14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

[wayne h]

i have the chance to get what i think is a good deal on a 1993 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat with a 90 hp merc . the boat seems sound and the owner seems to be very honest. i have heard the boat run but have not taken it out .he said the power head was rebuilt about 40 hours ago right before he bought it and that he just does not have the money or time to really enjoy it . it was offered that if i took the day off work he would take it out with me . but with work being busy this is not really an opition right now , i can get the boat with binini top and new cd player , trailer that is in good shape {one bunk is cracked and needs replaced} for a grand . this would be my first jet boat and really my first console boat .. i use to have a small 12 foot tiller that i regret ever selling . what i am looking to use it for is light flats fishing and idling up the river with the girlfriend .. does anyone have any input on what to look for and what to expect .. pros and cons .. thanks here is a small pic of the boat.

 

[Zamboni]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

That's a nice little boat with the bimini would be great for spending a lot of time on water fishing. It won't be really fast, maybe 33mph...SJ's are not most efficient so will drink more gas than you would expect. Fun to bomb around in, quick turns etc. Too shallow and your pump will sandblast itself-otherwise good for fishing from.

First thing to check is if the stator is upgraded (Red), the black stators on early SJ's were trouble. Ride plate gaskets often need replacing, that and wear ring (epoxy repair) are 2 most common problem areas. Easy fixes, often the cause of a boat selling cheap.

I have shop manual for SJ90 on pdf, check your pm's.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

that is not a good fishing boat. jets are extremely inefficient, you loose 40% of the horsepower, in the jet transfer, at most you will be getting out of the jet, is equivilant to a 60 hp propped motor, but will be spending gas $ for a 90 hp.

 

[marine4003]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

We had a sea ray F16 W/120 merc, what a blast!!! rear cowling lifted for easy engine work,sat 4 comfortably,pretty quick little boat. SJ do eat gas,but - easy to launch,can go places other boats cant,the merc's are dependable motors,so for 1K you'll have fun.and fish....as i said she can go places others cant, i fished alot off my boat caught tons of flounder,sad to sell it but baby was on the way..and its no boat for baby's.

 

[wayne h]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

thanks guys i will check and see if it had the upgrades . i dont do lot of fishing i just like to feed the fish more then anything .. i am really just looking to spend some quiet times on the water with my girlfreind away for all the noise and hustle of the world..he did tell me when he got it the ring needed repair, dont know if he poxied it or replaced it .. i will have to ask. he said the previous owner was tired of putting money into it after the powerhead rebuild . i know it also has a new starter on it but i am not sure about the other electronics being upgraded .can i see the stator easely to see what one it has on it . if not would this be a huge problem upgrading ? again thanks for the input . again i wont have the time to test it out on the water so it will just pretty much be a visual inspection and taking his word for it .. he has been honest with me this far and is pretty well known in the area for being a straight up guy.

 

[arboldt]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

I have a '95 Sea Ray (Sea Rayder) 13.5' with the 90 HP Merc SportJet, so there's a lot of similarity. Because of the inefficiencies of the jet, it's actually rather underpowered. I can pull a skier who weighs maybe 100# max, but even then it's a fight to get them up. Pulling a 12-year-old granddaughter on a tube is even problematic. It's also much louder (uncomfortably so) than more recent boats.

These are miserable boats to work on the engine. You have to be a contortionist to get at a lot. In my area, it's also difficult to find a marina to work on them. Last fall was the second year in a row I've had to have most of the engine electronics replaced (I blame the first mechanic, but it still cost big $$).

If you want more insight, you might want to visit www.jetboat14.com, which focuses on this size and type of boat.

All told, if I knew back then what I know now, I probably would buy something else. However, if all he's asking is $1K, then I might do it. They are a fun boat on smaller water.

 

[wayne h]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

THANKS guys i decided against the boat and was given a like new 1989 bayliner capri with a force 50 on it . the boat was taken out 3 times since new and was parked in my girlfriends grandparents barn covered up since. with alittle cleaning and some light maintenance we got her cleaned up and going this boat is like new .. i know they where not much of a boat and have read all the headaches of them and the way they where built but the price was right for this NEW old boat ..

 

[johnnyteb23]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

I am looking for a manual for the same boat.PLEASE PLEASE can someone send this to me at johntebbetts@yahoo.com please!!

 

[grego]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

Glad you passed on boat, for several reasons. "The capri", if it does NOT have hydrofoils on lower end, and you have more than two people onboard. It will take awhile to get on plane, and it is a light weight craft. SO! expect to get pummeled, in "LARGER BOAT," high traffic areas! [John]! if you have a printer and plenty of ink and some extra time, you can probably download the manual from the internet. Good luck to you both. OH! wayne. they used a CORK carb flote bowl gasket ,that brakes down and should be replaced. simple fix for not getting the rpm's you should be getting AND some other prob's.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

You made a good move passing on the jet boat. They are not designed for fishing or cruising slowly. They are made to go fast. Your replacement appears to be a great find, and much better suited to your purpose. Don't be discouraged by the reputation. Although it is an entry level boat, most of the problems arose fron lack of basic maintenance. Being it was stored inside, rot should not be an issue. Have a experienced mechanic go over the motor, replace the dried out impeller, and have a tune up done and you should have worry free boating. Treat your equipment well and it will always get you home. A dollar spent on maintenance probably saves 5 dollars spent on repair.

 

[HenkaQP8]

Re: 14' Bayliner Jazz Jet boat 90 hp merc. ANY GOOD??

That's a nice little boat with the bimini would be great for spending a lot of time on water fishing. It won't be really fast, maybe 33mph...SJ's are not most efficient so will drink more gas than you would expect. Fun to bomb around in, quick turns etc. Too shallow and your pump will sandblast itself-otherwise good for fishing from.

First thing to check is if the stator is upgraded (Red), the black stators on early SJ's were trouble. Ride plate gaskets often need replacing, that and wear ring (epoxy repair) are 2 most common problem areas. Easy fixes, often the cause of a boat selling cheap.

I have shop manual for SJ90 on pdf, check your pm's.

Hello ! Do you remember this ? I know its a long time ago, but i am interested in that shop manual on pdf for troubleshooting my Merc 90 Sportjet -93
Best regards: HenkaQP8