Getting first boat - sx210/ar210 a good option?

[zash_21]

Recently moved to Saint Petersburg, FL from New England and we want to start doing a lot of boating to sand bar with friends etc. Has always been our plan to get a boat but unfortunately I need to learn everything from ground zero.

Ive seen for safety, low maintenance, swim deck etc. the jet boats are relatively user friendly and a nice balance for beginners but also a good family boat we can enjoy for a long time. Recommendations seem to be go with a 21 footer vs 19 as the extra space is worth it and won’t be tempted to upgrade after 1 year.

Am I on the right track? Also, anyone local to the St. Petersburg area have advice on storage locations or best dealer? Thanks in advance!!!

 

[HangOutdoors]

@zash_21 The SX210 and AR210 are fantastic boats and a palatable price point. You need to just determine if you want the Tower or not. The space on this is nice, I am usually between 6-9 people without issues. Mind you half are teenagers. I use the tower to tow from a lot of different watersports and also have multiple things mounted to it such as Rocket Launchers(Fishing Rod Holders), flag, netting, added shade and most have speakers on them. It is also a nice feature for people to grab onto getting in and out of the boat.

We have not regretted purchasing it last year and I am just under 100 hours of usage since last May. The maintenance is easy.

I guess your biggest challenge right now will be in finding one...... Actually in finding any new Yamaha. You can scan the forums here to see some of the stories of what people are seeing getting.

My recommendation to you, is if you are serious and committed in purchasing a new Yamaha, is to start calling dealers, right now, not next week or next month, till you find one that has the boat you want, and then be ready to put a deposit down right then, otherwise it will get scooped up. The longer you wait the harder it will be as the months progress. You may have go a good distance to find one.

There is always the option of getting used, but you will pay top dollar right now in this market. There have been some that have popped up on these forums recently as well.

 

[Acard7]

Wouldn’t hurt to take a boating safety/education course, you can find them free online, or pay for some to get a card, which isn’t expensive. I had to get a boating education card for the state of Missouri, but it’s not required for every state that you may boat in.

If I would have known how easy jet boats are to maintain I would’ve never bought a prop boat. Judging by your picture you’re probably around the same age as me or younger. I would try to find an AR210, you may not use the tower too quickly for water sports but other functions you may use it for will come in handy. And when you do decide to ski and wakeboard, the tower will be worth every penny. Also feel like the tower adds value and quicker resale when you eventually want to upgrade. Like HangOutdoors said above, the towers are super customizable, so you can drill into those towers instead of your gel coat to add things.

Definitely start your search now, and be open to travel a couple states to find the best deal! Keep your eye on the boats that may come up for sale on here or even post a “want to buy” in the classifieds section! This forum will help you gain knowledge about anything and everything, and there are plenty of YouTube videos I’m sure you can find as well!

Good luck and we all are rooting for you in finding one!

 

[marcinito]

My first Boat was/is AR210 and I would highly recommend it.
I have 5-7 people all the time and have no issue, boat itself runs rock solid.
Two posts above basically cover everything you need to know before making final call.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I will say, if there is one thing I really feel should of been better, since these things are 50k, is the sound system. Mind you I am not talking about a super premium sound package, but the stock one should have been much better for what we pay for these things. Other than that I have no complaints.

 

[Dean P]

Recently moved to Saint Petersburg, FL from New England and we want to start doing a lot of boating to sand bar with friends etc. Has always been our plan to get a boat but unfortunately I need to learn everything from ground zero.

Ive seen for safety, low maintenance, swim deck etc. the jet boats are relatively user friendly and a nice balance for beginners but also a good family boat we can enjoy for a long time. Recommendations seem to be go with a 21 footer vs 19 as the extra space is worth it and won’t be tempted to upgrade after 1 year.

Am I on the right track? Also, anyone local to the St. Petersburg area have advice on storage locations or best dealer? Thanks in advance!!!

Hey, to the forum!!! Your situation and location is exactly like mine. Originally from New England and now live in St Pete. Been down here for 31 years. Barney's is the closest but I bought my Yami new in 2015 from Cycle Springs in Palm Harbor (I have a Chaparral 223VRX now). I'm on a channel so I keep my boat on a lift behind the house. Were about in St. Pete are you? I can suggest ramps to put in at. PM me if you prefer or need anything. I've been boating for over 30 years and kinda know my way around boats and such. Welcome to the area!!!

 

[VitaminSea]

Welcome aboard. You picked a great place to move to boat!

Good luck with your search. You might also want to jump on securing storage or a marina ASAP.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Looks like this guy has a few in stock and Hangoutdoors likes him!

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2021-yamaha-boats-in-stock.31079/

 

[adamncincy]

@zash_21 Hi Zash, was just in the same boat you were in (pun intended ? ) ...

I just bought an AR210 2 weeks ago and took it out for a test run this past Sunday, we actually hit 66 degrees! I'm the kind of individual that will spend countless hours researching YouTube, forums, boat reviewers, etc. With pro's and con's considered and measuring against price - the AR210 (21ft) was a perfect option when all said and done. 19' probably would've been too small in the long run and 23' was a little too much (I live in the city of Cincy). Anything over 21' also raised the price significantly (I bought used). The 210 has more than enough power and the seating space is incredible, especially VS other manu's.

Make sure you download a checklist and actually use it before launching though ... I was very anal about checking everything before putting it in the water and out of all things, I forgot to put the cleanout plugs in! lol luckily I was still near the ramp. My dad had an inboard, so I wasn't used to jetboats.

Keep us in the loop on what you find! Btw, you're in a good region. The Yamaha's demand a lot more $$$ in the Midwest/Mid-Atlantic and NE and North East compared to FL.

 

[Dfred]

2cent add-on here (sorry if this is off target, but you don’t say what your budget/market is. we were in market for sub 20k used.) Jet is best - having spent $$ on damaged props season after season on the lake. The kids and friends love everything about it - the AR tower system is amazing+ for water sports fun.
You are spot on looking at 21’ jetboats. From our experience of looking for long and hard time in 2019-2020... we were blessed to pickup a well cared for 180hrs 2009 AR210 - it had been garaged (most of its life) in NE (8hrs away from VA), and used all fresh water lakes. When looking- we quickly opted away from 19’ for our family of 7; 21’ is still on the small side for our numbers, but it’s more easily trailerable and store-able for us and our needs (note: that 21 size is missing a head and roominess of 23+).
Looking at Used? Fresh water is best - and likely worth the premium over used in salt. Unless it was meticulously, perfectly and precisely cared for from each and every salt use. We looked at/wasted time on a few salt used , and the wear is significant, and they are then stored near salt air, etc. (Then imagine what’s inside the water jacket from raw water cooling).
If my wife has her way... we will be joining y’all in St.Pete area someday
Also: Get licensed and trained (free) BoatUS Foundation