Request for AR195 advice

[swatski]

A couple of the "chrome" plastic rings around the drink holders came off for no apparent reason. Any particular adhesive I should use to put them back on?

That's a common issue it seems.
I take those off, "dot" them with silicone sealant at the bottom, maybe 1/2" of 100% silicone in three spots, and put them back on. Easy to take off when needed but prevents them from randomly popping up/falling off.

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[mdchachi]

That's a common issue it seems.
I take those off, "dot" them with silicone sealant at the bottom, maybe 1/2" of 100% silicone in three spots, and put them back on. Easy to take off when needed but prevents them from randomly popping up/falling off.

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Sounds like a good plan. Thanks.

 

[haknslash]

The cup holder trim rings need to twist to lock. A dab of silicone will ensure they won't vibrate or easily come loose without twisting them back off.

 

[mdchachi]

The cup holder trim rings need to twist to lock. A dab of silicone will ensure they won't vibrate or easily come loose without twisting them back off.

Thanks. I should have looked closer. Didn't think to look for tabs.

 

[MBrown]

The cup holder trim rings need to twist to lock. A dab of silicone will ensure they won't vibrate or easily come loose without twisting them back off.

Excellent idea, I just did that this morning to mine. Thanks!

 

[mdchachi]

I guess I don't understand the drainage on these boats as well as I thought I did. Yesterday I got more water on the deck than usual.
In fact I dumped about four gallons on it myself in order to rinse off some spills. Later I saw the bilge going off for the first time which was good because I was able to confirm the 2018 bilge is automatic and works with the switch in off position as reported.
But I'm confused why the water went to the bilge. Shouldn't it flow out the back through the scupper drain?
I did find some water on the inside of the wakeboard storage compartment but nothing to indicate that gallons of water went into there. However the plug was open so if water did get into there it would have gone to the bilge...
Also when I pulled the back plugs back on the trailer, only a little bit of water trickled out even though I was on a slope. I was expecting at least a mini-gush considering water had made it into the bilge.

 

[MBrown]

First off, I’m not a leading expert in how these boats drain, but this is what I suspect for our 19ft boats.

There is a connected space (bilge) below all of our compartments, ski locker, fuel locker, engine bay. As far as I can tell when you have water in one of those compartments, you can open the plug and drain it into this space and it will make it back to the bilge pump in the engine compartment with acceleration or when boat is tilted bow high. The further you have the bow tilted up the further the water will run back eventually ending up where the rear drain plugs are. That is why some have put an additional bilge pump back there. The cockpit drainage system is not perfect, especially the seal around the ski locker, and some of that 4 gallons probably got into your ski locker and then drained into your bilge area and then got pumped out. You really have to be on quite a steep slope to get all the water back to the rear drain plugs.

 

[mdchachi]

First off, I’m not a leading expert in how these boats drain, but this is what I suspect for our 19ft boats.

There is a connected space (bilge) below all of our compartments, ski locker, fuel locker, engine bay. As far as I can tell when you have water in one of those compartments, you can open the plug and drain it into this space and it will make it back to the bilge pump in the engine compartment with acceleration or when boat is tilted bow high. The further you have the bow tilted up the further the water will run back eventually ending up where the rear drain plugs are. That is why some have put an additional bilge pump back there. The cockpit drainage system is not perfect, especially the seal around the ski locker, and some of that 4 gallons probably got into your ski locker and then drained into your bilge area and then got pumped out. You really have to be on quite a steep slope to get all the water back to the rear drain plugs.

Thanks. I think the wakeboard compartment seal or lack thereof must be the culprit as you say.

 

[Arcadyus]

Do wakeboards actually fit in the ski locker? There's no way my wakesurf board fits. I wish lol. I just put all the fenders, dock lines, and flags in there as it always ends up with water in there.

 

[mdchachi]

Do wakeboards actually fit in the ski locker? There's no way my wakesurf board fits. I wish lol. I just put all the fenders, dock lines, and flags in there as it always ends up with water in there.

Probably not. I don't have any boards yet. Though I plan to get a Zup next season (which definitely won't fit). I've actually been using it as semi-dry storage because water hasn't been getting in there before now. I'm up to 8.5 hours on the engine now (6 outings). Woo hoo!

 

[Skurks]

I got my 2018 AR195 this spring and got a safety kit, anchor (which didn't fit the compartment, so I had to get a Yamaha anchor) I went with the 3 year warranty.

With a clean hull (really makes a difference in speed) I top out at 50 mph with two adults and two kids.

 

[mdchachi]

Boat is all winterized and put away. Cost was $325 for 10-hour service + winterization. Maybe after the break-in periods I'll do it myself in the future.
It was a very short season, even shorter than typical considering I didn't get the boat until after mid-July.
I ended up with exactly 10.2 engine hours on the engine so it coincided nicely with the 10-hour service schedule. Ended up taking it out 8 times on four different lakes.
For the last two times I had the JBP lateral thrusters & Cobra Ultimates installed. Didn't get to installing the keel guard I had purchased. That will have to wait for next year since it requires warm temperatures.
When I picked up my boat from the dealer, there were three other Yamahas that had just been dropped off. Two had Cobra's, one had Thrust Vectors and none had lateral thrusters.
I was going to stop inside the showroom to take a look at the 2019s just to see them in person. But my wife wisely said "let's not." No point in generating buyer's remorse.

Certainly the best boating season I've ever had so far and hopefully many more to come.
Fairly uneventful season. I even managed to get my 86-year-old mother on the boat. I wasn't sure how it would work out due to ingress/egress challenges but she made it.
I only used the clean out port once when I tested how to handle sucking up a rope. This "test" wasn't actually part of the original plan for the day.
I had been towing the kids on the Mabel and then slowed to find a spot to park for swimming and snacks, I set the anchor and backed up a little to set it and just as I asked my wife go grab the rope, kerchunk, the engine stopped.
The rope was completely taught from the pull-hook around to the impeller making it impossible to open the hatch. I cut off the loop at the hook and then was able to unwrap it from around the impeller losing less than 5 feet of rope. All fixed in less than 5 minutes.


Question to the community: what do I do in the spring? Just hook up the battery and go? (I'll keep it on a tender all winter). The shop has a spring-startup service but it's not clear to me what they do. They said something about flushing something or other. But it sounded totally unnecessary.

 

[swatski]

Question to the community: what do I do in the spring? Just hook up the battery and go?

Yep. That’s what I do.
I actually leave the boat on the lift w/batteries hooked up to an onboard charger with shore power.
I use the boat in “off” season, too - which to me is anytime when there is no ice on the river, lol. Just like with outboards!

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[Djkinn13]

Great choice me and wife sold our skis and move to a 2018 AR195 in July of 18 and never looked back. Only have one 8 year old boy and it has been a blast this boat works great for all our fresh water trips and fine for a OC trip once a year, have not had any issues,10hr maintenance was done by the book break in and now after 300 gallons of fuel through it our season has ended,and as all boaters know it for enjoyment not flipping for a buck with that said I know there is always know there are new improvements every year but the 195 can do much better and now that that 19 is out and 3k more that just helps keep ours value a bit better for another year but once again not in boating for savings cash lol

 

[mdchachi]

Great choice me and wife sold our skis and move to a 2018 AR195 in July of 18 and never looked back. Only have one 8 year old boy and it has been a blast this boat works great for all our fresh water trips and fine for a OC trip once a year, have not had any issues,10hr maintenance was done by the book break in and now after 300 gallons of fuel through it our season has ended,and as all boaters know it for enjoyment not flipping for a buck with that said I know there is always know there are new improvements every year but the 195 can do much better and now that that 19 is out and 3k more that just helps keep ours value a bit better for another year but once again not in boating for savings cash lol

We got our 195s around the same time but you definitely got more boating in. I made it to 10.2 hours before putting it away. Hoping to do a lot more next year.