Anyone heard of Javelin boats?

[Jim in VA]

Hey all:



I've separated this post from my others generally looking for F&S's. Saw a pretty good looking 19' on boattrader in NC. Its a MY2000 Javelin Renegade 19FS and seems to be in good shape and below my budget price too! But I'm not that familiar with the Javelin line. I know they pretty much went out of business in the early part of this decade (actually, sold out to Stratos who then eventually phased them out). My understanding is also that the reputation was pretty good when it was a stand alone company. Can anybody else add experience/knowledge?



Since the boat is in NC, I'll probably arrange to meet the guy somewhere on the VA/NC border a few weekends from now. Bruce F., want to make a road trip? :lol:

 

[Derek Chance]

they are basically the same boat as a Stratos. Made by the same company. They do not make them anymore however.

 

[Mike Zechman]

Yes very nice boats, a buddy of mine has a 20 footer and its nice

 

[TritonGlenn]

Back around 95/96/97 timeframe, there were tons of their bass boats running around tidewater Virginia area / Northern NC (Albamarle Sound). Most of our club was either driving a Javelin or Stratos, and the boats looked extremely similar. I think they were both OMC brand boats - most everyone I can think of had a Johnson or Evinrude 150 strapped to the back.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Jim in VA]

Thanks guys. The boat is a 19' with a 150 Envirunde FICT. I'm arranging to go check it out soon and will keep you all posted.



J.

 

[Mini]

Lower price point model of OMC right below Stratos. Bombardeir (SP?) know owns the motor business, and GENMAR owns the boat business. I beleive they phased out the Javelin line about 5 or 6 years ago??



Be careful of that FICHT motor. It (for all practical purposes) put OMC out of business.

 

[TritonGlenn]

Yeah, I'm not too keen on that FICHT motor either. The one guy in our club that had one had nothing but problems with it. When he initially bought it, a lot of club members were impressed with how quiet it was. I thought it sounded like a big sewing machine. He had quite a few problems with his. I don't remember what year his was, but he got it the year they came out, which I think was 1997. If memory serves correct, 2000 was the year that OMC went belly up, and was bought by Bombardier - only to be resurected from the ashes the following year. As that boat is a MY2000 (I'm guessing that means Model Year 2000), if that FICHT is a 2000, that might have been produced when OMC was having it's greatest problems. Just a thought. Wish Pat Goff would chime in here, as I'm pretty sure he knows the specifics of years when they had problems.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Wait for Pat to chime in, The Johnson Faststrike were and still are, sought after motors. The FICHT is a definite red flag. But you know how that goes.....one man's trash.......



TOXIC

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Sure Jim, I am always ready for a road trip. May I suggest meeting at Kerr so you can take a test ride?



BF

 

[Rich Stern]

OMC went belly up because of Ficht. The failure rate was so high, the warranty costs were too much of a burden at a time when OMC simply couldn't afford it. They tried to do the right thing by customers, but bankruptcy was unavoidable. Death of a once great company.



I don't recall all of the specifics. Fichts run very lean, to meet the emissions goals, and these were the first mass produced two strokes to employ the DFI technology to that problem. Inadequate lubrication, detonation, excess carbon buildup, injector malfunctions, unusual operating modes in the software under certain conditions. Many times resulting in blown powerheads. Bottom line, the engine needed a couple more years R&D, but OMC was under pressure and the customers ended up being part of the R&D, with disasterous results.



Jim C., please, please, find yourself another candidate. There are lots of good boats out there. You don't need that one. If you like that model, do some searching. It's s fairly popular model, and there should be a few available with a carb'd 150 on the back.

 

[Pat Goff]

FICHT?????



Buy the boat and trailer, they're decent, but that's an anchor hanging off the back.



NO good will come from that motor. I don't care how many "upgrades" the guy tells you it's got, how new the powerhead is, it's cancer on a stick.



I wouldn't take one in trade, period. I feel bad for the poor suckers who bought them, but sometimes stuff just happens.

 

[Jim in VA]

Wow!! Thanks guys! Given the comments, I think I will pass on the guy's boat. Last thing I need is a hassle with the engine on a used boat (i.e., no more warranty). He claims low hours and still running strong. Based on the FICT's history, sounds like a problem waiting to happen. The search continues . . . .

 

[Berry Lindley]

Offer the value the boat and the trailer, and you can't get hurt. Then if the Ficht doesn't give up, you are ahead.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Offer the value the boat and the trailer, and you can't get hurt. Then if the Ficht doesn't give up, you are ahead.

I agree with Jerry. Lo ball as much as you can, that owner knows what he has, and see if he'll go for it. What do you have to lose? Like Jerry said, if the motor holds up you're way ahead and if it doesn't you can get a new warranty covered Mercury..



Uncle Billy

 

[Jim in VA]

Thanks for the ideas, but I don't think I want to go there with an engine that's got that bad a reputation. After I told the guy that I was probably going to pass, he revealed that the motor had been recalled and the powerhead replaced. He also had the lower unit rebuilt. In the three years since, he's not had a problem, but he also said he hadn't run it much either. Given all that, I think its best to pass and wait for the next one to come along.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Smart move.



TOXIC