SX190 Sea Trial on Saturday

[Rick Rousseau]

I’ve been reading this forum since last summer. I want to thank all of you for your wealth of information and willingness to share. Because of you, the Jetboaters.net forum members, if all goes well I’m going to own my first boat.

For the last 10 years, my wife and I have enjoyed boating here in Florida with our friends who own boats. This group of friends all have smaller boats: a Sea Ray 180 outboard, a 24’ Pro Line Center Console, an 19’ Stingray cuddy stern drive, a 19’ walk around cabin outboard, a 20’ pontoon, and the only jet boat in the group - an early 2000’s Seadoo Challenger. I have this group of friends because of my wife; they were her friends when I met her.

We have been on many a boating adventure over the years. Almost every year we have done some sort of multi-day excursion. We’ve been up the St. John’s River from Sanford to Jacksonville and back down the inter-coastal numerous times, up the inter-coastal from Brunswick to Savannah, across Florida from Stuart to Ft. Meyers and on weekend trips up and down the Suwannee River. Additionally, we have been on boat poker runs and general boating trips here in Brevard County’s portion of the Indian River Lagoon system.

I’ve wanted a boat for years despite the wife’s opposition. Her thought was always “we don’t need a boat, we have friends with boats”. Well, I finally got her to say yes. I’ve saved my money and found a 2014 SX190 with 93 hours and 2 years of YES warranty remaining. I’m going to test drive the boat this Saturday and on Monday, the owner is taking it to the local Yamaha dealer so I can have it inspected and engine tests done. If all checks out, at the end of the month I’ll be cutting a check to buy it.

Some of you might say I should be looking at a bigger boat, or buy your next boat first. I have considered a bigger boat, but it’s just my wife and I and maybe a few select friends. And we are used to doing most of our boating on boats this size; that’s what our boating friends have. Heck, I’ve spent four straight days of boating on boats this size with no problem. And if we decide to upgrade in a few years, we will have cut our boat ownership teeth on a relatively inexpensive boat and it should have pretty good resale should we decide to sell.

I’m looking forward to sharing my adventures and experiences with the forum and looking to you for advice when I’m in need of help. Thanks again for being a great bunch of people with a passion for jet boating.

 

[robert843]

Best of luck on the sea trail. I will be honest based on your uses mostly on the rivers it sounds like I think you will do just fine with the 19ft boat. If you were going off shore I would tell you to go bigger.

 

[Paul Paulo Pablo]

Extremely well written, Rick. Best of luck with the test run and check-up, and congrats on convincing the wife! Took me a while as well, but I guess someone had to think rationally at the time.

 

[Just1more]

Our first Yamaha was an AR190. I loved that boat.... hope it all works out!

 

[swatski]

@Rick Rousseau Welcome! My first Yammie was a 2012 SX190, I was not sure what to think of those boats! Well I LOVED it. So much so that when needed to jump to bigger size last year (with our4 kids) I stayed with Yamaha.
Those Yamaha 190 are just crazy awesome for the money.

--

 

[blacksapphirez]

well since you're in Florida and have access to bigger body of water.. I would suggest a bigger boat.

19's are awesome on a lake, on a calm day but can get uncomfortable quick with bit of wake, in my opinion

 

[Rick Rousseau]

The sea trial went well today. The boat is in great shape and runs very nicely. Nothing seemed amiss. The trailer is not original; it’s a much nicer Magic Tilt aluminum trailer with stainless steel diamond plate fenders, guide marker poles with LED lights, and a spare. I asked why the new trailer and he said the one that came with the boat from Yamaha fell apart. The torsion bars on the axle both broke while he was trailering the boat. The boat also has an upgraded stereo and speakers, Garmin chart plotter/depth/fish finder, Thrust Vectors, and dual batteries. So some of the mods I would want to start with are already taken care of.

The boat is currently at the local Yamaha dealer (Boater’s Exchange in Rockledge, FL) for an inspection. I should hear back from them on Tuesday. My fingers are crossed that all goes well at the Yamaha shop. I don’t think there will be any problem. The service manager didn’t think so either; he said he knows this boat and its well taken care of.

 

[cabbie]

Rick,

Good luck. You will have fun with your boat. Take time to learn how to install the clean-out port -- watch the how to videos on the Yamaha web site.

Cabbie

 

[robert cabrerea]

I love my 2016 sx190 ive had her since October and have 70+ hours. No complaints. Other than an odd leak just started from the flush port under load. But overall great boat but does not like anything over a light chop. Wind over 12mph you will get a little wet. With the new articulating keel low speed control is not too difficult after a few times out. Plenty of power.

 

[Rick Rousseau]

Rick,

Good luck. You will have fun with your boat. Take time to learn how to install the clean-out port -- watch the how to videos on the Yamaha web site.

Cabbie

Thanks Cabbie,
I pulled the clean-out port when I did my inspection/sea-trial to see that it came out and went back in easily, it did. The current owner said he alw always take the plug out when he takes the boat out of the water (as you should). I'm looking forward to enjoying the boat.

 

[Rick Rousseau]

I love my 2016 sx190 ive had her since October and have 70+ hours. No complaints. Other than an odd leak just started from the flush port under load. But overall great boat but does not like anything over a light chop. Wind over 12mph you will get a little wet. With the new articulating keel low speed control is not too difficult after a few times out. Plenty of power.

Robert,
Sorry to hear about your leak. We are used to being out in small boats in a variety of conditions, but don't plan to be out in too much big water. The water around the house (Banana River and Indian River) is usually pretty nice. I did like the power of the boat. I'm sure it will be plenty.

 

[gsbrown]

I just bought a 19ft Yamaha and absolutely love it. Plenty of space for family and guests. Good luck with your purchase!

 

[captras]

good luck on your journey....as for your decision to not go bigger.....totally yours....gotta do what works for you. You read all the opinions and made an educated decision! You will love the boat, so be prepared for the addiction!!!!