any regrets?

[troy henrie]

I am considering getting a Yamaha sx190. I have only had traditional propeller boats up to this point, and for some reason have a fear that I'll get a jet boat and then regret it. Maybe this is because one of my friends almost bought a jet bot a few years ago before I bought my first boat, and the guy at the dealership said that every time someone buys a jet boat from them, they end up trading it back in to get a traditional boat.

I hear how hard it is to not drift all over while waiting to dock.

How many of you guys have experienced regret for what ever reason after purchasing your first jet boat? Am I being stupid? I just want to make an informed decision.

Thanks.
Troy

 

[Neutron]

I am propless for life.
Only one regret, that i didnt get a jet boat sooner than 2016

 

[Sbrown]

I was around prop boats for a long time. The first day with the new jet boat was very frustrating and I almost returned it. These do not track well at low speed compared to a prop boat and there is a nasty learning curve involved. There are also some devices that you can attach to your drives to help with the tracking.

My wife convinced me to hang on to the boat after that first day and to try again.
After another day out on the water and getting the hang of the nuances involved, I was hooked and haven't looked back. No regrets. Something else that is different about jet boats vs I/O or O/B is lack of drive trim adjustment while underway. My AR240 rides wet a little too far forward (this means where the hull meets the water, not that the inside front gets wet) and a little trim adjustment would be nice, in my opinion.

 

[robert843]

@troy henrie it all depends on how you plan to use it they are great boats but if they don't fit your intended need then yes you could regret it. If your main purpose is to surf get a dedicated surf boat if you plan to be offshore fishing a bunch get an offshore boat but most places in between these will fit nicely.

 

[nate kennedy]

I grew up around prop boats and when I got one of our own we chose a Yamaha jet boat. I have not regretted it one bit... you bet there is a learning curve, but honestly once I figured it I think I have more control with my 212X then I ever did driving my families sea rays. The sea ray was defiantly
a better fit and finish, but that’s to be expected with the price points. Our 212X does everything we want and need it to do from cruising to pulling the kids tubing and wake boarding and surfing for the adults. There are plenty of steering mods you can purchase... a quick search and you can read for days on that.

 

[Venkman]

The only thing I have regretted about the boat is because of the learning curve involved I am always the one driving. In previous boats others could drive fairly easily in open water and my wife would not hesitate to jump in the driver's seat, with the Yamaha my wife basically refuses to drive because of the slow speed issues, she could handle it in an emergency but that is about it. I honestly a little reluctant to hand over the controls because of the slow speed tracking, but probably more so at plane speed, I could see a senerio where a passenger is injured if someone is driving and uses the same amount of turning input that a typical I/O drive allows.

Besides the driving issues, the boat is great, especially the ease of maintaining the motors and lack of effort to maintain a lower unit.

 

[Neutron]

I have no issues handing over controls to anyone. Slow speed or otherwise. And none of the people could tell the difference.
But I do have fins and the AK.
Mine tracks straight with no course corrections at slow speeds

 

[nate kennedy]

I have no issues handing over controls to anyone. Slow speed or otherwise. And none of the people could tell the difference.
But I do have fins and the AK.
Mine tracks straight with no course corrections at slow speeds

I have no problems turning control over as well. No one will land it on a trailer or pull onto our lift but that’s not a big deal to me... I still get to tube with my daughter wake board and surf with no issues!

I don’t have the keel but do have cobra fins

 

[Just1more]

We have had 2 Yamaha’s. 2012 AR190 then moved up to 2015 AR240. We had an I/O before those. Yes there is a learning curve. I did add steering fins (search the site there are 2 systems) and it changed the ball game. I can maunever this boat way better than I ever could the I/O. We love our Yamaha! If only they would make 36’ cabin cruiser so we can go bigger and sleep on the boat!

 

[SCP1]

Honestly if your looking at a new SX190 with a rudder on it add a Lateral Thruster made by JetBoat Pilot and enjoy. If you still desire more control after driving it, add some fins. My recommendation is at least upgrade to a AR190, for the tower. The only way I would go back to a prop is a dedicated wake boat. However it all depends what you are trying to accomplish and what kind of boating you are doing.

 

[Sacamano]

No prop to ding, fewer moving parts than a stern drive, lower maintenance, a great swim platform with now lower unit, definitely no regrets. I too am glad I sprung for the tower.

 

[troy henrie]

Thanks for the input. I used to have a four winns 180 and then a rinker 230. I realized the rinker was way too big, and thought I'd probably be happy to go back to a smaller boat. However I do want it comfortable for my family of six and then occasionally a couple extras if my kids have a friend or two. We like to cruise around, tube and water-ski.

I mostly will be in moderate sized lakes. But sometimes on little traverse bay just off Lake Michigan. Of course the waves there can be huge but when I had my 18' boat before I would just pick and choose my days on it.

Price is important to me. Looking around I see a 2012 sx190 and for about the same price a 2007 sx210.Obviously the bigger boat has advantages but I'm leaning towards the newer one in hopes of avoidingproblems down the road.

 

[OrangeTJ]

Family of 6 plus friends, possible large waves? That doesn't scream 190 to me. We had a 2011 Sx210 for 4 years and loved it. Definitely a learning curve for handling. Didn't like how loud the boat was. Other than that, it was a fantastic boat for our family of 5. We sold it and bought a wake boat in 2016, which honestly I personally like a lot more. But I better like it a lot more since it was more than 2X the price of our Yamaha! I would not hesitate to recommend a 210 to anybody looking for a solid all around family boat.

 

[tdonoughue]

No regrets here, but then again this is my first boat, never having had a prop boat. So, that opinion is probably pretty worthless from me. I don't think the wander was ever that big of a deal, once you learn to work two engines. I did add fins later. Yes, they help, but I would not call them critical. What is critical is learning how your boat reacts and how to drive it--somewhat similar (as I understand it) to every other boat.

But, for your stated uses, that is similar to why I got my boat. Not any dedicated use to which I wanted to put it, but had teenage boys and wanted to be able to tube, probably ski, and cruise a about some. Has been perfect for us for that (and at the right price back when we got it).

As others have mentioned, if you are wanting to do any of several other things (spend overnight on the boat, surf a lot, fish offshore, ski a lot, etc.) there are several other boats that might be better for you. I like that this one can do a little of everything. Been perfect for my family.

 

[troy henrie]

I hear you about a 19 ft not being great on big water, but like I said we pick and choose our days out there. Mostly on more normal sized lakes. This is part of what I'm wondering though. My 18 ft was just barely big enough and I thought I'd like a bigger boat but after a year of having a 23 ft I was hating how big it felt.

 

[jeff_s]

Love my ‘17 AR210.
Zero regrets!

Wish I bought a boat 10 years ago. My family has literally found an activity we all enjoys equally as much.

Our bays are shallow and the low draft of the jet boat is perfect.
Low maintenance cost makes it economical.

 

[druppert]

After being exclusively around outboards growing up I bought a 19’ last year. There’s definitely a learning curve but once you figure it out you’ll be able to maneuver it in ways you never could with another type. Also, the aftermarket steering enhancers are game changers while moving. A must have on any jet boat IMO.

As for the size, I would recommend something bigger than a 19’ for your crowd. In my situation it’s usually just me and the gf and another couple on occasion. I would put 4 as the max comfortable capacity on this size. It’s not an issue with seating as much as it is the stuff people bring. Every female will bring a bag & you will probably have a cooler large enough to serve everyone. That means people’s stuff will be under seats and there will be a constant shuffling of the people in the limited deck space. Now add anchoring or docking and it’s a down right pain in the ass with more than a couple of extra people. All of this is assuming you also avoid the bone rattling ride you will often have in your expected conditions.

All of this is not to suggest I don’t love my boat. It’s absolutely perfect for what I wanted but as others have suggested, buy the right boat for the situation or you will regret it. Good luck!

 

[BigAbe75]

I hear you about a 19 ft not being great on big water, but like I said we pick and choose our days out there. Mostly on more normal sized lakes. This is part of what I'm wondering though. My 18 ft was just barely big enough and I thought I'd like a bigger boat but after a year of having a 23 ft I was hating how big it felt.

How long was your 23'? Seems like the advertised length won't include the swim deck, so you may have been dealing with 24+? The Yamaha's include the swim deck in the overall length.

I think you mentioned, but I forgot already where you're located. The UserMap at the top would point you toward other members in your area. You may be able to meet up on the water somewhere and see if someone would let you climb around and go for a ride in a 19' and a 21'. I wonder if you would find that a 21' yamaha is a nice middle ground for you?

Also, what part of the 23 felt too big? These boats are lighter, so trailering is a bit lighter, shoving off from docks, etc may be easier.

Anyway, all you can do is be as informed as you can. The important thing is to find the right fit, get as good a deal as you're comfortable with, and get on the water and have fun!

 

[OCMD]

I'm on my second Yamaha. They handle like a dream, and you do not need any of the add-on assists. With a little practice and skill, you too can become an expert pilot of a jet boat. Don't buy into the paranoia about how hard these boats are to handle. The basic concept is no thrust? No control. Thrust? Control. Not one guest on my boat in 10 years or so has ever had a problem handling the jets, and many had zero jet experience. The basically "maintenance free" aspect of a Yamaha brand jet boat should make the decision much easier. Oh - buy used. Let someone else eat the massive depreciation you will face as soon as you launch the boat.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

I'm on my second Yamaha. They handle like a dream, and you do not need any of the add-on assists. With a little practice and skill, you too can become an expert pilot of a jet boat. Don't buy into the paranoia about how hard these boats are to handle. The basic concept is no thrust? No control. Thrust? Control. Not one guest on my boat in 10 years or so has ever had a problem handling the jets, and many had zero jet experience. The basically "maintenance free" aspect of a Yamaha brand jet boat should make the decision much easier. Oh - buy used. Let someone else eat the massive depreciation you will face as soon as you launch the boat.

I guess moving the steering wheel non-stop to maintain slow speed tracking is your dream. While you are fine without any steering enhancements, they make a big difference.