255G does the 300HP give it enough power for water sports?

[ChrisM]

I do not ski, and I don't know anyone that does, so no tower for me. I am properly equipped with a tow-able hook center transom below the hand rail. From what I gathered when I originally built mine was the VRX was already the ski inspired version, IE: already equipped with the tower. The Chaparral brand is a "made to order" and not a "Production"boat, say like Tahoe. I looked at a couple brands before my Vortex purchase, and found while not feature rich like some of the others, IE: live well, sink, fridge, trash can, whatever, the use of space and quality is really obvious. Things like clean-out plugs are not important to me, I've never had a need for them. The only time I was down I was riding my SeaDoo (same engine and propulsion) I sucked in a thumbnail sliver of cedar wood. I lost power, heavily cavitated, and had to be towed back to the launch. What I found was this tiny piece of wood had been depressed into the wear ring. The only fix for this was to pull the pump to remove which is really easy. This is something that can happen to ANY jet drive system due to the tight tolerances between the impeller and plastic wear ring, Install a stainless, or metal wear ring as an alternative and you'll be putting more of the wear on your impeller.

 

[Jet1733]

I do not ski, and I don't know anyone that does, so no tower for me. I am properly equipped with a tow-able hook center transom below the hand rail. From what I gathered when I originally built mine was the VRX was already the ski inspired version, IE: already equipped with the tower. The Chaparral brand is a "made to order" and not a "Production"boat, say like Tahoe. I looked at a couple brands before my Vortex purchase, and found while not feature rich like some of the others, IE: live well, sink, fridge, trash can, whatever, the use of space and quality is really obvious. Things like clean-out plugs are not important to me, I've never had a need for them. The only time I was down I was riding my SeaDoo (same engine and propulsion) I sucked in a thumbnail sliver of cedar wood. I lost power, heavily cavitated, and had to be towed back to the launch. What I found was this tiny piece of wood had been depressed into the wear ring. The only fix for this was to pull the pump to remove which is really easy. This is something that can happen to ANY jet drive system due to the tight tolerances between the impeller and plastic wear ring, Install a stainless, or metal wear ring as an alternative and you'll be putting more of the wear on your impeller.

Yeah I kept hear about clean out and after talking with a few Yamaha guys at the lake I’m at, they said they’ve never used them. Not to say they aren’t good or used every where else, just sayin that’s not going to be the deciding factor on the boat I buy. I’m new to jets other than a few sea doos so the metal wear ring has me scratching my head. I was always told plastic is the way to go so I have research to do. Metal makes sense but I’m old and set in my ways lol

 

[Yellow Jacket]

Wear ring is cheaper to replace than an impeller, and when something harder than either one gets sucked in, one of them has got to give. You’d rather the wear ring break instead of the impeller.

However, a plastic wear ring “wears”out over time due to the sheer force of the water passing through it. This increases the gap between it and the impeller, resulting in less thrust, which is why performance enthusiasts prefer the stainless.

Also, sucking up weeds or soft wood would damage neither impeller or ring, and get chopped up instead.

 

[Jet1733]

Wear ring is cheaper to replace than an impeller, and when something harder than either one gets sucked in, one of them has got to give. You’d rather the wear ring break instead of the impeller.

However, a plastic wear ring “wears”out over time due to the sheer force of the water passing through it. This increases the gap between it and the impeller, resulting in less thrust, which is why performance enthusiasts prefer the stainless.

Also, sucking up weeds or soft wood would damage neither impeller or ring, and get chopped up instead.

that’s what I was always told but I haven’t had a jet anything in 10 years or so. My fear is instead of the plastic wear ring giving out, it will be the impeller.

 

[ChrisM]

It's actually a heavy nylon type material, my original SeaDoo wear ring lasted 8 years, I replaced it with an OE BRP maybe 2 years ago. I did the prop too by the ski is now 12 years old, so there was plenty of wear and increased clearance due to age. It's the wear ring that you want to wear anyway, especially when recreationally used, and in questionably clean waters.


Various BRP wear Rings, Heavy Duty, Stainless

 

[Zest]

Thank you for chiming in.......Vortex is on the list too!

Love the feedback on 250hp+......I just don’t want to buy a boat then wish it had more power every time i went out.......

So no tower for you correct?

Do you do any water sports, and if so, does not having a tower restrict what you do?

I’d rather not have a tower so i could store in my garage, but started another thread “tower or no tower” (my wife doesn’t like the look of them) and everyone said add the tower......

I have a 2020 255 ID with 600 HP for the same reason as yours to not to feel the need for extra power when towing. The only difference noticed is an extra 2 to 4 mph to the 500 HP at top speed. Unless you are boating at lakes with calm waters, otherwise 500 HP is suitable for the job.

As for the tower, you can fold it down leaving you with a total height of 2.3 meters. If you are into ski/wake towing then tower is worth it for the person your towing and avoid the rope being under the boat when circulating at low speed.

Good luck with your purchase.

 

[Enduro900]

I have a 2020 255 ID with 600 HP for the same reason as yours to not to feel the need for extra power when towing. The only difference noticed is an extra 2 to 4 mph to the 500 HP at top speed. Unless you are boating at lakes with calm waters, otherwise 500 HP is suitable for the job.

As for the tower, you can fold it down leaving you with a total height of 2.3 meters. If you are into ski/wake towing then tower is worth it for the person your towing and avoid the rope being under the boat when circulating at low speed.

Good luck with your purchase.

Thanks for the info.......I keep going back and forth wanting the 600hp over the 500hp.....

Is the 2.3 meters the folded height on the trailer? I havent been able to find what the folded height is for the 255/215 (garage door clearance)

 

[AZMark]

600 HP?? 500 is SUITABLE?!!

You guys are making me feel inadequate. Isn’t there a billionaires forum on here that you can take this conversation to?

 

[Jet1733]

600 HP?? 500 is SUITABLE?!!

You guys are making me feel inadequate. Isn’t there a billionaires forum on here that you can take this conversation to?

HAHA. The price difference on mine was offset by the instrument cluster. Vortex has a touchscreen deal called a Medallion that does everything except launch a Space X rocket. Well I didn’t want it. Just give me some tachometers and gas gauge. Anything more is icing on the cake. Since mine didn’t have the medallion, that money made the couple of thousand more for 600 over the 500 seem kinda small. Pretty much the same power I’d say other than a little more on the top end.

 

[Zest]

Thanks for the info.......I keep going back and forth wanting the 600hp over the 500hp.....

Is the 2.3 meters the folded height on the trailer? I havent been able to find what the folded height is for the 255/215 (garage door clearance)

On trailer as per Scarab site.

 

[Enduro900]

On trailer as per Scarab site.

I saw that but doesn’t say whether that includes with a tower or not.....so I can interpret that as including the tower? Would be nice if they simply stated that on the website......

 

[scokill]

600 HP?? 500 is SUITABLE?!!

You guys are making me feel inadequate. Isn’t there a billionaires forum on here that you can take this conversation to?

It's a ridiculous conversation.

 

[Zest]

I saw that but doesn’t say whether that includes with a tower or not.....so I can interpret that as including the tower? Would be nice if they simply stated that on the website......

I assume it works with and without tower. Once the tower is folded down, the highest part will almost be matching the highest point of the windshield.

 

[Enduro900]

I assume it works with and without tower. Once the tower is folded down, the highest part will almost be matching the highest point of the windshield.

I wondered when I see the pivot point on the tower it looks in-line with the height of the windshield......i think Scarab is the only jet boat that the tower folds as low as the windshield?

It seems they have a LOT of advantages over Yamaha......that no one knows about as their marketing/promotion is less than enthusiastic (I see the Yamaha guys trying to figure out how to get their boats through a normal garage door Yet I’ve never read or heard this about scarabs being under 7ft (195/215) and the 255 being at 7’3” on the website or YouTube videos/and from what i understand the iNR is superior to Yamaha in docking/low speed manuverability?