2015 COMPARISON: Yamaha 242 Ltd S versus Chaparral 243 VORTEX VRX

[rkluck]

There is a video on YouTube that shows how the sleeve works. I have not seen the Vortex in person but if I recall correctly from the videos that to go from the swim platform to the center area the Vortex requires you to fold the center cushion down (not removable) and then there is just a small space to step on or you have to step on the cushion. Either way I didn't like that. Much better design on the Yamaha.

 

[Julian]

There is a video on YouTube that shows how the sleeve works

I've watched the video, and still don't see how this will help when you suck in a rope...

 

[txav8r]

I didn't know for sure, nor did I look at the video, but I just assumed a sleeve encased the shaft to minimize wrap. The perfect world would not have an exposed spinning shaft, but it would still have clean out ports!

 

[tdonoughue]

I think I would prefer to not have the shaft wrapped.

If we start with the premise that there is suction, therefore the rope will be brought up into the intake, my question is this: do you want it to wrap around a shaft and stall the engine, or hit the impeller and try to be shredded? I think you would have more risk to do more permanent damage if the rope hits the impeller. I'll take the shaft, please.

Wait. Let me rephrase that.

 

[subysti]

A couple other items I didn't see listed I found out at the show. The noise level of the new Yamaha 15's at full throttle is the same as the VRX at idle. Also the pressure nozzles on the VRX's are a high density plastic not metal like the Yamaha.

 

[morgro269]

I was very unimpressed with the VRX at the Hartford boat show. I spent a good deal of time looking at it and talking with the sales guy. I would've liked to see the 243 but they didn't have one. I could not find anything to justify the price of the Chap. All the Chap salesman could tell me was that it was is better than the yamaha because it's a chapparral. I kinda got the impression that they didn't even want to be selling it.

 

[subysti]

Interesting video show how jet pumps work. Shows the Plastic housing used by the "other guys".

 

[Brendon]

I did attempt to to be fair in finding differences.

...And GO YAMAHA !...

Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA

I dont mean any offense Mikey, but that was a very biased and actually quite misleading review. I for one am a die hard Yamaha fan and have been for years, and while I completely agree on how great Yamahas are, even I find the review unfair… I feel like I just read a Yamaha salesman's pitch. Ive gotten to see the yamaha 240 and a Chaparral vrx203, and lets face it, they both have ups and downs (as can be backed by facts), so lets set the record straight so we dont have a bunch of wrongly biased opinions develop a market impression that the Chaparral is inferior. Ive gotten a chance to see both the vrx203 and the yamaha 240 in person. But aside from that, you can't argue with facts, so here are the factual comparisons and responses with the numerical real world facts from BoatTest.com. Any additional comments or verdicts can be deduced from basic elementary automotive, design, and engineering principals.

I highlighted the numerical winner in Green, just keep in mind that the winning differences may minimal thus basically equal even though one is still marked
.
So that being said, here is a very detailed UNBIASED Fact comparison and responses to the claims putting both boats on equal ground (main points underlined in green):

*When comparing the performance of these two boats, keep in mind this is a comparison of Chaparral's 500hp version vs yamaha's 360hp(manufacture claimed), therefore this comparison isn't entirely on the same level. A more realistic comparison would be performance data from the 400hp Chaparral version, I have added a few numbers from the 400hp VRX 223 for reference to give an approximate ballpark comparison

First off lets address the performance and gas usage numbers:

**Boattest.com lists the vrx capacity at 60 gal, whereas chap shows 52, so there may be a discrepancy unless there is a larger fuel tank option I am not aware of or if it was at one point changed?? All data graphs and numbers are straight from boat test.com

Performance:
Top speed @ Plane time @ 0-30 time
Chaparral vrx 243 (500hp) : 54.3mph @ 2s @ 5.8s
Yamaha 240 Ho (~360hp): 51.8mph @ 2.3s @ 4.3s
Verdict: Basically a Tie - Chaparral has a tiny bit faster top speed and plane time, but has a slightly faster 0-30. However, this is irrelevant - all numbers are almost the same, and both could be greatly affected by wind, and how loaded each boat is. With the slightly greater hp, the chaparral would be slightly less effected, but I digress. If you want more top speed, get an impeller with a steeper pitch.


Fuel (see graphs below!)
Best Consumption:
Best Cruise mpg @ speed @ GPH @ range:
Chaparral vrx 243 (500hp) : 2.9mpg @ 25.4mph @ 146miles (corrected with 52gal tank)
Yamaha 240 Ho (~360hp): 2.95mpg @ 27.9mph @ 133 miles
*Chaparral vrx 223 (410hp) [for approximate 400hp version comparison]: 3.2mpg @ 25.9mph


Verdict:
Below ~28mph: Chaparral wins
Above ~28mph: Yamaha wins
Max Range: Chaparral wins (unless above 28mph)
***NOTE: the chaparral actually has a 42 gallon tank not the 60 boat test lists, but there is a lot of extra space under the rear seats for an overflow tank.

Contrary to what you may have thought, the Chaparral VRX 243 (500HP) actually gets BETTER mpg from ~10mph-~28mph(yep I didn't believe it at first either but feel free to graph their data to confirm). This is one of those situations that just looking at the numbers gives an incorrect impression of data. By examining the attached graphs of the Boattest.com results, you can actually see how Below ~28mph The Chaparral gets better mpg, but above ~28mph the Yamaha gets better. You can also see how once you hit about ~44mph, the fuel consumption on the supercharged engines jump (as can be expected). Thanks to the larger tank and the better lower speed mpg, the Chaparral wins maximum range with 146 miles vs Yamaha's 133 miles.
If the Chaparral had the comparable 400hp engine, the result would be an even greater range and fuel milage which would be somewhat similar to the graphed 400hp 223vrx.
The bottom line:
Now I dont know about everyone else, but 95% of the time I'd be in the 10-28mph range pulling skiiers or cruising along in Eco mode. If thats the case for you too, the Chaparral is the better choice. If you want to get good mpg and range while going as fast as you can, the Yamaha is the better choice.
Since 10-28mph would be the generally more frequently used option among recreational and family boaters, going off of that logic, The Chaparral 243 VRX would actually be the general overall winner in the Fuel category.

243 vrx vs 240 HO mpg

• Brendon
• Feb 16, 2015
• 2

243 vrx vs 240 HO GPH

• Brendon
• Feb 16, 2015

243 vrx vs 240 HO range

• Brendon
• Feb 16, 2015

Quick Pro's v.s. Con's summary:

Chaparral Cons:
No glove box
Front drink compartment quite small (opinion/debatable)
Lots of options not standard that should be
Added Supercharger costs/maint.
Poor passenger seat hinge design (opinion/debatable)

Chaparral Pro's:
Remarkably, even the 500hp 243vrx gets better mpg between 10-28mph (see attached graphs)
Closed loop cooling
Farther max range
Sufficiently large 'head' quarters (opinion/debatable)
Better/Safer rear passage

Yamaha Cons:
No engine Temp display
Rear seating + platform takes up a full third of the boat reducing main section seating area (opinion/debatable)
Lack of bolder color graphic interior scheme options (opinion/debatable)
Lack of speed control for pulling skiers
open loop cooling

Yamaha Pros:
better mpg at speeds above 28mph
Undeniably great quality (generally consensus opinion)
More comfortable + practical passenger seat design (opinion/debatable)
unobstructed anchor access
Significantly quieter than other equivalent jet boats
Lower Price

1. VORTEX: The seating material, stitching and fit/finish is NOT "superior" to that of the Yamahas. Despite what the Chap. brochure and Chap. sales people claim.
Do you have any proof of this? Its possible the actual material may have better long term environmental durability or something of that sort. Unless you have material property sheets of both I wouldn't instantly dismiss it. However, I will agree that it could also very well be a salesman claim. My personal belief is that Yamahas materials are better quality but thats just a believe without factual backing based on my years of owning good quality Yamahas.

I got a chance to see the 203vrx, and it was decent thick material with good quality stitching, aaaand so was the Yamaha's. I would not say one was better than the other, they were both equal, just slightly different styles. Judging solely off feeling both, Both equally good quality. Anything said beyond this without actual material property proof is just claims.

2. The VORTEX engines, being super-charged:
A) Eat up a TON MORE space in the motor department, making service FAR more difficult and
Not exactly: Have another look at the BoatTest.com video views of the engine compartments. The two items that take up the otherwise unused rear of the engine bay are the catalyst and intercooler. They are actually fairly quick easy to remove : a few bolts and pipe clamps and they pop right off, if you are worried about the labor they would equate to, I assure you they wouldn't add much more than an hour or so of labor unless you get a shady dealership. The basic service locations like oil ports and such are located in front of them anyways. Once you remove the Cats/intercoolers, you have the same if not more room than the yamaha (the yamaha engines are slightly longer too)

Additionally, when you look closely at the videos again, or measure in person, you will actually see that the engine bay opening frame is actually slightly larger on the Chaparral, meaning if you needed to remove the engine you would actually have a little more room than the yamaha.

Finally, (*now I dont know this for a fact, so I could be wrong, so feel free to correct me if so) if the supercharger rebuild is anything like the seadoo speedster, you do not need to pull the engines to remove the superchargers, just remove a few odds and ends items in the way and it's about 3 or 4 bolts to pop it right off. Apparently its so easy that a LOT of people do the supercharger rebuilds themselves.
But all in all, yes, there is a bit more engine room in the Yamaha without the quick removal of the cat/intercoolers. If engine bay roominess is important to you and an additional hour of labor to move the catalyst and intercooler is a big problem, then the Chaparral may not be the boat for you.
B) Require a supercharger REBUILD every 200 hours (TIMES 2 engines !!!!!!) - NOT cheap whatsoever.
Are you aware that the Yamaha service manual calls for a valve adjustment at 200 hours as well? The Rotax and chaparral engineers are apparently in the process of confirming the increase to (Ive heard both 300 and 400 hours, so lets assume the shorter one) since the several more years of development and endurance cycle tests (was informed this directly from a Seadoo Tech, he said that the ceramic washers were what caused them to fail, and that since they've been replaced, most of the ones he saw at or above 300hours were almost all in perfect condition ('almost' due to oil issues as a result of owner negligence))
And again, if you do not wish to pay for the supercharger rebuild, the power plant setup is virtually identical to all of the other supercharged rotax setups (such as all of the seadoo boats ex. speedster and 230's). As mentioned above, it is very common for people rebuild the superchargers themselves, there are multiple DIY Rebuild kits and instructions online, There are also many individual companies that offer rebuild services for much cheaper than the stealerships.
But alas yes, the supercharger is an additional item that will require some additional costs, however Yamahas have 200hour maintenance required as well, so pick your poison.

3. Chaparral did STUPID things like place the battery switch to where you cannot even get to it in the FAR recess of the motor compartment REAR side.
INCORRECT. Re-review the BoatTest.com video. 5.29 to be exact. Chaparral's is directly below the easily accessed rear seat.

4. The dual batteries are DIFFICULT work on, as they are on OPPOSITE sides of the VRX ! I have no idea how much difficulty you would experience installing an on-board quality battery charger, like a dual-bank Minn-Kota, would make for an owner, but it AIN'T gonna be easy (on the VORTEX).
INCORRECT. Look at Chaparrals VRX photo gallery picture 17/29 Batteries are right there under the rear corner seat cushions in the back and left seat corners. Battery goes right through the huge rear seat openings.

5. VORTEX’s lack the Yamaha’s dual throttle controls which is how knowledgeable Yamaha drivers conveniently and safely dock their boats, and more. Chaparral claims they don't require that. However, that is only because they are using the BRP supplied engine AND drive-train, and that's how BRP has always done it.
This is true. Flat and simple can't argue with the fact that it doesn't have dual throttle. HOWEVER, what is also true is that NO, the BRP propulsion system most certainly does not need a dual throttle at all (thanks to the design of the reverse gate). Coming from a Seadoo with the exact setup, I can personally vouch for this, as I am sure anyone who has docked one (especially with ECO mode) a few times can vouch for the ease as well. I can say without hesitation that maneuvering the rotax style control and reverse setup is an absolute BREEZE (no dual throttle necessary). (If one was to approach things with your approach of wording, You could just as easily turn it around and claim that Yamaha's propulsion design is not as well designed, thus requiring two separate throttles to provide the control that BRP's provides with one. Do know that I am not making this claim though.)
So lets keep it strictly factual: Both boats are able to adequately maneuver, both very well but equally as well. There are reasons that would support either style, but ultimately it's just a matter of driver preference.

I do want to add that yamaha has an 'Articulating Keel' for additional steering control, however looking at the design, as an engineer I would be somewhat concerned about the resulting force from taking a sudden hard (maybe emergency) turn at full speed…. food for thought

6. The captain's seat is "ok" but by no means as good as the new Yamaha seats. And the passenger seat basically SUCKS for quality. Look at it and you'll understand. See item # 14 below as well.

Captains seat: False. Again, purely opinion based. both were decent, just different styles. You do have to pay for the bucket seats upgrade though, luckily its not a lot. Whichever one you prefer is probably more according to how the seats fit you. The Yamaha seat is more flat and wide while the Chaparral bucket is more conforming. The chaparral seats did lack arm rests, but if you have one hand on the throttle and one hand on the wheel, why would you need them? If anything I would think they could possibly get in the way at times, but I'm sure there's times when they would be nice.

Passenger Seat: True. Anyone who has sat in the Chap. passenger seat and has personally tried to move it knows how clunky and how, lets face it, poorly designed it is in terms of comfort and ease of moving.

Yes, the passenger seat of the Yamaha is undeniably better in terms of comfort and form. Yamaha wins that comparison hands down. I would say its an opinion, but look at the facts: both seats face either forward or backward, only the Yamaha does it with much better ergonomics.
Chaparral's passenger seat is basically a trade off: it's convertible, flipping forward to change seating direction.
My opinion: At first I thought it was a neat feature, but after sitting in the seat and having to get up just to change directions (with no position in between) I quickly realized the half seat of space saving isn't really worth it; if you dont believe me try it a few times… the novelty wears off. (the 223 is a different situation though, thats a bit of an improvement due to the significant gain in space. Really wish Chap. would have continued the seat design…). And any engineer who looks at the locking hinge would laugh, its just a circle with a notch and a slotted pipe.

7. The "head" compartment is HUGE on the Chaparral, but it's WASTED space for most. I'll give them this: IF you wanted to use this for a porta-potty, or for changing, it IS a LOT larger than the Yamaha area. But it is our opinion, most owners do NOT use that area for those purposes.

The facts: The Chaparral head is unquestionably larger than the Yamaha's .
Now for the opinions: Just because it is large does NOT mean it is wasted space, quite the opposite in fact; just because you personally do not have things to fill it with doesn't mean others won't. Its perfect for stowing large inflatable towables, dive gear, camping gear, lifejackets (you ever try to stow 12 lifejackets before?), you name it. You dont know the true value of onboard storage space until you dont have it.

Have you managed to cram into the Yamaha's head yet? Anyone who's been in the Yamaha head to change can chime in on the degree of cramped associated with being in there, or also trying to get up after using the port-john (the same small ones at walmart).
The Chaparral head is comfortable enough to change in and use the john without straining yourself squeezing through the narrow door, or having flashbacks to crawling under the sink as a kid. Plus, Id be willing to bet that you could actually fit a good quality john in there comfortably (so that you dont feel like you're sitting on a paint can).

Yet again it just boils down to preference. But consider this: the space that the Chap. may waste in the central seating area, it makes up for with a slightly further rear seating arrangement. Personally I think the Yamaha's 1/3 of the boat rear seating is a waste of space, but again, just opinions.

And there is no "Drink compartment," like on the new 24 footer Yamahas. Yamaha provides you with a post-side “Entertainment Area” which includes COLD drink storage and serving - AND a lockable glove box !!! Yamaha also provides a wastebasket little holding space and netting.
Keep in mind the Yamaha Entertainment area is far easier to use, and a lot more convenient, than a bow-front cooler area, located underneath a seating area.

WHAT HAPPENED CHAPARRAL!?!? This is one major negative going for the VRX 243. Chaparral seriously dropped the ball on this one. There is NO glove compartment on the Chaparral. While not necessary, but definitely a cool and convenient feature, the Yamaha not only has one, but it doubles as a drink cooler capable of holding a good amount of drinks, and the hatch and also doubles as a temporary mini table. Yamaha wins hands down.
Chaparral DOES have a cold drink storage, just not in the glove box. There is a small compartment up at the very front (perfect for shaking up drinks [again fail on Chaps. part]) but its only good for about one 6 pack, but theres a perfect fitting cooler storage compartment below the rear passenger seat to compensate. I did see a pic. of a full size cooler stored under the yamaha's seat compartment though (one may fit under the Chap's seat but Im not sure) so basically Chaparral really doesn't have anything on Yamaha unless you decided to modify the head door into an equivalent cooler/glove box (if I were to get a vrx243 I would do this)


8. I have no idea about the noise factor, but no sales person told us how "good" it is on the Chaparrals. It was NOT even mentioned !
This <Noise Factors ...... or "Noise Reduction Improvements"> is unlike the new Yamaha 24 footers for 2015 !!!!
Every Yamaha dealer, sales person, and technical person @ the 2015 ATL boat show COMPLAINED (just kidding) about the new 2015 Yamaha sound reduction system !!!!!!!!!!!!!! - They said it is so GOOD in design and function that, now, you MUST turn down the radio to talk to others while @ wide-open throttle ! ROFL ! Seriously ... they said the new difference is far more than just INCREDIBLE !
Alright cool your jets there, Yes, Yamaha wins this one too. Chap. obviously didn't mention it because they are well aware it is louder and they clearly dont have any retort. As per previous discussions as well as the test results, the Chaparral ranged from 81 at idle, to 102 db at full throttle, whereas the Yamaha started at 53 and ranged to 87 at full speed. Thus the Chaparral is about 20-30db louder (which you really have to hear to get the best idea of difference, but I will say it is significant.

I am curious how much some simple added sound deadening to the inside of the Chaparral's engine bay would decrease the noise levels… after all thats exactly what Yamaha did. Its pretty easy to do on cars, if you could figure out the same material yamaha uses and find a supplier you could very likely decrease the noise levels, but this would involve some work.


9. Interestingly Chaparral states their 243 VRX is for 12 people – but Boattest.com also goes on to state (their words) it’s realistic only for 4 to 7 comfortably.
Now thats just a load of crap. If youre implying the Yamaha would be more you are mistaken. 4 people comfortably? Come on. 7 yes, but 4 is obviously ridiculous. If everyone sprawed out with their legs up on the seats excluding the driver both would be at 6 people.
If you compare the boats side by side from a top view to scale, you will see that they are close, but the central seating area of Chaparral VRX is longer than the Yamaha (again due to the 1/3 rear deck) You can see this in the videos as well as the amount of space he takes up when sitting facing backward in the passenger seat (Chaparral has space for another person with legs up, whereas the Yamaha is a leg length short)….. Id hate to see Boattest.com's comfortable person estimation of the yamaha with their logic...

Also, the VRX is rated at 1900lbs compared to yamaha's 1800lbs

10. Vortex comes with either a 10-year or “Lifetime” limited hull warranty. I have seen BOTH warranty periods mentioned. HOWEVER: But when was the last time someone made a hull claim with Yamaha for a 232 or 242, which has a 5-year hull warranty ?
Warranties vary and can be extended as well. Unnecessary complications sake I'll just skip this

11. To get the top end speed they claim (54 MPH), you MUST have the OPTIONAL super-charged ROTAX power plants. SUPERHCARGED = Burns more gas and costs FAR MORE ($$$) maintenance ! And this is EXPENSIVE maintenance. And YOU aren’t gonna rebuild a super charger in an afternoon in your backyard. The superchargers MUST be rebuilt every 100 hours OR you are gonna have some even more expensive items to deal with.
Again Mostly NOT true. While the supercharged versions definitely do use much more gas at top speed (thats the true part), as verified by the graphs, they again do not need rebuilding at 100 hours, it is currently at 200 hours and rising. And YES you can rebuild this in your backyard! I did! many people do! Just because you can't doesn't mean nobody else can! All it takes is a decent set of tools, a bit of background in working on mechanical things, and the literally unlimited resources online from all the other people who have already done exactly that on virtually identical power plants!
As for achieving top speed: The 500hp VRX 243 topped out at 54, however, the 400hp 223 (weighing only 500lbs less) came in at 53mph. Knocking off say 2mph more for the 500lb difference you're still going faster than the Yamaha. Continuing that trend, the 300hp version would thus have a top speed of approximately the same as the Yamaha, with almost equal mpg's without a supercharger. And again on speed- that can all be changed depending on the prop pitch.
So Yes it takes more gas to go faster, but even the 500hp 243 gets noticeably better gas mileage than the Yamaha from 10mph-28mph, with 140 more hp. I just wish we had the vrx 400 and 300hp numbers to compare.


12. VORTEX uses a closed-loop cooling system – PARTICULARLY important in Salt Water usage ! This is a wonderful design feature !@!!

YES it is. (somewhat opinion based) Frankly I'm quite surprised Yamaha didn't go this route. If you're planning on going in any salt water or even very heavily sedimented water I would say Chaparral wins this one hands down. Major plus for the Chap.
Now some people may disagree, But consider this: open loop cooling allows whatever quality water you are driving in to go directly through the coolant jackets around the pistons, meaning that any water sediment, or salt, has the opportunity to collect on the walls (imagine cholesterol collecting on veins) as small amounts of water vaporize. Closed loop cooling allows for cooling just like a Car's radiator. The only thing that must be flushed is the exhaust (which is much easier to replace than an engine) which most people do by just revving the engine out of water a few times.

13. Yamaha – The Only true NEUTRAL is engines OFF. SAME with Vortex’s !
Correct indeed. I believe this is the case with all current jet boats (could be wrong though)

14. Flip-up ARM RESTS on the Yamaha’s Captain’s chair – NONE on Vortex !!!! No Captain’s chair for the passenger whatsoever (Vortex) !!!!!!!! And both Yamaha Captain’s Chairs Swivel a complete 360 degrees, and recline !
Very true, Yamaha wins on the better seat features. But again, if you have one arm on the wheel and the other on the wall by the throttle, there's really not huge need for armrests (just an observation / opinion). However, Chaparral actually has arm rests in the front for the passengers which are really neat.

15. VORTEX has built-in self-draining cooler area in the bow. Not available on the Yamaha. However, see item #7 above (Port-side Entertainment area) !
Yep! But I will again mention that it is only for about one 6 pack. As mentioned previously Yamaha really still wins that area.

16. VORTEX holds 52 gallons of fuel onboard – Yamaha holds 50 gallons.
Now Im not entirely sure what to think here; BoatTest.com has The 243VRX at 60 gallons but Chap's site has it at 52. Chap headquarters said 52.

17. Ski Locker – Door is SUBSTANTIALLY larger on the Yamaha – and the compartment extends even further – Far greater “floor” storage on the Yamaha !
Yep this is true. But both fit full size skis as well as full size wakebords…. can you think of anything bigger you need to stow in your hull? No? doesn't really make a difference then does it…

18. The Chaparral “Medallion 6.5 inch Display System” is an OPTION !!! The Yamaha comes STANDARD with the CONNEXT 7” System, which is FAR easier to use ! And Yamaha’s is far more intuitive to use !
This is one thing that actually does annoy me, I agree 100% that Chaparral should have it as a standard option. From the sounds of it the dealerships will most likely throw it in for free though since they feel the same way (or so they pretend).
Personally I do not have experience with the interfaces yet, so I will update that once I get a chance to mess with them. However I will say that that is just an opinion, again with no supporting details… .come on now, give us reasons!

19. Yamaha ALSO provides a Joystick Control for the CONNEXT 7” Control System. Yamaha also gives you additional push buttons both on the touch-screen display bottom , as well as on the joy-stick control. This makes this system a lot easier to use, and so intuitive it become a JOY to use. Not available on the Chaparral.
Again, having not messed with the interfaces of either yet, I cannot weigh in, But I could see the joystick having a pro of being a different option from touch screen, but a con of being able to be accidentally bumped.

20. The Vortex dash area has a somewhat “cluttered dash” with many extra rocker SWITCHES, even with their 6.5” Medallion Display System. There are NO switches on the Yamaha - just the easy-to-use 7” CONNEXT touch-screen display and joystick system.

As several people have mentioned, having a certain amount of manual switches is GOOD, especially for essential things such as lights and bilge pump etc. I dont know about anyone else but I would rather not find myself having to drive home at night with no lights due to computer issues.
Plus that also means it is additional items that you need to navigate through the display to get to, which can be a real nuisance at times.
Don't forget more digital buttons means more things to clutter the view of the essentials like tach and speedo.
Finally, dont forget about those bright sunny day glares, that button that would've taken half a second to push just turned into a 5 minute battle of using your hand to shade the dash and trying to find your sunglasses to figure out which button you accidentally tapped instead. So if anything that may actually be more of a negative depending on who's opinion.
Something else to consider: having easy and instant access buttons can actually be quite critical in emergencies.

21. Vortex comes with a hanging rod in the port console (porta potty compartment). Yamaha – No hanging rod. This feature might be a deal breaker !
HOWEVER: Yamaha places a VERY convenient SHELF in their "port storage area".
And a paper towel holder rod and a toilet paper roll holder also built in. So maybe this is a "push" after all. (LOL !)
How fancy! but Im sure a local hardware store can level the playing field.
Chaparral has this same feature as well but with a mini sink feature as well. However, as with a lot of the things it is an option.

22. SOUND SYSTEM – Yamaha makes it VERY clear who makes the Sound System (Polk PA450UM) and who makes the speakers (Polk) and the specific model numbers ! Yamaha uses top-end Polk speakers ! NONE of that information is provided whatsoever anywhere from Chaparral ! The Chaparral head unti is a Polk, however - model # not known at this time. All Chapparal brags about is stainless steel speaker covers. It’s extremely difficult to hear better sounds emanating from a stainless steel speaker cover !

So let me get this straight- They both have Polk sound systems, but since Yamaha identifies the exact head unit model number you're implying they're automatically better? You make it sound as if chaparral is trying to be all sneaky and hide it. I bet you could have any chaparral dealer look it up or find out with minimal effort. Personally I'm not because I dont really care what model as long as whatever it is had good sound quality. Otherwise Ill just easily install my own system for half the price, as I bet a large majority of people do.
And Im no audio expert but if you're finding it 'extremely difficult to hear from speakers that have an acoustically designed and engineered protective cover (no, not some loose metal rattling against the speaker membrane) then you may want to have you're hearing checked. The only way you're going to get even reasonably close to the 'extremely difficult' to hear sounds emanating from them is if you have the volume up absolutely full blast or higher than they are designed to go. I dont know the standards of Polk, or even Chaparral, but I HIGLY doubt the audio engineers would fail at life that bad. Buuuuut I could be wrong. Feel free to submit a video clip with audio of it playing if you truly believe it.
Regardless, I know several people who have kicked in or punctured their speakers and replaced them with metal frame covered ones and were very happy afterwards, So I hate to say it but yeah Metal speaker guards protecting a speaker that can and probably will get kicked on multiple occasions is actually a good thing.

23. VORTEX charges STANDARD an $ 855 “Prep” fee !!!!!! Not a joke. Not removable ! You gotta pay it, and it is listed. Although while mandatory, they interestingly list it as an option. So much for being an “industry leader !”
I won't get into price, but as established in other threads, ALL prices and fees are negotiable. Always.

24. Pricing for comparable boats: You are at $ 66379 for the VORTEX 243. The Yamaha lists @ $ 61499. Or as a stated earlier, a $ 4000 + DIFFERENCE (Increase) for the Chaparral ! (Specifically, an almost $ 4900 INCREASE for the VORTEX !Close to 5 grand more ! It’ll be $ 5 grand more ( + $ 5000 !!!) when you take the overall increase in SALES TAX into consideration !!!!!!!!!!!!!).

Again, not going to get into prices and how much you can negotiate (There's already a separate thread, but all in all, Yes the Yamaha is cheaper. How close or far apart the price difference is depends entirely on how much you can negotiate the price. Bottom line is the Yamaha will most likely be a few thousand less though.

25. I won’t even get nit-picky and talk about little things like using TOP QUALITY materials like Sea-Dek on the swim Platform on the Yamaha ! Or the use of teak-style carpeting !
The Chaparral has carpet options too. Not having something pre-installed leaves the door open for a little bit of personalization options though: Seadek is purchasable online and easily customized - I plan on getting some good looking custom Seadek made and installing it myself. Going with Chaparral saves me the step of ripping up all the old boring gray stock seadek. Point for Chaparral!

26. Very nicely done PADDED ARCH TOWER on the VORTEX. Not available on the Yamaha.
Im tempted to say this is a pro for Chap., but to be honest Im questioning how much rear side view obstruction this would cause…. so that may be up for debate
27. Integrated “Anchor” light on the Yamaha Tower. Chaparral feels a Go-Pro camera mount is more important. LOL !@
NOTE: IF you have a Go-Pro Camera mounted on the Vortex, you CAN display the camera’s views on the Medallion display !

Yeah I think most people would prefer the anchor light, although the rear view go-pro ability is a cool perk. But I could've done that with some good 3M tape or super glue… Ill give it to Yamaha.

….. removed nitty gritty pointless comparisons and specs comparison initially covered...

32. CLEAN OUT PORTS VERSUS NOT HAVING THESE: Chaparral claims the design of the BRP system alone precludes the necessity of a clean out port (ports). While many former SeaDoo owners never suffered from sucking up ski ropes or debris, many others have. THUS: This feature, or lack thereof, DOES appear to be a deal breaker for many/most. Times will tell if this is correct, as we watch Chaparral and Scarab owners report on not having this important feature (Clean out ports) on their boats.

This is definitely an extremely significant advantage to the Yamaha. For some even a deal breaker. Currently there is really no hard evidence or test results showing Chaparral and Scarabs ability to mince a sucked in rope with their sharp props, shaft guards, and prop housings. It is still basically unknown how much debris clog or rope tangling that the system can handle before stopping. The extremely sharp blades are supposed to theoretical turn it into a giant blender that would just mulch up anything that passed through. But how well this works in reality seems to still be up in the air. I for one believe that Chaparral or Scarab should really underwater film a couple test trials and post them to alleviate all the worry.
But I for one dont mind going for a swim, and hardly ever go anywhere with weeds so personally not a big deal. But thats definitely a fiercely debated topic Ill leave for another thread.

34. Swim platform storage: Yamaha conveniently locates dual compartments BEHIND the aft “back” cushions. Easy to get to and very convenient to use.
And Yamaha includes a 12V outlet back there.
VORTEX: Requires you to lift up the seat cushions. Not nearly as convenient to use !
Both options require you to move a seat cushion. Its a tiny bit further, now you're just nitpicking.
35. IF you are a little unstable on your feet, or you have passengers who are so, the 243 VORTEX is far easier to safely enter, securely. The "passage" is wider and not as high as on the 242 Ltd S. This could be important depending on certain situations.
Absolutely. Major plus for the Chaparral.


And that about sums it up and puts the Chaparral vrx 243 on less of a biased playing field.
So whats the better boat? NEITHER!!!! They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Both are great quality boats, neither is truly better than the other. They both have different options and styles, therefore Its ENTIRELY up to your personal preferences for the overwhelming majority of the differences. You just need to decide which ones are the most important to you. Plain and simple.

 

[ScarabMike]

@Brendon Well done sir! And you can add the Scrab line in there as well as they are very similar to the Chaps. Its a matter of choice where your money goes.

 

[Williamsone46]

Quick Pro's v.s. Con's summary:

Chaparral Cons:
No glove box
Front raido control inside the 'head'
Front drink compartment quite small (opinion/debatable)
Lots of options not standard that should be
Added Supercharger costs/maint.

Chaparral Pro's:
Remarkably, even the 500hp 243vrx gets better mpg between 10-28mph (see attached graphs)
Closed loop cooling
Farther max range
Sufficiently large 'head' quarters (opinion/debatable)
Much better/Safer rear passage

Yamaha Cons:
No engine Temp display
Rear seating + platform takes up a full third of the boat reducing main section seating area (opinion/debatable)
Lack of bolder color graphic interior scheme options (opinion/debatable)
Lack of speed control for pulling skiers
open loop cooling

Yamaha Pros:
better mpg at speeds above 28mph
Undeniably great quality (generally consensus opinion)
More comfortable + practical passenger seat design (opinion/debatable)
unobstructed anchor access
Significantly quieter than other equivalent jet boats
Lower Price

Open loop cooling - is Definitely a Pro where Closed loop cooling - is Definitely a Con. But this is will very widely on opinion so at the bare min should be removed from the list. A question though for closed loop cooling fans. Why is closed loop cooling better? Maine engines have been open loop cooling since their inception, why try and reinvent the wheel when the wheel works just fine? It's my understanding that the BRP closed loop cooling engines still require to be flushed after use, so whats the advantage?

 

[veedubtek]

Sub'ing to add some info/opinions later-

 

[ScarabMike]

@Williamsone46

Here is my take on closed loop cooling. As a mostly salt water boater, this is clearly piece of mind. I know for a fact the the salt isnt getting ingested within my engine, just in and out of an aluminum cooling grate. If it wasn't an advantage, there wouldn't be so many kits out in the market to convert engines to closed loop. Those elements will wreak havoc in an engine, and you will never know it.

The advantages of the enclosed system over the raw water system are extreme, especially if you are operating in salt water. Salt water tends to build up a corrosive scale when the engine operates above 140°. In the raw water system this scale is building up inside the engine's water jacket and ports. When the scaling builds to the point that water flow is restricted the engine starts to overheat. At this point you are probably looking at replacing the engine.

In the enclosed system, the water that flows through the engine's water jacket and ports is the fresh water and coolant. The only part the raw water flows through is the heat exchanger. The same scaling occurs however. When water flow is restricted and the engine begins to overheat you may be able to "acid boil" the scale out of the heat exchanger and continue to use it. The worse case is that you would have to replace the heat exchanger. This would be much less expensive than replacing the engine.

I personally don't mind if it robs me of some ponies. Rinsing my engine takes half the time it did in my Sea Ray. Think of it as raw water as ethanol based fuel, and coolant as ethanol free 90 octane. You can run both fuels effectively, but you have to add chemicals to prevent the damages of ethanol, where there isn't a worry on 90 octane.

Just my $.02

 

[GTBRMC]

Great discussion, especially from MikeyL and Brendon. Adds to the jetboaters.net knowledge base and gives potential buyers a lot to consider.

We all advocate our opinions and favored makes & brands. Always keep in mind - strong competition between the jetboat builders is great for us jetboaters!

 

[rkluck]

Lots of good work! Thanks!

 

[Williamsone46]

"The advantages of the enclosed system over the raw water system are extreme, especially if you are operating in salt water. Salt water tends to build up a corrosive scale when the engine operates above 140°. In the raw water system this scale is building up inside the engine's water jacket and ports. When the scaling builds to the point that water flow is restricted the engine starts to overheat. At this point you are probably looking at replacing the engine.
In the enclosed system, the water that flows through the engine's water jacket and ports is the fresh water and coolant. The only part the raw water flows through is the heat exchanger. The same scaling occurs however. When water flow is restricted and the engine begins to overheat you may be able to "acid boil" the scale out of the heat exchanger and continue to use it. The worse case is that you would have to replace the heat exchanger. This would be much less expensive than replacing the engine."

Has anyone had over heating problems or had to replace an engine due to salt build up in their motor? @JetBoatPilot Have you heard of this effecting anyone with a Yamaha?

If it wasn't an advantage, there wouldn't be so many kits out in the market to convert engines to closed loop.

By no means because there are aftermarket companies making kits mean the is an advantage but more or less a market is all.

Rinsing my engine takes half the time it did in my Sea Ray.

Half the time as your SeaRay but the same amount of time as a Yamaha.

 

[ScarabMike]

"The advantages of the enclosed system over the raw water system are extreme, especially if you are operating in salt water. Salt water tends to build up a corrosive scale when the engine operates above 140°. In the raw water system this scale is building up inside the engine's water jacket and ports. When the scaling builds to the point that water flow is restricted the engine starts to overheat. At this point you are probably looking at replacing the engine.
In the enclosed system, the water that flows through the engine's water jacket and ports is the fresh water and coolant. The only part the raw water flows through is the heat exchanger. The same scaling occurs however. When water flow is restricted and the engine begins to overheat you may be able to "acid boil" the scale out of the heat exchanger and continue to use it. The worse case is that you would have to replace the heat exchanger. This would be much less expensive than replacing the engine."

Has anyone had over heating problems or had to replace an engine due to salt build up in their motor? @JetBoatPilot Have you heard of this effecting anyone with a Yamaha?



By no means because there are aftermarket companies making kits mean the is an advantage but more or less a market is all.



Half the time as your SeaRay but the same amount of time as a Yamaha.

Again, its all on whatever your comfortable in the end. But by your comments, there isnt any major drawback on closed loop either. So lets just call it personal choice. For me, I rather not have salt water in my engine bay period.

 

[Scottintexas]

@ScarabMike , I understand this doesn't apply to you but do you know if the closed loop systems have to be winterized or drained?

 

[PolarXJ]

="Scottintexas, post: 79331, member: 138"I understand this doesn't apply to you but do you know if the closed loop systems have to be winterized or drained?

It is recommended that you winterize the Rotax systems. Even though they are "Closed Loop" they do still use raw water to cool the exhaust system, which is something most overlook. So they are still bringing water into the engine bay, but not into the engine block. Some people debate what is acceptable for winterizing, but doing a quick start of the engine and giving it a couple revs will do the trick. Obviously if you are running in salt water you would still want to do an engine flush.

 

[Scottintexas]

I understand revving the engines like on a yamaha to empty any remaining water in the raw system

but what about the Rotax "closed" portion, does that need to be winterized?

 

[PolarXJ]

No. It uses an antifreeze mixture that doesn't need anything done to it for winter.