One engine verses two?

[vetplus40]

I recently visited a local Yamaha boat dealer and found a couple of boats of interest. My main question at this point is whether a model with a single 180 horsepower engine will be enough power. For the most part, my wife and I just cruise and float with our current I/O. Occasionally, we pull grandkids with a tube, but we don't ski or wakeboard. That said, I do have an occasional "zoom zoom" tendency and my current 140 horsepower I/O doesn't always "scratch my itch" so to speak.....

In a nutshell, the reason that I have the engine concern is that I currently ride a Yamaha FX/HO Waverunner with a High Output 160 horsepower engine. I guess that I am having a hard time conceptualizing operating a full sized boat with only 20 more horsepower.

I am also curious if the Yamaha boats are "wood free" construction.

 

[djetok]

I recently visited a local Yamaha boat dealer and found a couple of boats of interest. My main question at this point is whether a model with a single 180 horsepower engine will be enough power. For the most part, my wife and I just cruise and float with our current I/O. Occasionally, we pull grandkids with a tube, but we don't ski or wakeboard. That said, I do have an occasional "zoom zoom" tendency and my current 140 horsepower I/O doesn't always "scratch my itch" so to speak.....

In a nutshell, the reason that I have the engine concern is that I currently ride a Yamaha FX/HO Waverunner with a High Output 160 horsepower engine. I guess that I am having a hard time conceptualizing operating a full sized boat with only 20 more horsepower.

I am also curious if the Yamaha boats are "wood free" construction.

190 is no speed demon but it's not slow either. I have a 210 and it does 44 with the wife and I. We rarely go wot mostly low 30s. A 195 is faster though .

 

[vetplus40]

Does your 210 have the two motor setup? My 140 HP I/O will do upper 40's.

The dealer told me that the 190 and 195 are all single engine packages. He said you have to get in the 200 models to get the two engine package.

 

[djetok]

Does your 210 have the two motor setup? My 140 HP I/O will do upper 40's.

The dealer told me that the 190 and 195 are all single engine packages. He said you have to get in the 200 models to get the two engine package.

Yes I have 2. 2 x 110 hp. The 212 has 2 x 180 hp mid to low 50s your gonna give something up for speed or stability. If you want both it will be $$$$

 

[vetplus40]

The 190 I looked at was a cute little boat. Bow had some hybrid wakeboard "pickle fork" design to it. The 195 I looked at had the same motor with a wakeboard tower. Both were cure boats but may be too small for my big home lake chop.

 

[djetok]

The 190 I looked at was a cute little boat. Bow had some hybrid wakeboard "pickle fork" design to it. The 195 I looked at had the same motor with a wakeboard tower. Both were cure boats but may be too small for my big home lake chop.

The 195 has the same motor but is supercharged and much faster 50s. I'm guessing your budget is in the 30s? You could look preowned if you are loozing bigger and faster. There is a 212ss for 37 in NC or a ar230

 

[robert843]

Both were cure boats but may be too small for my big home lake chop.

Based on your posts I can't imagine your 140 hp I/O is any bigger then 19ft either my old 220 hp v8 I/O was 20 ft and only topped out at around 42-44. That being said i do not think a 19ft current model Yamaha will handle your lake chop any worse them your current set up. If you have a speed itch step up to a twin 1.8l engine model and you should be good top speed will be in the 50's but the acceleration will be to huge leap over what you currently have. Best of luck in your search!

 

[vetplus40]

You are correct. The 195 is supercharged. The supercharging doesn't add that much on a PWC as compared to the regular HO like I have. Not sure about the speed delta on boats between the two motors though.

To be honest, I have no budget restrictions. Just utilizinga bit of common sense. I am thinking that a boat that acts like a big PWC would be fun. I am not that crazy about traditional boats. That said, if I was a bit more liberal, I would buy a Malibu Wakesetter. However, I cant justify the expense since I don't wakeboard, but I do like the cool wakeboard boat look.

My local dealer has a cute white (with black trim) 190 with the HO engine. He also has a and green 195 with the SVHO engine. I actually like the looks of the white 190 better

 

[robert843]

I am also curious if the Yamaha boats are "wood free" construction.

The hull and flooring is all wood free there are some inserts that separate compartments that are wood but they are not structural just basic separators.

 

[vetplus40]

Based on your posts I can't imagine your 140 hp I/O is any bigger then 19ft either my old 220 hp v8 I/O was 20 ft and only topped out at around 42-44. That being said i do not think a 19ft current model Yamaha will handle your lake chop any worse them your current set up. If you have a speed itch step up to a twin 1.8l engine model and you should be good top speed will be in the 50's but the acceleration will be to huge leap over what you currently have. Best of luck in your search!

I just imagine that the 190 AR will be some improvement in the chop as compared to my current boat. The question is how much of an improvement. That said, I do like the towing ease and maneuverability of a small boat (one of the reasons I love my PWC), so I will no doubt be making a compromise of sorts.

 

[vetplus40]

The hull and flooring is all wood free there are some inserts that separate compartments that are wood but they are not structural just basic separators.

No wood stringers? Great! Most boat makers have gone virtually wood free, but some still use wood for certain applications. Bryant, for example, used zero wood in their boats..

 

[robert843]

I just imagine that the 190 AR will be some improvement in the chop as compared to my current boat. The question is how much of an improvement. That said, I do like the towing ease and maneuverability of a small boat (one of the reasons I love my PWC), so I will no doubt be making a compromise of sorts.

I agree there is something nice about a small easy to manage boat. I also agree on the PWC's in a few years I expect my family will have four pwc's and the boat will get minimal use as I enjoy them more. To compare whether the 190 will handle the chop better we would need to know what you are comparing it to?

 

[robert843]

No wood stringers? Great! Most boat makers have gone virtually wood free, but some still use wood for certain applications. Bryant, for example, used zero wood in their boats..

No wood stringers in the Yamaha. I saw your other thread and the Yamaha will handle the chop a little better then your Sea Ray but honestly it probably will not be a huge difference. Top speed on a 190 will probably be a little lower then you current top speed but acceleration is prob a little better. I would request a ride in one first other then the no outdrive factor I'm not sure the upgrade would totally satisfy what your looking for and I would make sure the sound difference was acceptable. The Yamaha is lilely to be a lot louder under cruising speeds then your current set up.

 

[vetplus40]

I agree there is something nice about a small easy to manage boat. I also agree on the PWC's in a few years I expect my family will have four pwc's and the boat will get minimal use as I enjoy them more. To compare whether the 190 will handle the chop better we would need to know what you are comparing it to?

Stingray 180RX. 18 foot Bowrider. Added trim tabs to stop excessive bow rise, but boat rides terribly rough in anything but calm water. I am NOT a big fan of Stingray's patented "Z" hull design. I will never ever ever own another Stingray. If they become the only boat on the market, I will take up basket-weaving as my next hobby.

 

[vetplus40]

No wood stringers in the Yamaha. I saw your other thread and the Yamaha will handle the chop a little better then your Sea Ray but honestly it probably will not be a huge difference. Top speed on a 190 will probably be a little lower then you current top speed but acceleration is prob a little better. I would request a ride in one first other then the no outdrive factor I'm not sure the upgrade would totally satisfy what your looking for and I would make sure the sound difference was acceptable. The Yamaha is likely to be a lot louder under cruising speeds then your current set up.

The sound wont be an issue. My PWC isn't quiet by any stretch of the imagination.

Essentially, I want a small boat, that rides like a big boat, that handles like a PWC, that looks "cool" like a wakeboard boat...........lol

 

[robert843]

The sound wont be an issue. My PWC isn't quiet by any stretch of the imagination.

Essentially, I want a small boat, that rides like a big boat, that handles like a PWC, that looks "cool" like a wakeboard boat...........lol

The new models they have added the articulating keel to which will take away the PWC handling characteristic it will not be as snappy or fun as your PWC's. I would look at a used 2015 model before they added the keel that will still give you some of that fun factor.

 

[vetplus40]

The new models they have added the articulating keel to which will take away the PWC handling characteristic it will not be as snappy or fun as your PWC's. I would look at a used 2015 model before they added the keel that will still give you some of that fun factor.

I read where the keel was being added to make the boats handle more like a traditional boat. I wondered if such a move might reduce the "fun factor" of owning a jet boat.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Unless something has changed recently, the floors in Yamaha are plywood covered in a thin layer of fiberglass. The seat bases and hinge screw holes are not sealed and leave potential for rot to develope. This rot has typically shown up on very high use and wet boats. Storing outside uncovered would be considered a wet environment and accelerate the rot potential. I'm fairly certain the stringers are wood encapsulated in fiberglass as well, but would seek a second confirmation on that hunch.