ChrisKirby

Hi guys,

I've been a long time lurker on the forums, reading up on threads about people's opinions on one manufacturer vs. another, outboard engine performance, and just general boating knowledge. I've been in and around boats for quite a few years of my life, Grandpa used to have a fishing boat down in Marathon that he would take us out on as kids and fish for barracuda, but I haven't ever owned a boat of my own. Recently, as in yesterday, that changed, as I finally pulled the trigger on a 17 foot Henry O center console. Like most things in life, I thought I knew quite a bit about boats until I got it home, and there are a few things that have me stumped, so I thought I'd introduce myself and post a few pics and ask a few questions!

First up, here she is sitting in my driveway. There are a lot of little things that need to be fixed, such as small chips in the fiberglass, bow eye needs some attention, one of the trailer fenders is falling off, and the leaning post has some rotted (but not yet soft, oddly) plywood in it. Overall, it's a great boat and the engine runs good. It has a 2006 Yamaha 115 on it with only 90 hours! The previous owner replaced the fuel pump, injectors, spark plugs, and a few other miscellaneous things. It runs like a top.

The leaning post appears to be custom/aftermarket, as the box is made out of plywood, and is covered in what appears to be white paint/epoxy that feels like plastic. Other than the seat needing reupholstered, the post is in good shape, except for the inside, where water has apparently been sitting and making the paint flake and rot some of the wood. I will just remove the post box and cut the bottom out and replace it with a new piece and then paint/epoxy (haven't really researched this part yet) to make it waterproof again.

The guy I bought the boat from wasn't sure how to make the livewell work. There are multiple pumps on the boat, one under the leaning post, just above the livewell, and another in the bilge, right above the bilge pump. I'm assuming that the green hose shown in the pictures needs to be thrown overboard, and then it pulls water in from the lake? I haven't traced out all of the plumbing yet, and there are a few slight wiring issues to that pump, so I'll figure it out once I fix those things, but if anyone recognizes this setup, I would appreciate some guidance. When I first saw the boat for sale, I thought the livewell was an aftermarket addon, but apparently it isn't...it actually sits down inside the floor several inches and connects to the fish box just in front of it.

In the below picture, you can see the starboard side through hull scupper with the plug pulled, and another through hull right next to it with a plumbing fitting on it. I'm sorta stumped as to what this is. At first I thought it might be a spot to pull fresh water for a wash down or the livewell, but it is actually just a tiny bit higher up the transom than the scupper, so I'm not really sure. The port side of the boat does not have this scupper or fitting.

In the below pic, you can see what I mean about the plumbed fitting/scupper being a little higher than the one that drains the deck. Also, there is another through hull to the left, and I haven't traced that one out yet, but it appears to head toward the bilge area, or just above it. Perhaps this is where a hose comes through to pull fresh water for the livewell?

Just to warn you guys, I will have a lot more questions and a lot more pictures in the future!

EDIT: apparently I can't post pics until I have 10 posts, so I guess I'll get cracking on that and then come back and edit this again. Sorry!

surfmon

Good buddy of mine bought a 89 17' Henry O back in 2007. He still has it. He finally repowered it with a 115 Zuke a few weeks ago(had a Merc100 tall boy forever). Great hull! Driest/best riding 17' I've ever been on

Nice choice on a first boat

laserguy

Keep posting and soon you will be able to post photos also

brisboats

Cannot wait to see your pics.
You made a great choice for a first boat.
I have owned mine since 2000.
B

laserguy

Could you be more specific about the location of thru hulls?

Lots of bizarre previous owner modifications are possible in a 30-year-old boat

Miljack

I recently purchased a '89 Henry O 170DC, mine is mostly stock, but has had a few mods added by the previous owner. Mine is setup with a Johnson 110hp, 20" shaft setup on mine. Kinda wish it had the 25" transom setup, but, it'll be fine for my 80% usage. Can't post pics yet, will update.

Miljack

Also, to the OP, have you water tested the Henry O yet? If so, what was the top speed for your setup. Given the model year of your engine, I'm guessing it's a 4 stroke?

Miljack

What does your friend think of the repower setup? I'm thinking the Zuke 115 is approx 390#? Mine has a Johnson 110 (305#) so curious how the heavier 4 stroke is fairing for him? I'm thinking the scuppers will need to be relocated in the transom to accommodate the extra weight of the modern 4 stroke.

laserguy

I had a 60° Bombardier built v4 Johnson 115 carbureted. 2 stroke. Specced weight was approximately 350 pounds. It seemed heavy for the boat. At rest the scuppers were just above the waterline.

When I stepped back toward the stern they would submerge. I immediately replaced the rubber flapper valve with the much better captive ping pong ball style from TH marine. Those sealed quite well.

ChrisKirby

I can't post pictures yet, I need a few more posts today and then I can post. From what I can tell, there is the main through hull at the bottom of the keel (main boat plug) then a few feet above that, there are two through hulls that are the self bailing deck, with rubber flappers on them. On the port side, there is another through hull that I believe goes into the bilge area and is connected (I think) to a pump. I believe this is for the livewell, but I haven't tested it yet because the pump doesn't work (boat came with a brand new one in the box). On the starboard side, there are actually TWO more through hulls slightly higher than the deck bailing one, and by slightly, I mean less than 2 inches higher. one of them appears to go into the bilge, and is probably the outlet for the bilge pump, the other goes into the corner of the deck and has some plumbing fittings attached on the inside of the boat, and then just dead ends there. I can't figure that one out at all.

I haven't had the boat on the water yet, but it will be going to the lake at the end of this month. The Yamaha 115 is indeed a 4 stroke, and I heard it run with muffs on before I bought it. It starts immediately and idles great.

laserguy

I am not sure if relocating the scuppers is the best plan for dealing with an overweight Outboard.

First of all I don’t like drilling more large holes in transoms. This is just an avenue for weakness and water ingress into the material of the transom which is likely a plywood fiberglass sandwich

Second is a raise the scupper would be well above the deck level. The point of the scuppers to drain the deck. However on the Henry O there’s a small amount of down flooding around the fish box hatch which drains into the bilge. I also had a modest amount of leakage around the screwed down bilge cover. This was with functioning scuppers the floating above the waterline at rest.

ChrisKirby

Yeah, from what I can tell looking at the back of the boat, the self bailing deck through hulls (someone please correct me if/when I use incorrect terminology) will be damned close to the waterline, if not partially submerged when sitting idle. It has the rubber flapper style scupper on it, but the rubber flappers kind of push outward from sitting in the sun for a few years, so I will probably replace those with the ball style.

Striperk9

Cool! I bought a 1991 Henry O 170 DC in April for my Pandemic Project. Definitely turning into quite a project! Cool little boat with a lot of character. Doing the best to turn mine into a fishing boat. It has the original Suzuki DT115 that took a while to fix some problems but now is running like a top.
The foam filling makes it tough too. Adding rod holders and proper backing requires adding access ports. Here's a photo of mine the day I got it, will post another when I get her decked out for fishing:

laserguy

The 2020 Yamaha 1.8L 90 hp VMax SHO Weighs 353 pounds, Same as their regular 1.8 L F90. “all new model“. In-line four-cylinder design

Yamaha F115 2020 is 377lbs and is also 1.8L

The Yamaha’s are relatively light weight in comparison to some other brands

In comparison and age-appropriate for your boat, 1990s, Yamaha three cylinder 90 hp was 260 pounds

tohatsu still makes fuel injected two-stroke’s in the mid range size. Etec’s are no longer being sold new but are commonly available used and are also fuel injected two-stroke’s. Depending on exact model there is a slight weight savings

laserguy

There were two different manufacturers for this boat. Up to around 1991 ? they were made by Henry O McKee and his sons in NC.

They went bankrupt and the molds were sold to Taylor manufacturing. Also in North Carolina. They made some changes especially to the cockpit.

The last few digits of your HIN will tell you when was manufactured. The first three characters are the manufacturers name and you can look that up on the Coast Guard website

ChrisKirby

I believe the hull is rated for 120hp, but to your point, the actual weight of the engine and other rearward implements might put the hull too low in the water in relation to the scuppers. The previous owner told me he took my boat to lake Erie a few weeks before I bought it, and he said it was fine. Obviously, while underway, the rear wouldn't have any water coming in at all (at least I would hope not).

laserguy

My 1990 Model Center console 17 Had the main plug and scuppers as you described. There was also a bronze bilge pump exit a few inches above the waterline on the transom to starboard to the motor. It was a 90° Brass three-quarter inch through hull. I don’t know if this was factory installed

I had no through Hulls piercing the sides of the boat.

When I added a second bilge pump replaced the thru hull on the aft portside as high up as it could be placed.

Any thru hulls near the waterline are a flooding/sinking risk.

Striperk9

My understanding from people who owned these boats new is those scuppers were misplaced even for the lighter 2 strokes. Way below waterline. The sons of Henry still have a shop in Bolivia, NC and from a friend who owns the exact setup as me, are very helpful with advice.
One major problem is the tank. They are known for ruptures. Brothers said not a question of if, but when.... Monitor the fuel consumption and keep a close eye on the bilge. Getting the tanks out requires completely removing the console. Both for the DC models.
Guy who sold me mine was the original owner. Bought it from Fort Macon Marine. He plugged the scuppers with regular bilge plugs and only pulled them on plane if he needed to drain.

laserguy

When underway these are both crush big waves better than almost any other 17 footer. Look for threats on this forum by MrWesson, Who has documented his considerable experience with two different sizes of these boats.

After replacing the scuppers with the ball style, I had no issues with the scuppers themselves even when the boat was left on the dock for the summer.

however they do have the low transom cut out and lack of splash well that was common in this era so I was careful to point the bow into the oncoming wind direction when leaving in on a dock

laserguy

I had no problem with the boat floating on its lines with the scuppers just above the water . However sitting too low in the water is a common problem with mini brands of similar designs. I know a scout where they have to plug their scuppers when the boat is on it’s Maureen. Totally defeats the purpose