I went to the same (I think) dealer in Cape Coral talking to them about Yamaha. Turns out they have only been selling Yamaha for 1 year. I'm from the Chicago area, but have a need to use it around Sanibel/Captiva. I wanted to go find out if a 252SD would be good for the area, that's when I got the lowdown that Outboards in SW FL are much better then JetBoats, and that JetBoats were for 1st time buyers (which technically I am).
The funny thing is in Aug of 21, I told the dealer I wanted a 275SD, but he talked me into the 252SD. He placed the order for both boats for me (with both my color choices). The 275SD was delivered back in June and had already been sold when I called in March asking if I could switch my order back to the 275SD, my 252SD got scrapped.
ar terize
I'm still on a waiting list for a dry slip in the Cape/Ft area myself, on a 1 year waitlist. Glad you ended up with a 275SD. I'm not sure what to do at this point.
It's funny, because I also purchased an airplane last year, and went through the exact same headache... I'm now trying to build a hangar at PGD.
Small world!
I tried to get inside storage at Cape Harbor and they told me they still had people on the waiting list from 2018. They were even reluctant to take my name but they did. I got into Tarpon Point Marina where I live in Cape Coral.
I've owned an outboard as my first boat.... then a Berkley jet boat..... then a Rinker I/O.... then a Yamaha SX192. I personally would not characterize jet boats as a first-timers boat. It comes down to what is most important for your style of boating and specific needs.
I like that jets require far less maintenance than outboards or I/O's. Southwest Florida has some shallow waters... especially depending on the tides and channels... so a jet can be an advantage. If you spend a lot of time on the back of the boat, swim platform and in the water, jet boats are a plus again. Jets are also great if you want to anchor close to the beach.
Sure... jets may be harder on fuel but they get on plane in a hurry too. There can be some seaweed around but the same is true in some lakes and rivers. I've had two jets and boated in some dirty waters and only had to open the clean out port 3 or 4 times across both boats.
Others complain jets are hard to pilot. They are certainly different than an outboard or I/O but it just takes practice and confidence. Watch this video and what this guy can do with a jet and without any modifications. Sure.... there is no wind in this video but wind will give any boat a fit at times.
We like to head to Sanibel Lighthouse Beach and I have seen a few jets there anchoring.... including a 275 rental several times this year. We also go to Lover's Key and hit some restaurants around Ft Myers Beach. We also take runs up the Caloosahatchee river towards Ft Myers.
I think the 252 and 275 would be a fine boat for the waters in southwest Florida.... especially Sanibel. There is a guy on here who has his SX190 there now running around. Heck.... there are pontoon boats running around Sanibel and tiny fishing boats too.... talk about low to the water.
If you plan to run the open waters further away from land, then maybe the 252 / 275 isn't the best choice. But there are guys I've read that run around the Keys and out to the Bahama's too in their Yamaha's too!
I wouldn't go out when the seas are forecasted to be 4 feet or more but in the typical 1.5 - 3' seas down in that area it should do just fine.
