Another New Guy’s Concern

[Patman941]

I’m in the very early stages of deciding on my first ever boat for my family. I feel like I really love the jet boat idea and all the great features they offer. The Yamaha AR240 seems like it would be my “second boat”, so I’d love to pull the trigger on one.

I live in the Tampa Bay Area and the boat would mostly see salt water. I was chatting with several experienced boaters and everyone of them advised to steer clear of jet boats if you ever plan on putting the boat in water other than a lake or calm river. Reason being was the hull design is poor for any amount of choppy waters. From what they said was if the wind picks up unexpectedly while out in the gulf you are more likely to capsize a jet boat if the seas become rough. Another ding they mentioned was the engine acting like a vacuum and getting all types of grass and other debris from the ocean bottom sucked up causing engine issues. Maintenance too was an issue they brought up, although I have read the complete opposite on the forums, and how it can be more difficult to work on a jet boat due to the engines being covered.

I’d love to hear from anyone who uses their jet boats primarily in saltwater and how they have held up. I don’t plan on going on deep sea fishing excursions, but I’d love to be able to venture out several miles off shore without fearing for everyone on boards safety.

P.S. Thanks Dean P for all your insight!!

 

[tdonoughue]

Welcome, @Patman941 ! Good to have you here.

First boat is an exciting step. I was there myself a few years back (the one to the left is my first). We have several who boat in salt water frequently, so I will leave to them to comment on that part. I boat exclusively in fresh water (more as a function of where I am than anything).

As to the hull in choppy waters, it is not the best. It is a planing hull, so it is not made to cut through chop or sit in the water. It is made to ride on top of the water. So, yes, it will be pretty rough on you (unless you add trim tabs). That said, I have heard of many people getting caught in bad storms. None of them, even those who have lost their boat, capsized.

It is true that jet boats suck. That is what they do. And if you find hydrofoil or a plastic bag or fishing line, any of that can clog things up (or worse--get wrapped around the impeller). It happens. Most little things just get sucked up and spit out. Other times you will get cavitation and lose thrust. That said, you can do the 'reverse move' to clear things that did not enter the pump. That is one of the downsides you have in exchange from never hitting your prop on anything... Occasionally you will need to stop, pull the cleanout plug and clean out the impeller. A pain, but doable.

Maintenance--ok, this one they are just all wet on. Yes, you need to flush the pumps and cooling system when boating in salt. But beyond that, taking care of these boats is simple. Plugs and oil most of the time (most of us just do our own annual service). There is no transmission, no gears, etc. Just a motor, a shaft and an impeller. Really not all that much to it. You don't need to service an outdrive, change a prop, winterize (some do; most just blow out the water...) or any of those other normal boat things. Very simple.

So there is my bit. Welcome again and do let us know how we can help!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Tampa Bay wow that place is notorious for dumping millions of gallons of raw sewage into the bay right next to Eckerd college then it is famous for having a red tide outbreak , imagine that and then the fishing is just about non existent because of the state wanting the fish to recover from all the damage done by the previous issues I mentioned. And there are too many boats running around here, I mean There so. forgetaboutit. and the weeds are atrocious. You don't want a boat in Tampa bay there is a saying over there stay away from Tampa Bay.

 

[BigAbe75]

@Patman941 Welcome!!

Don't mind @Cobra Jet Steering LLC He's another local and just giving you crap. You'll find him most days zipping around on a jetski, and has some awesome videos pulling a bunch of kids on tubes while standing on his seat... and other such foolishness that he's old enough to know better than to try.

 

[captras]

Several things to add to @tdonoughue's comments:

1. Any small boat, and even 24 foot is small when it comes to heavy seas, is not going to do well in extremely rough water. Although the Yamaha may not be the best, I feel it does quite well. My prior boat was a 21' Four Winns, and honestly, the Yamaha is better. One reason is that at slower speeds, as slow as about 12 MPH , I can still get up plane, and avoid beating the hell out of everybody. To go that slow in my stern drive, my bow was extremely elevated, and plowing thru the water, which made it even rougher. As for true offshore ops, in my opinion, anybody that gets out of site of land in a 24 foot boat in the ocean/gulf, is crazy. Even on a lake, I watch the weather and the radar if there is any chance of storms. Although I dont have them, I have read from many members here that trim tabs help alot. But honestly, I dont believe the ride is that much different than any other boat in its class, and in many cases, it is better. And, unless you are in sea conditions you have no business being in, you wont capsize this boat!!!

2. It will suck up debris....but it is NOT into the engine, so whoever told you that needs a course in geology and anatomy so they could tell their ass from a hole in the ground. It can suck up debris into the jets. In the Yamaha, most of the time, you stop, take out the clean outs, clear the debris, and get back on your way......5-10 minutes max. I am going on 4 years, it has happened to me 3 times, all easily and quickly resolved. Also, as stated, you are only drawing approx 16" of water at slow speed, and as little as 8 on the plane, so you dont have to worry about ripping your transom off. Plus, safety for the family while behind the boat is invaluable.

3. What @tdonoughue said about maintenance. Very simple...plugs, oil, lube, flush and go. If you are the least bit mechanically inclined you can do it yourself....spend the $75 for a service manual and you are set. And if you cant find it there.....somebody here will be able to guide you!

I cant speak about salt water ops, however, because all my ops are fresh water.....so no help there.

My $.02.

 

[fireflymedic]

You will need to flush engines and hose off back of boat with salt away or other brand of desalter after every use. If it's ALWAYS going to be in salt water consider changing out all the diodes. Imho

 

[Dixie Highway]

Lol the comments from the “experts” about how terrible jet boats are is pretty amusing, and obviously uninformed. Yes the engines are “covered”, but no more than in an outboard and probably less so than a stern drive. There are hatches to open to get to them for service, once they’re open it’s very easy to service them. As everyone mentioned, plugs, oil, filter, lube, and go. Most of the time you’ll be doing that once, maybe twice a year. Flushing ANY engine after salt water use is important, I don’t care if you have an outboard, IO, inboard, jet, they all should be flushed after use in salt. If you want them to last that is. I have a 21’ with trim tabs, last year before installing them we went out from Navarre to Pensacola FL for dinner. It’s a 20 mile trip or so down the ICW. It was much rougher than we thought it would be, and it was a rough ride in the dark on the way home. Did I ever fear for my life? No. However, I installed trim tabs as soon as we got back from that vacation. All in all, for my needs this boat is pretty competent.

Now, here’s my caveat. With my type of boat, if I was going to be in salt water 100% of the time, I would have bought a more “big water friendly” boat. Something 24’ or larger, deeper V, and an outboard. My children are 12 and up. We don’t bring small children with for now. And it’s nice to have that extra deep V if things get rough. $ for $ though these Yamaha boats are hard to beat.

 

[2kwik4u]

Here's the engine bay on my '17 190. Clearly not "covered up" by any stretch



here's the antique forklift motor that was in my Rinker. Also a 19ft bowrider with a 4cyl engine. It was inside that "pod" in the back there. In a true "apples to apples" scenario, working on the Yamaha has been a completely joy compared to this old thing. More space to move around, didn't have remove the engine hatch to get your body in there to work on something. The Yamaha is SUCH a better design.


As to maintenance......The Yamaha has just a fraction of the moving parts of that Rinker. Yamaha doesn't have a transmission, a hydraulic system, raw water pump for cooling, power steering pump. No points/distributor/ignition module. No mechanical fuel pump. No bellows to rip/tear. The drivetrain is a couple bearings, a few seals, and a coupler between the engine and impeller shaft. Steering is via a cable, not a complex hydraulically actuated rack and pinion system. Took me several hours to change the raw water impeller that was located in the outdrive, and several special tools. You can pull an impeller on a jet pump in about 30min.

IMO, the jet driven boat has gotten the same bad rap as the rotary engine. They were not great at first. Tiny boats with 2-stroke engines. Not great for big water, no great on fuel, poorly laid out driveline access. Any more though, any Yamaha, Chap, or Scarab is going to be no different to work on, drive, trailer, maintain than any other 19-24ft bowrider. The RX7's have a similar story, caught a bad rap, people didn't understand them, and they were labelled as "garbage engines" very early on. When really, they are quite simple, provide great power, and excellent reliability when cared for properly. They aren't bad, they're just different.

That analogy continues along if you look at different cars. You're not going to hop into a fullsize pickup and expect to go autocrossing, and you aren't going to tow anything with a Miata. Those two are going to drive and handle much differently as well. Same premise here. The jet is going to drive a bit different than the I/O or the outboard. It's a lighter hull, with less deadrise than say a 24ft center console with twin outboards that is designed to be 100miles out in the ocean. I'm not in the ocean often, but I've been in 5ft+ waves with quick timing on large lakes. Either derived from a storm blowing in, or an excess of other boats on a large open lake (Poker Run on Cumberland had some crazy large wakes), and I've never felt unsafe, or largely uncomfortable.

The best advice I can offer you @Patman941 is to find a local member, and get a test ride. Get a dealer to take you out on the water with some other clients. Drive the boats you intend to buy. ONE of them will jump out as "your next boat". The others will fade off. I suspect the things that make it the boat you want will have little to do with the drive system

 

[biglar155]

... you aren't going to tow anything with a Miata....

Totally off topic, but I once bought a 19' sailboat (with cabin) from a guy that towed it with a Miata.

Other than that, @2kwik4u, I agree with your post 100%.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/first-time-on-floridas-open-water-chop-scared-the-crap-outta-me.25787/page-2#post-431549

 

[tabbibus]

I mean, people go to Bimini and don't die. So there's that

 

[Griswold]

Here's the engine bay on my '17 190. Clearly not "covered up" by any stretch

View attachment 115972

here's the antique forklift motor that was in my Rinker. Also a 19ft bowrider with a 4cyl engine. It was inside that "pod" in the back there. In a true "apples to apples" scenario, working on the Yamaha has been a completely joy compared to this old thing. More space to move around, didn't have remove the engine hatch to get your body in there to work on something. The Yamaha is SUCH a better design.
View attachment 115973 View attachment 115974

As to maintenance......The Yamaha has just a fraction of the moving parts of that Rinker. Yamaha doesn't have a transmission, a hydraulic system, raw water pump for cooling, power steering pump. No points/distributor/ignition module. No mechanical fuel pump. No bellows to rip/tear. The drivetrain is a couple bearings, a few seals, and a coupler between the engine and impeller shaft. Steering is via a cable, not a complex hydraulically actuated rack and pinion system. Took me several hours to change the raw water impeller that was located in the outdrive, and several special tools. You can pull an impeller on a jet pump in about 30min.

IMO, the jet driven boat has gotten the same bad rap as the rotary engine. They were not great at first. Tiny boats with 2-stroke engines. Not great for big water, no great on fuel, poorly laid out driveline access. Any more though, any Yamaha, Chap, or Scarab is going to be no different to work on, drive, trailer, maintain than any other 19-24ft bowrider. The RX7's have a similar story, caught a bad rap, people didn't understand them, and they were labelled as "garbage engines" very early on. When really, they are quite simple, provide great power, and excellent reliability when cared for properly. They aren't bad, they're just different.

That analogy continues along if you look at different cars. You're not going to hop into a fullsize pickup and expect to go autocrossing, and you aren't going to tow anything with a Miata. Those two are going to drive and handle much differently as well. Same premise here. The jet is going to drive a bit different than the I/O or the outboard. It's a lighter hull, with less deadrise than say a 24ft center console with twin outboards that is designed to be 100miles out in the ocean. I'm not in the ocean often, but I've been in 5ft+ waves with quick timing on large lakes. Either derived from a storm blowing in, or an excess of other boats on a large open lake (Poker Run on Cumberland had some crazy large wakes), and I've never felt unsafe, or largely uncomfortable.

The best advice I can offer you @Patman941 is to find a local member, and get a test ride. Get a dealer to take you out on the water with some other clients. Drive the boats you intend to buy. ONE of them will jump out as "your next boat". The others will fade off. I suspect the things that make it the boat you want will have little to do with the drive system

....this.

 

[nesnah2]

I have an AR240 and boat on Lake Michigan, and it can get pretty nasty out there. I have zero issues with being out on the big water. As far as the sucking up things into the impeller, don't sweat it. I have been in 18-24" water with mine and didn't even stir up the bottom. I was puttzing at 3-5 mph and not hammering the throttle but still...

Haters gonna hate! Get a jetboat and enjoy the water and ease of use and maintenance.

 

[OCMD]

Check out the photos of my old LS2000 after 12 years of salt water and river water use depending upon where we went out. Assawoman Bay or the Pocomoke River. Nary an issue, so long as you religiously flush the motors and wash the boat. As for maintenance, do not listen to the knuckleheads who never owned a Yamaha. Basically change the oil and plugs annually. As for running in "open" waters? No thanks. Not even in my 23 footer. It isn't fun. But reliability is not an issue with these Yamahas.

Yamaha Jet Boaters • View topic - Best Valued LS2000 for sale in the USA; Pristine! SOLD!!!!!

Lol remember that old site guys???

 

[Eric S.]

I routinely boat in salt out of Plymouth MA, Narragansett RI, Martha's Vineyard and Block Island in the northeast. I came from a 21' Four Winns - as others have said - any small boat (and 24' is still a small boat), won't handle seas like a 35' cabin cruiser will. That said, I can echo the previous poster - the Yamaha 242 is much better on the bay than my Four Winns. Its nature and the ocean, so you cannot be stupid and head out when you shouldn't. Its basically the same as a pilot in a Cessna. Know your machine and the limitations and the weather. The picture taken in my profile is on salt water. I trailer the boat and flush both engines with the hose and clean off the trailer and the boat after salt, usually by taking it to a nearby lake and tooling around. I have also never sucked anything into the jets except some seaweed which came out julienned. That said, I don't run over lobster pot lines or buoys either. Just don't go out when there are small craft advisories no matter how sunny and warm it is on land back home. And the maintenance is way way way less than my old I/O. Bellows, gimble? What are those? I cannot remember....(actually I do remember and I'm glad I don't have them anymore).

Generally my rule of thumb is nothing more than a 1-3' ocean forecast and no small craft advisories and no heavy wind. And if it looks a little uncomfortably rough coming out of the marina, I turn around, hitch up to a mooring, and grill some burgers and call it a floating day in the marina.

You do not want this boat for serious off-shore work - a rouge 6' wave would really be a concern. It's not the boat to take way off shore and hunt for stripers.

But damn am I the envy of the sand bar at Brown's Bank when I beach her on the sand and whip out the steak tips while the rest of them struggle with the tides/wind/anchors and the I/O guys are worried about their lower unit banging on the sand in the waves and I can literally beach the boat on the sand dry and sit on board on the sand when the tide pulls out with the stereo and the cooler right there. I just shut down the engines when I'm still in 3 feet of water or more and then coast in so I don't suck up sand.