TOPIC: 1968 Jolly Rodger

I have a new project!! Picked up a 1968 Jolly Rodger. It did not come with the 125 Merc that was originally on it. I have a 1964 Johnson 90 h.p i plan on putting on it however the motor needs some work. I hope to have it on the water next year. I will be in need help finding the missing pieces for the motor. Currently I am in need of an engine cover so if anyone has one please let me know if you would like to part with it.

Getting some parts together thanks to some members of this amazing site!! With gitting the running Bayliner the work on the Jolly Roger has slowed but still making progress. What do you think i could expect top speed wise with a 90 h.p behind this boat? It's a 16 footer and will only have a max of 4 people in it. Most of the time it will only have 2 in it. I was hoping to get it up to about 35-40.

This was the boat when i got it. I paid 300.00 for the hull and trailer and 50.00 for the 1964 Johnson 90 h.p. I got some transom mounts coming from New York and have info on a cover from California.

Though I am not an OMC guy, that boat and 90hp with that lower drag pointy gear case would hopefully add up to climbing over 40 with the right prop if the tilt pin setting allows for a little less hull to be in the water. The plus side is you already get 30-35mph credit for just sitting on the trailer the way that thing looks. One of those all silver 135hp Strangler Evinrudes from back in the 70' would be cool too. Likely if you picked a good all around prop that plains off 4 people and full gas and one skier, you may over rev with only 2 on board. The old struggle of what do I want more...power to pull skiers with a boat load or go faster with 2 people. I like a prop for going fast at correct rpms. I let my friends with the inboard boats pull the skiers if the job gets too big or if I don't want to change props. Their are experts on here with better answers than mine. Good luck and really nice rig!!

Thanks for the reply Dr.Go! I would like to get a 125 on it but at the time i could not find a period correct outboard on craigslist that was over 15 h.p. I will be pulling tubes behind my Bayliner seeing it has a 115 Evinrude. The Jolly Roger will be a go as fast as it can boat. This boat was my wifes grandfathers and her dad learned to ski behind it when he was a kid. He sold the boat in 1974 and it stayed in the area. I was very happy to pick it up once my father in law told me its history.

Just my 2 cents worth,...
I'm not sure that the 90HP v4 will provide the performance you want, but maybe??
You'll definitely need part ownership in Shell, or Exxon, or Chevron, etc to run the beast.
If you are an OMC guy, you would probably be better off with a 115v4, or 140v4. (sharers of stock in the oil companies still required)
BUT
If there is even a trace of Phantom Black in your blood,...A 1973 through 1980 1150 or 115 Merc Tower of Power would make a nice choice for the Jolly Roger.
It would probably make it a 45+/- MPH combination.
If you jumped up to a 1973-1977 1500, or 1978-early 1979 1400, or late 1979 thru 1980 140, or an '81-'88 115 (all inline-6 Tower of Power beasts) you would be able to claim mid 50MPH speeds, but with a high risk of dangerous chine-walking at 55MPH +/-.
doc

Holey Moley,...It took quite a while for this old dinosaur to find these old pictures, but here they are!!!
doc

Very nice pictures. Couple of more cents here... agree with the nice list of motors Doc threw at you. Help me here Doc: wasn't it around 1983 when Merc went from crank shaft rated HP to Prop Shaft rated HP? That means a newer 115 may have similar or more hp than a 125...jump right in here Doc. I think motors were a bit heavier with newer "nested inside " trim units but that is likely not a big factor. This is not a fact I know, but just heard from another Merc guy that the 125 (even though I like them) had some different designs to its internals and there he said makes it more $$ and more challenging to fix due to something like thinner cylinder walls that may not be able to be sleeved...again - I don't know any of that as fact. Here is an idea... get the more modern 115 for dependability and parts availability... then buy the period correct red 125 sticker package. Where I live in Wisconsin, you see boat, motor, trailer combos for 1,500 - 2,500...which is often cheaper than a motor sold alone. Do that and swap your 90 onto the donor rig and sell that package and you might get an inexpensive motor in the end. Of course if you love the omc motors, then you have to do what is in your heart. It's your rig to own and drive after all. Hope some of this was worth 1 cent maybe. That boat would get attention even with a trolling motor on it... but there goes your speed.

Hey doc thanks for the replys. I was thinking the same thing as far as power goes. I have my bayliner with a 1983 115 evinrude and was thinking of picking up a second set of transom mounts for it. Then i could swap motors between boats. I feel thats a lot of work though. I am not brand loyal yet as i have just gotten into boating. The Jolly Roger had a 125 merc on it new but the previous owner put it on a more family friendly boat he picked up. I figure i will get it running with the 90 and play witlh it a little then possibly sell the 90 to put towards a 125. I do have a question about h.p ratings the boats tag has a 125 max rating on it. Would i be ablle to put a 140 or 150 on it without problems?

Well,...RATS
I had a nice reply written up, turned my back for a second,...The reply vanished.
I'll try again tomorrow.
Sorry,
doc

I hate when that happens doc!! I started writing replys in microsoft word if they are lengthy. I have had it happen many times on car forums. I will be eagerly waiting for it sir.