Advice/Expertise on Jet Boat

[djtech2k]

First, I have never owned a jet boat but have always been interested in them. Last summer I started doing a lot of research and shopping for a Yamaha jet boat but it was late in the season and I ended up not finding a good match, and then got busy with other things. I am just now starting to start looking into a boat again.

I did a lot of research on Yamaha for no super compelling reason other than I had seen some sitting on their trailers over the years and I thought they looked nice. I started reading forums like this one and it seemed like something I should be interested in.

So as I have started looking around, it seems like there are not nearly as many boats for sale as there were last year. Maybe I am wrong, but it seems that way. I figured that the covid stuff or various other reasons could be causing it, but that's what I am seeing. Anyway, I am trying to be open-minded about boats in-general so I have widened my search. For example, on the jet boat side, I have seen a few SeaDoo Challengers for sale and I just saw a Chaparral Vertex 223 boat for sale. I know they are jet boats but nothing more than what the ads said.

So my first question is: How do other jet boat brands like Vertex and SeaDoo compare to Yamaha? I do not know if Yamaha is supposed to be the best or not, but its a place to start anyway. I am just looking for thoughts on the Yamaha vs SeaDoo vs Vertex vs whatever, so I can know what to steer clear of or lean towards.

Thanks.

 

[Beachbummer]

COVID has greatly increased demand for boats, so great deals are not abundant. It is indeed a sellers market.

The Engines themselves on the Yamaha's are very reliable. The fit and finish when new is not on par with new automobile manufacturing, more similar to new home build by low cost builder. Because the price of a new boat is quite high, this can make some folks unhappy with the apparent high cost vs. low attention to detail on some finish aspects. If you are aware and accepting of this likelihood ( or you are willing to deal with it in away that doesn't make you mad) you are more likely to have a great experience.

If you will boat mostly in big water full of weeds you are better off with an outboard powered boat. If you are concerned about shallow water operations or like the form factor and you understand that weeds can be an easy to deal with problem, maybe a Jet is for you.

The driveline is very simple and the boats are reliable and look good.

Regarding the Seadoo/Rotax powerplants, the 4TEC engines have been in use for many years now, and the naturally aspirated engines are thought of as very reliable too. My impression is that the turbo and inter cooler for the higher Horsepower engines on the Rotax side do increase maintenance and repairs, so beware that the extra speed and HP comes with added complexity and likely additional discomfort at repair time.

Best of Luck!

The best boat is the one you are on!

 

[jgourlie]

SeaDoo has been out of the boat business since 2013 I believe and Chaparral and Glastron and Scarab started using the Seadoo engines in their boats shortly afterwords. There is a rumour that Chaparral will discontinue the Vortex and Glastron has also stopped making the jet boat. Scarab and Yamaha are the only one's left making jet's if the Chaparral rumour is true.
If you choose to buy a boat that is no longer supported by the manufacturer can have problems locating support or parts etc...I chose Yamaha because of the perceived engine reliability over the Seadoo Rotax found in the Scarab boats etc....granted I believe that Rotax engines outnumber Yamaha engine's 5 to 1 so there is that.

There is a shortage of boats this year because of Covid, if you find one you like snap it up quick,

not sure if that helps or not,

 

[djtech2k]

All of this info is useful, so thank you.

So if I am hearing you guys correctly, Yamaha is a safe bet and perhaps boats with the SeaDoo engines are safe because there are so many of them out there? I assume that the engines use the same parts as they do in their pwc, so that would alleviate the parts concern.

If a boat company is using the SeaDoo engine but discontinues boats, wouldn't the engine parts remain available since its using a common SeaDoo engine?

I am in now way sure about buying a Chaparral or SeaDoo, but I am trying to figure out if I should even consider them or not. I had only been looking at Yamaha for jet boats but availability has made me widen my search criteria more.

As for jet boat vs prop boat, I probably do not have a compelling reason as to why I have to have one vs the other. The closest water near me is a river that is not super big and I prefer to not go on it if I do not have to. I will probably do it if I have a boat, but I think its more dirty and crowded than I'd like. I do not think grass is a problem there as far as I know. My next best options would be a few lakes that are about 2-2.5 hours away from me. Again, as far as I know, grass is not an issue there either. I have not been on the water in these places in years but would love to get back on it. When I was a kid, we had prop boats, both I/O and Outboard. Now as an adult with a family (adult kids), it is long overdue to get back out on the water.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

@djtech2k ......as a scuba diver I spend most of the winter in southern waters around the world. The number one engine of boat rentals, fishermen and small dive boats are Yamahas because of their durability. A friend who is the service mananger at a marina selling Sea Doo and who used to be the provincial (state) service representative told me to buy a Yamaha. As well, as a Canadian there should be some pride for a designed/made in Canada product. Trouble is I just don't like the Rotax engine. The superchargers used to be really unreliable and while that has changed a bit I still don't trust the longevity of that engine. Prior to buying our 2020 Yamaha SX195 we had bought a 2018 Yamaha Waverunner SVHO. Those have been our only two jet boats. Before that it was all I/Os. We are very happy to not have to deal with all of the maintenance aspects of out drives and their associated hardware. Test drive a jet boat before you buy to see if you like the feel and handling. You have received some great opinions from other posters now you need, in my opinion, to personally experience driving one. Cheers MT

 

[jjmparsons]

Was just talking about a compelling reason for purchasing our Yamaha today and compelling for me at the time was the transom platform seating area. LMAO. First jet boat we have ever owned and I have to say outside of being loud we love it. So far, super easy to maintain, winterize etc. No props, lowers etc to have to deal with, its great. Granted it comes with its trade offs and you'll know what I mean when you suck up your first tow rope or random item that someone else has lost in the water or try to get underway after either blowing a clean out plug and not knowing it or, not installing the clean out plugs period. Been there done that. I honestly couldnt comment on the others you mentioned seeing as how I just dont have any experience or knowledge about them but you are in the right place because let me be the first to tell you, there are some guys in here that know these boats (and I don't mean just one model, I MEAN ALL OF THEM) like the backs of their hands and I am literally in awe everyday when I think someone has finally asked the question thats going to "stump the chump" and one of these geniuses comes out and spouts the reason/cause/effect/resolve/how to avoid verbatim from the original 1922 boating guide. A literal plethora of knowledge from page one on. Whatever the question.... these guys know their shit and they know it quite well. Good luck on your search and lets hope here in the next few months your able to find something that suits your needs.

 

[FLBulldogger]

@Dean P is a Chap owner he has great insights on the boats. Before we came back to Yamaha after we sold our first we looked at the Chaps and loved the fit and finish, the only concern we had was there was a run there on the carbon seal and some folks had some pretty bad things to deal with. Good Luck ...oh you may want to include your zip to allow folks to see where you are from (generally) and possible provide you with some deals in their area if they come along.

 

[JonD]

I have a 1998 sugar sand tango 175hp v6 jet boat. Where do I turn down how much oil is getting mixed with the gas? Any help appreciated

 

[djtech2k]

Thanks for all of the information. All of this info will help me figure out if I should consider other jet boats other than Yamaha or not.

 

[sunbyrned]

I have a 1998 sugar sand tango 175hp v6 jet boat. Where do I turn down how much oil is getting mixed with the gas? Any help appreciated

I think you posted this in the wrong thread. You should start your own thread to catch people’s attention to your question.

 

[Troy JK]

I’ve been into jet skis for 7to 8 years And ride with a large group. Some of these guys have 5 to 700 hours on their skis. 07 and earlier seadoo/rotax engines did have supercharger issues due to using ceramic friction washers in their SCs. since then they’ve been as reliable as the others But I wouldn’t go over 200 hours without a rebuild. The bad part of a rotax SC failure is that when they come apart the pieces go into the motor and cause other problems. Yamahas and Kawasaki’s fail also but cause less internal motor problems when they do. BUT, I’ve seen more SC Yamahas and Kawasaki’s come apart internally So as long as you have the Rotax SC rebuilt by 200 hours, your fine. The internals are rock solid. I don’t remember any seadoo ever breaking anything internally that wasn’t cause by the SC. Still have two jet skis and they’re both seadoo. They just make a better jet ski overall. What does worry me about the Rotax brp Setup is the carbon seal. I keep a close eye on that. My new ski only has 52 hours so far and I’ve already changed seal. I wouldn’t like the idea of having a carbon seal setup (or two) on my boat. When they Go they can let Water in Faster than any bilge pump can take out.
so when I decided to get a jetboat, I went with a Yamaha. 1) I like the boat better Than the scarab. 2) The non SC 1.8 is as reliable of a motor as you can find. 3) The clean out ports. 4) no carbon seal.
just my 2 cents.

 

[djtech2k]

I am assuming that SC means SuperCharger. So am I understanding you right that SeaDoo SC's need to be rebuilt by 200 hours? Is that expensive? Is it the same with Yamaha?

Like I said, I had been concentrating on Yamaha boats but that was only because I had researched them a lot more than anything else. With boat availability way down, it is making me consider other things. I did not even know that other companies like Scarab even had jet boats. I just want to make sure that I stay away from known problem makes/models.

 

[Sidarousmg]

Super Charger rebuild costs about $500 if you pull it and ship it out (most common), it's fairly easy to do, just a couple of bolts. or about $1000 if you take it to a shop. I was in your situation earlier this year, love the yamahas, but the fact that i got the seadoo challenger 180 for about a third of the cost of the cheapest used sx190 i could find made the decision easier.

 

[djtech2k]

Ouch. $500-$1000 per motor every 200 hours is significant "maintenance". Do the Yamaha's have the same issue?

Since I do not live super close to boating water, I have no idea how long it will take me to do 200 hours but this is very good to know so i can factor that into my shopping/buying process.

 

[Dean P]

I consider myself lucky to have owned a Yamaha and now a Chaparral. Somebody explained it best when they said Yamaha is probably the best bang for the buck. They are reliable, very easy to maintain and they are very popular. But I have to say, when I looked into the Chaps, everything I did not like about the Yami was corrected in the Chap. The fit and finish is beautiful, I love the style and the performance. The handling out performs my Yami hands down. I have twin 250s and this thing is a rocket. Getting on plane is almost instant and slow speed maneuvering is super simple. Try doing figure 8s backwards in a stock Yami compared to the BRP. But, I believe the newer bucket designs on the Yami have gotten better but still not there. We also have true neutral where I can dial in a setting to keep the boat still. Really though, all boat have their quirks. No boat is perfect. Everybody here has done something to them at some point. Due to mine being a high performance, there are expected cost that come with. But I wouldn't let that stop me. Remember, these boat are drive by wire and highly computerized. Steering with one finger and throttle movement/position it perfect.

Weeds: With the Yami, for some reason I was always stopping to pull the plug or performing the backup procedure. With BRP, boating in the exact same area I have not had any issues. Call it nuts but I have not.

Engine: There are way more Rotax engines out there in the field that Yamis. Durability is not an issue.

Like others mentioned, if you can test drive before buying that would be best. If you live near me, bring your mask and I'll let you drive it. I love this boat and would never go back.

 

[Dean P]

Ouch. $500-$1000 per motor every 200 hours is significant "maintenance". Do the Yamaha's have the same issue?

Since I do not live super close to boating water, I have no idea how long it will take me to do 200 hours but this is very good to know so i can factor that into my shopping/buying process.

In 2017 the Vortex was redesigned to be maintenance free. If considering Chap or Scarab, buying newer is always better.

 

[djtech2k]

Thanks a lot of the info. Great stuff.

I mentioned the Vortex because I saw an add for a 2015 Vertex 223. I had not seen one before so I came here to get some info on jet boats outside of Yamaha. They all look great in the pictures but they are all also very $$$ so learning/research is the best option.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Thanks a lot of the info. Great stuff.

I mentioned the Vortex because I saw an add for a 2015 Vertex 223. I had not seen one before so I came here to get some info on jet boats outside of Yamaha. They all look great in the pictures but they are all also very $$$ so learning/research is the best option.

@djtech2k .....best advice you have gotten is to try different models if you can because everyone has personal preferences and opinions and they are just that - personal - so try for yourself if you can. One of my best friends is a 5 star factory certified Mercruiser technician and top certified technician for BRP and Yamaha. He is now the service manager at a "uge" marina. At one point he was the area factory representative all BRP (sea doo parent company). When I went to buy a PWC (in 2018) I called him and asked his opinion. He told me get a Yamaha - no question, hands down - the best PWC/Jet Boat engine in the world. He was not at all impressed with the Rotax engine for too many reasons to list here. So we bought a 2018 Yamaha FX Cruiser SVHO. It was flawless and a beast - raced a few sea doos in the area and smoked every one of them. My friend had a matching one - they were the black with chrome accents. Awesome looking and very intimidating. It got so sea doo owners wouldn't even approach us they were so intimidated. My friend said (based on dyno tests he had seen) it looked like BRP overplayed the HP of their engines while Yamaha downplayed the HP of theirs. Another worry for me was that sea doo dealers, in our area, are well-known for "cannibalizing" the market. That is they compete with each other and "dump" stock. This is one reason sea doos don't hold their price - in our area. Yamaha does not allow dealers to do this and Yamaha re-sale prices are waaay higher, which I found-out when we traded our 2018 FX Cruiser SVHO in on a 2020 SX195. These comments are just my personal opinion but I really dislike sea doos and would even but a Kawi instead. Chaparrals are, in my opinion overpriced. Also I have heard that several Jet Boat builders are on the verge of financial collapse. Yamaha is not.

 

[Franced123]

Just my two sense here. I'm new to owning a chaparral 2019 223vrx. I had a ar240 years ago. Never had issues with the yamaha but i did have to have a valve clearance check around 200hrs. They Yamaha dealer said it was mandatory and it wasnt cheap. I dont remeber the price. I never loved the look compared to the chaps. So this year I picked up a 2019 chap. It's got twin 150s Naturally aspirated (without superchargers.) The boat has been rock solid and feels larger then the ar240 for whatever reason and is a rocket even without superchargers. The dealer told me that now the superchargers are maintaince free which should help with maintaince issues at 200hrs. Also I chipped some of the gelcoat over last few weekends and was in contact with chaparral. I was trying to get the gelcoat color code and they referred me to call the new vortex plant. He explained that chaparral built a new vortex only plant to just make the jetboats because of the high demand. It sounded like they are doing ok and my dealer said they have 5 or 6 2021 on order. I'm happy now that I have the catalyst free engines. Sounds like less maintaince.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Just my two sense here. I'm new to owning a chaparral 2019 223vrx. I had a ar240 years ago. Never had issues with the yamaha but i did have to have a valve clearance check around 200hrs. They Yamaha dealer said it was mandatory and it wasnt cheap. I dont remeber the price. I never loved the look compared to the chaps. So this year I picked up a 2019 chap. It's got twin 150s Naturally aspirated (without superchargers.) The boat has been rock solid and feels larger then the ar240 for whatever reason and is a rocket even without superchargers. The dealer told me that now the superchargers are maintaince free which should help with maintaince issues at 200hrs. Also I chipped some of the gelcoat over last few weekends and was in contact with chaparral. I was trying to get the gelcoat color code and they referred me to call the new vortex plant. He explained that chaparral built a new vortex only plant to just make the jetboats because of the high demand. It sounded like they are doing ok and my dealer said they have 5 or 6 2021 on order. I'm happy now that I have the catalyst free engines. Sounds like less maintaince.

@Franced123 .....that's good news. I had heard Chaparral was having financial problems. Cure doesn't sound like it if they have just invested in a new plant! We went from owning several cruisers to Yamahas. The 2013 Cruiser had twin 350 magnum engines the 2014 Cruiser had twin 502 magnum engines ....never liked the big catalytic converters either! Cheers MT