King of indecision HELP!

[TETYus]

It is not an exaggeration to say that I've been actively shopping and researching since I joined this forum... I have struggled to commit to a new boat purchase after moving and have been renting instead. I'm tired of hauling gear, not getting to settle into the driving feel of a particular boat, dealing with the admin of renting, etc... My kids are young, at the right age to learn to ski and wakeboard, have a ball on a tube and generally learn to love Lake life. Here's the dilemma - I grew up on an 18ft Glastron Carlson in small lakes, and then had access to top-of-the-line wake and ski boats into adulthood (thanks big bro). Now I'm in the Southeast and am struggling between an Outboard deck boat and justifying a Yamaha. I need someone to tell me all the reasons I'd regret getting a deck boat and convince me to just buy an AR210 already (I already know the 195 might not do it for me given my love of big outboards).

Edit- I'm also a bit overwhelmed with what year/model to get. The 210 seems to be right, but open to input.

Thank you so much for any advice or encouragement! Love this forum, even though I'm a big-time lurker.

 

[Speedling]

It is not an exaggeration to say that I've been actively shopping and researching since I joined this forum... I have struggled to commit to a new boat purchase after moving and have been renting instead. I'm tired of hauling gear, not getting to settle into the driving feel of a particular boat, dealing with the admin of renting, etc... My kids are young, at the right age to learn to ski and wakeboard, have a ball on a tube and generally learn to love Lake life. Here's the dilemma - I grew up on an 18ft Glastron Carlson in small lakes, and then had access to top-of-the-line wake and ski boats into adulthood (thanks big bro). Now I'm in the Southeast and am struggling between an Outboard deck boat and justifying a Yamaha. I need someone to tell me all the reasons I'd regret getting a deck boat and convince me to just buy an AR210 already (I already know the 195 might not do it for me given my love of big outboards).

Thank you so much for any advice or encouragement! Love this forum, even though I'm a big-time lurker.

What deckboat are you looking at?
I love my Yamaha because of the ability to service it myself and this forum.

 

[tdonoughue]

Well, everyone knows outboard deck boats suck. First, they are outboard. You know they are on the 'outs', right? Otherwise they would be 'cool' boards or 'hip' boards. Or 'lit' as my kids say. But clearly they are not. Second, 'deck'--sounds too much like 'duck'. I mean, really.

On to the positive: I went for my Yamaha because a) jet boats = no prop = good for beginner me in that I can't cut up anyone, b) found out they are REALLY easy to take care of--mine has been to the dealer once for regular service and has never been back since I found this forum, c) the layout rocks; I have just simply so many good and comfy spots on my boat, d) the back deck gets a mention all its own. I can sit up high and have my feet splashed, or down a level with my feet in the water, or get in the water and put a beverage on the deck, e) it corners like it is on rails (try that on your duck, er, deck boat).

Oh, and welcome!

 

[TETYus]

What deckboat are you looking at?
I love my Yamaha because of the ability to service it myself and this forum.

I've been looking at hurricanes mostly, but I've been intrigued by anything 21-22' with a 150 or better on it.

 

[drewkaree]

I can ridicule you about your choices, if that'll help. I don't mind bragging that I could probably go pro with my ridiculing skills.

Seriously though, I was where you were at, and with grandkids on the way too. We were looking at a 19' Yamaha. Reasons: I could swing buying it outright, vs having a loan for a 21', the MUCH greater safety of the jets vs an outboard, the ease of servicing the boat (1 had downloaded service manuals for an idea of what was involved), and the room was comparable to the deck boat.

We were looking at Stingrays. A friend was on the exact path as me (Stingray deck boat) until we took his family out. His girlfriend was instantly sold because our boat "felt more stable" according to her, and she confided afterwards that she was scared of the water in his old fishing boat. They now own a 2023 25' Yamaha.

The protection of the windshield has been a godsend on at least 3 separate occasions, and it makes night rides much more comfortable in our area, than on an open boat like a pontoon or deck boat

So after all that, I look forward to your new purchase announcement in 2027!

 

[Acard7]

We had a 19’ crownline I/O for our very first boat. Didn’t know jack how to maintain, service, winterize it. First winterization/service cost over 500 bucks. Our oldest was 3 at the time and I can’t tell you how many times we had to say “watch the prop!” Even to my adult friends, who one still managed to cut himself after kicking it . It lasted a year before we bought our used Yamaha AR230 after my extensive internet search which led me to this forum.

Obviously on a jet boat forum you’re going to get people heavy on Yamaha (or scarab). If your goal is to teach the kids to ski and wakeboard, and tube here and there, I’d say a Yami is right for you. If they plan to jump wakes and seriously become involved in the water sports aspect then you may want a wake boat. Or the wake series for Yamaha?

Our new 252SE is absolutely massive, is it the floating living room like the in-laws 26’ tritoon? No, but everyone thinks our 252SE looks much bigger than 25’ (okay it’s actually 24.5’). The Yami is much more maneuverable, has more storage, and so easy to service/maintain myself compared to the in-laws tritoon (probably more than a deck boat too even in a 21/22’ Yami). We had almost 5 seasons with the AR230, the parts I changed I learned how to do on this forum. Maintaining was easy, which I can’t imagine how much money all of it saved me over the years.

After being in a Yamaha since 2021 the wife and I are convinced we just couldn’t go back to a prop boat. Our kids are now 3 and 7, they love every aspect of boating, and we love not having to say watch for the prop anymore. If they want to wake surf we would likely move on to the Yamaha 252X or 255X series. Is it the best surf boat? No, but we still like to have a nice ride since we are cove hunters and lake restaurant hoppers.

Go find someone with a Yamaha and catch a ride with them, someone on this forum may even show you there’s. I’d definitely go with a Yamaha over a deck boat. But don’t be afraid to dream a little bigger for those 250 series if at all possible!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

It is not an exaggeration to say that I've been actively shopping and researching since I joined this forum... I have struggled to commit to a new boat purchase after moving and have been renting instead. I'm tired of hauling gear, not getting to settle into the driving feel of a particular boat, dealing with the admin of renting, etc... My kids are young, at the right age to learn to ski and wakeboard, have a ball on a tube and generally learn to love Lake life. Here's the dilemma - I grew up on an 18ft Glastron Carlson in small lakes, and then had access to top-of-the-line wake and ski boats into adulthood (thanks big bro). Now I'm in the Southeast and am struggling between an Outboard deck boat and justifying a Yamaha. I need someone to tell me all the reasons I'd regret getting a deck boat and convince me to just buy an AR210 already (I already know the 195 might not do it for me given my love of big outboards).

Edit- I'm also a bit overwhelmed with what year/model to get. The 210 seems to be right, but open to input.

Thank you so much for any advice or encouragement! Love this forum, even though I'm a big-time lurker.

I seen it often here and I agree with the statement buy your second boat first.

I always throw out these questions as they were put to me when I was going to buy my boat.
-What are you going to use the boat for?
-Where are you going to use it?
-How often are you going to use it? Is it really worth the price of ownership vs renting?
-How many people are going to be coming out on the boat? Be honest with yourself.
-I’ll add this question, are you good with tools?

You have kids, how many? Are you going to have more? Sounds like you need at least a 22’ boat but more likely a 25’ depending how many kids and family members you’re going to have on board.

I love almost all boats, love reading about them and the one thing I always come back to with the Yamaha is the value or bang for the buck. The inboard design and integrated swim step make the useable deck space of the Yamaha the same as a 2-3’ larger boat with an outboard, or an I/O. As others have said, not having a prop back there is a great safety advantage, you can still kick the pumps but you’d have to try, and they’re blunt unlike the knife edge of a prop. I’ve seen some pretty cool deck boats, I/O drive ones but you still have the engine box to climb over to get to the swim step, and there’s a prop lurking down there.

If you have a little mechanical aptitude and a basic set of tools, and the purchase of an oil extractor, you can perform all of the regular maintenance on the Yamaha jet boats, just get a service manual. You will save a lot of money by doing the maintenance yourself. If you are a pay it done guy then it’s going to cost a pretty penny for basic things like an oil change, the same with all boats.

Also as others have said, go hitch a ride on one of these jet boats, heck you live pretty close to Lake Altoona which where the majority of the magazine tests are done on Yamaha boats. And their corporate office is in Kennesaw GA. They handle a lot different at low speed than an outboard or I/O powered boat do at low speed, and they are louder than an outboard powered boat, but Yamaha has continually improved on this and the 2024 boats with the 1.9L engines are quieter still.

As with most things, there are compromises to be made in boats, they all have their advantages and disadvantages to each type / model. But in terms of bang for the buck, ease of maintenance, useable deck space and versatility yiu can’t go wrong with he Yamaha boats.

 

[biffdotorg]

I lusted after a Hurricane before our first Jetboat and even helped a friend buy a Hurricane with a Yamaha outboard. Honestly, that's a great comparison, as they have similar capacity and performance.

The biggest thing that swung me is the swimdeck. You lose so much space with the outboard. The safety issue is true, but a prop is just darwin coming into play. If someone cannot avoid that thing, they should just stay in the boat. I also have to give the noise factor the nod to the outboard. There is no Yamaha jetboat as quiet as cruising with any Yamaha or Mercury four stroke outboard. We have all learned to live with it, or deaden it, but there is no comparison.

Now the nod on ease of service should not be something we shouldn't brag about as a Yamaha jetboat owner when comparing to a Yamaha or Mercury outboard. As honestly, I service both for myself and friends. Doing an annual oil change and lower unit service on an outboard sitting on a trailer is way easier and faster than our Yamaha jetboats. And Yamaha jetboats are stupid easy. So that says alot.

Yes, our Yamahas are much easier to service and maintain than an I/O or Inboard, but not an outboard. That is a straight up fallacy. I can stand next to the outboard, all the plugs and fillers are color coded. They all produce the same oil change kits and I don't have to be upside down in my engine bay sucking oil out. (which is not hard and gives me a chance to drink beer either way)

So all of that aside, I get where you are coming from. But one day on the water with kids on that swimdeck will sell you on one of these boats. If that doesn't, go get a hurricane and have fun either way.

 

[drewkaree]

The safety issue is true, but a prop is just darwin coming into play. If someone cannot avoid that thing, they should just stay in the boat.

Not really something I wanna accept, if there are kids are involved, or as in our case, some "adults" as well (we've got some friends with special needs "kids")

There's just no way to manage everything that's going on at once, so to me, not having a prop becomes at least half of something I have to worry about. Pilot error can also be just as much to blame with prop fiasco's, and that person is still on the boat, so... I do get your point though, I just prefer to shade it a bit more to look for benefits of the systems.

 

[VitaminSea]

A few years ago my folks picked up a Hurricane 2486 with a 250 VMax on the back. Adding to what the others have shared…

The 2486 is superior fit, finish and quality of materials compared to the “base” Yami’s (210’s, or 250s), more on par with the 212/252. Very well built boat, huge bimini top. However when at the dealership, if you look at some of the other Hurricane model’s they are built more to a price point and it shows. In other words, if you are concerned with fit and finish, make sure you are comparing apples to apples here.

The 2486 is a rocket with the 250 on the back, however its handling reminds me of a passenger van where you need to plan your turns in the channel, steer and wait for the boat to respond. Hurricane does not publish the deadrise on their boats, and most are rather flat, which leads to pounding in anything with a short duration, unless you really back down your speed to below planing. The relatively flat bottom leads them to be very stable when anchored. I believe the 21/22/24/25 ft Yami’s all have a 20 degree dead rise at the rear, so they will offer a much more comfortable ride in similar conditions.

Haven’t tried any type of watersports off the Hurriance so can’t offer much there.

My Dad would probably never consider a jet boat and I don’t believe I would ever consider a true deck boat, so different folks, different stokes. The family certainly enjoys the swim platform of our Yami, over Hurricane and not having to worry about the prop.

Good luck in your quest.

 

[biffdotorg]

Not really something I wanna accept, if there are kids are involved, or as in our case, some "adults" as well (we've got some friends with special needs "kids")

There's just no way to manage everything that's going on at once, so to me, not having a prop becomes at least half of something I have to worry about. Pilot error can also be just as much to blame with prop fiasco's, and that person is still on the boat, so... I do get your point though, I just prefer to shade it a bit more to look for benefits of the systems.

agree!

 

[drewkaree]

A few years ago my folks picked up a Hurricane 2486 with a 250 VMax on the back. Adding to what the others have shared…

The 2486 is superior fit, finish and quality of materials compared to the “base” Yami’s (210’s, or 250s), more on par with the 212/252. Very well built boat, huge bimini top. However when at the dealership, if you look at some of the other Hurricane model’s they are built more to a price point and it shows. In other words, if you are concerned with fit and finish, make sure you are comparing apples to apples here.

Totally agree with this in regards to my experience with Yamaha, and others on the forum here as well. They're not Bayliners, but they're also not Cobalt's (those comparisons may be based on bygone era's, but that's what I think of). 90% of the fit and finish was dynamite on my boat, the other 10% is related to plastic fittings (understandable, for cost purposes, and easy to swap out, but perfectly serviceable for many of the fittings), and then the various oddities (what's this afterbirth looking thing, for instance, or the shotgun drilling of the anchor locker for many).

In the grand scheme of things, if Yamaha had gone with metal over plastic fittings, I'd hate to know how much more we'd pay for the boat, even though ti would amount to likely less than $200 for them. The fabrication issues should be addressed, but these point to human input issues, and you're never going to be able to rule out someone having a bad day for whatever reason, and their mind just isn't on the job at hand. Things don't FEEL cheap on my boat, and I still get comments from people, surprised that my boat is now 5 years old - to US, the older models look dated, but to others that don't know any better, they still have nice styling.

 

[TETYus]

What a great set of responses, definitely surfaced some things I have not considered. Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond, I expected one or two responses, but these were fantastic.

It's easy to underestimate how much the swim platform changes a day on the water. The fit and finish is something I definitely needed the sanity check on, I wasn't being fair with apples to apples looking at some higher end models of other boats and comparing them to the entry level Yamahas.

@drewkaree if this purchase doesn't happen until 2027, it is because you put that curse me on me!

Now to go figure out how to convince the wife to buy something bigger/pricier than the AR210...

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I just happen to have this handy dandy boat buying flow chart for you.

 

[TETYus]

Flow chart was a success, now I'm trying to sort through years and pricing to find the right one. Am I right that I should sacrifice newer for bigger/premium models? I have 10 nieces and nephews and 3 of my own, so the size thing resonates. I'll never take them all out at once, but could easily end up with 10 people on the boat at once.

This is intriguing, but I'm wondering if I should look at older 242's instead?

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/524862857130715/?ref=search

Here is an older 242 in the area

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1169584481379057/?ref=search

 

[Acard7]

What kind of tow vehicle do you have? I assume at least a half ton truck if you’re thinking the 240 models now too?

That 212 limited S looks very nice not to mention all the gear that comes with it.

 

[drewkaree]

It's easy to underestimate how much the swim platform changes a day on the water. The fit and finish is something I definitely needed the sanity check on, I wasn't being fair with apples to apples looking at some higher end models of other boats and comparing them to the entry level Yamahas.

@drewkaree if this purchase doesn't happen until 2027, it is because you put that curse me on me!

The swim platform ends up being THE place to congregate, and on a few occasions, mine was the "buffet" since it sits close to the water and doesn't require people to get out of the water just to grab something to snack on. Adding the table leg, you can use it for the tabletop, or as an umbrella holder.

Storage, to me, seems to be at least equal. My 21' AR seems to have just as much storage as my neighbor, who has a 24' tritoon, since the helm storage on his boat is fairly useless with all the mechanicals in the way, and with the Yamaha's 2 huge storage areas, the ski locker, and the deep bins in the rear, I don't feel limited or lacking in comparison to his. That ski locker is perfect for us if we're taking a tube out, whereas he's gotta tie it off the back, or have it in the way if it's brought into the seating area.

Last item, and this is just a personal thing with me - I can fuel my boat from the side, whereas all my neighbors have to drag a fuel hose across their deck, or bring their fuel containers onto the boat. I have no idea how ALL deck boats or toons are set up, or if someone has a better method, but every one I've seen of my neighbors' they're all set up the same way. As someone who deals with oil all day, every day at work, as well as diesel and other chemicals, this is just a personal quirk, but I'd guess this would be a peeve of others as well.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

You’ve got a lot kids and family fo sho …

It always makes me laugh when I see adds that say “includes a trailer” …the boats were sold with a trailer so there’s that.

Here’s a test video of the 2019 model..https://boattest.com/boats/yamaha/212-limited-s-2019
not sure how many changes were made from the 2018 model. Tone of the improvements was the quieter operation from the older boats.

The one thing I think I see on the 242 is a small head compartment which may be important to you and your family, doesn’t look like t he 212 has that, but it has a storage space for a porta potty, and you could come up with some sort of privacy curtain…

Here’s a test of the 2014 SX 240…not sure about the differences between that and the limited S design at the time but I think the limited S was a bit more boojie perhaps @biffdotorg can shed some light on this.

https://boattest.com/boats/yamaha/sx240-high-output-2013

I think there was a change in the clean out plug design some where but I’m not sure when it was, the older design was a pop in with a push down lock, the newer design was a twist lock design which I believe was an improvement over the pop in style.

I also think there was a big improvement in the pump design around 2018 on the directional nozzle and the reverse gates, this made for a big improvement in directional control with the addition of the TDE (thrust directional control enhancer) of the throttle, and using the no wake mode to raise the idle speed was a significant improvement in low speed handling. My boat has the same nozzle set up and I find that with the no wake mode in level three out of three, Dan’s the throttle in the TDE position steering control is brisk and precise. The articulating keel was also added at some point that also helped with handling.

Personally I like the 2018 model you listed with the tower and bimini top, and I like how the front section of the bow looks, but that’s my preference. It only has 78 hours is very low on the hours front and it appears it’s a fresh water only boat, the boat comes with a lot accessories, and if you’re close enough you can take over the lease of the slip with its boat lift. And this boat already has Jet Boat Pilots thrust vectors to improve the low speed handling further.

 

[biffdotorg]

Here’s a test of the 2014 SX 240…not sure about the differences between that and the limited S design at the time but I think the limited S was a bit more boojie perhaps @biffdotorg can shed some light on this.

https://boattest.com/boats/yamaha/sx240-high-output-2013

You nailed it. Pre 2015 24' models had minimal electronics in the dash, no Connext, and the old style clean out plugs. Thrust vectors and lateral thrusters or cobra jet steering can make up for any articulating keel of the newer hulls. Space is nearly the same on all 24' models. The engines are nearly identical other than the timing chain upgrade in 2016.

The upgrade to the Limited and Limited S models over the base models are creature comforts. Upgrades stereo, speakers, cushions, cushions on the swim platform, docking lights up front. And in the pre 2015 models, the 242LS got the reverse tower compared to standard tower on the AR240. Pre 2015 model 242LS should be getting down in that $30K range as well. I'm seeing 2012 (first year of the tip down tower) at or around $30K.

Performance wise, all the boats of that size perform similar. The benefits of the bigger hull will be noticed in waves, but they all ride nice. I love the bow of the 24' boats, it's where you really see the size difference. As mentioned, the head on the 240/242 is about as big as it gets other than the new 250/275 series. We don't use a porta potty as you know who would have to clean it. Nope, do what the fishes do is my motto. We have a rubbermaid coated shelf in there for life jackets on hangers, and the shelf holds towels and sunscreen

If you have the truck to tow, the space to store, or a lift with capacity, I always say go big. The new 22' models would be interesting to me, but I have no reason at all to leave our 242ls. Many will take the money they save buying an older 24' boat and dropping it into flooring, stereo, and steering enhancement and be just as happy.

Good luck!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

You nailed it. Pre 2015 24' models had minimal electronics in the dash, no Connext, and the old style clean out plugs. Thrust vectors and lateral thrusters or cobra jet steering can make up for any articulating keel of the newer hulls. Space is nearly the same on all 24' models. The engines are nearly identical other than the timing chain upgrade in 2016.

The upgrade to the Limited and Limited S models over the base models are creature comforts. Upgrades stereo, speakers, cushions, cushions on the swim platform, docking lights up front. And in the pre 2015 models, the 242LS got the reverse tower compared to standard tower on the AR240. Pre 2015 model 242LS should be getting down in that $30K range as well. I'm seeing 2012 (first year of the tip down tower) at or around $30K.

Performance wise, all the boats of that size perform similar. The benefits of the bigger hull will be noticed in waves, but they all ride nice. I love the bow of the 24' boats, it's where you really see the size difference. As mentioned, the head on the 240/242 is about as big as it gets other than the new 250/275 series. We don't use a porta potty as you know who would have to clean it. Nope, do what the fishes do is my motto. We have a rubbermaid coated shelf in there for life jackets on hangers, and the shelf holds towels and sunscreen

If you have the truck to tow, the space to store, or a lift with capacity, I always say go big. The new 22' models would be interesting to me, but I have no reason at all to leave our 242ls. Many will take the money they save buying an older 24' boat and dropping it into flooring, stereo, and steering enhancement and be just as happy.

Good luck!

Thanks Biff!