuff like transom ,stringers. Thats a lot of weight back there.

 

[family affair]

As mentioned, that is a lot of weight,so check the resting angle of the boat, and see if the rear scuppers are underwater with a few people standing aft. I'd then want to run the boat to see if the weight makes the boat ride bow high and if it can be corrected with engine and/or trim tabs without hurting handling and performance.
As for the engines themselves, that vintage of Honda were very efficient and reliable, but the minus was corrosion issues. I'd want to check zincs and pull the thermostats to see if you have corrosion in the power head.

 

[Doc Stressor]

The one persistent problem with older Hondas is the oxygen sensor. They need to be replaced regularly. That's why Honda did away with them in the newer D models. Otherwise, they are reliable and fuel efficient (and heavy).

 

[SeaVee]

Seems like too much weight back there. Probably designed for 2x 200 2 stokes at less than 500lb each vs 2x225 Hondas at 630 each. Check the thermostat in the block for corrosion and the mid shaft bearings.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Per the brochure... the boat has a maximum horsepower rating of 450 hp, though as mentioned that was likely because the 2 stroke outboards back in the day were considerably lighter than most modern 4 strokes are today. A 1994 Yamaha 225 outboard weighs right around 500 lbs, whereas a 2004 Honda 225 weighs right around 600 lbs. So, with twin outboards on there you're going to be around 200 lbs heavier than it would be from the factory, which will make the stern sit lower than it should. I'd see what the boat is like in the water, if you're worried about the scuppers, then you could also have a Honda tech or surveyor inspect the motors for you as well, if you're serious about purchasing it. I had a 2004 Honda 130 on my old 21' Arima and it was a fantastic motor. Apparently they had an issue with castings in those motors and my serial number was one of the ones that was not affected by it. But, it was a great motor, ran smooth and quiet, little to no smoke as well as next to no issues other than just routine maintenance.

 

[jmoneilthe2]

Per the brochure... the boat has a maximum horsepower rating of 450 hp, though as mentioned that was likely because the 2 stroke outboards back in the day were considerably lighter than most modern 4 strokes are today. A 1994 Yamaha 225 outboard weighs right around 500 lbs, whereas a 2004 Honda 225 weighs right around 600 lbs. So, with twin outboards on there you're going to be around 200 lbs heavier than it would be from the factory, which will make the stern sit lower than it should. I'd see what the boat is like in the water, if you're worried about the scuppers, then you could also have a Honda tech or surveyor inspect the motors for you as well, if you're serious about purchasing it. I had a 2004 Honda 130 on my old 21' Arima and it was a fantastic motor. Apparently they had an issue with castings in those motors and my serial number was one of the ones that was not affected by it. But, it was a great motor, ran smooth and quiet, little to no smoke as well as next to no issues other than just routine maintenance.

Thank you to everyone that commented. Unfortunately the seller lied about the year of the boat and a couple of other things. The photos in his add were not representative of the actual condition of the boat. They must have been taken years prior.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

All older Hondas 225 i saw in Los Sueños had the plate just before the prop broke, probably as the galvanic corrosion between the SS bolts and the aluminium housing created aluminum oxide what expanded and split the ring. Keep a eye on that!
You should definitively have a well trained Honda mechanic doing a survey, replacing those outboards will be expensive!

Chris

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Thank you to everyone that commented. Unfortunately the seller lied about the year of the boat and a couple of other things. The photos in his add were not representative of the actual condition of the boat. They must have been taken years prior.

Sounds like it’s for the best anyway. I’m not sure where you’re located but here in the Seattle area, the fishing season is only on for a few more weeks. Between the fishing season being closed in a few weeks as well as the weather that can be very hit or miss this time of the year… our fishing/boating seasons are usually pretty short. If you live in a similar area with short seasons and/or the changing of the weather into fall/winter over the next couple of weeks/month… I might consider waiting and shopping over the winter where you’ll typically find considerably better prices on boats.