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I often see terrific prices on VERY clean year 2000 Hydra Sports boats. All have dual Evinrude ficht engines... hummmm... so what's the message? Is it (false) perception about ficht engines? Or is there a "real" reason to avoid these boats or engines? The boats I'm looking at are 25' to 27' feet and 9'+ wide. Great LOOKING boats at fantastic prices... Why? Thanks for your comments. Tom.
I think you answered your own questions. The OMC engines of that vintage were poorly made. My mechanic says they even cheaped out where they didn't have to. They used substandard metal, for example. That's made them basically impossible to keep running.
He says the Bombardier-made FICHT motors are OK. He's still not a big fan because there's some dumb stuff on them. That's personal preference though.
You answered your own question, it is the perception of the ficht's. Whether or not they are as bad as people think is open for pages of debate - some people have them and they have run flawlessly, others have had them and well, it was not so good. However, the market perception is that they are tainted, and in the market, perception often is reality.
As an example, early in the season, I looked at a Hydra-sport with twin ficht's for what I thought was a song of a price. After calling around to several dealers, they would not give me a dime for trade in value on the engines.
__________________ Move along, nothing to see here.
My neighbor just bought a 2596 with Ram 200s. Year 2000 or 2001, I forget. He got it super cheap. It was in new condition. I told him there was a reason for both the low price and the perfect condition. Low price = noone wants those engines. Perfect conditon= how can it get used if the engines don't run. All the head bolts have he paint cracked, and the engine covers don't even have the same decals. All he could se was how clean it was. I tryed to stop him but his head was clouded. He has had no problems, but he is a once every two month type user, so he has gone out maybe 4 times since he bought it in March. Of course I have to listen to the crap about how his Fitchs have had zero issues and all. I just keep quiet. He has probably put 15 hours on them. I hope they last for him, but I fear. They probably are not that bad of engines, but the fear is there and to put it mildly. Those engines are not worth much.
__________________ AKA, The SKIMMER! No way am I reading all that crap!
I will be buying a new HydraSports 26' or 28' this season, some of them came with 2 stoke yammies and others with 4 stroke yammies.... I will be getting the four strokes.
Tim
Yea those engines stink....you're better off w/ a 250hpdi..or an opti..THEY were flawless. When I can't keep my engine running
the FIRST thing I look for is substandard metal.
Buy the way I ran a 2000 225 for over 400hrs...ZERO problems. That's ME not someone my uncle's cousin's wife knows
Flynny7, The problem with those engines mostly showed up when they were used for trolling in the 1400 to 1800 rpm range for long periods. Not sure about low rpm trolling. Exsesive carbon would build up at those speeds and choke the rings in as little as 20 hours. Now those that use them to prerry much run from spot to spot didn't have many problems.
Yea those engines stink....you're better off w/ a 250hpdi..or an opti..THEY were flawless. When I can't keep my engine running
the FIRST thing I look for is substandard metal.
Buy the way I ran a 2000 225 for over 400hrs...ZERO problems. That's ME not someone my uncle's cousin's wife knows
Kev
I forget to question you on the metal when everything else checked out OK. I knew I should have got the boat for 15K! dammit.
I am getting pulled out today
I need to ask you about the washdown winterization
__________________ 1998 HS 245 Vector CC
2007 Evinrude 250 etec rigged and rockin!
I too agree, it is the Perception people have on these motors. I have a Grady with a 1998 Johnson Ficht. That motor never gave me one hickup. It ran perfect from the day I bought the boat to the day I sold the boat. However, when I sold her people were hesitant to get the boat due to the motor. I did sell her anyway, and I got a good price for the boat to boot.
I bought my Hydra with a 2003 200 Evinrude Ficht and that motor also never has given me one problem. Runs perfect and starts on a dime. I guess they can't be too bad when JD Powers gave the 2003 Ficht motors their # 1 rating that year.
A lot of guys here hear a bad thing but never have tested it themselves and just say yup that is a a POS! Duh, you never had one or probably never even used one so don't judge one till you have at least used it.
Buy another ficht... Not a problem and in a heart beat!
__________________ "May your poles be bent and your lines stay tight!!!" <*{{{{{><
1998 Grady White 208 Adventure (sold)
2003 Hydra Sports 212 CC
19?? 12' Duranautic
Two Johnson 150 FICHTs...owned less than 5 years. One motor rebuilt twice....the second rebuilt once. Ongoing problems that significantly cut into boating time....they were rarely trouble free. Ultimately traded in for other motors.....traded in for roughly seven cents on the dollar. These FICHT motors were a significant factor in OMC's bankruptcy...that didn't happen because of a "few lemons"....it happened because mechanically sound FICHTs were the exception not the rule. Some people may have had a good experience with these motors.....but I wouldn't bank on you being one of them.
I know that H/S has changed the models of their boats. The 24 and 28 are gone. New 25 and 29 in 05 and 06. This might be why they are being discounted. I had a 2000 2896 with twin 200's that was a great boat and great engines. 4 hours when I sold it and the new owner sill has it with over 1000 hours. Regular maintenance and they run great.
I am a big fan of Hydra Sports boats (just not the FICHT motors). I have a 23 footer and it is a well designed and solid ride. I would buy another in a heart beat.
I too agree, it is the Perception people have on these motors. I have a Grady with a 1998 Johnson Ficht. That motor never gave me one hickup. It ran perfect from the day I bought the boat to the day I sold the boat. However, when I sold her people were hesitant to get the boat due to the motor. I did sell her anyway, and I got a good price for the boat to boot.
I bought my Hydra with a 2003 200 Evinrude Ficht and that motor also never has given me one problem. Runs perfect and starts on a dime. I guess they can't be too bad when JD Powers gave the 2003 Ficht motors their # 1 rating that year.
A lot of guys here hear a bad thing but never have tested it themselves and just say yup that is a a POS! Duh, you never had one or probably never even used one so don't judge one till you have at least used it.
Buy another ficht... Not a problem and in a heart beat!
Some people are smart enough to avoid buying them in the first place. They don't have to spend thousands of dollars on a POS just to be proven correct. They go by what the majority of the public's opinion is and buy another product.
That is called a smart consumer.
And anyone that follows jd powers money based biased opinions are just as bad. They knew that Bomb would jump all over that rating with ads everywhere in all publications. That is how jd makes their money. Every time that you see their logo in an ad or on a brochure, they get paid for it. What a farse that is. The car business caught on, so they have started to scam other markets, including the boat and RV business.
Just look at any of the industry publications. They'll set you straight on jd powers...
I bought my Hydra with a 2003 200 Evinrude Ficht and that motor also never has given me one problem. Runs perfect and starts on a dime. I guess they can't be too bad when JD Powers gave the 2003 Ficht motors their # 1 rating that year.
In 2002 Bomb had the motors fixed and the issues went away. I also have a 2003 250hp motor, flawless machine!
I also have a 2005 Yamaha also a nice motor with no issues.
GREAT prices on used Hydra Sports boats, Why? 
