AR195 new owner ?s

[Tyguy]

Hello from Colorado. I just acquired a 2018 AR195 with <20 hrs. I also have a Yamaha FX Cruiser HO 1.8 and Spark personal watercraft, but this my first Yamaha boat. My wife and I picked the AR195 because of the ability to store it in our garage, the efficient cockpit layout, and overall performance. I grew up with an outboard but have come to appreciate the safety, simplicity, and reliability of Yamaha jet drives. Coming from the personal watercraft world I do have a few questions related to trailering, anchoring, and docking, and would appreciate your help.

Trailering:
How do you keep the seat cushions from flying out at interstate speeds? If a boat cover is the only way to keep them in, do you have a recommendation for one that won’t damage the gel coat? Are there certain cushions more likely to fly out than others, which I could place in the tow vehicle? My experience with covers is that buffeting can do real damage to the gel coat finish, so I’m a little nervous going that route.

Anchoring:
There will be times we lake camp and will anchor offshore. With the Waverunner and Spark we use 3-foot tall auger anchors that I screw into mud or sand, 1 at each end for each, which in addition to holding the watercraft tight overnight, also make for quick hookup and release throughout the day as we and family play (clip on and off the auger anchors with line and carabiners). The augers hold well in storms and with 1 on each end we never have to worry about a traditional anchor releasing when wind direction changes. Any suggestions on what to do with the boat? What do you do with a traditional anchor if you leave it behind when you head out for an hour and two and plan to return to the same spot (and hopefully no one takes your spot)? I don’t want to leave a long floating anchor line that could become a navigation hazard for others.

Docking:
What do you recommend for safe and secure fenders? I’ve seen the flat ones online, but they seem pretty thin and I question how well they’ll protect against a dock that isn’t perfectly flat (poles sticking out, dock damage, etc…). Is it best to stick with traditional round fenders? Anything better out there for docks with rougher water? Hull protection is the number 1 consideration followed by storage size/space.

Thank you for any guidance you can provide!

 

[haknslash]

Personally I think the shipping cover is great. You can get them dirt cheap and some times free. It has a soft felt inner liner and has a weather-resistant outer liner. Best of both worlds IMO, they just don't look all that attractive is their only downfall. I prefer to tow with a cover, even using a mooring cover on my Moomba now. I do not tow greater than 65 mph if I can help it. No issues with gelcoat.

Get the slide box anchor and a danforth style or a slide box anchor and shore spike. As for leaving the anchor I don't recommend that. As you said it becomes a hazard for others, especially jets. If you lose your spot that sucks but it's better than ruining someone else's day.

I don't like the flat fenders. The whole point of a fender is to keep your boat safely away from either a dock or another boat. The fenders that hug the side of the hull don't allow for enough distance if it gets really rough or big waves come by. Traditional 8"-10" diameter fenders work great. The cleat placement though is what usually sucks. I used the traditional fenders for years but recently switched to Exile balls with the new boat and couldn't be happier. I have the space to store them even when inflated but that might not be an option with a Yamaha in some storage compartments. I think you could squeeze one in if it is not fully inflated and still provide good cushion at the docks. People also use the cheaper child hippity hop balls but they are of a lesser material quality.

 

[Tyguy]

Thank you, haknslash. I appreciate the confirmation on the fenders and will purchase a couple of additional ones add to the 2 that came with the boat. I haven't used a box anchor before, so I watched a couple of videos and it appears to effectively dig into sand. The Lewmar Delta also caught my attention, and if we went that route I was thinking I'd upsize o 22 lb to give more grip during storms. One of the lakes we frequent is high altitude and storms can generate without much warning, so we want solid holding power over convenience. I'll definitely keep an eye out for a shipping cover.

Thanks again, and your Moomba looks amazing.

 

[Compatico]

Thank you, haknslash. I appreciate the confirmation on the fenders and will purchase a couple of additional ones add to the 2 that came with the boat.

I concur - the flat fenders look nice but are not made for protection. We use two 12" balls and half a dozen regular fenders. The balls are used mainly when docked in an area with heavy wake in addition to fenders. We use just the regular fenders for launch/retrieval as most ramps are not too wavy. Quick connects that are adjustable are a must too - wife and I can snap on fenders in less than a minute and be ready to dock/launch/retrieve immediately.

 

[Tyguy]

I appreciate the input, Compatico. I'm definitely steering clear of the flat fenders and sticking with the standard tube fenders for normal docking. There will be times we camp with the boat docked, so for rough waters and overnight docking we'll look into the 12" balls. Hopefully those can be easily deflated for easier storage.

After a little more research I've finalized on the box anchor (small).

No luck on a shipping cover yet but I won't do any long drives involving a freeway until June next year, so there's time.

 

[Compatico]

No luck on a shipping cover yet but I won't do any long drives involving a freeway until June next year, so there's time.

Did you mean to say mooring cover? If so, did you look at the Outer Armour strapless cover?

 

[Tyguy]

I was referring to haknslash's recommendation to find a Yamaha shipping cover. Do the Outer Amour covers flap or buffet? Any kind of cover movement coupled with dust or an abrasive cover material will result in marring, and that's what I'm hoping to avoid.

 

[haknslash]

The balls can be deflated easy. I use an inflatable pump that has different nozzle adapters and pick one that is close the the ball fender. Works great and blows it up in like 10-15 seconds or so. Deflating them is a matter of pulling the plug and pushing the air out. Worth it for the protection they offer IMO.

Deflated balls, plug and inflated pics....

 

[mdchachi]

I don’t know how you can use the shipping cover to trailer since the AR195 is shipped with the tower down but you are supposed to trailer with it up. I bought a mooring cover this year and took one long trip with it. I put painters tape under the ratchets per advice I had read here and did not notice any issues.

I think you can continue with the augers plus an anchor. This year I replaced the default Danforth which I could never get to hold no matter what I did with a Chene anchor and it’s like night and day. The Chene has been holding great in my environment.
An anchor buddy might also be helpful in your situation.

 

[Tyguy]

Great photos, haknslash, and I'm sold. We'll use the balls when docking overnight or in rough water. Thank you!

mdchachi, we bought our 195 a year old, so I can't say how we'd tow with the shipping cover if it doesn't allow for the rack to be raised. I never got to see it new with the shipping cover, and I'm not sure how Yamaha secured the rack in that situation. I completely removed the rack stop fastners so I can lower it enough to clear our garage. We'll tow with the rack extended and our garage is tall enough to re-raise it once clear of the garage door. Good advice on the tape. If you can predict the rub points then tape is a decent countermeasure. The challenge with the augers is the length of them. By the time I sink them in a foot or so, I only have 3ish feet of water depth to the top of the auger at the bow, and then I have to factor in the length of line and the boat, which would place the stern pretty close to shore on many lakes. They worked great for the Waverunners with shorter hulls and very shallow drafts, but not sure about the 195. Thanks for the suggestion on the Chene. I'll take a look at that option, too.

I'm in the process of installing a Ultimate 4 bow roller kit to replace the stock, which has marred the bow a bit. I polished the gel coat and intend to install some paint protection film in that area as double insurance to prevent more damage. I'll be curious to see how it holds up to the roller.

Here's a pic of the 195 snug in it's garage bay:

 

[SCP1]

I think starting in 2019 was the first year they started making the shipping covers for the tower folded down on the 19’ boats.

 

[haknslash]

Having those shovels and rake next to the boat makes me nervous lol. Maybe swap them with the yellow broom just in case something happens. I had my wall rack fall off once with everything attached to it and thankfully did not destroy my motorcycles at the time.

 

[mdchachi]

I think starting in 2019 was the first year they started making the shipping covers for the tower folded down on the 19’ boats.

Mine came that way. It’s a 2018.

 

[SCP1]

Mine came that way. It’s a 2018.

17 and 16’s then I guess.

 

[2kwik4u]

I tow our '17 AR190 like the picture below 2-3 times a week during the summer. Used the shipping cover for two seasons, and then this mooring cover last season. I've found no evidence of chaffing/rubbing/wear on the gelcoat anywhere. Probably put about 2500 miles or so on it this season alone (I really should track that mileage better), including one 400-ish mile trip to TN for a week. Cover was expensive at ~$750, but has been well worth it. Boat stays dry, and the carpet/cushions don't have an opportunity to fly out at speed. I'll continue this towing method moving forward, as I can't see any damage, and I like having the peace of mind that comes with the cover being on.