northrivergeek
resin sniffer
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Soddy Daisy Chattanooga TN
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (northrivergeek) » | 2:07 PM 11/1/2009 |
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no knowledge of the Astro's here ? or at least there must not be many that are on here anymore?
Anyone have any info on the 97 model F-20's ? was f20 just a generic model number .. or did they have other models this one has a single console with a get like fairing in front of the console
Did they have a composite transom and stringers ?? Any one have any literature scanned on them ? Old sale flyers ?
Ive searched the net all over .. find a good bit of info on the Fish and Skis and Dual Consoles but most are older than 97 and 17ft not the 20 foot models.
I fish There for I amI love the smell of two strokes, and polyester resin just not at the same time  AKA NRG , Fish, Fishalishious
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hirks
Allison? never heard of em?
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courtice ontario
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (northrivergeek) » | 5:22 PM 11/1/2009 |
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It's Astro's high performance model,tricky to drive but fast.
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AllyFishing
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Lehighton pa
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (northrivergeek) » | 7:06 AM 11/2/2009 |
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Hi northrivergeek...I just replied to you again on S&F. Sorry I can't give you any more info on the materials that the transom is made of. Like I said over there, I would call Brunswick Corp. They have to have someone over there that would remember. I'll tell ya what...I'll ask my local marina where I bought my Astro and see if they remember. They actually sold a F-20 when they were a Merc/Astro dealer. 
Merc 200EFI in photo being replaced by 225 Pro Max soon!
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northrivergeek
resin sniffer
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Soddy Daisy Chattanooga TN
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (AllyFishing) » | 7:23 AM 11/2/2009 |
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I will call Brunswick .. but with Astro gone away for 2010 Maybe they still have info on the 97 models.. I would just like to have a transom that I didnt have to worry with rot .. Ive rebuilt soo many 80s boats its crazy.
I know they got better with materials in the late 90s in general all manufactures.. but I would really like to know how its made..before I buy, and a hull weight would be good lol..every site ya see has a different weight lol
I fish There for I amI love the smell of two strokes, and polyester resin just not at the same time AKA NRG , Fish, Fishalishious
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northrivergeek
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Soddy Daisy Chattanooga TN
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (northrivergeek) » | 3:31 PM 11/2/2009 |
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I called brunswick .. they said they had no Idea they didnt buy Astro and Procraft till 98, didnt know anything about either before late 98 early 99. and they still couldnt tell me what or how they were made even then .. sheesh .. what a bunch of maroons.. If I bought out a company I would want a history of the entire time they were in buisness
I fish There for I amI love the smell of two strokes, and polyester resin just not at the same time AKA NRG , Fish, Fishalishious
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AllyFishing
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Lehighton pa
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (northrivergeek) » | 8:12 PM 11/4/2009 |
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They are full of bull crap!!! Under the name on my 1991 Astro stickers it stated "by Brunswick Marine Group" or something like that. I'm tellin ya, they bought them out in 1989. I had communicated with a tech guy there 2 years ago when I repowered my hull with the 200 and asked for advice and info on the 1.78:1 small gearcase that came on the XR4 and he did not know what I was talking about. He said it was a misprint that Mercury never made a gearcase with 1.78:1 gears. AND THIS IS A MERCURY TECH!! I still did not get a chance to ask my dealer if they remember anything. They went to all the meetings in Nashville each year and had fun meeting Bill Dance, Shaw Grigsby, Paul Elias etc. and beating the boats on the water for a day. ESPECIALLY the F-20. Really shakes my confidence with Mercury!! 
Merc 200EFI in photo being replaced by 225 Pro Max soon!
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northrivergeek
resin sniffer
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Soddy Daisy Chattanooga TN
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (AllyFishing) » | 5:41 AM 11/5/2009 |
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Well , the friend who has the 97 .. I never looked at the serial on the hull, I went back yesterday and looked the boat over really good, the boat is a 94 not a 97 F20.. he meant well the engine on the boat was a 97 so he assumed the boat was too.. but the NADA on the 94 is still something around 6400, so the 2k price he gave me with the 10" jack plate, merc controls, and the 80lb trolling motor is still way below the nada price.He sold the engine to offset the price of his Nitro he bought, and just never got around to selling the Astro. Ive found the most of the Techs Merc , OMC, Yamaha, etc unless they where a tech when the older models where around. they know little on the specs etc of engines before their time .. younger techs only know the current models.. if you want info about gear cases etc .. ask on here , or on scream and fly.. on Scream and fly ask James Perry, he goes by wrechin2 on there.
James is my personal guru on mods and rebuilds, He and I are going to put a 91 2.5L 200hp modified on the astro the 2.5L powerhead will be be put on a 87 2.0L removing the 2.0 power head and doing the follow mods to the 2.5 1) Porting past 225 specs and almost to 245 specs. 2) shave Heads to 34CC 3) Shave front 1/2 .050 and stuffed with epoxy. 4) The oil gear passage filled up with epoxy to make all the cylinders equal 5) The block cut to reveal the finger/ booster port passages 6) The rough castings removed from the block 7) upgrade to fiber reeds to help performance and save the engine in case one
breaks. As done on another boat he just rebuilt, that boat is now a rocket.. but the only down side is having to run 93 octane in a highly modified race type engine
I fish There for I am I love the smell of two strokes, and polyester resin just not at the same time AKA NRG , Fish, Fishalishious
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CatFan
UK2K!
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SW IN
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (northrivergeek) » | 6:59 AM 11/5/2009 |
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Astro and Procraft were owned by The Marine Group in 1997. I have a 97 Astro, and none of the stickers or literature indicate that the construction is composite. Since this wasn't the norm yet in 97, I'd assume they'd be bragging about it someplace if it was composite.
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AllyFishing
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Lehighton pa
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (northrivergeek) » | 6:13 AM 11/6/2009 |
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Sounds great...go for it!! I will be patiently waiting to see some before and after pics. If there is no engine on it now, are you able to see any bulging around the engine bolt holes or even maybe scratch around inside the holes carefully to get any idea at all how the wood appears in the transom? That's a pretty good indication of the condition of the transom. Also, ask this owner if he has info on the previous owner and find out if it was garaged and how well it was taken care of. How does the gel look around the top of the transom and the well? Put a straight edge along the transom surface on the top or wherever you can to see if it is straight . Those are some indicators of the condition. I'm not sure how high you can get the propshaft with that standard JP they put on that boat model at that time. Good luck with it and I am hoping it works out. Can't wait to hear more about it. Craig 
Merc 200EFI in photo being replaced by 225 Pro Max soon!
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Darth VMAX
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Rose Hill KANZAS
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (AllyFishing) » | 12:01 PM 11/6/2009 |
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Is that the hot rod Astro/Procraft model that Bill Dance used to run a 200 EFI on and would always be on his shows intro doing a fly-by chinewalking like crazy? 
Ron Shearer (sp?) on the tv show "Great American Outdoors" drove the Astro version and was always braggin how fast it was. This was back in the TNN Outdoors days (in the 90's)They almost look like they took some ideas from the XTB-21 and XB2002 and incorporated it into the boat design. 
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northrivergeek
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Soddy Daisy Chattanooga TN
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (Darth VMAX) » | 9:04 PM 11/6/2009 |
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Im all to familiar with what rot in a boat looks like .. I do fiberglass bass boat restoration every day.. Im not sure Im gonna mess with this boat .. I just restored a 86 Hydra Sport all new wood, paints, seats, carpet etc etc .. for my self .. I really wanted a no wood boat for a change .. just to not have to worry about rot.. but after looking at the boat closer it dif is a wood boat.. transom looks ok .. but there is some beginning rot here and there else where .. and the gelcoat is in ruff shape.. bottom of the hull scraped and chipped.. Im prob just gonna pass on this boat .. I really dont feel its worth 2k to me .. it would take at least a month maybe two to get it anywhere near the condition of my Hydra .. on the outside.. not to mention the wood inside .. if I could get it for 700-900 Id feel better about it .. and would just split the boat and see what really is gong on inside .. then repair any rot .. coat the good wood with some epoxy resin to seal out water.. then reassemble .. but this boat is defiantly unlike any Ive seen transom wise .. It looks like it would be a real bitch to split apart.. but I guess I could just use as is until I see real problems.. I guess Im just gonna make me a Hydra Sport ROCKET .. anyone every seen a 17 ft hydra with a 240hp motor lol .. way too much power for full throttle for me .. prob hit 90 with that motor ... on the Hydra it only weighs about 900 lbs ! Put I bet it will be out of the hole and on plane in a 1/4 boat length LOL
I fish There for I am I love the smell of two strokes, and polyester resin just not at the same time AKA NRG , Fish, Fishalishious
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WestyF18
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Sun City AZ
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (Darth VMAX) » | 10:14 PM 11/9/2009 |
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Darth-Max
You are correct Bill Dance had the Procraft version. I still have my 93 F18 which is the same boat only 18'10" and has a max HP of 175. Mine still runs in the low 70's, but doesn't compare to my XB-2003. I'm hanging on to the Astro for bedfishing in the spring. Maybe I should drop the 280 on it and scare some Rangers. Westy
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Darth VMAX
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Rose Hill KANZAS
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| Re: Looking at buying 97 Astro F20 any issues opinions (WestyF18) » | 12:24 PM 11/10/2009 |
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Thanks Westy Thats what I thought but wasn't sure.I always thought those were one of the better looking "cookie cutters" made. Looked fast and had great performance  The only thing I didn't like about them was no dual console and you could only get em with a black grenade on the back   Also, its too bad they were full of wood  I am curious...what was the max hp for the 20ft version? Normally Promax motors SUCK on anything other than a HP boat (Allison, Bullet etc.) But this is one "cookie cutter" that if light enough, a 225x would be sweet on!
Modified by Darth VMAX at 9:42 AM 11/10/2009
Modified by Darth VMAX at 9:42 AM 11/10/2009
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OHBMQUINN2
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columbus ohio
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Ok I doug up my sales brosure from 1994 team brunswick pros Ron Shear Gary Klein Greg Hines ok F20 Lenght 20 1 Beam 91 weight1705 weight includes fully riged boat less engine & trailer AME high performance resin carbonfiber reinforcementaccording to the brosure Max Hp 200
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