Yamaha FSH 190 Concerns

[Tailwaters]

I've been search for a boat to replace my 18 bay boat. Mainly looking for something that I can get 6-8 people on if needed and my current bay boat with a 7' beam is just a bit tight. Normally only have 4 on but the kids like to have friends along . Anyhow based on what seems to be a fairly good value I am considering buy a left over 2016 Deluxe model. However I'm a bit concerned with all the issues pertaining to water leaks, cheap rod holders and the lack of drink holders. I've run into poorly sealed drains before so making that repair is not a deal killer however it makes m a bit concerned with any other corners that may have been cut in the manufacturing of the boat. I do find it odd that they failed to install any cup holders. Looks like one could cut holes in the top of the dash with ease and install a couple? Not sure why Yamaha did not do that. So with that is there any other concerns I should have with the boat? This will be boat number 9 for me, but will be my first jet.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Corey]

It's an awesome boat,,, I don't care what you read on these posts... No matter what you buy someone will find an issue and cry about it for years... The only issue most people have is it leaks (not from the water you are boating in, just from rain or deck washes into the storage compartments) It's a fixable issue ...for the cost of a $10 tube of silicone and some marine weatherstripping ($8) mine has been fixed..... I have not had any other issues with boat...runs like a top... Oh.. also if your looking to break the speed record on the water (like obviously allot of people want to do) then this boat is not for you 35-45 is gonna be your speed..

 

[Corey]

Also... about forums... forums for the most part are where people go to address "problems" and look for "fixes". You generally do not see everyone on here posting all the fun stuff and how awesome their boat is... So I wouldn't be overly concerned about all the "negative" posts.

 

[Tailwaters]

Thanks Corey and you are correct on the complaining comment. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. I had the same issues with my bay boat with drain leaks as well as scupper valve issues. At the end of the day no big deal just frustrated why the manufacture cuts corners in certain areas. As for speed no issue there based on the power plant I figured 40mph out of the setup. Which based on the size and seating position of the driver not sure you would want anything faster.

 

[Hannibal]

The only real issue we've had with ours is the dealer didn't deliver the boat we crawled all over and agreed to buy. They pulled one out of the weeds while we were gone to lunch and to get a check and if not for a sandbar party the next day, I wouldn't have accepted it. It still reeks of bleach in the hull. The bucket hatch at the swim platform doesn't fit right but we can live with that. I stopped by to request a plastic jam nut for the kill switch at the clean out plug that was missing and it turned into a, no exaggeration, 45 minute argument with them before they released one. Other than that, the boat has been great! If you agree to a boat, take a picture of the HID so they don't pull a switch on you.

 

[Blindduck]

I have friends with different bay boats and they had to install there cup holders like us..Not an issue I picked up some from bass pro but plan on buying the jetboat pilot accessory

 

[Grover70]

The leaks? There are many posts on how to deal with those. I've posted a few myself. The biggest was the wet locker which I fixed with weatherstripping and silicone. The hardest to figure out where it was coming from, the drain plug in the changing room had no silicone. 5 minute fix.
Cup holders....make your own or use the RAM mount with the swivel arm. Easy. Love my FSH.
In agreement with Corey. This is where we figure out the problems. I think it's a very small overall sample of owners. Most people figure it out and move on without posting. They hold their value well.

 

[Billy Marlin]

I have to say I take offense to Corey's post for many people they expect to get a quality product for the price they pay. In all my years I have never bought a new boat where I spent this many hours working on it until after 10 years. Granted these boats are about $10-$15,000 less than most of your bay boats but it is Yamaha so you still expect a quality product. I know most of my posts have been sharing my experience just so others can decide if this boat is right for them. When it was all done my boat has about $37,000 invested in it from upgrades and hours spent fixing issues. The first thing that should be said for anyone switching from outboard to jet its gonna cost you in fuel. I think most people have a gripe because Yamaha has never once reached out to FSH 190 owners about the issues and the only reason any of them are solved is because of the owners. My previous boats lasted me 10 years and the only issues I dealt with came from the boat getting old.

The Good:
With all that being said I am a fisherman and this boat is definitely more designed for light fishing and more family oriented. It does handle rough water well for a 19' boat and actually I think it suits people on lakes where the water gets pretty big. It can run in some shallow waters and I can cut across areas of the lake most people lose a lower unit on. Not having a motor in the back is a plus for my wife she likes sitting on the back and laying out. The swim platform makes for nice place to float and hang out to eat or drink. Its also an easy place to put stuff when out snorkling when searching for shells and stuff. I do like sitting up higher while driving the boat and it does handle pretty well.

Some freak out moments if the throttle is not centered exactly the boat will not start, if the hatch lid over the jet access is open it will not start, and if the jet plug is not in you will not have any power. It takes a few times of doing any of these and having a mini heart attack before you realize you have to call for a tow.

 

[Grover70]

To test a theory, I perused other boats websites and looked at owner's posts on different and more expensive boats. What I found was not so different from what we post. Even on boats many thousands more. I found it funny a similar post in a forum about water collecting in the bilge in of a Carolina Skiff. On a Grady-White forum there was a problem with their drain tubes. It's all relative. Sure, one could say they've had enough with Yamaha! Forget it, I'm moving on. And then go spend $60k on another boat and find out there are problems there too. Here in Florida I see many people who got in over their heads and spent $80k on a boat and then turn around and have to sell it. They want more, but the market won't bear it. It's much easier to sell a used $32k Yamaha boat/engine combo and stomach a small loss than an $65k boat and take a loss almost equal to what I owe on mine! So, again, the grass isn't always greener. I wrote to Yamaha. I addressed my dealer. I fix things myself. But I knew what I was getting for $32k and I accept the little annoyances. Not rationalization at all. It's just acceptance of reality. Yamaha did reach out to me individually, which is the only way to do it. Reaching out to address FSH owners in general who have not had a bad experience would not be a good strategy. So, if you want attention to a matter, you got to be the squeaky wheel, which I learned from my New York-born wife. Be loud, be aggressive, and you get answers. So, the President of Yamaha wrote back to me personally. I like Yamaha, even with it's imperfections.

 

[Hannibal]

How right you are. I was enjoying lunch at The Angry Pepper at Madeira Bch a few months ago sitting next to a guy who was on the phone arguing with someone at the dealership about his six month old $400k boat's stainless fixtures corroding. He's wasn't happy at all. A friend's new $6ok Key West wouldn't start 30 miles out in the Gulf. Turned out to be a loose connection at the battery switch. Very minor oversight but sure ruined his day bobbing around out there in the heat. I think the sun rises and sets on Mako though. A 234cc would be perfect I'm sure!

 

[SoftballBryan]

I have a wet jet boat! Some of my switches needed to be replaced shortly after I purchased the boat!

That's about all I can say negative for the FSH as long as I bear in mind what I spent and what I wanted the boat to do. If I am being realistic with myself, this is an outstanding 19 foot boat for what it's advertised to be. If I stretch and think about what I would like it to do then I'm just not being realistic with myself and the price point of this boat....

I could already write a book on the catches and fun I've had on this boat in just over one year and 380 hours on the motor... It's been exceptional!

YouTube: Salt Life Adventures

 

[Grover70]

I have a wet jet boat! Some of my switches needed to be replaced shortly after I purchased the boat!

That's about all I can say negative for the FSH as long as I bear in mind what I spent and what I wanted the boat to do. If I am being realistic with myself, this is an outstanding 19 foot boat for what it's advertised to be. If I stretch and think about what I would like it to do then I'm just not being realistic with myself and the price point of this boat....

I could already write a book on the catches and fun I've had on this boat in just over one year and 380 hours on the motor... It's been exceptional!

YouTube: Salt Life Adventures

I don't have nearly that many hours on my FSH. Based on the time frame of ownership, you must keep your pajamas and teddy bear on it! Can I ask if you've ever needed major maintenance on the engine or just the usual upkeep on the engine? I've been doing the basic stuff but nothing more than that.

 

[SoftballBryan]

Just the two items I've mentioned above.... One of the major considerations in purchasing this boat was getting the approval of a good friend of mine who has been boating his entire life. He's owned everything from Jetski's to yachts and had a JetSki rental business. He indicated he had the least amount of problems with the Yamaha motor. He calls them bulletproof compared to the other manufacturers. Since I knew I would be putting a magnificent amount of hours on this boat that was a serious consideration for me. I want to turn the key and go. I want to have easy maintenance and easy oil changes...

I just think it's important for potential buyers to be very specific about that what they want to do with the boat. It is a horrible boat for certain activities and locations. It is a wonderful 19 foot boat with plenty of room to walk around and do all kinds of water activities.

I could give all kinds of examples on why this boat would not fit your needs. One simple one would be if you plan to fish 4 healthy man on the boat at one time in a area that has larger waves. This boat is underpowered and is not suited for that situation. The boat is bad in the ocean if you want to seriously fish 3-7 miles offshore here... it's horrible...

The boat is great on the bay.... it is not good at solo fishing in significant current/holding position.... etc.

For each negative, I can give it 2 positive comments... probably true of many boats...

We love it... for what it is and the price....

 

[Grover70]

Just the two items I've mentioned above.... One of the major considerations in purchasing this boat was getting the approval of a good friend of mine who has been boating his entire life. He's owned everything from Jetski's to yachts and had a JetSki rental business. He indicated he had the least amount of problems with the Yamaha motor. He calls them bulletproof compared to the other manufacturers. Since I knew I would be putting a magnificent amount of hours on this boat that was a serious consideration for me. I want to turn the key and go. I want to have easy maintenance and easy oil changes...

I just think it's important for potential buyers to be very specific about that what they want to do with the boat. It is a horrible boat for certain activities and locations. It is a wonderful 19 foot boat with plenty of room to walk around and do all kinds of water activities.

I could give all kinds of examples on why this boat would not fit your needs. One simple one would be if you plan to fish 4 healthy man on the boat at one time in a area that has larger waves. This boat is underpowered and is not suited for that situation. The boat is bad in the ocean if you want to seriously fish 3-7 miles offshore here... it's horrible...

The boat is great on the bay.... it is not good at solo fishing in significant current/holding position.... etc.

For each negative, I can give it 2 positive comments... probably true of many boats...

We love it... for what it is and the price....

I had heard the same thing. "bulletproof," when people talked about the engines. That's the main reason I purchased my FSH as well. Good news. The main things I am looking at to keep it that way are a backup bilge pump and installed battery tender (currently I use an external one I had for my motorcycle). Other than that, you're right about the space. Four adults has been ideal for casual days. One day I took out four adults and three children. It felt like a barge. But it was fine for the easygoing river. Two adults fishing is ideal. Beaches easy and goes into the shallows.
Safe travels!

 

[SoftballBryan]

I had heard the same thing. "bulletproof," when people talked about the engines. That's the main reason I purchased my FSH as well. Good news. The main things I am looking at to keep it that way are a backup bilge pump and installed battery tender (currently I use an external one I had for my motorcycle). Other than that, you're right about the space. Four adults has been ideal for casual days. One day I took out four adults and three children. It felt like a barge. But it was fine for the easygoing river. Two adults fishing is ideal. Beaches easy and goes into the shallows.
Safe travels!

Exactly.... I changed the stock bilge for a switch bilge for when it's on the lift...

 

[Shelby Lowery]

Cost vs value. Relative to the cost of the boat it is an outstanding value. Mine was also wet but that's an easy fix and no more problems. The boat does everything my family wants it to and for 2 large adults fishing with tackle it's perfect.

I live in south Louisiana where the most all the water is shallow and not clear when it comes to fishing but the boat does very well. The next accessory after I upgrade the sound system (this one is fine but I like to hear the music while at WOT) is a trolling motor.

You will be hard pressed to find another boat that does everything this one does for the same price.

 

[Pcity1019]

DO NOT BUY THIS BOAT!!! I purchased the FSH 190 when it first came out in 2016. Recently the main impeller bolt completely came off. This is in a sealed compartment that you would never check. It is not in your timed maintenance either. The bolt coming loose caused all of the impeller bearings to decentagrate. This put stress on the engine totaling it. To fix it will cost over $20,000 in parts and maintenance. Yamaha refuses to take responsibility and I still $30,000 on the boat. I am currently in a legal battle with them. I have had to pay for a lawyer and write endless letters to the BBB and top executives at Yamaha. It is disgusting how they have treated the whole ordeal. I think I should also add the boat had ONLY 80 HOURS ON IT. unless you enjoy getting completely screwed out of your money do not buy Yamaha. If you have one of these boats I suggest you sell it as soon as possible or you will be stuck with a 50,000 dollar bill.

 

[Corey]

DO NOT BUY THIS BOAT!!! I purchased the FSH 190 when it first came out in 2016. Recently the main impeller bolt completely came off. This is in a sealed compartment that you would never check. It is not in your timed maintenance either. The bolt coming loose caused all of the impeller bearings to decentagrate. This put stress on the engine totaling it. To fix it will cost over $20,000 in parts and maintenance. Yamaha refuses to take responsibility and I still $30,000 on the boat. I am currently in a legal battle with them. I have had to pay for a lawyer and write endless letters to the BBB and top executives at Yamaha. It is disgusting how they have treated the whole ordeal. I think I should also add the boat had ONLY 80 HOURS ON IT. unless you enjoy getting completely screwed out of your money do not buy Yamaha. If you have one of these boats I suggest you sell it as soon as possible or you will be stuck with a 50,000 dollar bill.
[/QUOT

Hmmmmm.. I know a lot of people who have Yamaha Jet boats and that's not a common issue...... and at only 80 hours and Yamaha refusing a warranty?..... What is Yamaha's response? Not implying that it is not a defect, but seems like there is more to the story...The only time I ever heard of that occurring is when someone put on a sub-par aftermarket impeller...

 

[swatski]

Hmmmmm.. I know a lot of people who have Yamaha Jet boats and that's not a common issue...... and at only 80 hours and Yamaha refusing a warranty?..... What is Yamaha's response? Not implying that it is not a defect, but seems like there is more to the story...The only time I ever heard of that occurring is when someone put on a sub-par aftermarket impeller...

He has another thread going on, this looks like double posting

https://jetboaters.net/threads/do-not-buy-yamaha-fsh.23528/

--

 

[Scottintexas]

I thought we addressed double/triple/sextuple posts last week,

We don't know this member, we don't know the maintenance or frequency that it was done, I can't believe a bearing grenade without any signs, no noise, no vibration, nothing to give you cause to say "I need to stop boating and get this checked out",

I would highly recommend the Yamaha and FSH to any of my family or friends,

the history of this motor/pump in boat and jetskis is no comparison to his post,