1989 180 horizon outboard engine question

rydan88 · **Joined:** Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:20 pm **Posts:** 6

Hi.
This is my first post on this forum. I'm from sweden so my english isn't perfect. But i hope you can understand me!

This summer i purchased four winns bowrider, a 1989 180 horizon. I'm very happy with it, but it wouldn't do me anything if it had a bit bigger engine!
It's equipped with a Johnson 140hp VRO outboard engine. I've read on four winns homepage that they were sold with either 120hp or 150hp and the inboard modell with 130hp, 175hp and 205hp.
I wonder if I could mount a 175hp outboard?

I also wonder if there are any identification numbers somewhere on the boat? I'm not sure it's a 1989.
I would like to have a waterski "tower", like this:

Where can i find one like that? I've seen that there are three "mounting" points on the back of the boat, one infront of the engine and one on each side of it.

I'll try to post a few pictures of it:

I hope you can understand me!

Greetings
Johan from Sweden.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 04, 2012 3:26 pm

I've seen 12 foot aluminum jon boats with 150hp engines, it's quite funny.

Is 35 more horsepowers going to break anything on your boat? No. I would make sure it fits the space though. I would also have the transom inspected for any rot or damage first. If it has any you're going to have to fix that first.

The only issue you will run into is with the law dogs. Check with your local government about putting more hp then the plate on the boat allows for. The US Coast guard doesn't care, but some states do. Also, some insurance companies will not insure a boat with an engine larger then rated, but most allow 10% over max rated on the plate due to some sizes becoming obsolete. If you do not tell them you are oversized and file a claim, they will drop you and not pay.

I/O boats do not have any rules/laws/or regulations on their horsepower. People drool over buying the H180's with the V8. 220+HP in an 18ft bowrider is quite nutty

230 Mike · **Posted:** Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:40 pm

Greetings Johan, welcome to the forum.

NOLV4V8 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 04, 2012 6:15 pm

Welcome, I have a 89 as well, only I/O. You can find the hull vin right below the swim platform on the drivers side. Basically below the rub rail, on the stern, inline with the gas cap.

If anything, you need to worry about if you put a bigger motor on it is that trailer!!!

LouC · **Posted:** Wed Jan 04, 2012 9:03 pm

Unless you find a used one, outboard engines are quite expensive, I'd run it with the one it has, a 140 on a boat that size should perform pretty well, the older Horizons were quite a bit lighter than the more modern ones and bigger inside as well. One thing I would change is that trailer, it's way too small for that boat....
The boat looks great, for a boat going on 23 years old.

Mark T · **Posted:** Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:25 pm

Your english is a lot better than most of the kids coming out of the public schools around here !!!
So congratulations on that, and the nice looking boat you have as well.

Your 140 Johnson weighs about 370 lbs, the new Evinrude 200hp e-tec motor is 419 lbs which is over 200lbs lighter than the same hp Mercury, so if you want to really fly get one of those.....
http://www.outboard-engine.com/enginesp ... ecordID=67

rydan88 · **Joined:** Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:20 pm **Posts:** 6

Thank you for all the answers!
I do know that the trailer is a bit too small for my boat. I got it with the boat when i bought it, i'm looking for a bigger one!

Ok so it seems like there should be no problem with a bigger engine on it. I'm new to all this with boats, this is my first "real one".
I guess my johnson has a XL-rigg? is that like 25"?
25" are very hard to find here in sweden. I did find quite a lot in US using ebay. Just buying it from the US is really cheap

But then there is the shipping question, and the "not being fooled" question....

Does anyone here have the same boat as me but with a bigger outboard? I would be good to get som opinions from someone who actually have on

I have a few more questions:
At full throttle, how mouch rpm should i have?
Where do i find spare parts or accesories for my boat?

And, did anyone have some kind of waterski/tube arch mounted on their boat? I would like to see a picture of it..planning to weld one my one.

I'm a bit stressed so this post might be a bit confusing...sorry!

/Johan

rydan88 · **Joined:** Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:20 pm **Posts:** 6

anyone?
I found where the Vin-number USED to be...

97_245_sd · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:47 pm

Johan,
If you go to the Four Winns website and click on Past Product specs you can find information about your older boat. I took a quick look and didn't see a 1989 but they had 1988 and 1990, I would guess your boat would be similar to one of those years.

Can't help with an outboard engine, never had one but good luck.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:59 am

rydan88 wrote:

I guess my johnson has a XL-rigg? is that like 25"?
25" are very hard to find here in sweden. I did find quite a lot in US using ebay. Johan

What is the model number on the engine?

I was thinking that that generation boat had a 20" transom. If it is a 25" transom then yes you will need an XL shaft outboard. You can measure the transom pretty easily. Basically just measure the distance from the very bottom of the "V" of the hull to the top of the area right where the motor mounts.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:14 am

Outboards are really expensive, and if you go to a newer style motor you might need a new gauge set. If you're going to spend the $$, get all the horsepowers you can afford. Also get a 2-stroke, not 4. A 2-stroke can be nearly 200lb lighter, cheaper to fix/maintain, and gets pretty much the same GPH.

If it was me, I'd get a 200hp over 175hp. Same size/weight externally. Just make sure your transom is solid and no rot.

Also, make sure you really love your boat. This is really expensive. You can find a mid/late 90's Four Winns bowrider in good condition with a 225hp V6 sterndrive for the price of what this will cost you.

zseese · **Joined:** Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:33 am **Posts:** 37

ric wrote:

If it was me, I'd get a 200hp over 175hp. Same size/weight externally. Just make sure your transom is solid and no rot.

Also, make sure you really love your boat. This is really expensive. You can find a mid/late 90's Four Winns bowrider in good condition with a 225hp V6 sterndrive for the price of what this will cost you.

These two points are kind of what I was thinking, but then again it may be harder to find a good I/O in sweden than it is in the states for cheap, that's just a guess though, but just like Ric said, 200 over 175 for sure if you replace the motor...

Mark T · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:54 pm

ric wrote:

Outboards are really expensive, and if you go to a newer style motor you might need a new gauge set. If you're going to spend the $$, get all the horsepowers you can afford. Also get a 2-stroke, not 4. A 2-stroke can be nearly 200lb lighter, cheaper to fix/maintain, and gets pretty much the same GPH.

If it was me, I'd get a 200hp over 175hp. Same size/weight externally. Just make sure your transom is solid and no rot.

Also, make sure you really love your boat. This is really expensive. You can find a mid/late 90's Four Winns bowrider in good condition with a 225hp V6 sterndrive for the price of what this will cost you.

Did some looking out new outboard motor prices, and Holy%$#& you weren't kidding these ARE really expensive. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130623430716+
I have to agree with Ric, you better LOVE your boat to toss in an amount you for a motor that you are not going to get back on resale down the road, but then again, who ever profits from buying a boat ??

My suggestion, come to the states, buy a used boat, ship it back to Sweden. You'll get your boat, and a vacation and probably still have some coin left over.

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 4:15 pm

Like I said earlier I'd stick with the Johnson 140, I have seen a lot of 18-20 foot boats with OBs around here and most come with a 150, a few with a 175. If that engine is running well it should be powerful enough. Keep in mind that most of those 180s had a 175 hp V-6 I/O, which weighed at least 500 lbs more than the outboard model, so the 140 should be fast enough. I'd give it a good tune up and make sure the carbs are clean, well adjusted and that there are no fuel system restrictions.
Four stroke OBs are nice, for sure but they and the new DI 2 strokes are very expensive. If you were putting it on a Grady White or a Boston Whaler, that would be one thing, but the resale on a FW will not justify the expense.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

I agree stick with the new date as she is dressed. You can always get her the boob job later if you don't want a different model.....did I say that out loud.

www.iFourWinns.com

1989 180 horizon outboard engine question

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