Anyone not happy with their 2019+ Yamaha 190?

[Jim_in_Delaware]

So, I have pretty much decided that our first jetboat will be a lightly used boat. A newer AR240/250 is probably out of the budget, at least for now. This leaves the Yamaha 190/195/210's or possibly a Scarab 195/215. Quite honestly, I think our final choice will be based on whatever of these boats we find in the condition and the price we like. If we buy an AR190/AR210, we would likely change the passenger bench seat into a captains chair, as I prefer dual captains chairs and the wakeboard tower (at least with the 19' boats). Trailering is of no concern as I have a pretty beefy truck. Also, have an oversized garage (8' door) for Winter storage.

Normally, passenger load will just be myself and my wife, with maybe 2 other adults on other occasions. We will not be doing watersports with this boat.

Going back to the title of this thread, is anyone not happy with the performance of their 190? I realize there are some challenges with the 190 at higher elevations, but our boat would primarily be used near sea level. My understanding is that the 190's should get upper 30's, maybe 40 mph. Do folks find this to be enough power/speed for their use? Anyone wish they would have bought a Yamaha 195 instead of a Yamaha 190?

Jim

 

[FX195]

More power will always be better but take into account it will consume more fuel. Once you start loading the boat with gear and people you will need as much power available. 190 will def be more fuel efficient than 195.

 

[Matt_D]

Hi Jim. We bought our 2021 SX-190 in July and had it out about 6 times before winterizing it. I'm very happy with it. I just finished breaking it in before our last outing, so I haven't really taken it to its top speed. I'm not a speed demon anyway and that's not why I go boating. It's very comfortable even with 8 people on board. For me, the lower maintenance and running on 87 octane made the 190 a better choice than a 195. I also like the captain's chairs versus the AR bench.

 

[mwalker4]

Your top speed during normal use will be 35-38 mph. The boatest website has the top speed for the 2018 and earlier which is a couple of mph faster. I love the layout and the hull. It has been trouble free for three years. Boat is pretty noisy. So if you don't mind the noise and somewhat slow top speed you will love the boat.

 

[CaTiRo]

The fastest I have seen was 40 mph (gps). Normally with my family of four (wife and two kids) I see 37 mph. I originally was going to get a brand new AR195 and was on the waiting list but my salesman was able to get his hands on a slightly used low hour 2019 AR190 on trade. So I jumped at the opportunity to get the boat and saved some money (this was a little before the crazy spike in prices due to COVID).

So far this boat has been great and to be honest we normally cruise around the lake around 25 mph so our cruising speed would be the same with the AR195. Also remember with the AR195 I think you get some upgrades to the interior, not just the supercharged engine

The 19ft for us was a must since it's the only one that will fit our garage. If the garage was larger we would have went with the 210 just for the increase in size and two engines.

 

[Chris Kasz]

We had our AR190 for 4 seasons now and finally moved up to a 242x. The ar190 is plenty fast but is very uncomfortable in choppy water. If you have more than 5-6 adults onboard then it also struggles and the engine screams at high rpm's.
-It is very reliable and will never leave you stranded.
-We just outgrew it and were looking for a more comfortable boat in choppy waters that wouldn't throw you around all day.

 

[2kwik4u]

We just finished season #5 with our AR190. We went to the dealership to purchase a 242, and came home with the 190. At the time they had a 195 and a 190 sitting right next to each other and we could choose which we wanted. Obviously we brought home the 190.

The 190 has better range and we liked the colors better. I didn't like the painted tower on the 195, and she didn't like the interior color. Neither of us liked the 93 octane requirement.....although in 5 seasons of boating I've only been unable to find 93 once, and have had to run 93 in the 190 twice due to 87 being unavailable. The extended range in the 190 has paid off twice now. Once a 75mi trip down the Cumberland River near Nashville and the other from Navarre to Pensacola and back in FL.

The 190's are DEAD SIMPLE. Literally three control cables, and engine, two bearings a coupler and a shaft. Mechanicaly this is pretty close to one of the simplest boats you can own. Maintenance is cheap and easy, and the simplicity leads to robustness. The 19ft boats in general are light and easy to tow. Mine scaled at 3,188lbs loaded and ready for a day on the water this spring. The 19ft boats store super easy as well. I keep mine in a 21.5ft deep garage with a 7' tall door. Wife parks next to it every day and we can open both sides of doors on her car.

Do I wish I had more power? Sometimes. Usually when I'm trying to drag race someone, or if I'm running from bad weather. In general I can hit 40 most days with the wife, 2 boys, myself, the dog, and a couple coolers on board. That's within reach of modestly powered Tri-toons now days, so it's not fast. A 195 will be consistent in the mid 40's and should get to 50 with the right conditions. Watersports are a zero issue, tubing/skiing/wakeboard/wakeskate are all accomplished acceptably even with a full load of adults.

Space is a little tight with a full load. Keeping the deck clear of "stuff" is key. A few times a year we'll have 4 adults and 4 kids on the boat. It gets snug, but not absurdly bad, just have to be friendly and patient. If you've only got yourself and your wife and maybe another couple, the 19ft is great. I personally prefer the pre 2019 layout with the bench that comes all the way up behind the driver. People seem to gravitate to the rear corners of the boat while underway and use those spots like chaise lounges.

The pre 2019 boats also have the best hull IMO, they get the articulating keel, but not the extra length that slowed them down a shade. The hull will handle chop acceptably, but the boat in general is light and gets pushed around easily. We had ours in 2ft rollers in FL this summer and it was "bouncy" and rough, but we stayed mostly dry and the kids never left the bow. I wouldn't take it out in a hurricane, but with the right crew I would cross to Bimini with it and the limiting factor would be my skill and nerve not the boats capability.

Big takeaway here.......we've LOVED our Yamaha for 5 seasons and it's taken good care of us as well. We intend to keep it a few more years before we most likely move to either an AR240 or 212X as the next boat (unless I can convince her to get an FSH252, but I doubt that). We constantly get compliments on how nice the boat looks, and with a few inexpensive mods it does pretty much everything we ask of it. If I had to make the choice again, with what I know now, I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[2kwik4u]

@Jim_in_Delaware A few more thoughts I had on the morning commute (we have bridge traffic and I have lots of time sitting to think about random stuff like this).

Get a tower. They are wildly useful for more than just watersports.

Look for a 195S if you like the captains chairs AND a tower. It's the only model that has a tower with captains chairs under 24ft long. It also has the more powerful engine, and other nice touches.

When looking at the 190 vs 195 boats. Keep in mind it's more than just the supercharger on the engine that defines the two. The 195's get traielr brakes, depth finders, stainless grab rails, center bow filler cushion, audio upgrades, and other stuff. In all honesty, the ~$5k price difference when I bought mine in 2017 was a damn bargain. The 195 is arguably a better value (more for your money) than the 190 is. Also, the 195 gets the 160mm pump instead of the 155mm pump, while I've not heard of that being an issue, I'm unsure what other Yamaha craft use the 160mm. The 155mm is in all kinds of ski's and boats, so parts availability might be better should you need a new impeller, bearing, or other pump related item in the future.

As you look for boats, keep in mind total cost of operation. You're going to want a "modification budget" to go with your purchase budget. We're really good at helping you spend your money here, and the allure of "new things" is hard to fight. I could drop $5k into my boat in mods RIGHT NOW, without even thinking hard about where to spend the cash. If you're a "tinker-er" at any level, keep this in mind. With that said; the stock Yamaha boat will get you on the water and having a good time with zero mods. We ran around the first year with almost zero mods, and had a great time. Just a few simple mods will make the boat far more consistent in terms of performance, and of course there are nice to have things like Seadeck, grills mounts, audio upgrades, GPS systems, lighting and organizational stuff.

 

[mwalker4]

I agree with @2kwik4u. I love the size and weight of 19 ft boats, but I do suffer from the sin of envy when I see the 195S. A tower with captain chairs, bow filler, snap in marine mat, marine mat lower level, 7" upgraded connext, and the more powerful engine/pump. I think it is quieter at cruising speed also because it is at a lower rpm. Not positive about that. Shoot I've just convinced myself. Yes, you are going to pay more for gas and the engine is more complex.

 

[2kwik4u]

and the engine is more complex.

Honestly, the only real issues I see that are "recurring" between the two are the heat soak problems of the older 192's, and the supercharger clutch failures on all of them. Aside from that, I don't think that the supercharged engines suffer from much more additional maintenance or concerns.

I'm curious how the intercooler drains for winterization purposes though.

Overall, I think any of the Yamaha engines are still leaps and bounds ahead of any I/O in terms of maintenance, and the SVHO engines are no exception to that.

Fuel does cost more and gets used faster

I won't lie though, I too have had fleeting thoughts of getting a 195S for the trim upgrades alone

 

[King]

Honestly, the only real issues I see that are "recurring" between the two are the heat soak problems of the older 192's, and the supercharger clutch failures on all of them. Aside from that, I don't think that the supercharged engines suffer from much more additional maintenance or concerns.

I'm curious how the intercooler drains for winterization purposes though.

Overall, I think any of the Yamaha engines are still leaps and bounds ahead of any I/O in terms of maintenance, and the SVHO engines are no exception to that.

Fuel does cost more and gets used faster

I won't lie though, I too have had fleeting thoughts of getting a 195S for the trim upgrades alone

2kwik4u,

I've been researching the mess out of the 1.8L SVHO. I'm on tap for a 2022 195S in March-ish. First off, none of what I'm about to say is from experience, just research.

The clutch life and reliability can be greatly improved with a blow off valve. From the videos I've been watching, it looks pretty easy. My dealership said that it would not void the warranty either. ...before the sale, I'm getting that in print. But, that's where it's at now.

As for the intercooler in winter... I've seen; due to the rounded shape, if there's still a bit of water in it that freezes, it wont bind and break anything as it's very wide round on the bottom where water would be, if there's any left in there... and, from a long-timer on this website discussing general winterizing; In the fifteen years I've been on this website I've yet to see an issue.

I know that's not a 'take it to the bank' response as I've yet to experience any of this myself. Just stating what I've come across in trying to iron out some of the same issues in preparation for March-ish.

King

Edit for spelling and syntax.

 

[2kwik4u]

2kwik4u,

I've been researching the mess out of the 1.8L SVHO. I'm on tap for a 2022 195S in March-ish. First off, none of what I'm about to day is from experience, just research.

The clutch can be greatly improved with a blow off valve. From the videos I've been watching, it looks pretty easy. My dealership said that it would not void the warranty either. ...before the sale, I'm getting that in print. But, that's where it's at now.

As for the intercooler in winter... I've seen; due to the rounded shape, if there's still a bit of water in it that freezes, it wont bind and break anything as it's very wide round on the bottom where water would be, if there's any left in there... and, from a long-timer on this website discussing general winterizing; In the fifteen years I've been on this website I've yet to see an issue.

I know that's not a 'take it to the bank' response as I've yet to experience any of this myself. Just stating what I've come across in trying to iron out some of the same issues in preparation for March-ish.

King

King 100% agree on all accounts here. A few simple mods and reliability is increased significantly.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

Folks, I want to thank y'all for the feedback. @2kwik4u, thank you for the in depth thoughts on your boat.

We may get a boat and keep it for a couple of years or maybe long term, depending on how much we enjoy the boat and what we decide to spend my wife's social security checks on (we will both start drawing ss at age 62).

I honestly do like all the boats that I mention in my first post. Thus, the boat we buy will likely depend on the condition and price, as I'm hoping used boats become more reasonable in price next year. I will note, that I am beginning to see some reasonable prices on boats on Facebook Marketplace.
We should be in our new home in 2 - 3 months, and then the boat search begins in earnest!

Jim

 

[Inlikeflinn]

Folks, I want to thank y'all for the feedback. @2kwik4u, thank you for the in depth thoughts on your boat.

We may get a boat and keep it for a couple of years or maybe long term, depending on how much we enjoy the boat and what we decide to spend my wife's social security checks on (we will both start drawing ss at age 62).

I honestly do like all the boats that I mention in my first post. Thus, the boat we buy will likely depend on the condition and price, as I'm hoping used boats become more reasonable in price next year. I will note, that I am beginning to see some reasonable prices on boats on Facebook Marketplace.
We should be in our new home in 2 - 3 months, and then the boat search begins in earnest!

Jim

I have a 2020 AR190 for sale. Direct message me if you’re interested. It’s been a great boat for our family of 5 but we need something else more geared for offshore use.