7 hours- Initial Thoughts on 2019 AR195

[Skierdad]

OK, well we are at about 7 hours and thought I would post my initial thoughts and maybe some of the experts out there can help me out a bit.

1. In terms of family or having 2 families on board. I really like how this boat is designed and the openness. Love that da*n swim platform on the back but I think my kids like it more.

2. Getting back to a downed wakeboarder/kneeboarder. Turning is a bit cumbersome in this thing and part of this is something I need to get used to. My Mastercraft (true inboard) turned on a dime so I was back to my downed rider almost immediately.

3. I also tend to get the rope caught up on my wakeboard racks when going back to pick a downed person up. I have the racks on the back part of the tower. Maybe they need to be on the front pipe? Wider turns? It just makes things a bit tougher since I have to drive, I end up with another one managing the rope after someone fell/let go. Wondering how to make this a 1 person (my) problem.

4. There is a hint of cavitation pulling kids on tubes and wakeboards. Sounds like the Lucky 13 is the answer to this issue.

5. When pulling kids it seems like I am constantly toggling the throttle, especially on turns. Even when I take them fairly wide, it seems I lose momentum and have to increase thrust. Is this just something I need to live with on a jetboat? Just curious (not that I want to beat myself up on this) but would I have the same loss of thrust if I had gone with the AR210 with 2 motors?

6. Sampson Tower Mirror. I did spend the money on one and as of right now I am not using it as much as I thought I would. Curious what others are saying and maybe it is because of my placement on my tower. Will need to continue adjustments for this.

Any and all advice (even constructive criticism) is always appreciated.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[icemanj16]

Good to know on the towing part! I am venturing into that this weekend. My first 10 hours have just been cruising around. One thing i will say is that I absolutely love this boat and the space on it. I have had multiple people on it and they can not believe the performance and room on board.

One thing i am a bit disappointed about is the quality control of the nuts and bolts. My bench seat has already come off and i have found random nuts in the back of the hull. Another thing that they dont tell you is that if you have debris in channels on your lake it is often an issue and the clean out port is useless. I have got 2 sticks stuck in the impeller and have had to take it out of the water and use a long screw driver to pry them free. Luckily no damage has occurred that i can tell. Boat hits 50mph with ease (2 people on board)

Other than that the boat is just amazing.

 

[DavisAR195]

OK, well we are at about 7 hours and thought I would post my initial thoughts and maybe some of the experts out there can help me out a bit.

1. In terms of family or having 2 families on board. I really like how this boat is designed and the openness. Love that da*n swim platform on the back but I think my kids like it more.

2. Getting back to a downed wakeboarder/kneeboarder. Turning is a bit cumbersome in this thing and part of this is something I need to get used to. My Mastercraft (true inboard) turned on a dime so I was back to my downed rider almost immediately.

3. I also tend to get the rope caught up on my wakeboard racks when going back to pick a downed person up. I have the racks on the back part of the tower. Maybe they need to be on the front pipe? Wider turns? It just makes things a bit tougher since I have to drive, I end up with another one managing the rope after someone fell/let go. Wondering how to make this a 1 person (my) problem.

4. There is a hint of cavitation pulling kids on tubes and wakeboards. Sounds like the Lucky 13 is the answer to this issue.

5. When pulling kids it seems like I am constantly toggling the throttle, especially on turns. Even when I take them fairly wide, it seems I lose momentum and have to increase thrust. Is this just something I need to live with on a jetboat? Just curious (not that I want to beat myself up on this) but would I have the same loss of thrust if I had gone with the AR210 with 2 motors?

6. Sampson Tower Mirror. I did spend the money on one and as of right now I am not using it as much as I thought I would. Curious what others are saying and maybe it is because of my placement on my tower. Will need to continue adjustments for this.

Any and all advice (even constructive criticism) is always appreciated.

Thank you all in advance.

#2. I had the same concern and wanting the ability to pick up a downed rider as quick as possible when it's busy. I'm running the Cobra Jet Steering Viper set up which always stays in the water.

#3. I have the Samson Typhoon Swivel Surf/Wakeboard rack and sometime the rope will hang up on my rack as well. You have two options fold the rack while boarding or lower it a bit on the tower.

#4. The Lucky 13 cone is one of the best mod's you make for a single engine 195.

#5. Yup this is common on jet's, however the additional thrust from the Lucky 13 will help some.

#6. I'm curious which Samson mirror you have and the placement. I have the Samson Reverse Arch tower mirror and had to swap out the arm for one that was 6" longer and now my wife and I love it.

 

[Skierdad]

#6. I'm curious which Samson mirror you have and the placement. I have the Samson Reverse Arch tower mirror and had to swap out the arm for one that was 6" longer and now my wife and I love it.

That is what I have. It is too short. How do I switch it out? where did you get the longer arm?

 

[Skierdad]

so if I get the Viper steering system and Lucky 13 it sounds like some of my problems will solve themselves. Dang....another $500-550. Yeah, my wife is not going to be impressed. Going to have to sell something I like...hmmm..

 

[DavisAR195]

That is what I have. It is too short. How do I switch it out? where did you get the longer arm?

I called up Samson and told them I needed a longer arm as the one included was too short. The longer arm is a $100 up charge. Threaten to return the mirror and they will knock it to $50. Then you just mail back the current arm and they will mail out the new one once they get the old one.

 

[Skierdad]

Ok. I will try that.

Thank you!

 

[Skierdad]

So I am up to 30 hours now. We are enjoying the boat but I am definitely missing that "snap" when I push the throttle down. Still working on a Lucky 13 upgrade with no luck on having someone do the service. after exhausted reading about it, I am hopeful I have the understanding down that 1) you need a special tool to hold the impeller to add the new cone, 2) you need to swap out the OEM ring from old to the Lucky 13, and 3) you need to have some sort of high end grease to seal things up. Hopefully I got that right.

Love, love, love the way this boat loads on the trailer. OMG so much better than past boats. The clean out is incredible. We got a bit shallow last weekend and while it took a bit to clean out, I can't imagine what it would have looked like with a prop. I have also figured out coming into the docks at 90 angles like I used to do with my inboard. Beginning to figure out how to slide the boat sideways.

Riding in busy waters. I am very pleased with how well this boat handles choppy water and waves from all directions on busy lake days. A much different ride than past boats.

Space...we have had two families in this boat a few times now and it does work well but I have to space them out or I get cavitation issues at hole shot. You definitely cannot have everyone at the back of the boat when pulling anyone (ski, surf, wakeboard, etc..). I have to get a few people in the bow.

Regrets? boy, this is a tough one. I like the boat but I definitely miss the throttle control of an inboard and perfect pass. Its the difference between a dedicated "tow" boat and a bowrider that is for everything. I am told I have too high expectations and that 99% of the people don't see any issues. I do wonder what a 21' boat with twin 1.8 liters would feel like though. Not going to lie.

Hope everyone is finding time behind the wheel of their jetboat.

 

[icemanj16]

@Skierdad I am about the same point with my '19 ar195. I absolutely love this boat. I would have bought a bigger boat if money were not an option and the fact that i could not put it into my garage like the '19. I think the value on these boats are unreal. Everyone can not believe how fast it is and roomy it is for '19. Coming from pontoons it was an adjustment to driving and docking but I would not got back until i am old and retired . It is the perfect size for towing, fun, comfort, and storage.

 

[jjmparsons]

OK, well we are at about 7 hours and thought I would post my initial thoughts and maybe some of the experts out there can help me out a bit.

1. In terms of family or having 2 families on board. I really like how this boat is designed and the openness. Love that da*n swim platform on the back but I think my kids like it more.

Not even going to lie.... first time I saw that swim platform and the seats on the back of the boat I was sold on it. Never even looked at Yamaha / Jet boats before because I was in my "Cabin Cruiser" phase, but I can honestly say, best decision my wife ever let me make!!!!

 

[gobnu]

Not to hijack, but is it common to have fiberglass and metal shavings debris from manufacturing coming out of the hull drain plugs on a new Yamaha? SX195.

 

[jjmparsons]

Not to hijack, but is it common to have fiberglass and metal shavings debris from manufacturing coming out of the hull drain plugs on a new Yamaha? SX195.

My boat is a 2011 and I am the second owner.....still to this day I will find pockets of fiberglass shavings and odds and ends that I can flush out from time to time. I don't feel as though I am doing any real digging in the boat but damned if I don't suddenly see a good batch of fiberglass and metal shavings come rushing out.

 

[Peter simon]

Yes. My 2019 SX190. Fiberglass pieces still coming out 8 months later. On the plus side there has never been any water. Also check all your screws on the hatch 2 of mine were lying in the engine compartment.

 

[swatski]

Still working on a Lucky 13 upgrade with no luck on having someone do the service. after exhausted reading about it, I am hopeful I have the understanding down that 1) you need a special tool to hold the impeller to add the new cone, 2) you need to swap out the OEM ring from old to the Lucky 13, and 3) you need to have some sort of high end grease to seal things up. Hopefully I got that right.

No need for the impeller tool, the stator segment w/impeller shaft can stay put
https://jetboaters.net/threads/lucky-13-l13-anti-cavitation-cone-install-2016-ar240.12099/

The OEM grease is now widely available from Yamaha dealers and online, that’s new.

—

 

[Mac’nCheese]

So I am up to 30 hours now. We are enjoying the boat but I am definitely missing that "snap" when I push the throttle down. Still working on a Lucky 13 upgrade with no luck on having someone do the service. after exhausted reading about it, I am hopeful I have the understanding down that 1) you need a special tool to hold the impeller to add the new cone, 2) you need to swap out the OEM ring from old to the Lucky 13, and 3) you need to have some sort of high end grease to seal things up. Hopefully I got that right.

Love, love, love the way this boat loads on the trailer. OMG so much better than past boats. The clean out is incredible. We got a bit shallow last weekend and while it took a bit to clean out, I can't imagine what it would have looked like with a prop. I have also figured out coming into the docks at 90 angles like I used to do with my inboard. Beginning to figure out how to slide the boat sideways.

Riding in busy waters. I am very pleased with how well this boat handles choppy water and waves from all directions on busy lake days. A much different ride than past boats.

Space...we have had two families in this boat a few times now and it does work well but I have to space them out or I get cavitation issues at hole shot. You definitely cannot have everyone at the back of the boat when pulling anyone (ski, surf, wakeboard, etc..). I have to get a few people in the bow.

Regrets? boy, this is a tough one. I like the boat but I definitely miss the throttle control of an inboard and perfect pass. Its the difference between a dedicated "tow" boat and a bowrider that is for everything. I am told I have too high expectations and that 99% of the people don't see any issues. I do wonder what a 21' boat with twin 1.8 liters would feel like though. Not going to lie.

Hope everyone is finding time behind the wheel of their jetboat.

Oh man, don’t pay someone to do the L13 come install. It’s really easy to do and does not require you to pull the impeller off. Bonus is you’ll get more familiar with the pump.

 

[2kwik4u]

Oh man, don’t pay someone to do the L13 come install. It’s really easy to do and does not require you to pull the impeller off. Bonus is you’ll get more familiar with the pump.

Agreed. A Basic socket set, and some Allen keys are all you need.

I changed mine out in the parking lot at the ramp in the rain. Took about 30 min I think.

Just checked the time stamps on my videos. 2:07pm for the "before" video. I then had to load, change cones, launch, and prep to record the second one, that happened 70min later at 3:17pm for the "after" video. So, might've been 40 min to change, assuming 15min to retrieve/launch on each end. Anywho, it was super easy.

 

[icemanj16]

I will be honest you all now have me leaning toward the lucky 13 cone. After this past weekend the cavitation is actually bad while tubing and turning. I use gradual sweeping turns to avoid this. I am also not really a big into modifying things engine wise that were tested from the factory. Does this put any added strain or anything else on the pump or motor? What about the warranty of Y.E.S.? Does it void it? I find it interesting that Yamaha wouldnt have the best cone on it from the factory. Do they not test these things?!

 

[swatski]

Does this put any added strain or anything else on the pump or motor? What about the warranty of Y.E.S.? Does it void it? I find it interesting that Yamaha wouldnt have the best cone on it from the factory. Do they not test these things?!

It makes the pump more efficient, it’s kind of like sealing the intake tunnel. It primarily helps at lower speeds / out of the hole where the loading is less efficient. It has minimal effect on top speed.

Basically, the L13 smooths out the flow in the high pressure part of the pump and helps to load it. A way to think of it is as a “low boat speed” or “in-turns” loading aid. At higher boat speeds (and going in strait line) pump loading is naturally efficient enough (at least in boats) the l13 does little to improve it, albeit still improves the efficiency somewhat, and fuel economy.
(In jet skis it is a bit different as their lighter weight makes them skim over the water and load the pump less efficiently at high speeds; not an issue in our boats)

Since those are impeller pumps, not props, the rpm is much less effected by loading and boat speed, you can reach max rpm at any boat speed.

As far as YES warranty, the only thing that can go wrong that could be causatively linked to L13 is water intrusion into the main pump bearing. They would have to show that the cone caused it, but since it’s an aftermarket part I guess that would be a tough rebuttal.

However even with factory cones water intrusion is not covered, unless you can show that a factory part actually failed (good luck with that!) and had documented you performed annual/periodic maintenance of the OEM pump o-ring which almost no one does.

—

 

[2kwik4u]

I find it interesting that Yamaha wouldnt have the best cone on it from the factory. Do they not test these things?!

I work as an R&D Engineer. I do this sort of testing, designing, and decision making daily.

To say that they don't test is incorrect. To say they don't want the "best they can get" is incorrect as well. Most likely this is a resources issue. The cone that is on there works, maybe not 100% perfect, but it works well enough. There are other aspects of the boat that likely require further R&D than the pump cone. Things like say, tower locking mechanisms, require more immediate and persistent attention. Without a giant team of engineers running around optimizing every little part of the boat, once something is "good enough" it often gets dropped from the engineering-to-do-list, and other items are addressed.

This would go heavily for something like the pump cone that is a direct swap from the ski platform. The designer probably modeled it into the hull and away they went. Most likely didn't get the performance they wanted, and changed the impeller until they got "close enough", and moved on to some other part of development.

So, sure they do testing, and they do want the best they can get. They just don't have the manpower to optimize every single part. On something as complex as a full boat design, there are too many items to address to get them all done, so you choose the lowest hanging fruit first, and work up from there.

 

[icemanj16]

@swatski and @2kwik4u thanks for the explanations. Definitely makes sense and I feel better about going to it now. I will probably do it next summer. After the upgrade what are turns like while towing? Do you still have to compensate a little on throttle to maintain speed? Thanks again..