Seeking Advice

[Frank Cicalese]

Let me start by saying I grew up in South Florida and I am very comfortable around boats. With that said I know nothing and I mean nothing about jet boats. I've owned everything from an 18' Center console to a 30' cuddy cabin in my lifetime. My wife and I now live in South Carolina, on a lake, and are looking at a 2003 Yamaha SR 230. I have read that there are some specific things that I need to look at like scuppers, throttle cables, floor rot, and such. We are going to go look at the boat this coming weekend, So I am going to have a few dumb questions, if you ladies and gentlemen don't mind.

1. Are jet boats like jet skis in the sense that they will not turn unless they are under power? (Like they wont turn while coasting)
2. How expensive are they to maintain? I've heard very expensive, but BOAT stands for break out another thousand anyway.
3. Is there room for coolers (large Magellan cooler) and other things?
4. What are somethings that I should be aware of while looking at the boat? From what I've seen in pictures it still looks brand new.
5. Is there a way to check the hours of the motors?
6. What seems to be a good price point to get into a 2003 SR230? they are asking $12,500
7. What would be the first thing or things you would do if you were purchasing this type of boat if cosmetically and mechanically sound?

Thanks for all of your input and I look forward to your responses.

 

[Babin Farms]

I’m still somewhat new to the AR230 but can tell you that in the year I’ve had mine I’ve probably put over 100 fun filled hours on it with no issues.
@Scottintexas or @zipper would be the guys with the answers. I’m sure they’ll chime in.

 

[dgfreeze]

1: For that vintage, it depends on whether you have aftermarket fins or not. Fins will give you at least some turning without thrust, but it still won't act like a normal stern drive. You'll get used to how it handles, and eventually even learn how it can be an advantage, partly due to being able to shift from forward to reverse in an instant, since there are no gears. Cobra Jet or Jet Boat Pilot. Cobras are aluminum, and can be set to be down all the time, or come up at higher speeds. JBP's are poly, and come up at speed, but have some other neat options like the Wake edition, etc. Can't go wrong with either one...
2: I really don't see where this comes from. They're amazingly cheap to maintain. Change oil and spark plugs every year, treat the fuel, fog the engines. One evening's worth of work to do both engines, and maybe $100. Many people don't even "winterize" the cooling system. You can fire up the engines out of the water, rev the engines a little to push water out of the exhaust, and call it good. The cylindrical mufflers sit horizontal, and any water left inside has room to expand. My brother has an I/O, and his winterization process is a pain in the ass compared to mine.
3: I won't speak on a large cooler, I haven't tried. My 06 has a built in cooler in the bow, I'd assume that one does too, but if you've got two captain's chairs, it might be a little difficult to cram a large cooler in there without it being in the way.
4 & 5: How many hours? Unless they added an aftermarket hourmeter, you'll need to hook it up to a computer with Yamaha's YDS program on it. $60 on amazon or ebay, and you can pull hours, fault codes, and run some basic diagnostics. Or, just take it to a dealer. Read up on the "known Issues" in the model specific forum, and I'd say you're fairly well educated on what to look for... I'm sure you're well aware of this, but the condition of the seats/vinyl is a very big deal.
6: prices are still up a good bit on boats, that's probably not far off of today's market. Many are predicting a used boat market crash within a year or two.
7: Add a tower. I got mine without a tower, and added it, but had no idea how much nicer it is with a tower. Someone made a list of uses/advantages for towers awhile back, I'll see if I can find it. If a tower is not desired, things like SeaDeck (or comparable), multiple batteries, AC inverter, some people like sound systems, keel guard, steering fins..... whatever you desire to "make it yours"...

Other more experienced people will chime in, but if she's in good mechanical shape, you're gonna have a lot of fun on her...

 

[dgfreeze]

• A place to hold onto the boat while at dock
• A place to put your towels to dry
• A place to hold onto while rafting up with friends
• A thing to hang your hammock from
• A place to hang a baby from (see picture below)
• It gets the bimini UP and OFF the gunwales of the boat (giving better sight lines, and a more open feel IMO)
• A place to hang speakers (because you need sound while you're anchored and hanging out in the water behind the boat)
• Gets the anchor light off a pole and onto the tower (removing more crap on the gunwales to break/leak/obstruct movement
• Towered boats typically sell faster than non towered boats
  • Resale value isn't really higher you pay more up front, but and get a higher price on sale, it's usually a wash
• They look great (sure this is subjective, but it's probably the popular vote)
• Typically more shade on a towered boat

I tried to tag the guy who made the list, but can't... Anyway, this list doesn't even cover the benefits of their intended use, watersports. Helps skiers get up much easier, and get better air. The hammock is a cool one, some people have hung a hammock from the tower. The "hang a baby" isn't as dark as it sounds... you can suspend a baby swing from the tower. lol

Edit: @2kwik4u made this list. I was misspelling his handle... anyway, I digress...

 

[Julian]

12,500 is on the high side



The Primary issue with this series of boats is ECUs with water intrusion causing gas flooding the cylinders and the risk for damage.

 

[Scottintexas]

Let me start by saying I grew up in South Florida and I am very comfortable around boats. With that said I know nothing and I mean nothing about jet boats. I've owned everything from an 18' Center console to a 30' cuddy cabin in my lifetime. My wife and I now live in South Carolina, on a lake, and are looking at a 2003 Yamaha SR 230. I have read that there are some specific things that I need to look at like scuppers, throttle cables, floor rot, and such. We are going to go look at the boat this coming weekend, So I am going to have a few dumb questions, if you ladies and gentlemen don't mind.

1. Are jet boats like jet skis in the sense that they will not turn unless they are under power? (Like they wont turn while coasting)
2. How expensive are they to maintain? I've heard very expensive, but BOAT stands for break out another thousand anyway.
3. Is there room for coolers (large Magellan cooler) and other things?
4. What are somethings that I should be aware of while looking at the boat? From what I've seen in pictures it still looks brand new.
5. Is there a way to check the hours of the motors?
6. What seems to be a good price point to get into a 2003 SR230? they are asking $12,500
7. What would be the first thing or things you would do if you were purchasing this type of boat if cosmetically and mechanically sound?

Thanks for all of your input and I look forward to your responses.

glad to have you on board,
2003 was the first year for Yamaha to put the 4 stroke mr1 engine in a boat, that's actually a good thing because you can take it to a jetski shop or Yamaha dealer and have them hook up the ECU to read the engine hours, I wouldn't be shocked if an engine had been replaced as many uniformed owners don't read the manual and end up flooding an engine by only running on one at more than no-wake speed.

1. Yes, but if you attach aftermarket "fins" it will give you a little steering at no power (but not enough to trust)
2. not very, I've owned mine for 12 years, oil/filters every year and plugs every other,, last year new impellers/bearings, I did loose a jet bucket but it was my own fault, I've been very happy with the lack of maintenance and not having to "pickle" the boat for the winter, I can take it out any Dec/Jan day that turns out nice
3. don't know
4. I'd look at the bottom very good for past damage that may have been fixed, also look in the engine compartment, does it look the same as the interior, I would also unscrew the manhole covers on the swim deck and look inside at the unfinsished area of the bilge for how dirty it is, if there was every an issue with the boat chances are they were lazy and didn't clean that area up, other than that it's a 17 yr old boat, stuff breaks and the older it is the more chance there is of it happening,
5. A "YDS" unit can check the hours and error codes of what is logged in the ECU (not the engine itself)
6. For a boat in good condition that you trust the seller I'd think it would be a good price but I wouldn't buy it without a water test and a mechanic looking at it and reading the ECU's
7. buy a pair of cobra locks for the clean out plug, change the scupper and add a 2nd bilge pump and high water alarm