Size?

[Greg larose]

is the 19 foot boat a good size for a family of four which is 2 adults and 2 younger children would like to occasionally bring along another 2 adults can it handle it with no problem or will you feel cramped and speed drastically reduced ... I know everyone says buy your second boat first but this is my first and would like to start off with a 19 plus yami has the great deal of the 60 month trade in

 

[SamCF]

90% of the time I have 2 adults and 3 small kids in the boat. It is the perfect boat for us. 4 adults and 3 kids is comfortable and plenty of power, but its getting low on storage space for coolers and gear.

There is room in the bow for 2 adults, but speed is drastically reduced with weight in the bow.

My answer: Perfect boat for small family. Gets crowded quick with more than 4 adults.

 

[Bruce]

How large are the adults?

190s are much more sensitive to weight than the twin engines boats.

We started with a less roomy but more powerful LX210. We loved that boat. But as a couple with two small kids we always wanted to invite another couple with two small kids. Now we have a SX230 that we paid similar to a 190 price for and love the ability to have 10 onboard and still have plenty of room for stuff and no worries about the weight.

 

[njmr2fan]

I love our AR190. We are a family of 4 with kindergarteners. We have often had 4 adults with +2 kids or more and its been fine. We usually have a food cooler and a drink cooler. Towels get stored under the bow cushions, shoes and extra lifejackets under the passenger side seat. misc gets thrown into the side hatch. We have no problems fitting yet. Lots of power for anyone to get up on a wakeboard, plus its one less in the boat. Same with the tube, we throw the kids on and then its just adults in the boat.

 

[DBamaC]

I was on the water with 3 adults, 3 13 year old boys and at 10 year old girl on Saturday. We were able to fit everyone in (a little tight) and do the water sports we wanted (wake boarding and tubing with 2 on the tube), but I definitely felt the extra weight. That said, that many people on the boat is not normal so for now I remain satisfied with the size. Normally we are 2 adults, my son (13) and my daughter (10) and sometime one friend each for the kids. and I haven't felt cramped at all. BTW - even with my thirstier 192 I was on the water for almost 9 hours on a tank of gas. I can definitely live with that.

As far as space, I carry a lot of stuff (more than I should) when we're on the water and it all fits. That includes 8+ jackets (sometimes we end up with extra ski vests depending on who goes and I don't bother taking out the others), a throw-able, anchor/rope, bin with food, bin for shoes, air pump, first aid kit, solar panel, LED spotlight, 4+ towels, a tool box, 4 fenders, assorted dock lines and snubbers, a 40 quart cooler, a bin with cleaning stuff and other junk, the cockpit table and leg, engine hatch walk through cushion (that I've not used yet), some noodles, a boat hook, a bunch of crap in the glove box, my wife's camera bag, 2 ski ropes, a tube rope, 2 wake boards, a tube, and sometimes a knee board. Granted the boards go into the racks, everything else is out of sight most of the time (the tube is in the opening under the passenger side bench in-inflated. Again, I can live with that. Heck, I could live with a whole lot less if I weren't so excessive.

 

[LTM1964]

If the price and ease of towing and storage of the 19' can get you in a Yamaha now, then do it. I think your 60 month time frame is a good one. By then, your small children will be large enough that four adults plus two or more kids may start feeling cramped. I have only had four adults in my SX192. One time two females sat in the bow; planing was easy but low speed steering suffered. With four adults in the cockpit, planing is a little bit slower but handling at speed is not affected. If the weather is good and people are spending most of the time in the water, the 19' boats are a good way to start boating for a family of four.