It still sucked with four people on other days too, just more with 8 that day. LOL. Each to their own. I sold that boat and bought a used Rinker with a 4.3 Merc, and the thing hauls ass, and we can talk while hauling it. No contest, in my opinion. Loving my new boat. The used boat market is crazy right now though, I looked at many boats that were trashed before finding the one I bought. I like the one I bought.
Glad you found the right boat for you. Like you said, to each their own. If top speed is the only concern on your radar, the 190 series from Yamaha isn't for you. Surprised you didn't seek out something with a V8 honestly. Rinker sold that era 19' with a 5.0L 8cyl engine setup. You could also get into their 232 line from the same era (which is wildly popular and found all over last I looked) which holds more people, and was available all the way up to a 7.4L with captains call exhaust. Those would run into the low 60's with the right setup. Either way, the Rinker's are solid boats that are well made and will reward you with years of use if you take care of it.
I owned a '98 Rinker 182BR with the 3.0 for 7 seasons. It was a great boat for us. People always told me that boat was underpowered as well, but didn't seem to be an issue for me, and my guests never complained. We had 6 adults on that boat on a regular basis. Lots of water sports. It was just as loud as my AR190, couldn't have a conversation in the Rinker at speed either.
I can say, without a shred of hesitation, that my Yamaha 190 is a significant upgrade on every single facet as compared to my Rinker. More space, better handling, better styling, easier to own, and the lack of required maintenance is amazing. I really hope you didn't trade the layout that works so well in the 190 for a tight arrangement in the Rinker for a few more mph on the top end. You sound like an experienced boater, so I'm assuming you know what you're looking for and what works for you. I know I wouldn't go back to the old layout for a few mph on the top end.
Soooooo, about that comment regarding people on the forums that are here solely to promote the brand..........well, yea, it's an owners group, and threads with people being disappointed are very few and far between. IMO that is a testament to the overall great value these boats create. Call it confirmation bias, call it enthusiastic owners, or call it shilling, whatever you like. As a group, we're enthused about the boats and like to tell people that. It's kinda the whole premise of the site. It's quite literally why we're here. I feel this shouldn't be a surprise, and at no level be considered a poor trait of the group. In general, you posted some questions, and we started doing what we do; trying to solve them or otherwise help the situation.
Best of luck with the new boat. As much as I love my Yamaha, I'm more enthused to see another boater than I am to see someone abandon the water completely after a poor experience.
