Looking at getting first jetboat

[troy henrie]

So I am a little nervous about getting a jet boat for some reason. I am not a hugely experienced boater, but have had a boat for a few years now and have had tradtional inboard motors. I keep coming back to the Yamaha sx190/ar190. It seems like an awesome boat for the money. I found a 2012 sx190 for 20,000, that only has 56 hours on it. Is that a decent deal?

Makes me wonder why it has so few hours. They seem like it would be fun to use. Maybe they just didn't have time to use it I guess.

Things I am worried/wondering about...
1) drifting and steering without throttle. Where I boat has a lot of VERY expensive boats and I am worried about having it be hard to control while docking or waiting to dock. Is this a problem?

2)sucking up weeds or junk, I was always told to not drive my jet ski in less than knee deep water, but might need to do that. normally I'll trim my boat all the way up and go slow when I am shallow now. will it suck up sand or weeds so much that it causes problems?

3)Most of my time I'll have 6 people in the boat. We cram in sometimes up to 8 in my fourwinns 180 that is rated for 8 passengers. People keep saying that there is more room in the Yamaha's, but looking at pictures I am not sure. It it reasonable to boat with 6/8 people if going a moderate speed?

4)A follow up to that, if you wanted to tow 3 kids on tubes, with three more people inside, is there enough power?

5)Is there a hard defined benefit of getting an ar190 or one of the 192's instead of the base sx190?

Your expertise here would be very helpful!
Thanks!!
Trouy

 

[BigAbe75]

My ‘11 SX210 (with after market tower) was only 23k last fall. I feel like I got a great deal.

The models did change a bit between 2011 and 2012, not sure how much.

A 21’ would give you 2 engines if you’re concerned about power. I would think that 8 people on a regular basis might feel cramped on the 19. Probably more than enough room for the random excursion.

I’ve never been on a 19, so I’ve about reached my limit of opinions on that. And, someone else can talk more knowledgeable about the various engines in each as well.

I guess, I would say if you’re already at 20k at that age and have the physical space available... I think I’d look for a 21’ for under 25k.

We moved from a 19’ I/O (‘92 Celebrity) and the available space we have for seating is incredible compared to the old boat. So much more room than we had before. 8 people used to be miserable especially when prepping the tube, etc. Once we threw the tube and 3 kids in the water, it was a huge relief.

 

[REM835]

I have an SX192 and came from a 19ft Searay. The room on the Yamaha was a huge improvement. Without aftermarket fins you will drift and even with, have little control without throttle. Another thing you will notice is reverse is pretty much nonexistent.

The 192’s can suffer from heat soak which is easily fixed. I have had no problems pulling three kids on tubes and having four adults in the boat.

With the few negatives, I would not go back to the I/O. The difference in ease of maintenance alone is worth it for me. My one regret is getting the SX instead of the AR. Storage was an issue for me which is why I stayed with the 192. If storage is not an issue for you, definitely look at 21ft like @BigAbe75 said.

 

[SCP1]

In my opinion after owning a SX190 and a AR195 I prefer the bench seat (the J seating) over the 2 captain chairs. It makes the boat feel a lot bigger. I think you can make a 19’ work for what you are looking for.

 

[SamCF]

What boat are you coming from and what are your expectations of the Yamaha? Each of the Yamaha boats are very different in their abilities. What are you looking for?

 

[djetok]

Hes coming from a 18ft four wins. Like said above the maintenance alone will make a huge difference. Worried about drift ? Steering enhancements help, not that is necessary except for slow speed imo. Size differece on the inside is a vast difference. There is no huge engines, no transmission, and no stern drives. Which also reduces the maintenance. That increases thw interior size. A 19 foot jet then feels like a much larger boat than 19 i/o. Plus you get a back deck to sit on. Weeds are a issue for any boat, but thats what the clean out port(s) are for. Jump right off the back with no prop to hit.

 

[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 avoiding problems down the road.

 

[Zonie]

That sounds like a pretty good deal. If you decide you don't like it, you'll probably get your money back next year if you take care of it. I paid 16K two years ago for my 2005 SX230. Driving a jet was intimidating at first but once you get the hang of it you'll love it and as previously mentioned, maintenance is much easier. Seems like I'm constantly helping my friends with their I/Os.

Expand your search and be patient. You can find a bigger boat if that's what you want. Try SearchTempest.

Good luck!

 

[Rickey498]

I just went through what you are kind of going through now. I did a lot of research on boats, but my criteria was a little different. I knew I needed a jet boat because I run a shallow river, and I knew a 19 footer would work for me, because we usually use a rock beach as home base, and I can take people for rides without filling up the boat with a bunch of their stuff. I researched boats for several months, and narrowed it down to the Sx190. It’s really hard to beat the price for what you are getting, and I was not wrong. I picked up my SX190 on Tuesday and just had two days of perfect boating weather. I think 20000 for a 12 with 56 hours seems responsible. I would want to see the boat in person, and keep in mind these boats clean up real easy. If you do end up purchasing one. I would recommend either the thrust vector or cobra steering. Especially if you are going to be docking and maneuvering around other expensive boats. I don’t know how many people you will have with you on the lake, but any more than 4 or 5 it might get a little crowded if you don’t have a beach to hang out at.

 

[troy henrie]

Well I jumped into it. Bought the 2012 Sx190. Got it for 18k. Seems very well taken care of. I'm excited and I'm sure I'll need advice and info as I go forward.

 

[Rickey498]

That’s a nice boat. Enjoy! Post some more pics and we will tell you everything you need to get.