I'm highly considering a 1999 Javelin Renegade 20 with a 200hp Johnson. It's in incredible shape for its age. I sold my bass tracker back in the spring with thoughts of getting a 19-20' fiberglass that would be a little more stable and safe to take my son fishing in. I don't really care about top-end speed, but I know this one would go pretty fast. Any reason to steer away from this brand?

They're good boats. Check the transom good. If that motor is fuel injected, run! If it it's a carburetated motor, its it's a great motor, just won't pass many gas stations.

They are good boats and that big motor will part your hair but as klay said if its oneah them big carbureted hight output motors and i think it is that sucker will swoller gas..but it'll stand a 20ft boat on its tip toes and its a good motor. That year model woulda been a ficht motor if its fuel injected and they are garbage....matter o factly if you ever see an evinrude or johnson that says ficht on it pretend its the ebola virus.

Wasn't Javelin a sister company of Stratos at one time?

I think omc boughtem both and made them out of the same buildin then omc flopped and genmar picked up both brands andkilled the javelin line.

Good boat if the transom is sound, the motor is the deal killer. That model devours gas at a very high rate!

Run Away!! Those Johnson Evinrude motors are pure junk.

Im assuming you mean the ficht engines..right?

The Ficht engines have had lots of problems. I had a carbureted Johnson that blew up only 4 years old.

My brother had a Javelin Year’s ago, it was a great boat...can’t speak to newer models. I have a 97 Johnson Ocean Runner 200...great, strong motor, but it stays thirsty! It’ll pass anything but a gas pump.

IF it is a ficht, RUN LIKE HELL! If it a carb motor, they are good motors. They will eat lower units from what I remember. The boat should have a composite transom. By yourself, if it is set up right, should be a 65-68 mph boat.

those johnsons are great motors

Move along. They're much better deals out their.

Johnson suck.

Whats so bad about johnsons?

Every buddy I have that owns or has owned one has nothing but constant problems with them.
One had a 2003 Ranger 520 with a 225 that went through 3 lower units and 2 power heads in 3 years.
The boat looked brand new but you would get stranded 5 out of 10 trips.
He replaced the powerhead and went to trade it in and 2 local dealers would not even take it in on trade
due to the motor that was on it.

Again.....fuel injected?

If it was an 03, I'm pretty sure it was. The old carb motors are about bulletproof.

My buddy had a 200 that was a huge PIA to start when it was hot. I had a 150 than ran great until it ran out of warranty. I swear the first time I used it after the warranty ran out the powerhead blew. One of the pistons exploded. Dealer could not tell why it blew and cost me a pile of $ to rebuild. Sold it and swore off those pos motors. Have run Mercs and Yamahas since then with zero problems. Had a 200 Yamaha and 115 Merc.

It has to be what they are talkin bout...omc engines just crank and run end of story.