[NHRADeuce]

Hello Mariah fans! I've been looking for a 1998-1999 Jubilee and have found some potential candidates. After looking through all of the old posts I've found some stuff I need to look out for - windshield condition and head enclosure door seem to be common issues for many of these boats.

Besides those issues, is there anything I should keep an eye out for?

I've located a couple of 204 Jubilees. both with the 4.3l V6. One has a Bravo 3 and the other has an Alpha. I'd never seen a Bravo 3 paired with a V6 but that's definitely what it is. I'm a little worried about the 4.3l though. That seems a little under powered for a boat this size. Anyone have experience with V6 Jubilees?

The other one I have found is a 244. This one has a carbed 350 with a Bravo drive. Other than the length, is there a significant difference between them?

Thanks for any help, hoping I can pick one of these up and join the club.

[blockp]

I have a 99 Jubilee 214 with the same setup. 4.3 with bravo 3 drive. 3rd post in this thread has my take on the boat after the first year of use.
Does a jubilee 4.3 have enough power to pull a wake boarder


Now into our third summer with it. We still love the boat. For only being 21', it has great capacity, it rides and handles waves very well. It's a very dry boat in rough water.

Aside from the normal mechanical and general condition to inspect. The only items we've had issues with are, the screws through the bow seat hinges all keep trying to pull out of the wood. I've glued and put larger screws through to make them stay. All 3 of the plastic entrance doors on the boat are always coming loose.

General complaints.
The engine hatch is a bear to remove. There's not enough room behind the captains chairs to roll it forward, so you're stuck trying to pickup and move a 100lb hatch just to check fluids.

Passenger space behind the windshield can be cramped with only 4 people there.

Our boat lists to the starboard when at rest in the water. I've never been able to figure that one out.

Yes, I'd say the 4.3 is on the underpowered side, but it is still very usable and with the 22p props, it planes out very easily (especially with just my family on board) and gives very good throttle control. Unless you're trying to win a race, or expecting a cruise speed of 40+mph, I wouldn't be worried about the 4.3.

The Bravo 3 is a very nice unit. A lot less prop walk when docking and working in tight quarters.

[NHRADeuce]

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Our current boat is a 20ft Wellcraft bowrider with a 4.3+Alpha and I really like the fuel economy, but I was a little concerned that it would be underpowered for a deckboat. I'll definitely set my sites on the one with the Bravo outdrive.

[Mic22]

Welcome NHRADeuce!

I purchased a 2000 Jubilee 214 last summer and myself/family absolutely LOVE it! I was able to find one an hour from me with only 268 hrs on it - kept in dry storage- so it was in stellar condition. I really lucked upon this one, and wasn't even looking for a Mariah! While I was purchasing it, the seller got 3 calls on it...

Blockp appears to have the Jubilee with the wraparound style windshield and two captains chairs. Mine has the shield only at the helm, and is fully open on the port side with plenty of seating. (see pics) I have no complaints about lack of space in the cockpit area, and can pull my engine hatch up and slide it down the middle of the boat if needed. Of course, I have to remove the captain's chair from the pedestal - which takes all of 30 seconds. There is no way in **hell** I would want to be having to remove the engine hatch from the boat each time I needed to get to the engine. That sucker is heavy and irreplaceable if dropped!

Not sure about the 204's, but if they are the same style as mine, you are in luck with the windshield and head enclosure issues. I replaced my hatch a few months ago from UPD Plastics out of FL for $200.00 shipped. I told them to keep the mold they made from my old one, as others from this site will be ordering in the future. They also sell the windshield for around $100.00 I was told.

With regards to the engine concerns, (again, I have the Jubilee 214) I have the 5.0L with a 19p prop and Lenco trim tabs. I changed the prop from the 22p, (took forever to plane when tubing etc.) and installed the tabs myself after the first month. Boy what a difference those changes made. I cannot attest to the V6, but I usually have 6 or more passengers, and wish I had the 5.7L even with the tabs and prop change. Last weekend I had a full boat with 11 passengers (comfortably) and couldn't get on plane, so we cruised around at pontoon boat speeds, although I knew I would be pushing my luck with 12 people in the boat. There is no way with the amount of passengers I usually have (which is why I wanted a deck boat) I personally would ever be happy with a 4.3L. YMMV. The 214 is 4,000 lbs with a full tank of gas and no passengers! BTW, if you're concerned about fuel costs, I usually smoke a $50 running around the lake all day. That's at $4.25/gal.

PROS:

• VERY well made. Everything is top-notch and modern looking. People think the boat is only a few yrs old! Tons of compliments too...
• Deep hull keeps you dry.
• Enough room to work on/around the engine.
• Storage galore - Ski locker is 5-6' long and deep!

CONS:

• Head hatch/doors were poorly designed - clunky and doomed to crack. IMO, A "sliding" type would have been better.
• Seats come loose from hinges on occasion.
• Difficult to get to fuse panel/behind the dash - must have screw gun or 15 min and a sore wrist.
• Not enough ventilation to keep storage areas dry. Very humid under sink especially.
• Cannot reach bow eye while on boat to unhook trailer.

IMHO, if you're looking to haul a lot of bodies around, wake-board, ski, tube, etc., (which we do) you should consider the 244, or find a 214 with a 305L or 350L. If you're just kickin' it with the wife and kids, the 204 with a V6 should be just fine...

Good luck in your search, and let me know if you have any more questions.

[NHRADeuce]

Thanks Mic22, very helpful info. The 244 I've found has a 5.0l EFI with the duoprop, so it sounds like it's a toss up between the 204 4.3l with duoprop since the biger boat weighs a lot more for the slight increase in power. It would be nice if I could find a 5.7l MPI in a Jubilee!

Nice looking boats, both of you. Hoping that I can land one of these at a decent price.