Yamaha Jet Boat Questions

[traderfjp]

Hi,

I'm new to boat ownership and had a few questions that I hope I can get some help with. I'm thinking of buying a new SX190. When I called the local dealer who had no inventory I was told that he doesn't sell many SX190 boats because more owners demand the tower and it will be a big resell option down the road. Then I found out that he has an AR on order and he could let me have it. I'm wondering if what the salesman told me is accurate about the tower being a must have item or maybe he has it on order so that is what he wants to sell me. I'm ambivalent about this option which is adds almost 3k for the AR boat and galvanized trailer. Without tax the AR was priced at 35,500.00. This price included 2k in destination charges. Is this a standard charge?

I'm the kind of guy who will put a cover on the boat when I'm not using it. I'm thinking the AR will be harder to get the cover on and it looks like the Bimini top is smaller. I love my shade. I'm also wondering if those of you who have the SX wish you had the extra seat. I'm worried that my wife will be uncomfortable if she wants to sit. The bench seats look great for laying down. Not sure about the seating. I think that is more important to me than the tower. Love to her opinions.

 

[Bizywk]

In my humble opinion, it all really depends on your intended usage, storage options and taste. Do you wakeboard? Do you need the opportunity to aerial mount hardware/sound system equipment? Do you have the head room available for storage?

I personally really like the looks of the AR over SX as well, but the tower adds to the procurement cost too. We bought an SX because we weren't going to wakeboard, and wanted to stay at a lower price point. The SX Bimini top is just fine with us on the lake. I would think that at resale time, it will sell about as easily as an comparable AR. Remember that the SX resale price will also be a bit lower because there is less of an original investment, and might appeal to a slightly larger group of budget minded folks.

 

[BakedZiti]

I went with SX for practical reasons..wouldnt fit on my lift with the tower up. Dont plan on wakeboarding and its not like you cant without the tower. The Bimini is bigger on the SX. As for the bench seat, ive had the "pleasure" of sitting on one on my buddy's boat, it is not comfortable.

 

[traderfjp]

The AR has the look for sure. What about charging me 2k over msrp for destination charges. Does this sound right?

 

[InmyElement]

I'm a big fan of the tower we use it all the time (even with tubes, but shhhh don't tell anyone on here..I'll get Tower Towing Tubing shamed), but my model tower is a pain in the ass to lower, so I can't regularly get it in my garage for work and out of the weather. I just lower it once a year for storage. They have come a long way and its a lot easier/convenient to lower. In 2016, I wasn't charged the destination and prep charges, but seems especially popular this year with high demand and during the pandemic I've read several posts on here that it has become common. I'm a big fan of purchasing during boat shows,(usually better finance, warranty, equipment specials) but thats changed also with now "Virtual Boat Shows" Personally I think they are taking advantage of us during these times with the BS destination charge. When I bought my boat at the show..I got it at a boat show price.. it was being built and showed up on time with no extra charges, but some people are paying it and I don't blame them just to get into a boat, during this high demand time..Good luck with your research and purchase..If your handy keep an eye out for used and avoid all those charges and someone else takes the hit for the off the showroom loss..Welcome!

 

[Sean R]

I had a 2017 Ar190 we loved the tower not just for pulling it was also something solid to grab on to when moving around the boat. Regarding the bench seat yes a captains chair is more comfortable but the bench really gives you more room to move around and a great place to store two coolers see pic. Just my 2cents.

 

[212s]

I'm new to boat ownership and had a few questions that I hope I can get some help with.

Learn all you can and ask for help, there's a lot to go wrong if you're not careful, and you don't want to ding up a new boat. Take a safety course over the winter to learn how to safely navigate on the waters. Take a trusted friend or family member the first time to help with learning the basics and remember your boat engine is like a car engine, it needs some time (about 90mins+) to break in before going crazy. The manual explains that.

This price included 2k in destination charges. Is this a standard charge?

Seems high, $500 is more the norm depending on location unless it includes prep and other fees. If they won't budge on the fees, you should be able to get some freebies like a mooring cover, safety kit, or towing tube+rope, etc. Can't hurt to ask for free stuff during the sale.

I'm the kind of guy who will put a cover on the boat when I'm not using it. I'm thinking the AR will be harder to get the cover on and it looks like the Bimini top is smaller. I love my shade. I'm also wondering if those of you who have the SX wish you had the extra seat. I'm worried that my wife will be uncomfortable if she wants to sit. The bench seats look great for laying down. Not sure about the seating. I think that is more important to me than the tower. Love to her opinions.

This part is harder to answer as seating is very user specific. For us my wife insisted on a bucket seat. And after owning boats with fold down biminis that would rattle and shake like being in an earthquake, we absolutely wanted a sturdy tower for the bimini. Yes the tower bimini's are a bit smaller (not a lot really) and you can always buy an extension for it (we plan to get one for next season) to get more coverage, especially over the swim platform where we spend a lot of time. The tower is rock solid and doesn't move at all, looks great, and as mentioned it makes a great grab point when moving the boat at the dock or moving around ON the boat. Did I mention it looks great?
?
As for a mooring cover with a tower, it only takes me 5 minutes to put it on by myself, 2.5 minutes with my wife. A properly fitted cover goes on easily and has velcro cutouts, tabs, and flaps for the tower base and I've yet to find a leak or wet spot inside the boat after a downpour of rain. I'll never buy a boat without a tower again - absolutely love it. If it was up to a tower or a bucket seat, I'd make sure we had a tower. Luckily we found a model with both (195s has both - hint-hint).

 

[HangOutdoors]

As far as the bench seat goes, we are mixed on it on our boat. The Admiral loves it and she lays on it all the time. When we are in the Great Lakes and going through heavy chop and rollers, I look over and she is moving around pretty good and I have to tell her to slide to the back. For lounging and having a ton of people on board it works out great also we store things under it, like deflated tubes or coolers or snack bags.

I am not sure if I am personally a big fan of it, but I don't sit in much at all, I usually drive or sit up front and relax once in a while.

@InmyElement, I won't tower shame you.... I only tow from the tower 90% + of the time and have no issue's whatsoever, but you are correct, hate to start that topic up right now again..... Especially since it is Winter here and all I can do is type on the forum and look at the snow on the boat cover.

 

[d_coyne1984]

Personally,I would order the AR because it's a nicer equipped boat and I'd rather have the tower and not need it then decide down the road that I wish I had it. I also like the look of the tower on the boat. That said though, you need to buy the boat for what you want and what you'll use it for. If you aren't going to do any water sports or ever think you'll want to mount flags or rear facing speakers on the boat for hanging out back, then it probably is an unnecessary expense. As far as the cover goes, putting it on with the tower vs without it probably the difference of about 3 minutes of time. Bottom line is buy the boat for what you'll use it for and what you want to afford, not what the next guy will. It's a Yamaha so as long as it's taken care of, you won't have a problem selling it if the time comes.

Good luck and happy boating.

 

[HangOutdoors]

To my tower I mount fishing rod holders (rocket launchers), an orange flag for watersports, have built a hanger for wet life preservers and ski jackets. Its great for grabbing a hold of getting in and out of the boat at the dock. Also some docks are weird and using the back cleat, which is about worthless, isn't and option and the mid cleat isn't lined up just right so I tie off the the back rail on the tower. Also standing up on the boat in a chop it is nice to hold on to, when the clown comes zipping by you in a cove and kicks up a huge wake. Will also mount a large antennae to it in case we go way off shore or do the Bimini or other trip for range. Finally, if you ever decide to do any watersports it is fantastic for storing that gear out of the way.

 

[Peter simon]

When i got my SX190 it was about $3-4000 more for the AR. I do like the larger Bimini. The only thing i miss not having a tower is it is a good place to tie the fenders on. It also gives you a place to grab the boat when you are at the dock or if you float onto the trailer.

 

[2kwik4u]

I had a 19ft (Rinker) without a tower. Then I got our AR190. I'll never own another boat without a tower.

Here's why:

• Place to hold onto while moving around the cockpit
• Keeps the bimini UP and off the gunwales (improved sight lines while driving without all those poles in the way)
• Place to hang speakers/soundbar/board racks/etc
• Anchor light is on tower instead of pole on stern
• You can hand a hammock from it and nap in the shade and breeze
• You can hang a baby swing off it, and let the baby swing in the shade
• Place to hold onto while at the dock that doesn't require stopping or holding onto the windshield
• Higher tow point for watersports
• It (IMO) looks better
• Still fits in a 7ft garage door (with minor mods)
• Place to hang towels to dry
• Faster resale due to popularity of tower (No real retained value since it cost more upfront)
• place to mount a ski mirror

Aside from the initial purchase price, there is no real downside to having the tower IMO. There is little to no additional time required to put the cover on. I have no data to back this up, but I expect the impact on fuel mileage while towing is negligible. You take a small penalty on top speed when on the water (~1mph difference with bimini stowed vs deployed)

 

[traderfjp]

Thanks for the great advice. A safety course is a great idea. We are docking the boat on a small lake so I will have to be careful. And there will be a learning curve to dock it. You state a great reason to get the tower because the bimini top rattles without it. I wonder if that is a problem in the Scarad too. I located one that looks great. Has the 300hp ace engine but not a lot else.

Learn all you can and ask for help, there's a lot to go wrong if you're not careful, and you don't want to ding up a new boat. Take a safety course over the winter to learn how to safely navigate on the waters. Take a trusted friend or family member the first time to help with learning the basics and remember your boat engine is like a car engine, it needs some time (about 90mins+) to break in before going crazy. The manual explains that.

Seems high, $500 is more the norm depending on location unless it includes prep and other fees. If they won't budge on the fees, you should be able to get some freebies like a mooring cover, safety kit, or towing tube+rope, etc. Can't hurt to ask for free stuff during the sale.

This part is harder to answer as seating is very user specific. For us my wife insisted on a bucket seat. And after owning boats with fold down biminis that would rattle and shake like being in an earthquake, we absolutely wanted a sturdy tower for the bimini. Yes the tower bimini's are a bit smaller (not a lot really) and you can always buy an extension for it (we plan to get one for next season) to get more coverage, especially over the swim platform where we spend a lot of time. The tower is rock solid and doesn't move at all, looks great, and as mentioned it makes a great grab point when moving the boat at the dock or moving around ON the boat. Did I mention it looks great?
?
As for a mooring cover with a tower, it only takes me 5 minutes to put it on by myself, 2.5 minutes with my wife. A properly fitted cover goes on easily and has velcro cutouts, tabs, and flaps for the tower base and I've yet to find a leak or wet spot inside the boat after a downpour of rain. I'll never buy a boat without a tower again - absolutely love it. If it was up to a tower or a bucket seat, I'd make sure we had a tower. Luckily we found a model with both (195s has both - hint-hint).

 

[traderfjp]

Looks cool too.

When i got my SX190 it was about $3-4000 more for the AR. I do like the larger Bimini. The only thing i miss not having a tower is it is a good place to tie the fenders on. It also gives you a place to grab the boat when you are at the dock or if you float onto the trailer.

 

[traderfjp]

The tower would be nice.

As far as the bench seat goes, we are mixed on it on our boat. The Admiral loves it and she lays on it all the time. When we are in the Great Lakes and going through heavy chop and rollers, I look over and she is moving around pretty good and I have to tell her to slide to the back. For lounging and having a ton of people on board it works out great also we store things under it, like deflated tubes or coolers or snack bags.

I am not sure if I am personally a big fan of it, but I don't sit in much at all, I usually drive or sit up front and relax once in a while.

@InmyElement, I won't tower shame you.... I only tow from the tower 90% + of the time and have no issue's whatsoever, but you are correct, hate to start that topic up right now again..... Especially since it is Winter here and all I can do is type on the forum and look at the snow on the boat cover.

 

[Crob83]

Yep as @HangOutdoors said. Hanging bumpers from it and having something to grab on to, as well as the better look is worth it IMO.

 

[traderfjp]

You make a great case for the tower. I actually found a Scarab with one but they are closed until 1/5/21 so I have to wait. Ugh

To my tower I mount fishing rod holders (rocket launchers), an orange flag for watersports, have built a hanger for wet life preservers and ski jackets. Its great for grabbing a hold of getting in and out of the boat at the dock. Also some docks are weird and using the back cleat, which is about worthless, isn't and option and the mid cleat isn't lined up just right so I tie off the the back rail on the tower. Also standing up on the boat in a chop it is nice to hold on to, when the clown comes zipping by you in a cove and kicks up a huge wake. Will also mount a large antennae to it in case we go way off shore or do the Bimini or other trip for range. Finally, if you ever decide to do any watersports it is fantastic for storing that gear out of the way.

To my tower I mount fishing rod holders (rocket launchers), an orange flag for watersports, have built a hanger for wet life preservers and ski jackets. Its great for grabbing a hold of getting in and out of the boat at the dock. Also some docks are weird and using the back cleat, which is about worthless, isn't and option and the mid cleat isn't lined up just right so I tie off the the back rail on the tower. Also standing up on the boat in a chop it is nice to hold on to, when the clown comes zipping by you in a cove and kicks up a huge wake. Will also mount a large antennae to it in case we go way off shore or do the Bimini or other trip for range. Finally, if you ever decide to do any watersports it is fantastic for storing that gear out of the way.

 

[traderfjp]

All this high praise for towers and the cool look and the fact that my uncle use to teach water skiing I went with the tower. I was lucky enough to find a 195S in Yacht blue. I've been reading a lot and learning a bunch. I had a few questions that may be silly. Here goes.

1. If I get caught in a hard rain and water gets into the boat will the water also go into all the storage compartments or are they sealed? If one was left open by mistake is there a drain in each compartment?

2. I was thinking of getting a trolling motor with remote for fishing but mainly for a backup in case my one lonely motor decides to quit on me. Is this a good idea? I saw one setup where a member mounted the motor quick release plate to the anchor door. If he took the motor off he still had access to the storage compartment.

3.Does it make sense to Scotchgard the mats on the boat. We did this at the house with white dining room chairs and when the neighbor's kid spilled sauce on the chair it came out easily?

4. Are the life jackets and bumpers any good that come in the Yamaha starter kit? I was thinking of getting a 3rd bumper or maybe a different style. We will mostly be docking the boat in the same slip so maybe I should just put the bumpers on the slip.

5. Is there any reason to have just a bow cover? I guess this would be a snap on?

6. Anyone try fishing as the boat drifts if there is no wind or does the boat become hard to control and spin?

 

[HangOutdoors]

@traderfjp

1) You are over thinking the rain. These boats are meant to be out and handle rain and water. The compartments are fine.
2) Trolling motor can be mounted as some have done being creative. The engines on these boats are rock solid. Get yourself a good VHF radio and a possibly a backup one.
3) No need to scotchgaurd.
4) The life vests they give you are cheap but work. Invest in some Mustang Survival and some watersport vests. We have all three types. Nice to wear the auto inflate when we are tooling around in chop rather than a vest or Type III PFD. Of course you can't do watersports with the auto inflate.
5) Depends. I have one for the rain, used it a couple of times. We would of made it fine without it.
6) I drift fish all the time. They are heavy boats.

I would recommend that you press pause on buying a bunch of stuff you think you may need till you get your boat home and get out on the water. As long as you have the proper PFD's, a throwable cushion tied to a rope or a rope bag, Anchor's, A VHF Radio, Flares, a simple toolkit, some fenders and at least the factory cover, a non marking front roller, a grease gun and few essentials. You can start using your boat and figure out what you need as you go along. Buying things that are specific to YOUR USE CASE!

You can over by shit till you have more than what you can even put on the boat and you will find that you will be over packing or leaving a lot in the garage. I am speaking from experience and what I did. If I had to do it all over again from scratch, I would take my time. I have enough to outfit 3 boats not too mention 17 different types of PFD's...... I don't even want to get into that one.

Take a deep breath and go get the boat and bring it home safely. That is step one. The rest will come, and there are alot of people here who will help you spend all you want, just figure out what it is that you need and that takes some boat use first.

 

[Data]

Hi,

I'm new to boat ownership and had a few questions that I hope I can get some help with. I'm thinking of buying a new SX190. When I called the local dealer who had no inventory I was told that he doesn't sell many SX190 boats because more owners demand the tower and it will be a big resell option down the road. Then I found out that he has an AR on order and he could let me have it. I'm wondering if what the salesman told me is accurate about the tower being a must have item or maybe he has it on order so that is what he wants to sell me. I'm ambivalent about this option which is adds almost 3k for the AR boat and galvanized trailer. Without tax the AR was priced at 35,500.00. This price included 2k in destination charges. Is this a standard charge?

I'm the kind of guy who will put a cover on the boat when I'm not using it. I'm thinking the AR will be harder to get the cover on and it looks like the Bimini top is smaller. I love my shade. I'm also wondering if those of you who have the SX wish you had the extra seat. I'm worried that my wife will be uncomfortable if she wants to sit. The bench seats look great for laying down. Not sure about the seating. I think that is more important to me than the tower. Love to her opinions.

You have a lot of good answers here on the value of the tower and I will reinforce some points:

I prefer towers in most cases, having been in and out of my share of inboard ski boats with and without towers.
Whether or not you like the look of the tower, or the difficulty of putting the cover on the boat is a matter of opinion. What is not opinion is that a tower is great for grabbing onto in rough water. A tower makes it far safer to get in and out of the boat from docks and other boats, especially if some of your guests have had a few cocktails . . . If the tower saves one person from taking a header getting on board, it is worth the money (doubly worth it if that one person is the admiral).
If you need to hold your boat from a dock, the tower is a great handle for that, and you can hold the boat standing up instead of kneeling down and trying not to pinch your hands between the boat and the dock, especially with choppy water or boat wakes hitting you.
If you or your guests find it much easier to hold the boat around docks by using the tower- you will probably end up with a lot less dock damage on your boat.
Ski lines are much easier to control when hooked on a tower and the chance of getting the ski line into a propeller or jet intake are greatly reduced.
There are other advantages as many have listed, but for me the practicality and utility of a tower make it worth the extra cost, and the added safety is priceless.

You mention that you are new to boat ownership, so you and your family will probably quickly learn to be competent boaters; but no matter how good you get, you will eventually have people on your boat who don't have sea legs, and you will want your boat to be as safe as possible for those people. Safety is sometimes a very over used word and it is easy to think yeah, yeah, yeah I'll be careful . . . but you really really really don't want people getting hurt on your boat- that can quickly ruin a day or a weekend, or the whole boating experience.

Get the tower.