Anybody mod out an AR250?

[DaytonFlyer1068]

I think the comparison for price between the AR250 and 252 had been debated at length on here. I was curious if anyone has photos of an AR250 with mods? I haven’t seen a picture of an AR250 with a full SeaDek kit. There isn’t one on @JetBoatPilot flickr account either. Anybody make any cool additions that they want to show off and convince people to go with the AR250 instead of 252?

 

[adrianp89]

There are quite a few features of the 252 that simply are not doable or too costly to make to a 250. The 250 is still a great boat though.

 

[Neutron]

There are quite a few features of the 252 that simply are not doable or too costly to make to a 250. The 250 is still a great boat though.

What he said!
The quality of the 252 doesn't come close to the AR on the new series.

 

[DaytonFlyer1068]

I almost pulled the trigger on a 2022 AR250 back in October but lucked into a three month old 2021with 12 hours instead. I ended up saving 8K out the door from the price of new so I took that money and added a few mods. I replaced all six interior speakers with JL M3s and added two JL tower speakers and a JL amp. I added the 4 inch teak SeaDek today. I was unable to find any photos of the SeaDek online so I’m hoping these photos might help someone else out who’s thinking of getting it.

 

[Jdl110]

I also chose the AR over the 252 as I knew I would be adding a new stereo and ride steady. I decided to use the savings and buy the two swim up seats parts as well and the lower backrest cushions that come on the 252. I am just getting started on the audio but mods include RF M2 series speakers: 4 towers, 2 10’s, 4 pairs of 6.5s, 4 Amps, zone controller, RGB controller, 2 xspower 3000 batteries, full seadeck kit, swim up seats, Lenco trim tabs, lumitec underwater LEDs, thrust vectors and lateral thrusters. Couple of pictures thus far

 

[OB WI]

I also chose the AR over the 252 as I knew I would be adding a new stereo and ride steady. I decided to use the savings and buy the two swim up seats parts as well and the lower backrest cushions that come on the 252. I am just getting started on the audio but mods include RF M2 series speakers: 4 towers, 2 10’s, 4 pairs of 6.5s, 4 Amps, zone controller, RGB controller, 2 xspower 3000 batteries, full seadeck kit, swim up seats, Lenco trim tabs, lumitec underwater LEDs, thrust vectors and lateral thrusters. Couple of pictures thus far

Thats a lot of sound! What wake rack do you have? I’m not sure what to buy.

Do you have a pic of the lower cushions? Interested to see how it looks.

 

[mark_m]

I almost pulled the trigger on a 2022 AR250 back in October but lucked into a three month old 2021with 12 hours instead. I ended up saving 8K out the door from the price of new so I took that money and added a few mods. I replaced all six interior speakers with JL M3s and added two JL tower speakers and a JL amp. I added the 4 inch teak SeaDek today. I was unable to find any photos of the SeaDek online so I’m hoping these photos might help someone else out who’s thinking of getting it.

So are we gonna go to Kramers, Flanagans, Tim’s, The Shed ( May it RIP), Old Hickory or the Pine Club with the rest of that savings?

 

[King]

I also chose the AR over the 252 as I knew I would be adding a new stereo and ride steady. I decided to use the savings and buy the two swim up seats parts as well and the lower backrest cushions that come on the 252. I am just getting started on the audio but mods include RF M2 series speakers: 4 towers, 2 10’s, 4 pairs of 6.5s, 4 Amps, zone controller, RGB controller, 2 xspower 3000 batteries, full seadeck kit, swim up seats, Lenco trim tabs, lumitec underwater LEDs, thrust vectors and lateral thrusters. Couple of pictures thus far

Your swim up seats... can you provide a bit more insight on those? After seeing your post I poked around a few online parts houses and couldn't find anything that came in less expensive than 'completely out of my range'. What do you expect out of the install process?

 

[DaytonFlyer1068]

@mark_m We are considering taking the boat to Dayton this summer actually. If we do I will let you know. Maybe we can meet up on the lake!

 

[mark_m]

@mark_m We are considering taking the boat to Dayton this summer actually. If we do I will let you know. Maybe we can meet up on the lake!

I've never been to Caesar's Creek, however it is the sister park to my home water, Alum Creek. If you do come up this way, please do let me know! It was fun thinking about the old UD watering holes. There were so many more that I left out... New Moon Saloon, Walnut Hills, the Shed...

 

[Jdl110]

Thats a lot of sound! What wake rack do you have? I’m not sure what to buy.

Do you have a pic of the lower cushions? Interested to see how it looks.

I got the wake rack as a gift but it is a bullet Lines with the extension arm and swivel mount. The lower cushions are still on back order from Yamaha. New date the dealer gave me was 4/6 so I am still waiting on those.

 

[Jdl110]

Your swim up seats... can you provide a bit more insight on those? After seeing your post I poked around a few online parts houses and couldn't find anything that came in less expensive than 'completely out of my range'. What do you expect out of the install process?

Hi I actually ordered them on line from Ron Ayer’s. It did take a awhile and the legs were on back order since December. They were costly for sure. In terms of install the brackets will be installed at the same time the dealer is putting trim tabs on. I had backing plates made and tapped the holes just in case the back nuts are hard to fasten. Here are the parts that make up the seats and the back rests (pad 3 and pad 4 in the attached). The marine mat for both sides of the swim up seats also had to be ordered separately from the seats

 

[Jdl110]

Just an update on Yamaha shipping parts. I am still waiting on the back rest cushions for the swim platform. Yamaha has a new ship date of 6/29 for those. I also bought the table shelf that comes in the 252s for the head compartment and that has an august ship date. I ordered the 252 rub rail and the inner stainless rub rail to upgrade from the black rubber one. Yamaha hasn’t provided a shipping date on the stainless rail as none are available in the US. They did have the aluminum handles in stock for the swim deck so I changed the black rubber ones out that come on the AR 250. It seems Yamaha is really delayed on parts and dates just keep getting pushed out further and further. It might be the off-season before Yamaha gets these items shipped out. I did get the audio all installed and it turned out great.

 

[Jdorta]

I almost pulled the trigger on a 2022 AR250 back in October but lucked into a three month old 2021with 12 hours instead. I ended up saving 8K out the door from the price of new so I took that money and added a few mods. I replaced all six interior speakers with JL M3s and added two JL tower speakers and a JL amp. I added the 4 inch teak SeaDek today. I was unable to find any photos of the SeaDek online so I’m hoping these photos might help someone else out who’s thinking of getting it.

How did you set up the audio zones with the Tower Sperkers? did you have the second amp split off of the Connext swim deck out put and have the tower on zone 2 or do you have the tower speakers independent of the boat's zone audio control? I am trying to figure out how I wan to set up my tower speaker upgrade. I think it might be nice to be able to independently control the volume of the tower speakers in case I do not want them too loud when we are hanging out on the swim deck. Thoughts?

 

[Jdorta]

I almost pulled the trigger on a 2022 AR250 back in October but lucked into a three month old 2021with 12 hours instead. I ended up saving 8K out the door from the price of new so I took that money and added a few mods. I replaced all six interior speakers with JL M3s and added two JL tower speakers and a JL amp. I added the 4 inch teak SeaDek today. I was unable to find any photos of the SeaDek online so I’m hoping these photos might help someone else out who’s thinking of getting it.

How did you set up the audio zones with the Tower Sperkers? did you have the second amp split off of the Connext swim deck out put and have the tower on zone 2 or do you have the tower speakers independent of the boat's zone audio control? I am trying to figure out how I wan to set up my tower speaker upgrade. I think it might be nice to be able to independently control the volume of the tower speakers in case I do not want them too loud when we are hanging out on the swim deck. Thoughts?

 

[DaytonFlyer1068]

Wish I could tell you how it was done but I had a local marine audio shop do the work. They added a JL amp and tied everything together so the volume on all the speakers is tied into the Connext and rear platform unit. I’m fairly handy in a lot of topics but audio is one thing where I’m clueless.

 

[Jdorta]

Wish I could tell you how it was done but I had a local marine audio shop do the work. They added a JL amp and tied everything together so the volume on all the speakers is tied into the Connext and rear platform unit. I’m fairly handy in a lot of topics but audio is one thing where I’m clueless.

Thanks for the reply.
Did the installers keep two zones? If so, is you tower on the rear platform zone or the main cabin zone? I am having someone do this for me too, and I am curious how some have their set up and how they like it. I am thinking of keeping the tower tied with the cabin zone and leave the swim deck on its own zone. Thanks for your reply. Just looking at opinions from others who have already done the modification to add tower speakers.

 

[Jdl110]

I did the modification but scrapped the factory amp and used a zone controller. You could use an LCI2 and hook the second amp up to the rear input wires from the connext screen and your towers would be controlled along with the rear channel speakers in the boat. I don’t remember if that was the swim platform speakers only or also included the rear cabin speakers. I chose to rerun all new speaker wires to each speaker as Yamaha had some wired in series since the factory amp was only a 4 channel

 

[Jdl110]

Finally got around to installing all the audio, swim up seats, docking lights, trim tabs, ride steady and new handles on the back. Still waiting on the lower bench cushions on back order from Yamaha but love having the swim up seats now and the ride steady is a must have for water sports.

 

[Skyhawk223]

Looking good!