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1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
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Author:  jeff80kz1000e2 [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 2:14 pm ]
Post subject:  1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
Hi all, new to the forum. I am somewhat mechanically inclined to engines ( I do all my own work on my old kawasaki, yes I know its not a boat! Hehe )and learned some workings of boats from a friend who had a stingray with the 4.3mpi I think?

Anyways, a dealer has a very clean 97 200 Horizon (no hour clock news to me? ) but they will put it on a dyno and in gear to etc to check it out. Price seems high even if its super clean. $11,700 . Im thinking its worth 9 or 10 if its in excellent shape. Looks like the dealer posted that its a penta 5.7GL, is that carb or injected?

So I would be very grateful on ANY info about this purchase, what to look for when its running etc etc etc.
Thanks very much!! Jeff

Edit..... So I saw and read all the info on another post of someone who is looking to purchase a 95 Horizon. Great info and I will keep it all close at hand when inspecting the boat.
Author:  rpengr [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
Welcome to the forum.

Hours are no big deal. It is extremely rare for a recreational boat to "use up" it's hours rather than dying from age or poor maintenance. With proper maintenance, these engines are good for 2000+ hours or 25+years. Average boater uses less than 50 hours per year, so hours never becomes a factor. It's actually good for the engine to get used more often.

Need more detail to suggest a price (in approx order of importance):
Engine horsepower/displacement makes a big difference in price
Drive type (single vs duo-prop)
Fresh Water vs Salt Water usage history
Glue in carpet over wood floor vs fiberglass shell floor (with snap in carpet)
Trailer included? Painted Steel, Galvanized, or other?
Bimini tops and covers that are included (and condition)
Seating arrangement (sunsport vs conventional. back-to-back vs captains chairs)

But in general, I would expect a 1997 Horizon 200 to sell for about 6-9k.

Try NADA guide boat values:
http://www.boats.com/boat-content/nada-guides/
Author:  jeff80kz1000e2 [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
rpengr wrote:
Welcome to the forum.

Hours are no big deal. It is extremely rare for a recreational boat to "use up" it's hours rather than dying from age or poor maintenance. With proper maintenance, these engines are good for 2000+ hours or 25+years. Average boater uses less than 50 hours per year, so hours never becomes a factor. It's actually good for the engine to get used more often.

Need more detail to suggest a price (in approx order of importance):
Engine horsepower/displacement makes a big difference in price
Drive type (single vs duo-prop)
Fresh Water vs Salt Water usage history
Glue in carpet over wood floor vs fiberglass shell floor (with snap in carpet)
Trailer included? Painted Steel, Galvanized, or other?
Bimini tops and covers that are included (and condition)
Seating arrangement (sunsport vs conventional. back-to-back vs captains chairs)

But in general, I would expect a 1997 Horizon 200 to sell for about 6-9k.

Try NADA guide boat values:
http://www.boats.com/boat-content/nada-guides/


Right on thx, I have seen the nada guide reference that's what helped me on the price being a bit high.
Ok so rather than typing from my smartphone the details, here is the boat listing link at the dealer, thx again for the help!!
Looks like a volvo penta 5.7GL, is that carbed or injected?
Single axle bunk trailer, not sure what that means, is it galvanized or steel?
Says fresh water use only
After I check the boat itself for mildew, rotting etc, is there anything I should check on when its in gear and at operating temp on the dyno?


http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1997- ... -102518858
Author:  rpengr [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
That's a good looking boat (maybe because it looks a lot like my boat) :D

Volvo SX with Aluminum Prop
5.7GL carbureted engine (The 5.7GL was 215 HP, not 250 HP as listed in the add. That would be the GS)
Fresh Water usage
Glue in carpet in cockpit (that's a negative)
FW painted trailer with spare
Nice condition / clean. Nice condition vinyl. Some fading of the blue on the right side.
VDO Gauges (That's a negative...but ok if they work)
Bimini Top + Bow and Cockpit covers.


Four Winns Fast Facts datasheets from 1997:
http://www.fourwinns.com/upload/Documents/Catalogs/1997/FastFacts_1997.pdf
(See page 20-24 for the Horizon 200)
Author:  jeff80kz1000e2 [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
rpengr wrote:
That's a good looking boat (maybe because it looks a lot like my boat) :D

Volvo SX with Aluminum Prop
5.7GL engine (I believe the GL was 220 HP? not 250 HP as listed in the add. That would be the GS)
Fresh Water usage
Glue in carpet in cockpit (that's a negative)
FW painted trailer with spare
Nice condition / clean. Nice condition vinyl. Some fading of the blue on the right side.
VDO Gauges (That's a negative...but ok if they work)
Bimini Top + Bow and Cockpit covers.


Lol, it is a nice boat, yours too! Thanks for the info, is the GL carbed or injected?
VDO gauges? What does that stand for? So its got some other gauges of course. What type are they and are they costly if they are broke? Thx!

Btw, 1964 water wings is hilarious! My water wings were at the very earliest 1979, lol
Author:  LouC [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
The boat looks great and it may well be worth more than the average boat of that age. But it can look great and have problems. Really check carefully for wood rot in the transom, deck and engine mounts.
Make sure it passes a full water test.
Author:  GottWhat [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
jeff80kz1000e2 wrote:
rpengr wrote:
That's a good looking boat (maybe because it looks a lot like my boat) :D

Volvo SX with Aluminum Prop
5.7GL engine (I believe the GL was 220 HP? not 250 HP as listed in the add. That would be the GS)
Fresh Water usage
Glue in carpet in cockpit (that's a negative)
FW painted trailer with spare
Nice condition / clean. Nice condition vinyl. Some fading of the blue on the right side.
VDO Gauges (That's a negative...but ok if they work)
Bimini Top + Bow and Cockpit covers.


Lol, it is a nice boat, yours too! Thanks for the info, is the GL carbed or injected?
VDO gauges? What does that stand for? So its got some other gauges of course. What type are they and are they costly if they are broke? Thx!

Btw, 1964 water wings is hilarious! My water wings were at the very earliest 1979, lol

The GL is carb, not fuel injected. If you want a fuel injected V8 with fiberglass cockpit and snap-in carpet you will likely have to increase your budget.

The VDO gauges are the automotive style gauge cluster rather than the individual gauges typically found in most boats. I didn't have any issues with mine but others have.
Author:  rpengr [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
VDO is a brand name of gauge clusters. They made great automotive gauges, but some problems with the marine ones. Mine work fine, and lots of others are working fine also. If they fail completely, then you end up replacing them with a new panel and all conventional round gauges for about $650. There are some topics on here about that.
Author:  jeff80kz1000e2 [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
GottWhat wrote:
jeff80kz1000e2 wrote:
rpengr wrote:
That's a good looking boat (maybe because it looks a lot like my boat) :D

Volvo SX with Aluminum Prop
5.7GL engine (I believe the GL was 220 HP? not 250 HP as listed in the add. That would be the GS)
Fresh Water usage
Glue in carpet in cockpit (that's a negative)
FW painted trailer with spare
Nice condition / clean. Nice condition vinyl. Some fading of the blue on the right side.
VDO Gauges (That's a negative...but ok if they work)
Bimini Top + Bow and Cockpit covers.


Lol, it is a nice boat, yours too! Thanks for the info, is the GL carbed or injected?
VDO gauges? What does that stand for? So its got some other gauges of course. What type are they and are they costly if they are broke? Thx!

Btw, 1964 water wings is hilarious! My water wings were at the very earliest 1979, lol

The GL is carb, not fuel injected. If you want a fuel injected V8 with fiberglass cockpit and snap-in carpet you will likely have to increase your budget.

The VDO gauges are the automotive style gauge cluster rather than the individual gauges typically found in most boats. I didn't have any issues with mine but others have.


Cool, no biggie on the carb, I don't have an issue with that and thanks for the info on the gauges!

Thanks for the info from everyone, got some excellent info to get going with!
Author:  deafwish [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 6:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
That gauge cluster is a Faria set, not VDO - so you should be fine.
Fit a 4BBL intake and carburettor to that and she'll come alive. 8)
If the hull's good, you have a brilliant & simplistic boat to get you safely & reliably on to the water.
No scan tools or electronic fuel pump issues, here! :lol: 8)

p.s. Never heard of a Workshop offering a dyno service on a boat's out-drive?! :?
Author:  jeff80kz1000e2 [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 6:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
deafwish wrote:
That gauge cluster is a Faria set, not VDO - so you should be fine.
Fit a 4BBL intake and carburettor to that and she'll come alive. 8)
If the hull's good, you have a brilliant & simplistic boat to get you safely & reliably on to the water.
No scan tools or electronic fuel pump issues, here! :lol: 8)

p.s. Never heard of a Workshop offering a dyno service on a boat's out-drive?! :?


Very cool. I don't mind doing a lil tweak and upgrade on her to make her come alive! Just got finished personally tuning my old kz1000 (one jet size at a time, then test and tune) with a 4 into 1 vance hines with a KN filter.....+2 on pilot jets and +4 sizes on the mains .....I'd say she woke the up a bit!!

Oops, got side tracked. Thx for the info on the gauges. Yea, the shop says they throw it on the dyno with water hooked up etc? We shall see.
Wife wants to wait till next spring, we got the funds.......have to nudge her a bit to go get a look see at this one!! Less than ten miles down the road.
Author:  jontmiller [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
looks similar to mine which I got three years ago for 5k, though I have the smaller 4.3 motor, that interior is quite a bit better than mine and I had a bum trailer (and purchased in 2012 when the economy was still sputtering)

I have genuinely enjoyed mine, finally put a little but of money into it this last year with a new floor and gauge setup. If you like turning wrenches its a great boat to learn on as well, at least mine has been. I also really like the size of the H200. But there is another one as good out there somewhere so don't get lured in if your not ready : )

(it is a 20 year old boat...11 seems steep to me)
Author:  ridepate [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
Exceptionally clean boat jeff!
Author:  jeff80kz1000e2 [ Thu Jul 09, 2015 6:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 1997 200 Horizon looking to purchase
Right on gentleman, thanks for more info and thoughts! Will make sure the time and purchase is right. If not this one, I think it might still be a different four winns ( the wifes dad has a 2008? Funship he bought new and with both like it). Thanks!
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