1996 Mercury 150 XR6?

[rambler]

Hey Guys,
I am looking at a new to me boat. See one I like, a 19' Yarcraft powered by a 1996 Mercury 150 XR6. Can you guys give me some feedback on this motor? What do you think likely top speed on a boat like this might be? fuel consumption at cruising speed? Dependability? How long were these engines manufactured?
Any input positive or negative is good. I am on a tight budget and don't want to invest in something that I would have to rework or replace right away.
Thanks,
Lloyd

[Frank S]

They were a carbureated engine, so the mileage isn't that great. The upside is they are very dependable and pretty simple to work on. They made that engine or earlier versions (Black Max) for a lot of years, so they had it figured out. Check the compression, should give you a good idea of the overall condition. Call a Merc dealer for the numbers or do a search. I had a 1994 150 Black Max than ran great for the 10 years I had it, replaced a voltpack (there are 2 of them, so if one goes out, it doesn't put you off the water), may want to check that. If one goes out, the tach quits working. I sold it to a friend, he is still using it regularly. Check the lower unit oil for water (milky oil). On any used motor I would replace the plugs, impellor, and lower unit oil unless I was sure they were fresh. Almost need a dealer to tune the 3 carbs, get them in sync. if they need it. Nothing like a water test to know for sure, starting it up in the yard doesn't always tell everything. Brian down at NestEgg Marine in Marinette is a genius with Mercs and Yarcrafts, may be worth getting him to check it out. good Luck

[rambler]

Thanks for the advice Frank. Had compression test and leak down test done and that was great. This is sitting on a 1996 Yarcraft model 1990 Michigan. So it's 19 feet long and has a 90 inch beam. Anyone here familiar with that boat? What can you tell me about fishing water like Green Bay and Little Bay de Noc for Walleyes and the occasional trip offshore for Salmon or Trout. Is it in fact a "dry" boat as they claim? Will it handle some heavy water?
What is comfort like in this boat? A smoother ride than my current aluminum I am hoping in rough water.
Let me know.

[Honey Hole]

Frank is right on with the Merc info. I run a Yar-Craft 1895(18'10") and it rides as good as you push it. I fish all over Green Bay from Oconto to LBdN and these boats will take as much as you can. Anything over 4 footers and your going to get soaked. I have fished out of glass Tundra's, Skeeters and Rangers all in the 19-20 ft class and the Yar's are as good as any. I fished with a friend out of that model back in the 90's and it was good. All the Guys I fish with never have a bad thing to say about them, They only produce a couple hundred a year so there are not many out there. Pre-2000 they were using marine plywood instead of glass or composite so check the floors for soft spots and look closely for rotting in the hull. The boats that were left out in the weather had problems.