2015 Yamaha Jet Boat Pictures

[TxChristopher]

I think Yamaha knows the new Scarab jet boats are going to be a threat to their bottom line, so now you see this sudden increase in premium and quality features.

Yamaha really should get the supercharged engines in there as an option to stay on par with the new Scarabs.

 

[SCSTWG]

I think Yamaha knows the new Scarab jet boats are going to be a threat to their bottom line, so now you see ths sudden increase in premium and quality features.

Yamaha really should get the supercharged engines in tere as an option to stay on par with the new Scarabs.

While I am sure Yamaha is not excited about any competition in the jetboat space, I don't see anything about the Scarab (including supercharged Rotax engines) that is a threat to them. The Sea Doo's had the same power plants and Yamaha crushed them. With Yamaha owning the jetboat market, I think Scarab is the one that has to prove something. Yamaha makes a good all-purpose boat. They really don't seem to be after the speed boat market and with some of their models hitting around 50 mph, most of us think that is plenty fast.

 

[TxChristopher]

Oh I also forgot the new Chapparal boats. If not for this new competition you would still see a less refined Yamaha product for the same money. They were forced to up the content/quality and they will be forced to up the performance too or watch their sales sink.

You are kidding yourself if you somehow think the Yamaha jet boats are not "speed boats" LOL.

 

[SCSTWG]

Oh I also forgot the new Chapparal boats. If not for this new competition you would still see a less refined Yamaha product for the same money. They were forced to up the content/quality and they will be forced to up the performance too or watch their sales sink.

You are kidding yourself if you somehow think the Yamaha jet boats are not "speed boats" LOL.

I think Chaparral makes a really nice boat and more than likely will offer better quality than Yamaha. That said, Yamaha sells on value. They offer limited options and are proficient at mass production and marketing. I welcome the competition and hope it makes all the boats better and forces them to keep their selling price in check (an area that Yamaha can be criticized for). IMO, if you look at the new 24' Yamaha models, it is obviously that Yamaha is listening to the complaints of Yamaha owners and addressing most of the common issues (noise, low-speed handling, hinged seats, etc.). These items were in the engineering que long before the Scarab and Chaparral boats hit the market. I am not really sure that the recent introduction of these boats has forced Yamaha to do anything at this point. You will also notice that the new 24' boats have the same power plant as the previous version 24' models. They are reliable and provide adequate power. While there are a handful of speed demons on the forum who wish the Yamaha's had larger power plants, most members here seem to use them as a family boat which I believe is the target market Yamaha is after. When I think of a speed boat, I am thinking Donzi, Baja, etc. Even in typical bowriders, you might get into something like a Formula if you are looking for better performance. When you go to the Yamaha website, there is a section called "Why Yamaha". It lists (4) points:

1. Innovation
2. Watersport Features
3. Luxury Appoitnments
4. Smart Design

The site also talks about how everything is included for one price. Nowhere does it talk about these being the fastest boats or attempting to sell on speed. The one exception might be that they got on plane quickly or accelerate quickly, but top speed is not their selling point.

 

[TxChristopher]

I never one time mentioned top speed, yet you keep going there yourself. Obviously it bothers you even though you say it doesn't or you would not keep bringing it up.

1. Innovation -- yes they were innovative 10 years ago but not a whole lot changed since then.
2. Watersports Features -- like what? Sure they can tow but nobody serious about watersports buys a Yamaha. I never see any out wakeboarding or even towing tubes, except for mine.
3. Luxury appointments -- LOL ...... name the luxury appointments in any Yamaha jet boat.
4. Smart Design -- Pretty much the same design until 2015. Price has skyrocketed though, content not so much. They have priced themselves right out of the market they originally used to become #1 and the competition is filling that void.

I still maintain my position that the new competition has finally forced Yamaha to up the quality and fit and finish and worry more about being more upscale. I bet without these new competitors the 2015 models would have been a long way away if ever. It is no coincidence that Yamaha felt the need for the rudder to help low speed control now that the BRP design drive boats are out with their far superior low speed handling. The higher freeboard is nearly a direct copy of the Chapparal as are the new towers. All the changes all of a sudden now that the competition has arrived is no coincidence.

The Yamaha's are speed boats period, the boats you mentioned are power boats.

 

[SCSTWG]

You seem really negative on the Yamaha's in spite of being a Yamaha owner.......not sure what that is all about. As far as the bullet points, I was making the point that Yamaha does not market the product as a speed boat, power boat, or whatever you want to call them. I also agree that while they may market things like luxury, they are no Chris Craft, nor can they compete with a true watersports boat. These points can't be disputed. I also agree that competition is a great thing. Yamaha had competition from Sea Doo for years and now they are still competing with Sea Doo power plants, but different hulls. Not too much has really changed. I think Yamaha views their competition as all 19', 21' and 24' bowriders regardless of propulsion type. They are the #1 selling boat in each class.....not just the #1 selling jetboat. So why would they be scared of Scarab? Don't get me wrong, I like the Scarab's from what I can see. I certainly will like the Chaparral's as well. I just don't see what either of them have done that have changed the game for Yamaha. The Supercharged engines go back to the Sea Doo days and if anything helped Yamaha as they required frequent rebuilds and higher maintenance costs. Any performance increase was more than offset by the lack of a cleanout port which for many of us is a deal breaker and their "weedless" system was laughable. From my perspective, the company that is #1 has little to prove. On the other hand, the new participants in the market have a great deal to prove. I am no Yamaha fanboy. I think they offer a good all-around boat at a respectable price, but there is a great deal of room for improvement. I think in the 2015 24' models they have finally started responding to owner complaints which is a good thing. As I have said many times before, I think the best selling point of a Yamaha is this forum which simply makes ownership easier and less expensive. Scarab and Chaparral can't say that. In fact, Chaparral has a great owner's forum which I have followed for years, but the members there almost universally hate the fact that Chaparral is selling jetboats as they think it cheapens their brand. Good luck getting all of your jetboat questions answered over there. Of course, this forum welcomes all jetboat owners regardless of brand and we all are anxious to learn more about the Scarab and Chaparral, but the knowledge base just doesn't exist yet. 99.9% of all posts are related to Yamaha's.

 

[OrangeTJ]

1. Innovation -- yes they were innovative 10 years ago but not a whole lot changed since then.
2. Watersports Features -- like what? Sure they can tow but nobody serious about watersports buys a Yamaha. I never see any out wakeboarding or even towing tubes, except for mine.
3. Luxury appointments -- LOL ...... name the luxury appointments in any Yamaha jet boat.
4. Smart Design -- Pretty much the same design until 2015. Price has skyrocketed though, content not so much. They have priced themselves right out of the market they originally used to become #1 and the competition is filling that void.
.

Lots of folks use their Yamahas for watersports of some type. Judging by this site, tubing and wakesurfing are probably most popular. We use ours for that and for wakeboarding. No, it's not in the same league as a dedicated wake boat but it works just fine for recreational boarders.

With regards to your statement "
Price has skyrocketed though, content not so much. They have priced themselves right out of the market they originally used to become #1 and the competition is filling that void.", I don't understand how manufacturers offering MORE expensive boats is filling the void for less expensive boats. Scarabs list out quite a bit higher than the Yamahas and I can only imagine that the Chaparrals will as well. If not, that would be awesome...but doesn't seem to be happening.

 

[BlacklimitedS]

Well said @SCSTWG! I am not sure where @TxChristopher boats but I always see people behind all types of boats tubing and wakeboarding including Yamahas! I also priced a Chaparral and everything is an option. A single engine 22 foot boat will easily run over 60K with options. I will admit I wish I had waited for the 2015's as they have many nice upgrades including the rudder. @TxChristopher everyone on this forum is very knowledgable and always willing to help. As a member you will have opportunities to meet several of us on outings. We are all friends in the end.

 

[Nucem140]

All good points, so I'm guessing I should pursue the 2015's?

 

[BlacklimitedS]

@Nucem140 Yes! If you are willing to wait and pay the price hike. Dealers will be flexible on price for the 14's but will not move much on the 15's.

 

[TxChristopher]

I am not trying to be negative on Yamaha at all, just telling it like I see it. I love my SX230 it is a great boat but to me Yamaha really squandered their chance to REALLY do something with the platform. It has been mostly the same boat for 10 years. That is the comment I see all the time from just about every owner, that the newest whatever Yamaha is still not different/better enough for them to trade up. Then all of a sudden after the other guys get in Yamaha whips out changes that should have taken place a long long time ago, changes that really add style and class to the boat finally and changes that meet up with the pricing. This is a good thing (finally) but it seemed they were content to keep running up the price with tiny little changes in seating and colors and such with no real refinement along the way.

I will put it this way . . . . . the price has risen at least 60% since I bought mine new . . . . anyone that can show me where there is nearly $20k more boat in a 2014 SX240 versus my 2004 SX 230 please go ahead. Same basic layout, same drive system, most of the boat is the same.

Now with the 2015's we finally see some real changes and nice touches and styling updates to bring the boat inline with other current sport boat offerings without the price mysteriously flying up (I credit the competition with that too) and I am a potential buyer again, but not without the better engines and larger jet drives.

 

[Yamborghini]

All good points, so I'm guessing I should pursue the 2015's?

Will aka jet boat pilot should have something in video in a week or two.
And I can testify that the 2014's prices are negotiable. Yamaha advertising 4k off 24's and 2k off 19-21's is just the start. When I walked in to a dealer yesterday I was immediately offered $6k off a limited s and I believe someone on here just got that same price with $2-3k in extras thrown in. I believe he is in the other 2015 launch post.

Have you piloted a Yamaha yet? When I finally did, I realized just how much attention was required in keeping the boat "on course", and personally no money saved would make that annoyance bearable. If it were my #1 concern.

I'd say test pilot a 14 and if you can a 15. If you can't pilot a 15, compare your experience on a 14 to whatever Will shows us.

 

[davel501]

I am not trying to be negative on Yamaha at all, just telling it like I see it. I love my SX230 it is a great boat but to me Yamaha really squandered their chance to REALLY do something with the platform. It has been mostly the same boat for 10 years. That is the comment I see all the time from just about every owner, that the newest whatever Yamaha is still not different/better enough for them to trade up. Then all of a sudden after the other guys get in Yamaha whips out changes that should have taken place a long long time ago, changes that really add style and class to the boat finally and changes that meet up with the pricing. This is a good thing (finally) but it seemed they were content to keep running up the price with tiny little changes in seating and colors and such with no real refinement along the way.

I will put it this way . . . . . the price has risen at least 60% since I bought mine new . . . . anyone that can show me where there is nearly $20k more boat in a 2014 SX240 versus my 2004 SX 230 please go ahead. Same basic layout, same drive system, most of the boat is the same.

Now with the 2015's we finally see some real changes and nice touches and styling updates to bring the boat inline with other current sport boat offerings without the price mysteriously flying up (I credit the competition with that too) and I am a potential buyer again, but not without the better engines and larger jet drives.

The same price inflation has hit cars and used Yamahas. Look at how much more a new Chevy Tahoe goes for or how close that used sx230 is selling to its original sticker. That is the value of the dollar dropping. Too bad its not working on houses too.

 

[jdonalds]

10 years ago I was really into pwc. I had a yamaha gp1300r and I dumped a ton of money into go fast parts. I was the guy nobody could beat on the water in my area which I thought was cool. Until I got bored and realized how much money I'd drop just to go 1mph faster. For me personally I realized I wasted a lot of money. That's when I sold the pig and got into stand ups.

For me boating is about hanging out on the water, relaxing, and being with friends and family. No disrespect intended towards anyone that's into going fast on their boat. Just not my thing. Been there, done that. 51mph vs 55mph so what. Even 65mph in these boats isn't going to impress me to the point where I wouldn't mind spending more at the pump.

I do understand the mentality of their flagship standing out in a league of its own. I just think they'd be hurting their sales. What I didn't realize before was the price difference between the AR and the LS. For that much of a price difference I would have thought the LCD screen should be an LS only item. For a new buyer it's pretty hard to justify the bump in price.

I'm totally with you Sky. While my boat can go about 45 mph tops I'd guess I run WOT only about 20 minutes per boating season. It sucks up gas and it's too windy. Sometimes it's too choppy.

My Honda ski only had 125 hp. It topped out about 52 mph. I went out with members of the club often, just about every one of them could easily go faster than 52 mph, some as high as 65 mph. But we all ran together, not out of a desire to be together on the ocean but rather because 35-40 mph was what conditions demanded.

Those who love to race, such as the annual Long Beach to Catalina race, want all of the speed they can get. The rest of us just don't go that fast very often.

Yamaha is smart to build a boat for the masses where top speed isn't what it's all about. Those niches belong to other boats. For boaters who want speed they can find it - elsewhere.

 

[jdonalds]

That is a very nice boat (shown in the photos above). If I had the money, which I don't, I would buy one.

Ideally it would have PerfectPass integrated into the large display.

 

[TxChristopher]

The same price inflation has hit cars and used Yamahas. Look at how much more a new Chevy Tahoe goes for or how close that used sx230 is selling to its original sticker. That is the value of the dollar dropping. Too bad its not working on houses too.

The dollar value is another topic and you are correct. ... . . . but in the case of cars/trucks you actually see real innovation/changes/improvements to at least justify some if not all of the increase. Power has gone up significantly yet mpg has improved, reliability has vastly improved, transmissions have greatly advanced, safety has taken leaps and bounds, etc etc etc. People see my boat all the time and think it is fairly new, but nobody mistakes a 2004 Tahoe for a 2014 Tahoe. That goes for pretty much all cars and trucks.

 

[Williamsone46]

People see my boat all the time and think it is fairly new, but nobody mistakes a 2004 Tahoe for a 2014 Tahoe. That goes for pretty much all cars and trucks.

That's because cars and trucks are common. Unless they know what their looking at they wouldn't know the difference. For instance no one on here would mistake your 04' for 14', although it might be in awesome shape we could tell by the design.

you actually see real innovation/changes/improvements to at least justify some if not all of the increase. Power has gone up significantly yet mpg has improved, reliability has vastly improved, safety has taken leaps and bounds, etc etc etc.

What has Chaparral, Mastercraft, SeaRay done in terms of innovations, improvments to justify their massive price increases over the last 10 years?

What new innovations has SeaRay, Scarab, Glasstron done to force Yamaha's hand, that hasn't been out of decades? There is always the argument that them coming to market has influenced them, but so far Scarab is barley a blip on their radar.

The new Yamaha 24' has been in development for years? I doubt Scarab influenced Yamaha as much as you think.

If Yamaha's are overpriced as it seems your implying. Why wouldn't Scarab, Chaparral, Glasstron come to market at a better price point? I mean they are the ones with something to prove after all?

 

[Nucem140]

I just talked to Will Owen, They will receive a 2015 AR240 on the 16th of this month. Videos will follow shortly. Super nice guy!!

 

[maboat]

That's because cars and trucks are common. Unless they know what their looking at they wouldn't know the difference. For instance no one on here would mistake your 04' for 14', although it might be in awesome shape we could tell by the design.

Even a 5 year old kid would see worlds of difference between an '04 and a '14 car or truck without really knowing what they are looking at. When I saw @PEARCE 's 2006 boat in person, it looked brand new. Yeah, I can recognize the year by the shape. BUT THAT'S IT. There were new boats right next to it. Same basic boat with somewhat different shape. Any other non-Yamaha boat enthusiast would have a hard time telling the years apart.

What has Chaparral, Mastercraft, SeaRay done in terms of innovations, improvements to justify their massive price increases over the last 10 years?

You're kidding, right? A 2015 Mastercraft is LIGHT YEARS different from a 2005 Mastercraft. Not so much for Yamaha.

I doubt Scarab influenced Yamaha as much as you think.

I doubt the competition has influenced Yamaha as little as you think.

I am a Yamaha owner and fan. Very happy with my Yamaha boat as well has the Yamaha wetbikes and dirtbikes I've owned. But like @TxChristopher I have not seen much change over the years to justify the huge price changes. Many of us with the earlier models have been asking for some of these things for years. Nothing earth shattering, just fundamental improvements that would be easy (like improving the low-speed steering, reducing the noise level, etc.) but theses requests were ignored for years. Granted, the 2015 24' models have more changes to them than we have typically seen in previous model years. But there is no way its pure coincidence. Should we be glad to finally see some of these changes? I suppose so, we've been asking for 10 years. But I certainly can't praise Yamaha with accolades for listening to the customers and coming out with something innovative. Competition forced this, plain and simple. Hopefully, continued competition will force even more refinements and keep the pricing in check.

 

[Williamsone46]

You're kidding, right? A 2015 Mastercraft is LIGHT YEARS different from a 2005 Mastercraft. Not so much for Yamaha.

Define "light years" sure they have better ballast systems, new surf technology, etc. But I can't see anything to account for upwards of $50k price increase.