'79 Wellcraft Fisherman 180 Questions

[Quintin66]

Just acquired a Wellcraft Fisherman 180 and it seems awefully wide in transom engine cutout area to have come with just one engine. The HIN, WELB0795M79D-180F, suggests it's from 1979. The present motor is a '78 Evinrude 85hp V4 that runs good but looks like someone drug behind a truck on a chain. Anyone who could give me some HIN decoding advice so maybe I can dig up how many engines was hangin' off this baby when it was new? Transom is 8ft, and the engine cutout is 5ft. HP rating on hull is 150hp.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: '79 Wellcraft Fisherman 180 Questions

Welcome back to the forum! I can tell you that a Wellcraft 180 Fisherman was a great boat when first delivered. Who knows what has been done to it by PO's since 1979. I doubt that the HIN will tell you anything about the original motor configuration but I've been wrong many times before. You should be able to examine the transom closely and tell if dual and/or different motors have been installed by the previous mounting holes/patches, if any. I will look for a HIN decoding website and post it later. Good luck!

EDIT: http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/hin.html

 

[Quintin66]

Re: '79 Wellcraft Fisherman 180 Questions

Thanks for the welcome Willy, It's been a long time since I've had a boat with a gas engine, been puttin' around in a Vbottom Jonboat an' trollin' motor for ten years with no worries. Now I gotta take my yard apes with me everywhere I go, including fishing. This 180 sure has the room for that. As you say, telltale holes and marks on the transom should give up the ghost, I will search carefully tomorrow...and take some pics to post for you to see what I mean about being so wide an area.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: '79 Wellcraft Fisherman 180 Questions

A lot of boats had wide transoms to accommodate dual engines. Back in the late 50's and early '60's 35 hp was " Boss Hog". If you had anything of any size to push you needed 2. Also, offshore boats a lot of times had accommodations for duals as a lot of folks liked the safety of dual engines for getting home in a "tight". For trollers, it gave you room to clamp a "kicker" along side your main power.

Pros and cons on both ideas and just because it's wide doesn't mean you need to go with duals. Personally I'd rather have a single engine for numerous reasons, just as others would prefer duals for numerous reasons.

Good Luck,
Mark

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: '79 Wellcraft Fisherman 180 Questions

I can tell you that twin engines on v-18's and v20's are NOT common..... it IS possible but not practical from a performance standpoint... a single engine of 90hp or more will push her... I have a '76 merc 115 on my V-20....
Since you now own one of the best small fishing boats ever made you NEED to come sign up on one of the best forums ever ..... wellcraftv20.com.. Tell em smoke sent ya