We had a 19ft'er previously......and have a 19ft'er now. Here's a few thoughts....
This '17 model boat handles the chop/waves MUCH better than our previous '98 model. Hull design is where it comes from, and Yamaha has it right for a comfortable ride. We handled "2ft rolling white caps" just fine in this boat. At times you can get a good smack from the front, but those are few and far between. Overall the boat handles well, and rides smooth and dry. Compared to our previous boat this one is significantly smoother.
Power.....We had a 135hp 4cyl in our last I/O boat. This one is a 180hp jet drive. Top speed is nearly identical between the two (42.5 is the best I've seen on either). Time to plane is very similar as well. The jet planes quickly, and the I/O planed quickly AFTER I added automatic adjusting trim tabs (google smart tabs, they're awesome). We've had 4 adults and 3 kids on ours already this year, and it still planed just fine, and pulled a tube just fine. Had 4 adults and 1 kid yesterday and it planed fine, tubed fine, and we did some wake sports as well. I never had to worry about moving people around into the bow to get it to plane, and never had to worry about having enough power to pull up the person on the end of the boat. It does take full throttle to plane, but you have to quickly pull back to maintain a reasonable speed for the skier once on plane.
Price/add-ins.......We bought brand new. Tax/Title/License, 3yr warranty, and the shipping cover for MSRP. The dealership was willing to give us 20% off any accessories we wanted, but was very frank with us and told us that the local Bass Pro was still less expensive. Same with the shipping cover. Yamaha tells them to destroy it and sell you a fancy mooring cover or something, and they think that's a waste, so they give them away with the boats. Our dealer moves a lot of boats, and typically doesn't have any remaining at the end of the year. Last year they sold all of their allotment and ordered some more in and sold those too. With the exception of a single 242 Limited S that they were willing to deal on to get it moved. Not much though as it was still only ~$5k off MSRP. SO far they've been great to work with, and if you're willing to make the drive to Nashville to Louisville, I'm sure Justin (the owner) would be willing to set you up with a test drive. Hell, if you're willing to make that drive I'll meet you on the river and you can drive mine to see if you like it.
Here is a post on why I chose the 190 over the 195. This post in particular outlines some of my thoughts. The entire thread is worth reading though if you're on the fence about a 190vs 195
post in the thread "19 footer questions" If you're on the fence about an I/O vs Jet, well there are tons of threads on that. Just be aware they do drive differently in most conditions. Coming off plane without thrust will be unnerving the first time you do it, as will the "instant rotation" they offer at idle speeds if not watching what you're doing. Thrust Vectors or Cobra Fins can help with that if it bugs you and keeps some of the other benefits of the jet. Maintenance is SIGNIFICANTLY less than that of an I/O. Winterization in your area is super easy with this boat, and maintenance is basically just an oil change and some grease points.
Feel free to PM me if you want a test drive on a 190. We're out most weekends, and can easily do a weeknight on the Ohio here in Louisville.
