19’ Yamaha 190fsh good in shallow water

[Jare]

I am new to salt water and an association with rules requiring storage in garage at times. About 21’ deep. Our dock is in a shallow creek feeding the bay in Englewood Florida. So, I’m looking at the Yamaha 190 fsh as it comes with trailer and tongue that folds. Without an outdrive it fits with room to spare. A 185 key west would fit but doesn’t come with trailer, folding tongue, removable windshield. All extra and around 7,000 more. Will the 190fsh do ok in shallow water ( no wake) outlet to bay? Was told they’re like a vacuum and would constantly suck up crap into motor. But I see them all the time in shallow water anchored to swim. Please answer?

 

[JC6275]

My short answer would be if you can take a boat with an outdrive into your dock you will have no problem and most likely less problem with a jet. You will not suck anything into the motor. There is a possibility of sucking something into the impeller but again much Less of a chance doing that than hitting something with an outdrive. On the off chance you do injest a foreign object into the impeller/ pump. All Yamaha boats have an access clean out port you can reach into to help free any debris injested. Hope this helps. This is only my view and opinion, I am sure other will have opinions as well.

 

[dlkhmk]

I’ve had my FSH190 for 3 years now and run in 2-3 foot marsh bay water all the time. Never had a problem. Not much grass / seaweed in my area which seems to be a problem for some.

 

[Elliott]

Lots of shallow water around Savannah in the salt creeks, sounds and ocean, and I have yet to touch bottom or suck anything up. If you are on plane, you barely have anything in the water. If you are idling along, you need 2 feet of water.

Search for the threads about seaweed problems, if you have it in your area. I only have to deal with marsh grass trash lines. I have only used the clean out port/plug once, and that was to remove a few strands of marsh grass from the intake grate. I picked them up after crossing a very dense (20 feet thick) line that stretched as far as I could see left and right. The strands only caused the boat to lose a few miles per hour due to the turbulence; I did not pull the plug until I reached my destination.

 

[ptwb]

If you can't make it to your dock with a boat of similar size and an outboard at low tide, then you are gambling IMO. I've grown up in that area and there is muck and tons of shells, oyster, etc everywhere. The jet is a vacuum. You need to have some clearance, like at least a foot, between the bottom of the boat and the actual bottom or you will start sucking stuff up and passing it through. Two things can happen when you do that. That stuff, if it's muck or sand, can make it into your engine's cooling system. The other larger stuff can potentially jam your impeller.

Seeing them anchored in shallow water means nothing. I anchor our boat in shallow water, sometimes within inches of the bottom, but I walked my boat there and I walk it out before leaving and a sandbar is a lot different than muck. You will feel if you are hitting a sandbar, but muck, your intake could be in muck and you don't realize it unless you look back and see the mud you're throwing out.

You might be better off with a flats boat and an outboard on a jackplate. If it's really that shallow, and I've seen some of the creeks in that area go dry at low ride, you could pole yourself to/from your dock. You could potentially pole an FSH too. The temptation will be there to use the jet, just resist if it's really that shallow.

 

[JDinfla]

The key to Fishing the flats with a fsh 190 is only idling across the really skinny stuff. I fish the flats in Lemon bay and around Stump pass. Only time I ever sucked up anything was gassing it one time in a foot and a half of water. The front of the hull under the bow will ground before the intake grate for the jet drive.

 

[Coryd]

How shallow does the outlet get at low tide? I'm out in Lemon Bay and Stump Pass all the time, definitely some shallow spots but I've never had an issue in my AR210, which drafts a bit more than the FSH190. Just be aware of the super shallow areas. We anchor at Stump Pass almost every weekend but I make sure it's sitting in a couple feet of water so it doesn't get slammed down from passing traffic.