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| Hydra Sports Advice |
Question:
I'm considering purchasing a '97 Hydra-Sports Ocean 22 and wonder if anyone has any experience with this boat. I'll use it primarily for bay fishing with occasional offshore trips in the Gulf. My main concern is construction - does anyone know if the transom/stringers are wood or composite? Secondary is ride - especially in 4-6' seas.
Also wondering about the Evinrude 200 Ocean Pro ('97 as well). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
Highly recommended for the type of fishing you contemplate. The offshore thing in the Gulf is always problem, but the nice thing is you can make the run back in a hurry. There is plenty of fishing room on the foredeck - the aft deck is problematic unless you have the runabout/walkthrough version in which case, the reverse it true.
It's a little twitchy in terms of stability when running, but the ones that I've ridden in and fished out of were more than adequate. I wouldn't press my luck with more than three folk fishing at the same time. As always, engine trim on boats of this class has a lot to do with how the ride is. On boats that I've been on, that does not seem to be a problem like it is with my Ranger which is a comparable boat.
The problem with this boat isn't the stringers, but the transom, in particular around the engine mounts. Minor stress cracks where the engine is mounted is acceptable, but stress cracks along the top of the transom where the engine is mounted aren't.
You might want to tap out the bottom for blisters or have it looked over by a pro. This is not a normal problem for Hydra Sports, but it pays to be sure. If this boat has hydraulic steering, check the hoses for cracks and leaks at the ram.
With regard to the engine, this was a transition year for
Evinrude/Johnson/OMC. Assuming that the engine has been running relatively problem free since it was new, then I wouldn't worry about it unless you have extreme hours on it. With engines of this vintage and because it is a transition era Evinrude, it would be a good idea to determine how many hours are on the engine, have it compression checked, have a mechanic scope out the cylinders to check for excessive wear, pull the lower unit and have the seals pressure tested and just for the hell of it, changed anyway, prop shaft should be mic'd to see if it's out of round or bent and change the gear oil just because.
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