any regrets?

[Bilmon]

I have both, got a 17.5 ft outboard last year after 14 years with my 18 ft. jet. I'll take my jet over the prop any day, it out handles the prop at any speed plus I forgot how nice it is not worry about hitting crap, tore up a prop third time out and took a chunk out of the skeg on the next trip. Learning curve isn't that big of a deal

 

[d_coyne1984]

My only regret is not being able to afford a bigger boat. Jet boats had a bad stigma that has hung on for a lot of boat traditionalists so they immediately dismiss the benefits of the jet drive. These are not the blown v8 monsters or no-freeboard pocket rockets of yesteryear's jet boats. The engines, controls, and design are on a whole different level than the older boats. Just take the time to learn how to handle the boat. It will not drive like a stern drive. Once you figure it out, you will never go back.

 

[Beachbummer]

I have an SX230. I regret not upgrading from my 2cycle seadoo 18ft sooner. Fuel injection is awesome, and i don't get wet if i don't want to. There are 3 enhancements that make a super great difference. 1 Fins, 2 Throttle levers, 3 Trim tabs. These are awesome, but are not required. I'm a fan of the V styling and it fit my budget, so a 230 was a slam dunk for me.

Lower draft is huge for me in my area, and the simplicity is a great benefit also.

 

[DBamaC]

I have driven every typical lake boat there is. Stern drives are the worst...baffles me why someone would want one. Unless you have a bass boat, pontoon boat or want to boat off-shore, there are better alternatives to an outboard. I love inboards and v-drives, but the ones I need and can afford are not the ones I want. For now, the all-around versatility of a jet makes it the perfect family boat for me. They are cheap to operate, safe for the kids and great to operate in unfamiliar lakes. I suspect that once the kids are out of the house and I make the move to the lake full time I will be looking for an older, low-hour inboard or v-drive, but until that day I think the jet is close to perfect.

We are a family of 4 and I usually have an extra kid or two. We've gotten pretty good with packing schemes and really don't have a lot of issues with space. On the occasion we have 8 in the boat, it's tight.

 

[the MfM]

I have no major complaints with my Yamaha.

But there are some minuses.

It’s a lot easier to wrench on an outboard then any inboard/stern/jet drive.
Two engines adds to maintenance costs/time.
And it’s nice to be able to tilt an outboard completely out of the water if you are leaving it on your mooring.

 

[Beachbummer]

It is true that two engines require more maintenance, but you will almost never be left stranded. That's why I prefer two engines to one. (Regardless of type) that's a concern I'm happy to be on the 2 engine side, without denying your very valid point.

 

[OrangeTJ]

Two engines are more maintenance than one, that’s true. However, on a YJB you don’t have a whole host of other stuff to deal with that you do on a stern drive. No drive belts, no steering pump, no raw water impeller, no trim pump, no bellows, no gimbals. The Yamahas pretty much need oil changed and fresh spark plugs from time to time. They really couldn’t be easier to keep up with.

 

[dan144k]

Best decision I made was when I bought my 2010 AR240 new. Sure was expensive but family and friends always make great memories.

I had waverunners previously, years ago, and wanted a jet boat boat. Never even considered a prop boat. The Jet safety factor is amazing. Yamaha Reliability has been great.

2 engines was important to me, safety and redundancy.

 

[MrMoose]

 

[Renod]

It is true that two engines require more maintenance, but you will almost never be left stranded. That's why I prefer two engines to one. (Regardless of type) that's a concern I'm happy to be on the 2 engine side, without denying your very valid point.

That was exactly the reason why I insisted that any boat we looked at had dual engines, either jet or outboard. 30+ years ago I was on a 19' Boston Whaler when the engine suddenly died. Thankfully we were able to flag someone down and they towed us into a dock, but the 20-30 minutes we spent slowly drifting into Lake Erie was not a good feeling!

I have never owned a jet boat but we have owned enough Yamaha jet skis to feel very comfortable with the power plants. Our skis, with similar 1800 engines, have been rock solid and we hope this experience will continue with the boat.

 

[2kwik4u]

No prop to ding, fewer moving parts than a stern drive, lower maintenance, a great swim platform with now lower unit, definitely no regrets. I too am glad I sprung for the tower.

This..... all of this. Definitely get the tower. It still fits in the garage with a simple modification, and it gets the bimini top up off the sides of the boat. Makes a great towel rack, and works really well as something to hold on to when you're standing on the dock to keep the boat from floating away. Aside from the looks the tower is worth it for function alone!

We had a prop boat before, and moved to a jet for our new one. Wife and I both adjusted very quickly (1-2 outings) to the way it handles both low and high speed. She puts it on the trailer and docks it when we get the truck. She handles it just fine, and has adjusted to using the jet without a problem. It's different, very different. Not bad, arguably better than a prop, but different. I won't go back to props based on maintenance alone, the nuances of handling aren't anything to be afraid of. No different than trying to pilot my uncles 28ft tri-toon vs my 19ft bowrider. They both react a little different, and I didn't get either one right the first time. Couple outings with either and you learn the boat and how to control it.

 

[Sbrown]

We had a prop boat before, and moved to a jet for our new one. Wife and I both adjusted very quickly (1-2 outings) to the way it handles both low and high speed. She puts it on the trailer and docks it when we get the truck. She handles it just fine, and has adjusted to using the jet without a problem

I second this. A few outings in and my wife handles the boat while I get the truck and she drives it onto the trailer just fine.

 

[DBamaC]

We had a prop boat before, and moved to a jet for our new one. Wife and I both adjusted very quickly (1-2 outings) to the way it handles both low and high speed. She puts it on the trailer and docks it when we get the truck. She handles it just fine, and has adjusted to using the jet without a problem. It's different, very different. Not bad, arguably better than a prop, but different. I won't go back to props based on maintenance alone, the nuances of handling aren't anything to be afraid of. No different than trying to pilot my uncles 28ft tri-toon vs my 19ft bowrider. They both react a little different, and I didn't get either one right the first time. Couple outings with either and you learn the boat and how to control it.

It's good to see a couple working together launching your boat (I know you guys aren't the only ones). It's amazing how many times I see a wife/GF sitting while the guy performs the launch and puts away the truck and then on recovery. My wife had NEVER driven a boat prior to our buying this one. She's seen it done but had never done it. She had piloted/launched and recovered a Waverunner. I'm thinking that on our third outing she took over lunching and recovering...mainly because she doesn't like backing a trailer. It's not that hard and you're right....nothing to be afraid of.

 

[bumpy]

Our last boat before the Yamaha was a 24' Four Winns deck; ZERO regrets! The Yamaha is far easier and cheaper to maintain mechanically, more fun to drive, and way more suited to my 2' deep wet slip. I did add fins; I still like them 5 years later because powering in to my dock isn't kind to the jets.

 

[the MfM]

That was exactly the reason why I insisted that any boat we looked at had dual engines, either jet or outboard. 30+ years ago I was on a 19' Boston Whaler when the engine suddenly died. Thankfully we were able to flag someone down and they towed us into a dock, but the 20-30 minutes we spent slowly drifting into Lake Erie was not a good feeling!

I have never owned a jet boat but we have owned enough Yamaha jet skis to feel very comfortable with the power plants. Our skis, with similar 1800 engines, have been rock solid and we hope this experience will continue with the boat.

I get that there is some redundancy with two engines but modern outboards and automobiles have gotten extremely reliable in the last thirty years. When was the last time you saw someone broken down on the side of the road with engine problems? Generally you will get a warning something is wrong long before you are stranded.

Some problems (fuel or electrical) could affect both engines anyways.

And again in general terms twin 150 hp engines may likely be slower, louder and burn more fuel then a single 300 hp. (And be more expensive)

 

[Beachbummer]

The only time I needed a tow on 14 years was because i ran out of fuel. I would have been stranded at least 8 times on that seadoo sportster 1800 if it did not have dual engines.

It is true things are more reliable now with fuel injection and other fabulous enhancements of modernity. Also TowUS is only a call/vhf hail away in most trips.

Everyone's tolerance for risk/reward is different. For my taste, 2 is 1 and 1 is none when stuff hits the fan. So dual to me is an advantage. Understood others may prefer just the one.

 

[the MfM]

Yeah, I don’t think there is necessarily a wrong answer. There’s a cool factor with twin engines and some handling benefits.

 

[Matt Phillips]

As others have said, these boats take a bit of a learning curve but once you get it down, they are a lot of fun. I love being able to spin my jet boat around in it's own length...and it makes the rental guys driving those beat up Reinell's at the gas dock wonder every time HOW I do it. In the six seasons and two Yamaha's I've owned, no one has not "gotten" how to drive it...especially the 242 with the keel and rudder. I do have steering fins on my boat and between those and the keel/rudder it really does not wonder about at low speeds.

When you get the boat, plan to spend some time out on the lake just practicing your slow speed skills. One thing I do with new drivers is remove the line from a fender and have them practice approaching it in the middle of the lake. Practice approaching like it was both a downed boarder and also like it's a dock. That will give you something soft to learn now the boat will handle.

It also sounds like you may want to think about a 21 footer. I'd think that's a lot of people in a 19.

As others have said, look to getting a tower model if your budget allows. Before I got my first Yamaha I wasn't sold on a tower, but after I bought it, I was so glad I did...as it opened up so much more utility in the boat (as we wakeboard and stuff). But like others have said, they look good and also provide something strong to hang on to while the boat is moving.

 

[DBamaC]

One thing I do with new drivers is remove the line from a fender and have them practice approaching it in the middle of the lake. Practice approaching like it was both a downed boarder and also like it's a dock. That will give you something soft to learn now the boat will handle.

This is great advice. I don't remember learning that way as a kid, but I've done it with my wife and son and it's really helped them pick up docking without affecting my blood pressure.

 

[Matt Phillips]

I especially like it when teaching someone how to pick up a down boarder. As the boat is on a plane, take that white fender, toss is overboard and tell them, "there's your skier...go get them." Then coach from there. It takes a lot of the stress out of running over someone for both them and myself.

Same thing for docking practice.