[94 shabah 202]

Hello,

I just joined this forum and have really fallen in love with original Mariah boats.

I recently found a black and silver 1994 Shabah 202 for sale by a private party. I would rate the boat in good condition, primarily because of hull scrapes / gouges and a really torn up rub rail. The white and black interior is in excellent / good condition.

My questions really center around the power plant. This boat has a electronic fuel injected Ford 5.0 V-8 230 HP with a Volvo / Penta SX 166 outdrive with a 14.5 x 19prop. The scag is beat up quite a bit as is the aluminum prop:

Does this sound like an original engine / out drive?

Can you still get parts for the SX 166 outdrive?

Is this power plant reliable?

Where is the hour meter located on this boat?

Is the rub rail something that an owner can replace?

Can a scag be replaced?

Thank you for your help as I try to decide on this boat or keep looking.

[300sflyer]

According to the 1994 Mariah brochure, the boat came with a 4.3l V6, or a 5.7L V8. I would suspect it is not the original engine.

[WetWilly]

Ahoy 94 shabah 202 and welcome to the club!

Let's see if we can help you with your questions...

1. Does this sound like an original engine / out drive? - Yes, although the majority of power systems installed into Mariah was Mercruiser, Volvo Power was offered as well from Mariah.
   
2. Can you still get parts for the SX 166 outdrive? - Yes, The "SX" is the model and the "166" I believe refers to the gear ratio. Here's a link from the Web: click here.
   
3. Is this power plant reliable? Yes, as far as I know, Volvo systems are very reliable, comparable to Mercruiser and the motor is the FORD 302 engine, it's been in production since the 1960s and is one of their most reliable motors..
   
4. Where is the hour meter located on this boat? This was an option for your model back then and for the 202, I don't believe it was dash mounted so I would look on the top of the motor for the meter if you have one.
   
5. Is the rub rail something that an owner can replace? Yes you can, it's a two piece affair and it requires a couple of people to do it and you need to heat up the new rub rail to 120 degrees to soften it up just prior to installation. The older Rub Rails were made by TACO Marine, Here is the link to their site so you can read what's involved in replacing the Rub Rail yourself. BTW they have a DVD on this for around $19.99 as well. Click here.
   
6. Can a scag be replaced? I would say yes but I do not know this for sure. I have a Mercruiser and I had a new skeg fabricated and wielded on as our original was pretty ground away when we got it(click here to see repair). Any good metal fabrication shop should be able to make and wield up one for you, but I would contact a Volvo Service Center first to see if this is the correct approach. Lastly, the most important part after a new skeg is wielded on, is making sure you apply the proper protective primers and pant to prevent corrosion from happening. The aluminum prop can be refinished as well.

Well, I hope this helps you with what you wanted to know and hopefully , all things considered, you pickup your "94 Shabah 202".
WetWilly

[ShabahZ250]

Sounds like you've got an interesting find. Do you have any photos of it? I don't believe I've ever seen a black and silver model before!

[94 shabah 202]

Thank you for replying to my questions so quickly. It would seem that this boat is a pretty good find without too much needed to make it even better. I am going to have it checked out a a local marina after we agree on a price. Your comments are very helpful in being more informed as I haven't owned a boat in quite a while.

I don't have any pictures of it yet. The boat is mostly black and white but it has a big silver stripe over the black top half of the hull with shiney silver "Mariah" decal on it.

I appreciate everyone's help and will keep you apprised of my progress.

[WetWilly]

Hi 94 shabah 202,

Glad we were able to help! We hope everything goes well when you have it checked out at your local marina!

We look forward to having another Mariah owner so we'll definitely be looking forward to hearing of your progress.

WetWilly