Battle in my head

[cj3737]

Hello All,

Ive been lurking around for a while trying to gain as much knowledge on jets as I possibly could.
Currently the battle in my head is which model to get. Im not looking to buy right away as I currently own a 91 Larson 210 cuddy /w 350 that works well now that Ive replaced both exhaust manifolds.. I plan on a new boat in about 5 years. The sterndrive is great but being my kids are small right now, they have a tendency to jump really close to the drive and trim tabs.. so with a new boat, prop safety is my main concern.. Which is why I started looking at jets. I know maintenance is easier with the jet as well.

The battle lies in 195 vs 210.
Supercharged is great but then theres the rebuild in the future..
Dual motors would be good if one happens to die and we have to limp back to the dock..
Hole shot power is a big +... Don't care about top speed
Buddy of mine has a 192 and says its slightly underpowered when loaded out.. but still does the job
210 extra space is a bonus...
195 price tag is easier on the bank account...
Connext... neither here nor there.. heard good and bad about it...

Boat use will be fresh water....mainly cruising/chillin/towing kids.

Im interested in wake shape between the 2 drive types... Which will create a better shape for wakeboarding/surfing/skiing? I know jets aren't the greatest for surfing but im not looking to make a huge wake.. We will all maintain the beginner/intermediate level and prolly not get too big into gigantic air.. But I would like a bit of a wake to jump when I want...

Does the stern pull out when a skier makes a big cut? Ive heard of jet drifting a bit and I don't want an inexperienced driver to have to worry about pull out when Im behind the boat...

Do TVs have any affect at speed? Do they help keep the boat straighter when someone is in tow?

Lastly, is there anything that can be done about the spray hitting tubers? I don't want 100' of rope out behind my boat just to alleviate the spray in tubeers faces...

 

[bobbie]

Don’t sell out jets for surfing...mine is legit. I’ll include a pic below for some proof! Go with a 21 ft for sure. Get used if you can’t afford new. There are plenty of super clean 210 ft boats. Check the classified adds on this forum to see if anyone is upgrading.

If you want fins at speed go for cobra jet steering offerings. If you don’t care look at both. I’ve owned both and i like the look of the new thrust vectors plus with the lateral thrusters coming out, i would go TV’s. But I exclusively surf and not wakeboard or ski. Pulling tubes i don’t feel and drift either way. Some people just add a 10 ft length of rope to avoid spray....we bought the booster ball this season that helps some but isn’t a perfect solution.

Good luck with your search!

 

[0627Devildog]

Don’t sell out jets for surfing...mine is legit. I’ll include a pic below for some proof!

View attachment 64801

Ditto

 

[itsdgm]

Welcome. I'd say go for a 212x. More hp than a
210.

 

[Speedling]

Welcome. I'd say go for a 212x. More hp than a
210.

And don't be scared of used because you get a lot of boat that way and i have not seen any horrid lemons!

 

[cj3737]

212x would be the perfect solution but unless I can find one under 30k when Im ready to buy, they are out of the running. I dont have an issue adding ballast bags if it stays within my budget... Im not looking hard just yet.. Just covering my bases and seeing what the options will be down the road. I have no issue buying used... I bought my 91 Larson this last summer and aside from cracked exhaust manifolds, she runs great. Being the Larson is 26 years old, its tought me what to look for when buying a boat... There really was no way of knowing the manifolds were cracked... They didnt leak on the open water test and both were cracked up under the bottom side.. Short of having a long mirror, a bright inspection light, and knowing what to look for, they wouldnt have been found. There are currently a few 192s, 195s, 230s, 240s, and 212s available in my local area so im really not worried about availability when im ready to upgrade. Someone is always selling a boat around here..

I still would like to know if anyone has any pulling issuse with a skier/boarder on a hard cut outside the wake...??? Are twins less likely to let the skier move the boat around?

 

[Paulie]

When we used to ski behind our 230 an adult skier would definitely be felt when cutting hard outside. I added cobras and it helped a lot during that time period.

 

[buckbuck]

You should be able to find a 212X for under $30k. Mine is only worth about $22k, I think.
I am finless. My kids slalom behind the boat all summer. You can feel a little pull when they cut hard but they don't complain about it. And I don't have to correct at all. If you are a competition skier than you need one of those flat bottom, big rudder boats. If you are just out to have some fun you will be fine with a 212X.

 

[cj3737]

You should be able to find a 212X for under $30k. Mine is only worth about $22k, I think.
I am finless. My kids slalom behind the boat all summer. You can feel a little pull when they cut hard but they don't complain about it. And I don't have to correct at all. If you are a competition skier than you need one of those flat bottom, big rudder boats. If you are just out to have some fun you will be fine with a 212X.

212 seems like a little overkill at the moment but ive never tried surfing... Maybe next season, Ill go out on my buddys 192 and see if it rings my bell. Ive also read you still need to add bags to get a decent wave behind the 212...
I would imagine the new "articulating keel" helps a little with the pull... Regardless, I do plan on installing cobras or TVs... just not sure which.. Slow speed handling is a major thing as my wife will prolly be trailering the boat and a congested ramp. Im not a comp skier but I do like to to pull hard when im out. Just dont want the wife or alt driver to freak out when they feel a little slip...

 

[captras]

with the new models with the articulating keel and the keel the entire length of the boat, I feel absolutely NO pull when skiers or wakeboarders make their cuts.

 

[Julian]

Does the stern pull out when a skier makes a big cut? Ive heard of jet drifting a bit and I don't want an inexperienced driver to have to worry about pull out when Im behind the boat...

An experienced skier can get the stern to move a little, but its no more than a wind gust or wake crossing would also result in for the driver. So if the driver can drive over waves....they'll be able to drive towing you!

I'd go 21' everyday....twin engines, much better hole shot, more room for all the kids you'll end up with on the boat...you'll never complain about having too much space on a boat!

 

[swatski]

Hello All,

Ive been lurking around for a while trying to gain as much knowledge on jets as I possibly could.
Currently the battle in my head is which model to get. Im not looking to buy right away as I currently own a 91 Larson 210 cuddy /w 350 that works well now that Ive replaced both exhaust manifolds.. I plan on a new boat in about 5 years. The sterndrive is great but being my kids are small right now, they have a tendency to jump really close to the drive and trim tabs.. so with a new boat, prop safety is my main concern.. Which is why I started looking at jets. I know maintenance is easier with the jet as well.

The battle lies in 195 vs 210.
Supercharged is great but then theres the rebuild in the future..
Dual motors would be good if one happens to die and we have to limp back to the dock..
Hole shot power is a big +... Don't care about top speed
Buddy of mine has a 192 and says its slightly underpowered when loaded out.. but still does the job
210 extra space is a bonus...
195 price tag is easier on the bank account...
Connext... neither here nor there.. heard good and bad about it...

Boat use will be fresh water....mainly cruising/chillin/towing kids.

Im interested in wake shape between the 2 drive types... Which will create a better shape for wakeboarding/surfing/skiing? I know jets aren't the greatest for surfing but im not looking to make a huge wake.. We will all maintain the beginner/intermediate level and prolly not get too big into gigantic air.. But I would like a bit of a wake to jump when I want...

Does the stern pull out when a skier makes a big cut? Ive heard of jet drifting a bit and I don't want an inexperienced driver to have to worry about pull out when Im behind the boat...

Do TVs have any affect at speed? Do they help keep the boat straighter when someone is in tow?

Lastly, is there anything that can be done about the spray hitting tubers? I don't want 100' of rope out behind my boat just to alleviate the spray in tubeers faces...

If I were in your shoes I would buy @Amar Nanduri boat and be done.
He just listed it here, I have a feeling it will not last long as he seems motivated and may be flexible on the price.
He has been beyond diligent with his maintenance and upgrades, and many of us here can vouch for his boat, I have seen them first hand in Bimini.
I think you would love it.


--

 

[Amar Nanduri]

212 seems like a little overkill at the moment but ive never tried surfing... Maybe next season, Ill go out on my buddys 192 and see if it rings my bell. Ive also read you still need to add bags to get a decent wave behind the 212...
I would imagine the new "articulating keel" helps a little with the pull... Regardless, I do plan on installing cobras or TVs... just not sure which.. Slow speed handling is a major thing as my wife will prolly be trailering the boat and a congested ramp. Im not a comp skier but I do like to to pull hard when im out. Just dont want the wife or alt driver to freak out when they feel a little slip...

Hello @cj3737 . When you get a chance check out my classified ad. Originally asked for 34k. Reduced it to 30k for a quick sale as I have found my next boat and do not want to lose that.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/reduced-2010-ar240-around-170-hours-30k.15592/#post-268287

 

[cj3737]

Hello @cj3737 . When you get a chance check out my classified ad. Originally asked for 34k. Reduced it to 30k for a quick sale as I have found my next boat and do not want to lose that.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/reduced-2010-ar240-around-170-hours-30k.15592/#post-268287

I really wish I could. I picked up my Larson just a few months ago so I dont think Momma would be to keen on me offloading it so fast. Im just trying to get all my big questions answered for peace of mind when I m ready to get something new in a few years.

 

[Gym]

Not trying to influence your decision here but you did mention your young kids and wanting to keep them safe from your props and trim tabs. In your 5 year plan to go propless your kids will either have taken their licks on your current boat or will have learned their way around it. The other distinct possibility is that your 91 Larson will most likely need more money poured into it over the next 5 years.

 

[cj3737]

This is very true. Learning total boat safety in a more dangerous environment will stick with them thru the years so as time goes on I hope they will learn the back of the boat is dangerous regardless the type and be cognizant about that. They prolly won't do much more than tubing for a while so we all will have to keep a heightened sense of awareness.

I don't doubt I will have to throw more money into the Larson, but it is yet another learning experience for me on boat mechanics. I'm only into it a few K so I'm not worried about fixes here and there... the boat is in pretty good shape for 26 years old and I already have a good handle on the minor issues it currently has.

I wish I could drop 30-50k on a yammy right now but I don't have the ability to do that at the moment which is why I have the 5 year plan... I'll take the punches in the mean time and grind it out until the Larson craps out or a great deal falls into my lap.

 

[MattFX4]

This is very true. Learning total boat safety in a more dangerous environment will stick with them thru the years so as time goes on I hope they will learn the back of the boat is dangerous regardless the type and be cognizant about that. They prolly won't do much more than tubing for a while so we all will have to keep a heightened sense of awareness.

That is a great point that I haven't really thought about. My son is only 2, so he doesn't get in the water unless mom or me is holding him, but I do not want him to get spoiled by our jet boat and think all boats are the same. I will make sure I teach him the dangers of lurking behind a boat as he gets older.