Brand new to boating

[Yankeemike]

My wife and I are close to making the plunge into boating . Got our eye on a 2016 Yamaha AR192 . Usually going down some rivers and then out to the ocean (Tybee ga) .... maybe bring a couple or 2 and our Boston Terrier . Thoughts on that boat for what we want to do . Mostly cruising and beaching .... thanks for the input .

 

[captras]

Just my opinion.....19 foot for rivers is fine.....but anything on the ocean, 19 foot may not be your best choice. I know, its all about available funds, but the difference between a 19 and 21 foot boat are amazing, both in the ride and the room. Of course, 24s are the best in the Yamaha line!

 

[haknslash]

I agree. I took mine to the gulf a few times and while it's certainly doable you may find the rest of your crew may not enjoy the ride as much as the captain does. If you plan to bring an extra couple or two often you'll likely want at least the 21' boat. By the time you have your gear plus their gear it can get a little tight. Not that it isn't possible, it just wouldn't be the most comfortable cruise for the longer days. If just blasting to the beaches then yea it would probably be ok but if you intend to get into offshore you'll likely want the extra engine just for peace of mind and the larger freeboard. If it's just you, your wife and the 2 dogs most of the time it would be fine for river and occasional ocean use. If you think you'll have more people often then I'd say just get the bigger boat.

 

[Elliott]

My family and I base our 19 FSH out of Skidaway Island on the Wilmington River sound. We do not venture into the open ocean, but we can go anywhere via the intercoastal waterway. The jet power plant does a good job, especially since there are so many shallow areas in the rivers, sounds and near shore open ocean. We do not actually beach our boat; instead, we use the OEM anchor with an anchor buddy (big elastic cord) and a sand spike. Drop the anchor as you back towards the beach, and then you unload and plant the sand spike on the beach. The anchor buddy pulls the boat back out to deeper water as you let out the spike's rope. Now, you do not have to worry about the 8 foot tides. We use this setup on the on Little Tybee and Wassau island inside beaches. Since you will be in salt water, you should flush with Salt Off (West Marine's house brand) or other similar product.

 

[PJ73]

19' in open water can get, well, "exciting", some on here do it all the time, as for myself, not a chance. However, it's all on how comfortable you are. As for 24's being the "top of the line"... I guess for those who need to compensate... lol. The 21's are fantastic, and yeah, the 24's are pretty sweet. But all the Yamahas are great boats, Scarabs as well.

 

[IndySmittyYammi]

I used to take my 20’ I/O out on the Lake Michigan if the conditions were perfect. After one scary experience, I never did it again. I did it as much as I could in my ar240 last year. I’m a huge fan of the 24 footers. The extra size gives you the ability to boat just about anywhere (within reason).

Our Boston Terrier loves going boating with us! He won’t swim with us, but he loves being a part of the family outings on the water.

 

[BlkGS]

The best boating advice out there is to buy your second boat first. I was looking at 18' seafood at first, thinking it would be two of us and a few friends here and there. So glad I moved up to a bigger boat, the sx230 I ended up with is almost too small sometimes.

 

[Maccam26]

New to boating as well. Love our new SX190, great entry level boat for us to learn. Good luck finding what works for your family

 

[2kwik4u]

We love our AR190. Has great space for our family of 4 and a few friends. It feels a solid 2 ft longer than our last 19ft bowrider (late 90's Rinker), despite being the same length overall. The storage on this one is amazing and feels somewhat never ending. The power is great for what we use it for, although we aren't winning any races with it. The only time I want more power is when there is a group of boaters going somewhere and I'm trying to show off and go faster than the rest. The remainder of the time it's great.

With that said. We would've brought home a 24ft Yamaha if it would've fit in our garage! I've never heard someone say "I wish I bought a smaller boat" or "I wish I got the smaller engine". If you can afford/store/pilot/tow/etc the bigger boat, then I would recommend you get it.

 

[NewBoater]

21’ is a big difference in the ocean. We have a 2015 SX210 and a much smoother ride (and more room) than the 19’ ones we test drove before buying. 24’ is an even better ride. But even moving to just the 21’ is a huge improvement (at least it was for us). Not to knock anyone with a 19’ they are are nice as well! We got a great deal on a leftover new 21’ so that’s what we went with. We had some sound proofing installed in the engine compartment for quieter engine noise when underway that the dealer installed and made a big difference. And we installed Cobra Fins which help tremendously in slow speed steering and backing up. Good luck with your purchase. We have loved both summers of jet boat ownership.

 

[Yankeemike]

Appreciate all the input ! I guess I have to decide what’s more important for us . But there is a substantial jump in price .

 

[PJ73]

Appreciate all the input ! I guess I have to decide what’s more important for us . But there is a substantial jump in price .

I don't think you'll be disappointed in whatever you get. Hell, you could drop me and my boat in a bathtub and I'd still have a great time. The price jumps are large. I started out looking at the AR210 and somehow ended up with the 212X. I'm still trying to figure out how I did that, but it is what it is.