Yamaha vs. Chaparral - trying to decide...

[Dave burke]

I'm currently debating between the 212X and a comparably équiper 223VRX. The sticker (from the Chaparral website is around 63k and the Yamaha is about 59k. So far I've not be able to test either one but am hoping to test the 223 this weekend.

I think I prefer the Chap but it's really close. Why the Chap:
- drive by wire
- build quality
- a bit bigger
- GPS included
- better (I think) low speed handling

Why the Yamaha:
- cheaper
- simple engines, less to go wrong (no supercharger, intercooler, etc.)
- clean out ports
- better swim platform
- more room in bow

I'm still pretty torn though. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[tdonoughue]

I don't think you missed it. I haven't seen the Chap on the water (only the boat show); same with the 212x. But from what I have seen and read, I think you have it well-summarized. For me, it was the cheaper & the simpler engines that won the day. That said, I don't think you can go major wrong either way.

 

[twentiesforever]

OP, how long are you looking to keep the boat for?

 

[OCMD]

Ease of maintenance....Yamaha hands down.

 

[veedubtek]

If those were my only 2 options, I'd be takin the Chap home. Tech-wise and fit/finish, it's a whole lot more boat for the money. If I had other options, but wanted the surf capability, in that budget, I'd try to find a used 242X. Or a leftover 242LS/AR240 and add my own surf stuff (which you'd likely have to do with either of those anyway). Good local dealer support could come into play as well. Clean out plugs can be nice, but they certainly aren't the end all be all of debris cleanup. One time on the Bimini trip 2015 they saved my tail. Everything I've sucked up this year, not one single time have the plugs been useful. I'm trying to get back onto my more local, "clean" lake soon, which I've never sucked anything up on anyway.

 

[mraz72]

@veedubtek are you saying you sucked up a bunch of stuff and never was able to get the debris out through the port? Did you pull the pumps and see debris?

 

[veedubtek]

Yessir @Michael Rasmussen . Been a piece of wood jammed between the impeller and ring every time.

 

[Bennie]

@Dave burke - one more item to add to your list is warranty and dealer care/maintenance.

@veedubtek brought up ensuring you have good local dealer support, and that was a HUGE deciding factor for me. Having a Yamaha boat, (haul and motor) won out the Chap 223 that had the Vortex engines and no local dealer to bring it back to... just in case.

We too liked the built in GPS on the Chap, but I'm very happy with Lowrance Elite 5HDI that I installed.... and only cost $300.

 

[scokill]

@veedubtek are you saying you sucked up a bunch of stuff and never was able to get the debris out through the port? Did you pull the pumps and see debris?

It all depends, but in 10 seasons and sucking up more things than I can count I've only had a couple of times I couldn't get it out with the cleanout port. Never had a day ruined by sucking something up...even a few ropes.

 

[viggen]

Hard to say one is cheaper w/o negotiang or working out a price on each. If one dealership is more motivated to sell, the more expensive boat could be cheaper.... or the cheaper boat could be substantially less and not just around 4% less

Engine reliability or concern on extra maintenance with supercharger and IC isn't a concern of mine however having a dealer close is.

Test drive before giving to much more thought, that might quickly lean you one way or another

 

[Dave burke]

Hard to say one is cheaper w/o negotiang or working out a price on each. If one dealership is more motivated to sell, the more expensive boat could be cheaper.... or the cheaper boat could be substantially less and not just around 4% less

Engine reliability or concern on extra maintenance with supercharger and IC isn't a concern of mine however having a dealer close is.

Test drive before giving to much more thought, that might quickly lean you one way or another

Thanks for all comments. I'm trying to test drive one but the dealers that are close to me (within 3 hours) say that they don't allow test drives because it's too complicated to get the boats from their yard to the closest lake

 

[4x15mph]

@Dave burke , I would weigh heavily whether you have someone that can service the Chapparal near by and I would really investigate that thoroughly. I have spent too much time on these forums hearing about the issues with service for these BRP powered boats and there is less help here on this board to get you through any problems. No matter how great the boat looks, which I prefer personally, you could get frustrated. This is just my observation

 

[Dave burke]

Thanks, that's good advice. The Chap dealer is about two hours away, very close to the Yamaha dealer. There's a dealer 15 mins away who services the Rotax engines. I know this because I have a 2009 SeaDoo Sporster and have had it repaired a couple of times.

But I'm getting the definite impression that the Yamaha engines are more reliable that the BRP ones. Is that the general consensus?

 

[VONCE]

But I'm getting the definite impression that the Yamaha engines are more reliable that the BRP ones. Is that the general consensus?

I can't speak for the new BRP engines. But the older generation engines were extremely unreliable. I'm talking 2-cycle old stuff. Hopefully those quirks have been worked out. Having Yamaha motorcycles and my new (to me) AR210, I can confirm maintenance is simple. Perhaps non-existent (at least so far for me). I had no doubts in the performance or reliability of my Yamaha motorcycles, and I feel the same way about my boat.

 

[Bennie]

But I'm getting the definite impression that the Yamaha engines are more reliable that the BRP ones. Is that the general consensus?

And quieter too. I believe it was US Boat Test that recorded the Chap 223 @90Db, and the Yamaha twin 1.8L @ 70Db.
That's quite a difference!

Just something else to throw into the mix.

 

[McMark]

There's a Chap dealer 4 miles from me. I bought my yamaha 2 1/2 hours away.

 

[Scottdip]

And quieter too. I believe it was US Boat Test that recorded the Chap 223 @90Db, and the Yamaha twin 1.8L @ 70Db.
That's quite a difference!

Just something else to throw into the mix.

I don't think the 20Db difference was recorded at the same RPM.

RPM for RPM, there isn't that much of a difference.

 

[Scottdip]

Chaparral Boat Test DB numbers (twin 250Hp engines)
RPM NM KM KPH LPH KPL dBA
1700 197 365 7.90 3.79 2.06 78
2000 216 399 8.50 3.79 2.25 76
3000 99 183 11.90 11.55 1.03 84
4000 78 143 14.00 17.22 0.81 76
5000 119 219 37.80 30.47 1.24 82
6000 100 185 55.20 52.81 1.05 89
7000 78 143 70.70 86.87 0.81 91
8000 63 117 90.30 136.46 0.66 94

Yamaha 212X Boat test DB numbers (twin 160hp engines)
RPM NM KM KPH LPH KPL dBA
1600 47 85 5.00 9.84 0.50 72
2500 79 145 7.70 9.08 0.85 74
3000 83 154 9.00 10.22 0.90 75
4000 89 166 10.50 10.98 0.97 80
5000 76 140 11.90 14.38 0.82 83
6000 76 142 19.50 23.47 0.83 85
7000 138 254 44.30 29.53 1.49 88
8000 129 238 58.30 41.64 1.39 92
9000 118 219 69.70 54.51 1.28 98
10000 109 203 82.60 69.65 1.18 98
11500 98 180 85.10 80.63 1.06 100

 

[Scottdip]

I'm currently debating between the 212X and a comparably équiper 223VRX. The sticker (from the Chaparral website is around 63k and the Yamaha is about 59k. So far I've not be able to test either one but am hoping to test the 223 this weekend.

I think I prefer the Chap but it's really close. Why the Chap:
- drive by wire
- build quality
- a bit bigger
- GPS included
- better (I think) low speed handling

Why the Yamaha:
- cheaper
- simple engines, less to go wrong (no supercharger, intercooler, etc.)
- clean out ports
- better swim platform
- more room in bow

I'm still pretty torn though. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Chap's have a "true neutral" as well.

 

[Neutron]

Chaparral Boat Test DB numbers (twin 250Hp engines)
RPM NM KM KPH LPH KPL dBA
1700 197 365 7.90 3.79 2.06 78
2000 216 399 8.50 3.79 2.25 76
3000 99 183 11.90 11.55 1.03 84
4000 78 143 14.00 17.22 0.81 76
5000 119 219 37.80 30.47 1.24 82
6000 100 185 55.20 52.81 1.05 89
7000 78 143 70.70 86.87 0.81 91
8000 63 117 90.30 136.46 0.66 94

Yamaha 212X Boat test DB numbers (twin 160hp engines)
RPM NM KM KPH LPH KPL dBA
1600 47 85 5.00 9.84 0.50 72
2500 79 145 7.70 9.08 0.85 74
3000 83 154 9.00 10.22 0.90 75
4000 89 166 10.50 10.98 0.97 80
5000 76 140 11.90 14.38 0.82 83
6000 76 142 19.50 23.47 0.83 85
7000 138 254 44.30 29.53 1.49 88
8000 129 238 58.30 41.64 1.39 92
9000 118 219 69.70 54.51 1.28 98
10000 109 203 82.60 69.65 1.18 98
11500 98 180 85.10 80.63 1.06 100

What yamaha 1.8 liter goes 11500 rpms