OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

[REPO]

New guy here, been reading as much as I can on the forums. Looking at buying my first river boat, not looking to spend tons of money, but do want something that can handle a little bashing, as being a beginner, I am sure its going to be stuck high and dry on more than one occasion.

I found a guy selling a 2000 E5 Sabre with a SJ175. I think from what I have read these are a step deck hull? If so, are these not more for speed than play? The boat has a 5 foot T1 steel bottom? Could someone explain this, and the differences between the step deck and delta pad?

Biggest problem with this boat, is low compression in once cylinder. I am a mechanic by trade, and have the (hopeful) thoughts of being able to tear down the engine and rebuild it. I know the 175SJ is no longer available, but how about parts? Are they over priced? Could I eventually just buy a 200 opti? By that I mean, would one bolt in, or would there be major reconstruction to get a different setup to fit?

Sorry for all the newb quesitons, I just need to get my head around all of this.

[Boomhower]

The E5 sabre was a delta bottom in that year. They became a steptech in 2004 and came with a Race intake and inboard mounted modified pump. They were onlly built for 2 years.
So the earlier ones such as the 2000 would have a SJ. The 175's first then came some 240's in the delta bottoms.
The E5 Delta was a ok bottom bot not the stongest. The QT-100 bottom plate will help... But if the boat you are looking at has a Belly tank then there is no center vertical stringer which takes away a lot of Beef.
A delta bottom is flat from front to back. They run shallower and were simpler to build. The step bottom has 1,2 or even 3 steps from front to back to Reduce Drag and improve handling.

Below is a Delta bottom with strakes.

[REPO]

Thanks for the info Boomhower. Would you happen to know what degree the bottom would have been on the 2000 delta syle?

I think it does have a center tank. Not 100% sure yet. Is that the way they were built in 2000? Would this be an OK boat for a beginner? Not planning on any jumping of sandbars, etc, but as mentioned, I would most likely end up stuck on a sandbar or gravel bar at some point.

Would that 175Sj be upgradeable? By that I mean, could I purchase and install a newer Opti?

[Boomhower]

steptech from top

[blen]

You can upgrade to the 200 but it's some work for not a lot a gain. You might gain 2 to 3 miles per hour top end but have a more complicated power plant. You will benefit from fuel injection and it's nice to have Smartcraft.The 200 will get better economy but for the avg 50 to 75hr per year boater it won,t matter. I put a 240 into a E 5 last year. The pump box is 3 inches to short to allow for the inboard exhaust expansion chamber .3 inches may as well be a mile as you will have to cut the floor and build a longer pump box as well as cut out the hull for exhaust. Alot of welding.
Bringing the motor ahead three inches also really diminishes reverse performance as the reverse water strikes the back of the hull. My E5 delta handles well because it is a 16 deg hull. it's a nice compromise because the light weight Sportjet let's you get away with a 16 degree and still run skinny water.I do not think a step tec would gain you much as you will not get enough speed from a Sportjet to make it advantageous.

[REPO]

Thanks blen. Next question I guess would be, if I were to just have the current 175 rebuilt, possibly using the '015" over sized pistons, could a person see much performance gain out of it?

[blen]

I think the only way to see noticeable gain in the 175 is to free up the exhaust. The stock exhaust takes a convoluted route through the pump that is very restrictive.Mercury produced a carberated 210 HP Sportjet that was essentially a 175 with the same dual exhaust as the 200 Opti and 240 EFI.