Buyers Remorse

[Priceisright]

I bought my jet boat about 1 year ago. Over the weekend, I drove a friends Bayliner with the 250hp mercruiser and alpha drive. The boat handled like it was only rails and performance was not even a comparison to my 212. Trying to remind myself of all the great qualities that jet boats have, but thinking about switching to an I/o next season. Thoughts?

 

[Betik]

It all depends on what you do with your boating.
Can your friend’s boat come this shallow ?
Have you installed the cobra jet fins jet the thrust vectors ?

If It comes to the worse before you trade in for bay liner please put the boat for sale here. It will get sold very quickly

 

[YamahaziPilot]

I had a 1987 Winner tournament bass boat with a 150 merc that handled like a dream. The 240sx I got took some getting used to but after I did I honestly wouldn't trade it. The Yamaha engines beat mercury on reliability in my opinion. The mercruisers have problems such as manifold leaks, excessive fuel burn caused from paint clogging the filter, loose tubing on the stern drive, compression issues etc.. A lot of the items can be related to lack of maintenance. I would own and drive what you like the best. It all comes down to preference and proper maintenance.

 

[JBehrens]

There are times when I have had similar thoughts with my 190. The performance at altitude leaves a lot to be desired and the boat is not nearly as fast as the I/O's that my friends have but then again they have 24' and 28' boats with big blocks so it's not a fair comparison. @Betik is right, it really depends on what you are doing with the boat. There are aspects of the Yamaha that you just can't get on other boats, the internal space is awesome and something I miss even on a 24' I/O (my bow is more comfortable and has more leg room then that of a 24' Monterey). The Yamaha engines are bulletproof and I have owned a few all with no issues while it seems like my friends are always having their boats in the shop for drive issues. The 190 with 6 people can still pull me at 220lbs on a wakeboard no problem and is overall a joy to have.

Are the Yamahas best at everything, no. But I believe there are trade offs with every boat on the water and it just comes down to what you use it for and if the boat fits the mission.

 

[bigwaves]

I understand what you are saying. Initially I had some buyers remorse with my AR190. I was going to buy either the Yamaha or Regal's entry level bowrider. But, what I wanted, and what was the most important to me, was simplicity and reliability. The Regal had a Volvo-Penta V6 engine and stern drive. Basically, the Regal offered a whole lot of complexity and opportunities for repairs over the simple, reliable and transmission-less Yamaha. The Regal was beautiful and I was very close to buying it but practicality won the day. It's just me and my wife so our little Yamaha fits the bill.

Yes, I have had some challenges maneuvering to dock the Yamaha but I'm practicing frequently and seeing some good results. A CJ steering system will be installed very soon to help me with navigating the marinas even better.

 

[Scottintexas]

if you can afford it, buy what makes you happy,

if you can't afford it, enjoy what you have,

 

[Tyguy]

Each propulsion type has advantages and disadvantages and you have to decide what's important to you. I went jet because I don't want my family near a prop, I love the simplicity of jet drives, and I trust Yamaha in particular after 10 years of WaveRunner ownership. All that said, if I was boating in the ocean and more focused on fishing than water sports, then I'd probably go with an outboard because of the advantages that technology offers (Yamaha outboard of course).

My recommendation is to list what's important to you, prioritize that list, and then compare how different propulsion systems match up.

 

[mwalker4]

There are definitely things I miss about an I/O, but I don't miss maintenance and winterization. When my prop hit the submerge log and bent my prop and required a rebuilt lower unit, a couple thousand dollars later I was looking at jet boats.

 

[212s]

I bought my jet boat about 1 year ago. Over the weekend, I drove a friends Bayliner with the 250hp mercruiser and alpha drive. The boat handled like it was only rails and performance was not even a comparison to my 212. Trying to remind myself of all the great qualities that jet boats have, but thinking about switching to an I/o next season. Thoughts?

What is this, troll bait?

JK
Coming from an older v6 Mercruiser to this 212s slow speed handling is the same, high speed handling is better, acceleration and overall performance is like going from a Chevette to a Corvette, tech is much better, etc. If you don't like the 212 you're in the wrong boat for your needs...nothing wrong with the boat itself. As mentioned, time to evaluate what you want/need in a boat and go from there perhaps...?

We love the jetboat and will not own anything else now.

 

[HangOutdoors]

It all comes down to your specific use case and what you want out of your boat.

We do a ton of water sports with kids and teenagers, and I prefer the safety of the jet. Plus a lot of the lakes and connecting rivers we run in to go from lake to lake would not great with an I/O. I also prefer having the dual engines, in case one goes down on us.

The admiral and I do a lot of just cruising around the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair sight seeing. We could use an I/O for that no problem and it would definitely be a lot quieter.

For now it is the reliability of the jets and Yamaha as well as the safety and simplicity. Perhaps when our use case changes we may look at possibly a much larger I/O.

 

[AZMark]

...and performance was not even a comparison to my 212.

Do you mean the V6 was faster than your 212? If so I think you need to check your impellers or something.

 

[mistercool88]

Somewhat agree... I am about a half season into a switch from a I/O to a Jet boat and at first I hated it. But I have gotten use to the boat and only have minimal complaints. The biggest advantage to me is the surfing capability. If I tried on my previous boat I would have chopped my face off lol. I am handy so maintenance was not an issue as some stated. The biggest issues I have are

1. Porpoising- At high speeds The boat will hop.
   1. I/O could fix that with a trim adjustment
   2. I understand I can add a trim system
2. Surfing... boat produces a small wake with stock set up(only wakebooster)
3. As mentioned maneuvering
   1. I know this can be fixed with purchasing a aftermarket add on.

Those are my only complaints and as I stated are very minimal.

 

[J-RAD]

If you want your 212 to handle like it's on rails, I hear the cobra jet steering, because it remains down at speed really helps. I've heard the exact same "like us on rails" description from folks who have them. I've been considering them.

 

[bumpy]

I agree with putting fins on; I think they made a huge difference to me and I had been an I/O owner for 20 years before the 242. The difference in yearly maintenance is truly astounding; jets are so simple to maintain its' ridiculous. No lower unit oil/water pump, easy engine access for plug changes, no winterization........... We still went to an outboard because of our shallow (20-26") home dock, but I will miss the shear fun of the jet boat handling until I don't boat anymore!

 

[2kwik4u]

I bought my jet boat about 1 year ago. Over the weekend, I drove a friends Bayliner with the 250hp mercruiser and alpha drive. The boat handled like it was only rails and performance was not even a comparison to my 212. Trying to remind myself of all the great qualities that jet boats have, but thinking about switching to an I/o next season. Thoughts?

If your 212 S is being outrun by a Bayliner of similar length with an I/O, then there is something wrong with your 212S. What kind of top speed and RPM are you getting? We typically hear comments like "My 212 is a rocketship", Not "My 212 is a slug". Something is awry here IMO.

When comparing boats of similar length and power, they are usually within a few percent of each other. Your 360hp 21ft bowrider, should compare more than favorably to a 250hp 21ft bowrider. No idea what size and model Bayliner you were in though. I can tell you my 180hp 19ft Yamaha bowrider compares VERY similarly to my old 150hp 19ft Rinker bowrider. Top speed is nearly identical, jet wins on acceleration by a decent margin. The Jet handles "looser" than the I/O, but it's not like I'm driving a dump truck compared to a miata, more like the difference between an A4 and a RS4. VERY hard to see a difference from the drives seat at speed, but enough of a difference to be noticable.

How was the layout on the Bayliner? Swim platform? Tower? What do the boats have in common and how are they different? There is a LOT more to my boat usage than just performance, so I look at things a little differently. We bought Yamaha based on value and layout. The drive and overall handling wasn't even on the list of considerations (although in hindsight, I should have paid more attention to that despite generally liking the way my boat handles). For me.....I'll NEVER go back to an I/O. If for no other reason than the mechanical simplicity of the Yamaha jet drive system. No transmission, no water pump, no trim (pumps, cylinders, lines, switches) all makes the system mechanically simple, and inherently robust. Winterization and maintenance are dead simple. The rest of the occupants have no idea, or care what makes it go forward. They want to be on a boat, that goes vroom over the water, and to be able to access swimming holes/beaches/docks/friends on the water. So for the rest of my crew, layout/stereo/storage/etc are MUCH larger drivers in the decision making process. Then as a family, overall smiles per dollar is what drives the final decision. I'm not just buying a boat, I'm buying time/experiences.

Before you go and trade, and if you like the boat besides the handling/power. I suggest a few mods to your current boat to address your concerns. It's ALWAYS less expensive to make a few modifications than it is to trade away. If you already don't like your boat for whatever reason, and this is the straw that breaks that particular camels back, then by all means, get what makes you happy. Smiles per dollar spent is the only REAL measurement you need to be worried about, and if an I/O gets that number higher, who the dang heck are we to argue?!?!

Either way, don't be a stranger!

 

[biffdotorg]

I get the love of an I/O and outboard. As many above have mentioned, buy what does what you want to do.

But for the love of God, do not buy a bottom of the foodchain Bayliner. If you want to know what the term depreciation means, buy a bayliner. If you want to know what lack of quality control is, buy a Bayliner. If you want to be shunned by anyone other than a first time boat buyer, buy a bayliner.

There is a reason Bayliners are made (as well as a few other boat lines) They attract first time boat buyers before they know what they are looking for. They have just the right features and price point to lure the first timer in. But when it comes to resale, nobody will touch it.

I could be way off base. And honestly, their quality has gone up exponentially in the past 15 years. But there is still a very bad taste in my mouth from years ago. (this sounds like a guy badmouthing Ram trucks for tranny issues in the 70's) Please correct me if I'm out of line here.

 

[mistercool88]

I get the love of an I/O and outboard. As many above have mentioned, buy what does what you want to do.

But for the love of God, do not buy a bottom of the foodchain Bayliner. If you want to know what the term depreciation means, buy a bayliner. If you want to know what lack of quality control is, buy a Bayliner. If you want to be shunned by anyone other than a first time boat buyer, buy a bayliner.

There is a reason Bayliners are made (as well as a few other boat lines) They attract first time boat buyers before they know what they are looking for. They have just the right features and price point to lure the first timer in. But when it comes to resale, nobody will touch it.

I could be way off base. And honestly, their quality has gone up exponentially in the past 15 years. But there is still a very bad taste in my mouth from years ago. (this sounds like a guy badmouthing Ram trucks for tranny issues in the 70's) Please correct me if I'm out of line here.

LOL 100% agree. I had a Four Winns with a 4.3 Volvo Penta and when I got in a Bayliner I was like what in the "Walmart clearance is this" lol

 

[biffdotorg]

LOL 100% agree. I had a Four Winns with a 4.3 Volvo Penta and when I got in a Bayliner I was like what in the "Walmart clearance is this" lol

I helped my buddy sell his Four Winns boat a few years back. I got him $4000 more than the dealer offered on trade. But the resale on that boat was amazing. Great quality, and sought after by those that know what they are looking for. Easy to sell.

And don't take that the wrong way, don't buy a boat for it's resale value. But when buying a brand new boat, you can expect depreciation. It will just sting much less with a higher quality boat that holds it's value better. And you want to feel good about your purchase for the life of your ownership.

 

[AncientCanoe]

I have no idea what Bayliner's quality is these days, but there is a market for cheap boats because lakes are fun and a lot of people don't have money. It is what it is, of course they aren't high quality, and they aren't priced for high quality. Bayliner isn't duping someone that can afford better quality into buying their product. I wouldn't shun a dude in a bayliner anymore than i'd shun a dude driving a ford fiesta.

 

[jetboatjay]

I get the love of an I/O and outboard. As many above have mentioned, buy what does what you want to do.

But for the love of God, do not buy a bottom of the foodchain Bayliner. If you want to know what the term depreciation means, buy a bayliner. If you want to know what lack of quality control is, buy a Bayliner. If you want to be shunned by anyone other than a first time boat buyer, buy a bayliner.

There is a reason Bayliners are made (as well as a few other boat lines) They attract first time boat buyers before they know what they are looking for. They have just the right features and price point to lure the first timer in. But when it comes to resale, nobody will touch it.

I could be way off base. And honestly, their quality has gone up exponentially in the past 15 years. But there is still a very bad taste in my mouth from years ago. (this sounds like a guy badmouthing Ram trucks for tranny issues in the 70's) Please correct me if I'm out of line here.

Love the Bayliner bashing. Not that I have experience, but when my brother bought his I/O the salesman told him he could buy a boat...or a Bayliner. When I told him I bought a jet boat, his first comment was "at least it wasn't a Bayliner." (BTW: After he drove my Ar195 he loved it, said it was quieter than his 2012 Rinker 210, and had much less weight in the steering wheel.)