First boat - need help making decision

[atldude]

Hello forum members!

I've been on a mission to find my first boat and about a month ago after plenty of research and lurking and reading on many forums I decided I want to go for a yamaha jet boat.

Here's what I need help with -

Currently I have 2 options, both with pros and cons, and I am having hard time deciding.

Option 1:
2006 SX230HO - asking price is 17k with everything You'd need to get out and have at it. The hull has a few spots that need gelcoat repair. One on the very front tip assuming he bumped into a dock or trailer not sure. Second is to the side looks like might have been an anchor. The upholstery leVes some to be desired and me being meticulous about all my toys it'll have to be replaced likely entirely. Some of the storage compartment/access hatch hinges are a little loose (gas tank particularly). One of the no wake switches is throwing a 68 code and the engine fails to go in no wake mode. Other than this, the boat runs great and picks up speed pretty darn quickly. Carpet is missing and I will have to get that also.

Option2:
2010 SX210 - asking price is 22k again comes with everything to get me started. The boat is obviously newer and maintained meticulously. No rips on upholstery, no dings on hull or plastic, carpet is 1yr old and great looking and it just looks like a very clean boat. Nithing I'd have to do or repair. On the down side - a little louder, a little smaller and more sluggish (less power)

I'm having a hard time deciding :?

On one hand I'd love to to have the extra power of sx230ho but then I'd have to deal with fixing this that and the other before I can be satisfied with it's appearance. The owner is not tech savvi, though the boat has had regular basic maintenance, so it sort of makes me think what else could be wrong soon after purchase due to lack of more in-depth attention/care. I think having the sxtra space and power is a great combo but the boat carries risk with it and needs TLC.

On the other hand i love the clean sx210 and the only con is the sluggishness compared to the sx230ho. It looks awesome handles great and absolutely nothing needs fixing. It's smaller but didn't feel like I'm going to run out of space any time soon. We're a family of 3 and most i'd see us carry is perhaps another family of 3 or worst 4.

Really would appreciate some thoughts or general advice from anyone that may help me make the right choice.

 

[JetBoatPilot]

The most notable differences I can think of from a user's perspective would be:

The 21 footer is going to have a bow boarding ladder. The 23 won't.
The 21 footer has a stereo near the driver. The 23 has a small remote but it does not work on many used boats.
The 21 has a larger bow seating area even though the boat is smaller.
Top speed on the 21 is about 43-45 mph. The 23 should top out a little above 50.
Acceleration on the 23 is going to be more aggressive but you can still tube and do other watersports with the 21.
You get a J shaped wrap around bench in the 21 whereas you get a twin captain chair setup in the 23. That is going to be a wifey decision I'm sure.
I don't like the fact that the engine hatch and the clean out hatch share a hinge on the 23 footer and the flush ports are hard to get to under the port and starboard hatches.
The 21 footer has a scupper that sits above the water line at rest while the 23 footer's scupper sits below the water line and can leak from time to time.

There are probably other notable differences but that's what I came up with in the 5 minutes I had to throw at this post. Let us know what you decide.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Some things you did not mention, what are the hours of each boat? what is the Nada retail value of each in your zip code what trailers do they have if any

 

[DCB-270]

Find another boat with ho motors. The 210 is great for a few people. 6 to 8 is too many.

 

[atldude]

Some things you did not mention, what are the hours of each boat? what is the Nada retail value of each in your zip code what trailers do they have if any

They are both stock and I am in the Atlanta area.
According to NADA avg retail on the '06 SX230HO is $20,310 (w/ tandem trailer). '10 SX210 (w/ tandem trailer) avg price is $23,950
The SX trailer is in great/near new condition (boat's been in dry storage @ marina). Have not sen the SX230HO trailer yet but probably avg condition.

SX230 HO has 180 hrs. The guy thinks the SX210 has 150hrs on it but to be confirmed this weekend.

EDIT: both are mostly stock. They both have dual battery setup and the thrust vectors.

 

[atldude]

Find another boat with ho motors. The 210 is great for a few people. 6 to 8 is too many.

Thanks! so 4 adults + 2 or 3 kids might be a bit much you think? I looked around and the remaining HOs in the area I am are a significantly pricier. They are slightly newer and 26-28K range. Of course the newer you go they get to 40-50 etc. Just didn't want to throw too much at my first boat, if that makes sense. Trying to keep it modest to start with.

 

[atldude]

The most notable differences I can think of from a user's perspective would be:

The 21 footer is going to have a bow boarding ladder. The 23 won't.
The 21 footer has a stereo near the driver. The 23 has a small remote but it does not work on many used boats.
The 21 has a larger bow seating area even though the boat is smaller.
Top speed on the 21 is about 43-45 mph. The 23 should top out a little above 50.
Acceleration on the 23 is going to be more aggressive but you can still tube and do other watersports with the 21.
You get a J shaped wrap around bench in the 21 whereas you get a twin captain chair setup in the 23. That is going to be a wifey decision I'm sure.
I don't like the fact that the engine hatch and the clean out hatch share a hinge on the 23 footer and the flush ports are hard to get to under the port and starboard hatches.
The 21 footer has a scupper that sits above the water line at rest while the 23 footer's scupper sits below the water line and can leak from time to time.

There are probably other notable differences but that's what I came up with in the 5 minutes I had to throw at this post. Let us know what you decide.

Great info! Thank you for taking the time!

 

[Matt Phillips]

My other thought is to keep looking. It sounds like you're excited to get into a boat, but if there's not "quite the right match" between these two, keep looking. Something will come up.

 

[robert843]

if the interior condition of the 06 is really rough and needs recovering that can get costly from what I have heard. I want to say in the 3-4K range are the numbers I have seen thrown around on hear. I would try and find a 07 230 or newer or maybe go with the 210 the changes to the 07 are worth it from what I understand. I have a great 2011 sx240 with only 70 hours for sale in the classifieds for an excellent price 27,500 but that maybe more then you want to spend.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

My other thought is to keep looking. It sounds like you're excited to get into a boat, but if there's not "quite the right match" between these two, keep looking. Something will come up.

Along those lines and considering the time of year " end of boating season for a lot of people" this is when the people who don't use their boats enough to warrant keeping them get the idea of selling them so it should be a good time in the near future to get a decent deal on a good used boat. Just don't hurry into a purchase, remember buy your second boat first. And keep researching knowledge is your best ally. Next to us that is.

 

[atldude]

if the interior condition of the 06 is really rough and needs recovering that can get costly from what I have heard. I want to say in the 3-4K range are the numbers I have seen thrown around on hear. I would try and find a 07 230 or newer or maybe go with the 210 the changes to the 07 are worth it from what I understand. I have a great 2011 sx240 with only 70 hours for sale in the classifieds for an excellent price 27,500 but that maybe more then you want to spend.

Wow! Great looking boat at a great price! Yes definitely more than what I'm planning to spend.

 

[atldude]

Along those lines and considering the time of year " end of boating season for a lot of people" this is when the people who don't use their boats enough to warrant keeping them get the idea of selling them so it should be a good time in the near future to get a decent deal on a good used boat. Just don't hurry into a purchase, remember buy your second boat first. And keep researching knowledge is your best ally. Next to us that is.

Thanks! Yes I'm definitely excited kind of hard not to be as a first time buyer I suppose but I am trying to keep cool. Often I catch myself trying to convince myself that the sx210 will be enough for us for a few years. When I first started looking at yammi jet boats I looked into the sx190. After I test drove a 2016 sx190 I instantly realized it wasn't going to work for me. The 210 was the next logical step but then the 230ho popped up and I was immediately attracted to the difference the extra 100hp made. Kind of wish I never test drove it now Yet part of me wants to believe that the sx210 will be just fine for a while since it'll be me my wife and my kid 70-80% of the time. I also like the J shaped seating a lot better.

Perhaps best would be to wait for a bit more.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Remember everything has it's price, the extra HP means extra fuel consumption with gas at 2 bucks a gallon it is not as hard to deal with as it was when it was 4 dollars a gallon but if you use the boat a lot and pull kids tubing and on wake boards etc you would be surprised how fast you burn that fuel up, I go out several days a week all year long and I spend a lot on gas every year.

 

[djetok]

Thanks! so 4 adults + 2 or 3 kids might be a bit much you think? I looked around and the remaining HOs in the area I am are a significantly pricier. They are slightly newer and 26-28K range. Of course the newer you go they get to 40-50 etc. Just didn't want to throw too much at my first boat, if that makes sense. Trying to keep it modest to start with.

we have a 15 sx210 and the amount of people has not been a problem. we routinely got out with 4 adults and 4 kids and its never been a issue. we tube and have not skied or wakeboarded. t

its definately a personal choice. What are you going to do with the boat?

 

[atldude]

we have a 15 sx210 and the amount of people has not been a probably. we routinely got out with 4 adults and 4 kids and its never been a issue. we tube and have not skied or wakeboarded. t

its definately a personal choice. What are you going to do with the boat?

Thank you for your feedback!

So my son is only 2y old so tubing and all that will not be frequent event for us yet. It'll be at least 2-3 years till we get comfortable to do that. I like to venture out and keep moving till I get to 1/2 tank or roughly couple of hours. It's great to sightsee and enjoy the varying water conditions on a busy lake like Lanier. I really like the technical aspect of driving a watercraft. Then I'd normally just park somewhere and spend 1-2 hours just ejoying the peace and quiet. Usually far from where I started. I am not a huge fan of going fast but I do like the thrill of occassional wot. My avg speed is 30-35. Anything beyond that for prolonged periods of time I feel is no fun and too fast for the conditions ultimately takes away from my experience.

 

[atldude]

Remember everything has it's price, the extra HP means extra fuel consumption with gas at 2 bucks a gallon it is not as hard to deal with as it was when it was 4 dollars a gallon but if you use the boat a lot and pull kids tubing and on wake boards etc you would be surprised how fast you burn that fuel up, I go out several days a week all year long and I spend a lot on gas every year.

Great points! Does sx230ho take premium or regular?

 

[itsdgm]

Welcome @atldude to the site.

Everybody has their personal favorites and here's mine. I love the layout of our 07 AR210 over the 23' boats. Boarding from the front while in a slip and at anchor is something that has proven to be very useful for us. The front boarding steps and ladder are a huge plus. Also, as @JetBoatPilot stated, the front how seating area is much wider thus more usable for seating while under way. Plus imho the J seating seems to give more cabin area too. The downside is the smaller closet area. Double check the trailers too. If memory serves me correctly an 06 stock trailer doesn't have a folding tongue. So that could be an issue if storage length is a concern.

IMHO, a 210 series boat with the HO engines and folding tower (212X) is the boat that would've fit our needs perfectly. But at time of purchase it was a 10k difference (buying our boat used vs a new 212). We love our 210 despite me wishing for more hp. We often have had 4 or more adults on board along with 3-4 kids. Not an issue for us.

Good luck with your decision and keep in mind that you can always upgrade, especially if your buying used at a reasonable price. You won't really suffer much depreciation.

 

[swatski]

Great points! Does sx230ho take premium or regular?

They all run on regular, except for the new 2017 195s with SVHO engine.

There is no wrong way to go between the two you are looking at, but if you wait you will likely find something as good or better, so don't feel rushed.

I would strongly consider towing and storage, as well as general maneuverability, such as around your driveway. But towing in particular.

Other than that, I kind of feel that you have answered your own questions:

the boat runs great and picks up speed pretty darn quickly

On the down side - a little louder, a little smaller and more sluggish (less power)

Not everyone feels the same way about power and speed, but if you feel strongly about your statements above... There is only one choice there that will make you happy long-er term. And keep in mind there is no substitute for horse power there: You can upgrade the upholstery, and carpet, and electronics, and pretty much everything in these boats; NOT the power plant. You can not make a non-HO MR-1 into an HO MR-1, that just can not be done.

 

[96Pirate]

So would a head compartment or changing area be useful to you with a 2yo? If so maybe holdout for a 07 or later 230 which does have a head compartment. I don't think the 06 model has one but I could be wrong. Be patient and an 07-09 230 will come up for sale in the low $20s. That depends if you are willing to travel to purchase as well. Good luck!

 

[TheGreekTitan]

@atldude

I can't help you comparing the two boats, as the only boat I know anything about is my own (and I am still very much a novice at best). The great folks on this board will be much more helpful in the comparison dept.

I can tell you that I made an very conscious decision to go with the SX210. This boat is not for everyone, and will probably be upgraded in a few years (now that boating has seeped into my blood). For me, it was absolutely the right choice. For you, I don't know.

We've had 6 adults, and 3 kids (limit), and hit 35. Only reason was to outrun a rainstorm. Typically , could care less about speed, but easily hit 40 - 42 with 4 adults, especially when someone has to pee, and I gotta get to Sweetwater Cove....QUICK.

Funny..or maybe Sad note...I pay almost as much monthly for my dry-stack storage as I do for my boat. Again, conscious decision, but seemingly odd nonetheless.

All that said, I'd be more than happy to take you out on Allatoona next week. Maybe it will help you with your decision one way or the other. Just let me know.