Hello from southern Ontario, Canada

[FiftyYardFistFight]

I found this board the other day and love the civilized and helpful discourse I see. I am a total newb to the boating world, but I want to get into it, both for my own enjoyment and to have another fun family activity. I've been reading in various places and looking online at boats and trying to filter through the overwhelming amount of choices in the boat world. I'm leaning towards a jet as a first boat, something that can tow a skier, boarder or tube, and something that's fun to drive on its own. I see a lot of Yamaha on here, and I get why. I'm also considering a SD Speedster 150 or 200 which seems to do a lot of what I want for about how much I want to afford. I'd love any feedback, and I'll keep searching the forum and learning.

 

[zipper]

Welcome to the Forum. This place has a lot of information on "having fun on jetboats." Yes, Yamaha is prevalent here, but others like SeaDoo, Chaparral, Scarab, Sugar Sand etc. There is even a thread on prop driven surf boats and a guy refitting a 30yo sailboat. I see speedsters on the Lake at the beach. Nice little boat for small crew. Good Luck with your search.

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

Thanks for the welcome. I'll enjoy the learning process and hopefully be ready to pull the trigger in the spring. Sails fascinate me too. I've had a chance to sail a Hobie a few times which pales compared to your beautiful sailboat, and I love that challenge. But with kids the age of mine and more friends that can help me with power, that's where I'll start.

 

[Scottintexas]

Glad to have you join us,
since this is your first boat,
you should consider either how mechanical you are or how much you don't mind paying someone to work on your stuff, If you get a 2-stroke it will require more understanding/up keep than a 4 stroke,

and, what size boat do you need, how many people will be on board at any given time,

Do you have a house on the lake with a dock and you can take 2-3 people at a time and rotate passengers or will you take 4-6 people out for 2-3 hours at a destination spot??

I'm very happy with my Yamaha 230, it holds 10 people easy (especially if some are kids) only once or twice in eight years have I had to many passengers and the maintenance has been basically plugs and oil, I've had a hiccup or two, impeller ding/rotten hatch/broken nozzle but those items have never stopped our boating fun and I could take care of them on my schedule,

If I would have bought a 2 stroke or a smaller "speedster" style I probably would have moved on from it already,


.

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

Glad to have you join us,
since this is your first boat,
you should consider either how mechanical you are or how much you don't mind paying someone to work on your stuff, If you get a 2-stroke it will require more understanding/up keep than a 4 stroke,

and, what size boat do you need, how many people will be on board at any given time,

Do you have a house on the lake with a dock and you can take 2-3 people at a time and rotate passengers or will you take 4-6 people out for 2-3 hours at a destination spot??

I'm very happy with my Yamaha 230, it holds 10 people easy (especially if some are kids) only once or twice in eight years have I had to many passengers and the maintenance has been basically plugs and oil, I've had a hiccup or two, impeller ding/rotten hatch/broken nozzle but those items have never stopped our boating fun and I could take care of them on my schedule,

If I would have bought a 2 stroke or a smaller "speedster" style I probably would have moved on from it already,


.

Thanks Scott. Gorgeous boat!

I know I want a four stroke. I'm capable of basics like changing oil and plugs, and plan to, as I do on my road vehicles, etc. I think lots of the time it would be me and my 2 boys, 13&15. I'm sure they may bring a buddy sometimes or the GF and maybe another couple, or just me and a buddy. So 7 seats would be plenty, 4 would be fine most of the time, but may be limiting on ocassion. The boys think they we should get a JetSki. I'd like something more versatile that can still play like that. My closest environment is rivers and Great Lakes, although we have friends on smaller northern lakes too.

I have a garage with a 10' roof and 9' doors, so I can get it in there to work on, but not to store. I have a shed that would fit a Speedster 150 but nothing larger, so I'd be looking for storage for anything larger.

 

[zipper]

Glad to have you join us...

If I would have bought a 2 stroke or a smaller "speedster" style I probably would have moved on from it already,

I think, what he is getting at is what many say around here, "buy your second boat first."

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

I think, what he is getting at is what many say around here, "buy your second boat first."

AH, that sounds sage! I actually say buy nice or buy twice. Same idea I guess.

One thing I notice is the differences in HP, twins and superchargers. I'm trying to wrap my head around maintenance costs vs how much HP I need.

 

[Nexus]

I found this board the other day and love the civilized and helpful discourse I see. I am a total newb to the boating world, but I want to get into it, both for my own enjoyment and to have another fun family activity. I've been reading in various places and looking online at boats and trying to filter through the overwhelming amount of choices in the boat world. I'm leaning towards a jet as a first boat, something that can tow a skier, boarder or tube, and something that's fun to drive on its own. I see a lot of Yamaha on here, and I get why. I'm also considering a SD Speedster 150 or 200 which seems to do a lot of what I want for about how much I want to afford. I'd love any feedback, and I'll keep searching the forum and learning.

Welcome to the forum. My first boat was a SeaDoo 200. I went with a jet because I figured there were less things to go wrong. It was pretty problem free, 'cept for sucking up a rock and having to replace a gasket. Overall, I think it was a good choice for a first boat. The only real negative (not really) was that it didn't have a real windshield. Sometimes you just don't feel like having a 55mph wind in your face.

Oh, and I avoided the Supe Charger models 'cuz I didn't feel like shelling out $1000/charger (x2) when they needed to be rebuilt.

 

[Chillypilot]

Welcome, great to have another Canadian on board. I'm up on Lake Simcoe. I bought a Yamaha SX230 6 or 7 years ago it's been a great boat with plenty of power to do watersports with two families on board.

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

Welcome to the forum. My first boat was a SeaDoo 200. I went with a jet because I figured there were less things to go wrong. It was pretty problem free, 'cept for sucking up a rock and having to replace a gasket. Overall, I think it was a good choice for a first boat. The only real negative (not really) was that it didn't have a real windshield. Sometimes you just don't feel like having a 55mph wind in your face.

Oh, and I avoided the Supe Charger models 'cuz I didn't feel like shelling out $1000/charger (x2) when they needed to be rebuilt.

So, from a cost perspective would it make more sense to have 310HP SD Speedster, than a 255HP Challenger? 2 NI engines vs. one SC engine? Aside from the other differences in the boats...I've had turbos and SC's in other types of vehicles so I understand how to take care of them, but they are an extra level of maintenance regardless...and are Rotax SC's problematic if the washer issue is addressed?

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

Welcome, great to have another Canadian on board. I'm up on Lake Simcoe. I bought a Yamaha SX230 6 or 7 years ago it's been a great boat with plenty of power to do watersports with two families on board.

Good to know! Lots to process. I may need to go look at some boats in person at some point, but I'll try to learn from the experience here in the meantime.

 

[PJ73]

 

[Nexus]

So, from a cost perspective would it make more sense to have 310HP SD Speedster, than a 255HP Challenger? 2 NI engines vs. one SC engine? Aside from the other differences in the boats...I've had turbos and SC's in other types of vehicles so I understand how to take care of them, but they are an extra level of maintenance regardless...and are Rotax SC's problematic if the washer issue is addressed?

I'm not really sure as I don't know the Challenger very well. I suppose logic would dictate that two engines are more expensive to maintain than one. That being said, looking at the numbers on the Seadoo vs my current '19 Scarab 195 (1 SC @ 300 hp) the Seadoo had/has the same best cruise GPH @ 5500 rpm, but is going about 10 mph faster (31 vs 21 mph). Take it with a grain of salt as these are just "on paper" numbers that I found while researching the new boat. Before you ask, the current SC'd BRP engines are "zero maintenance" and don't need to have their SCs rebuilt.

One of the other things I liked about the 200 was the redundancy of the second engine, or so I thought. Yes, if one engine quits (or sucks something like a rock up), you do have a second engine to limp home with. But you are almost literally "limping home." With only one engine going, that impeller can't suck up enough water to go much more than 10 mph and will just cavitate if you try to get it going faster. At least mine couldn't. That being said I've seen video of a Scarab 215 doing about 25 mph on a single engine.

I hope that helps you a bit in your decision. I don't have too much insight as I've only been a boat owner for around 3 years.

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

I'm not really sure as I don't know the Challenger very well. I suppose logic would dictate that two engines are more expensive to maintain than one. That being said, looking at the numbers on the Seadoo vs my current '19 Scarab 195 (1 SC @ 300 hp) the Seadoo had/has the same best cruise GPH @ 5500 rpm, but is going about 10 mph faster (31 vs 21 mph). Take it with a grain of salt as these are just "on paper" numbers that I found while researching the new boat. Before you ask, the current SC'd BRP engines are "zero maintenance" and don't need to have their SCs rebuilt.

One of the other things I liked about the 200 was the redundancy of the second engine, or so I thought. Yes, if one engine quits (or sucks something like a rock up), you do have a second engine to limp home with. But you are almost literally "limping home." With only one engine going, that impeller can't suck up enough water to go much more than 10 mph and will just cavitate if you try to get it going faster. At least mine couldn't. That being said I've seen video of a Scarab 215 doing about 25 mph on a single engine.

I hope that helps you a bit in your decision. I don't have too much insight as I've only been a boat owner for around 3 years.

That is all good food for thought. Just to add perspective, when you are single engine on the 200 going 10 mph, which engine did you have, the 155, 215 or 255? The extra HP would be very welcome in that situation. Another thought is if you lose an engine because you picked up some weeds, what are the odds that the second engine got away without the same?

 

[Nexus]

I had the 155's which are/were NI. The higher ones were SC. I believe the Scarab's engines in the e video I saw were SC. So yeah, sure, it would be much better to have the higher output engines in that case. Just didn't want to deal with the extra maintenance.

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

I had the 155's which are/were NI. The higher ones were SC. I believe the Scarab's engines in the e video I saw were SC. So yeah, sure, it would be much better to have the higher output engines in that case. Just didn't want to deal with the extra maintenance.

I totally get it. I'm trying to figure out the best compromise for me and I appreciate experienced advice.

 

[Nexus]

I totally get it. I'm trying to figure out the best compromise for me and I appreciate experienced advice.

I getcha! I wish I would've been a member of this forum when I bought my first boat! Who knows? I might've bought a Yamaha!

 

[marcham]

Welcome to the fun world of boating. You've probably realized by now that you'll need a PCOC, but I also highly encourage you to take the Canadian Power Squadron boating course. It provides the basic theory of power boat and sailboat operation, docking, mooring, rules of the road, how aids to navigation work along with an introduction to reading marine charts and navigation. The other bonus is most insurers will give you a discount if you have the boating course completed.

Whether or not you have kids, their ages and what kind of activities they are into will greatly affect what you should be looking for. Also part of the equation is your main body of water. 3 mile long lake or the St Lawrence seaway? Boats are designed for a purpose and can be uncomfortable in the wrong environment.


2 teens, a few friends plus all the toys you'll need a good size boar! Avoid the 4 seater, I'd get an 8 seater at a minimum. The fact that the great lakes would be your go to location, I'd get at least a 18 footer with a deep V hull shape. Some years ago I rode SD Challenger 2 stroke and it wasn't pleasant with 1 foot chop. It's built very light.

Buy your 2nd boat first!

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

Welcome to the fun world of boating. You've probably realized by now that you'll need a PCOC, but I also highly encourage you to take the Canadian Power Squadron boating course. It provides the basic theory of power boat and sailboat operation, docking, mooring, rules of the road, how aids to navigation work along with an introduction to reading marine charts and navigation. The other bonus is most insurers will give you a discount if you have the boating course completed.

Whether or not you have kids, their ages and what kind of activities they are into will greatly affect what you should be looking for. Also part of the equation is your main body of water. 3 mile long lake or the St Lawrence seaway? Boats are designed for a purpose and can be uncomfortable in the wrong environment.


2 teens, a few friends plus all the toys you'll need a good size boar! Avoid the 4 seater, I'd get an 8 seater at a minimum. The fact that the great lakes would be your go to location, I'd get at least a 18 footer with a deep V hull shape. Some years ago I rode SD Challenger 2 stroke and it wasn't pleasant with 1 foot chop. It's built very light.

Buy your 2nd boat first!

Solid advice. I did the online course and got the card. I aced the exam and feel totally not ready to go on my own. I plan to go with various experienced friends, and I will look up the course you mentioned. I'm an airline pilot by trade, so I feel like I'm good at risk management, being conservative to not get over my head and knowing to seek help from people who know more than me. I know I will make mistakes, but I want to minimize those as I build experience. That course is up my alley - thank you.

As far as bodies of water, the Great Lakes are a calm water option (not my favorite), but so is the Grand River and smaller lakes up north. I've been with friends on Lake Ontario in decent chop in an 18' and a 29' and it wasn't fun in the smaller boat, so I get what you are saying.

 

[FiftyYardFistFight]

Feb 13th 2020 was my last stop here. Much has happened since. Along the way I bought a 2009 Seadoo RXTX 215, which is now for sale as I just picked up a 2015 Scarab Impulse 165 HO (250HP). Hope to have it on the water soon. I got a lot of advice to go bigger, but I was able to evaluate my mission while I had the Seadoo, and the 5 seat Scarab will be sufficient 95% of the time. The other 5% someone else will need to bring their boat too!