Introduction & Questions

[drewkaree]

Late to this thread, but glad to hear you went with the 210. Direct from Yamaha's website, the dry weight of a 2022 AR210 is 3228 lbs. I would have no reservations whatsoever towing a 210 with your V6 Tundra, as, IMO, it's not close to the lowest V6 rating I saw (4500 lbs).

Some observations from my Lexus GX470 (glorified 4Runner) - although mine is a V8, it still has some things that might be helpful to you: Premium fuel helps tow better. Nothing to do with how it trailers, it simply shifts less than it does with regular. I CAN run regular in my GX, and I do over winter, but when boat season comes, I head to Costco for premium. Also, I think your Tundra might have a tow setting/button, or overdrive. It will tow better without the overdrive. Take the boat out for some testing and see what settings work best for less shifting or more power when going up hills, for instance. This means ANY hill - even some slight inclines which I wouldn't consider a "hill" made a noticeable difference.

Get an adjustable hitch, OR wait until your pick up date to measure the drop between the trailer and the truck, and make a quick run to your local WalMart and get a hitch with the drop you want. Alternatively, buy several hitches with different drops, and take them all with you on the day of pickup, and return the hitches you won't be using.

Find a scale in your area, or get a tongue weight app, or buy the tongue weight scale. Find the thread around here that refers to what you're looking for the tongue weight to measure in at (some research on your part there). On the day of pickup, have the dealership help you set that tongue weight before you take off down the road. With you having a V6, I'd say it'll be more important for your towing comfort than with a bigger truck with more grunt, but no matter what, it's better to get that set before you sign off on it and head off down the road. Shouldn't take more than half an hour of time, but with the dealership assisting, realistically it could be done in 15 minutes or less.

If you're mechanically inclined, look at the oil change threads, and use any discount the dealership gives you to pick up those tools you're going to need (oil sucker, filter removal tool) as well as filters/oil change kit.

Buy stuff NOW for your boat. Even if something happens, and you end up with some other boat, you can always use the following items with any boat, and you're going to have a lot you'll want to add when you get it - buying necessities NOW will help you avoid skimping on them later when your wallet will be far more stretched when you're thinking about that first payment as well. Get at least one anchor, along with lines for it. Buying it now will likely save you money over buying it from the dealership. My thought was that the Yamaha anchor would be a pain in the ass, and there were mixed reviews on its holding power. I went with two Mantus anchors. There's a member on here who sells them, see if they can hook you up. Likewise, get yourself at least 3 fenders and lines for them - same reason, save money over buying from the dealership. My experience was that the dealership also WOEFULLY undersized the "stock" fenders they would supply me, although I could get larger fenders for an additional cost. That additional cost ended up being ridiculous. Many types to choose from. I got 8" Taylor Made's like these I'm linking to. You can find less expensive versions as well. My dealership was going to provide, "free of charge" , 4" fenders, and if I wanted to move up to 8", I essentially would have been paying close to full freight for the 8". GET LONGER FENDER LINES THAN YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED. I have seen it OFTEN with friends who have gotten new boats, they're given "free" fender lines that are 5' long by their lovely dealerships, only to find that 5' fender lines turn out to be as useful as tits on a bull when it comes time to tie up to the pilings around here, and they're praying the knots they have to tie on the bitter ends won't come undone. They soon buy new lines.

Look at the other threads around here for AR210's, and look for the issues they have. If you're up for it, have the dealership fix these things BEFORE you pick up the boat, but realize that may delay your delivery. You may consider doing the simple fixes yourself. @HangOutdoors , myself, and multiple other guys have 210's, and the anchor locker drain may have been addressed in your model year, but if not, fix it yourself or have them do it before pickup. Same with any other leakage issue, like the cleanout tray and hatch. Not trying to put you off your boat or make you question yourself - you're getting a great boat for your family, these are just things to look at. They may have fixed/addressed all of these things with your model year, but there's no way for you to know without knowing beforehand what MIGHT be a potential issue for you to look at.

I don't know if SeaDek was an option for your boat. If it was, and you were hesitating because of the additional cost, call them up and tell them you changed your mind (or decided) to go with the SeaDek. Look around here, NOBODY was glad they bought their boat without it - it's one of the mods that seems to unanimously be agreed upon that "man, I wish I had done this right from the start!".

Anyway, stop reading threads where they talk about add-ons or additional stuff to buy. We're great at doubling the cost of your initial purchase, since it's not our money! ???

I very much enjoy my boat, and I'm glad I was able to take the step up to the 210. I was initially going to be going with a 19', and most likely, I would either already have a 21', or would be looking for a deal on a 21'. Like many here, it took a bit to get it to the point I'm at now, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. I'd consider a used 24' boat now, but I'll be perfectly fine with my boat if that perfect deal never materializes for me. Good to have you here, hope you enjoy the experience!

 

[RConcheiro]

Now that we will be waiting a while. What do you all recommend some must have items? I would assume a Garmin Navigation device should be somewhere up there but don’t know which one to get. Any information would be appreciated again… thanks all!

 

[RConcheiro]

Late to this thread, but glad to hear you went with the 210. Direct from Yamaha's website, the dry weight of a 2022 AR210 is 3228 lbs. I would have no reservations whatsoever towing a 210 with your V6 Tundra, as, IMO, it's not close to the lowest V6 rating I saw (4500 lbs).

Some observations from my Lexus GX470 (glorified 4Runner) - although mine is a V8, it still has some things that might be helpful to you: Premium fuel helps tow better. Nothing to do with how it trailers, it simply shifts less than it does with regular. I CAN run regular in my GX, and I do over winter, but when boat season comes, I head to Costco for premium. Also, I think your Tundra might have a tow setting/button, or overdrive. It will tow better without the overdrive. Take the boat out for some testing and see what settings work best for less shifting or more power when going up hills, for instance. This means ANY hill - even some slight inclines which I wouldn't consider a "hill" made a noticeable difference.

Get an adjustable hitch, OR wait until your pick up date to measure the drop between the trailer and the truck, and make a quick run to your local WalMart and get a hitch with the drop you want. Alternatively, buy several hitches with different drops, and take them all with you on the day of pickup, and return the hitches you won't be using.

Find a scale in your area, or get a tongue weight app, or buy the tongue weight scale. Find the thread around here that refers to what you're looking for the tongue weight to measure in at (some research on your part there). On the day of pickup, have the dealership help you set that tongue weight before you take off down the road. With you having a V6, I'd say it'll be more important for your towing comfort than with a bigger truck with more grunt, but no matter what, it's better to get that set before you sign off on it and head off down the road. Shouldn't take more than half an hour of time, but with the dealership assisting, realistically it could be done in 15 minutes or less.

If you're mechanically inclined, look at the oil change threads, and use any discount the dealership gives you to pick up those tools you're going to need (oil sucker, filter removal tool) as well as filters/oil change kit.

Buy stuff NOW for your boat. Even if something happens, and you end up with some other boat, you can always use the following items with any boat, and you're going to have a lot you'll want to add when you get it - buying necessities NOW will help you avoid skimping on them later when your wallet will be far more stretched when you're thinking about that first payment as well. Get at least one anchor, along with lines for it. Buying it now will likely save you money over buying it from the dealership. My thought was that the Yamaha anchor would be a pain in the ass, and there were mixed reviews on its holding power. I went with two Mantus anchors. There's a member on here who sells them, see if they can hook you up. Likewise, get yourself at least 3 fenders and lines for them - same reason, save money over buying from the dealership. My experience was that the dealership also WOEFULLY undersized the "stock" fenders they would supply me, although I could get larger fenders for an additional cost. That additional cost ended up being ridiculous. Many types to choose from. I got 8" Taylor Made's like these I'm linking to. You can find less expensive versions as well. My dealership was going to provide, "free of charge" , 4" fenders, and if I wanted to move up to 8", I essentially would have been paying close to full freight for the 8". GET LONGER FENDER LINES THAN YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED. I have seen it OFTEN with friends who have gotten new boats, they're given "free" fender lines that are 5' long by their lovely dealerships, only to find that 5' fender lines turn out to be as useful as tits on a bull when it comes time to tie up to the pilings around here, and they're praying the knots they have to tie on the bitter ends won't come undone. They soon buy new lines.

Look at the other threads around here for AR210's, and look for the issues they have. If you're up for it, have the dealership fix these things BEFORE you pick up the boat, but realize that may delay your delivery. You may consider doing the simple fixes yourself. @HangOutdoors , myself, and multiple other guys have 210's, and the anchor locker drain may have been addressed in your model year, but if not, fix it yourself or have them do it before pickup. Same with any other leakage issue, like the cleanout tray and hatch. Not trying to put you off your boat or make you question yourself - you're getting a great boat for your family, these are just things to look at. They may have fixed/addressed all of these things with your model year, but there's no way for you to know without knowing beforehand what MIGHT be a potential issue for you to look at.

I don't know if SeaDek was an option for your boat. If it was, and you were hesitating because of the additional cost, call them up and tell them you changed your mind (or decided) to go with the SeaDek. Look around here, NOBODY was glad they bought their boat without it - it's one of the mods that seems to unanimously be agreed upon that "man, I wish I had done this right from the start!".

Anyway, stop reading threads where they talk about add-ons or additional stuff to buy. We're great at doubling the cost of your initial purchase, since it's not our money! ???

I very much enjoy my boat, and I'm glad I was able to take the step up to the 210. I was initially going to be going with a 19', and most likely, I would either already have a 21', or would be looking for a deal on a 21'. Like many here, it took a bit to get it to the point I'm at now, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. I'd consider a used 24' boat now, but I'll be perfectly fine with my boat if that perfect deal never materializes for me. Good to have you here, hope you enjoy the experience!

This was VERY helpful. Thank you for taking the time to help out. I’ll be sure to follow this information. Thanks again.

 

[212s]

Some observations from my Lexus GX470 (glorified 4Runner) ... Premium fuel helps tow better.

Yes that's true, but only if your vehicle requires it...just wanted to point out octane requirements for those who may not know:

All recent vehicles and boats will run lower octane fuel as the computers will adjust...but the vehicle/boat will perform best running the minimum rated by the manufacturer. So if your vehicle is designed for 91 you really should run 91 all the time. If it calls for 87 then that's the best fuel to use. My SUV calls for 87 and running 91 makes a very small improvement in mileage, but only because 91 has no ethanol and only when cruising on the highway - towing or in town it makes no difference at all. So while I can get better mileage on the highway, the cost to put in 91 does not outweigh the mileage difference - it's simply cheaper tank to tank to run 87 as the engine is designed for it.

Note that higher octane does not mean more power - octane rating refers to detonation delay or anti-knock (higher means more delay) which allows a 91 rated engine to operate properly and not have detonation or ignition retardation issues which causes a loss of power in 91 rated engines when you use lower rated fuel. Although the gas marketing suggests higher octane is always better, it's just marketing - they are trying to sell gas after all. Not sure if the USA is the same but up here in Canada the pumps have BS marketing info on them suggesting 91 octane is somehow "premium" or "better" or "cleaner". Just look at the pumps that say things like Shell "V-Power" or Petro-Can "Super-Clean" or Esso "Supreme". These suggest higher octane is better in all vehicles but it really isn't and simply makes the gas companies richer and makes your wallet lighter.

If the manual calls for 87 octane, save yourself time and money and use 87.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Yes that's true, but only if your vehicle requires it...just wanted to point out octane requirements for those who may not know:

All recent vehicles and boats will run lower octane fuel as the computers will adjust...but the vehicle/boat will perform best running the minimum rated by the manufacturer. So if your vehicle is designed for 91 you really should run 91 all the time. If it calls for 87 then that's the best fuel to use. My SUV calls for 87 and running 91 makes a very small improvement in mileage, but only because 91 has no ethanol and only when cruising on the highway - towing or in town it makes no difference at all. So while I can get better mileage on the highway, the cost to put in 91 does not outweigh the mileage difference - it's simply cheaper tank to tank to run 87 as the engine is designed for it.

Note that higher octane does not mean more power - octane rating refers to detonation delay or anti-knock (higher means more delay) which allows a 91 rated engine to operate properly and not have detonation or ignition retardation issues which causes a loss of power in 91 rated engines when you use lower rated fuel. Although the gas marketing suggests higher octane is always better, it's just marketing - they are trying to sell gas after all. Not sure if the USA is the same but up here in Canada the pumps have BS marketing info on them suggesting 91 octane is somehow "premium" or "better" or "cleaner". Just look at the pumps that say things like Shell "V-Power" or Petro-Can "Super-Clean" or Esso "Supreme". These suggest higher octane is better in all vehicles but it really isn't and simply makes the gas companies richer and makes your wallet lighter.

If the manual calls for 87 octane, save yourself time and money and use 87.

I couldn’t agree more with you on this! A gallon of 91 octane fuel contains the same amount of energy that a gallon of 87 octane does.

I would like to add that using 91 octane in an engine that requires 87 usually produces less performance and higher operating combustion temperatures. The reason being is that 91 octane burns slower than 87, and the complete burn does not happen within 30 degrees of crank rotation, it takes substantially longer which means less pressure and therefore less power, and the flame follows the piston down much longer creating much higher temps on top of the piston. Using 91 in a 87 engine can also make starting harder.

And your statement about your 91 octane getting better highway mpg is also spot on because it does not have ethanol in it. When gasoline has ethanol in it, that gasoline has less energy per gallon than a non ethanol gasoline. Ethanol has roughly half the btu’s of gasoline, so when gasoline is diluted with a fuel that has less btu’s than it’s non ethanol counterpart it will have less power. Not to mention all of the suspended water that is in ethanol fuel.

In the case of modern engines that require a minimum of say 87, but 91 is recommended, then the 91 fuel will perform noticeably better, as @212s suggests the computers and their sensors will, with 91 octane, increase timing advance to perform with 91. If 87 is put into that same vehicle, the knock sensors will alert the ECU to retard timing as well as other parameters, to keep detonation or engine knock from happening. It’s really a great system, if say in a pickup that requires a minimum of 87, you can use the less expensive fuel on a day to day basis, but if you are going to haul a big load, then 91 will net the most power and best economy.

 

[drewkaree]

So, check your manual. Toyota is good about giving you access. My manual seems to jive with what has been said, and with my experience stated above. If your owner's manual reads the same as mine, then I would bet that it's extremely likely you will notice a similar improvement as I've experienced. Unless they changed it after 2020, your owner's manual for the boat says you're fine using 87 or above.




Previously, I mentioned a tongue weight scale. This is the one I have. Here's the app, you might like this better, if you have a smart phone.

So...back to your questions. Wholeheartedly recommend you look at the trailer's bow stop roller, and if it's yellow/beige/white, don't even take it home with that thing on. Look for Stoltz roller around here, and make your decision. I have a 2019 AR210, and I have the Stoltz RP-336 for the center section, and instead of bell ends (the angled ends), I went with the Stoltz RP-325 end caps. The stock roller seems to suck out loud. I removed mine and thought I had a cool replacement, a blue roller set, but it was way too soft. I ended up with the Stoltz set. There's a thread around here somewhere with a pic of my winch post where you can see what my setup looks like. Seriously, I didn't replace the roller on mine right away, and I had marks from the stock roller that I could scratch off with my fingernail. Time wasted getting the marks off, and all I did was bring it home from the dealership, a half-hour drive!

As for your query, entirely up to you if you want a Garmin or some other such item. Are you considering it for navigation purposes, or are you wanting something for fishing purposes? My recommendation is to hold off on a navigation unit, and head over and check out Navionics at this link. If you've got a smart phone or a tablet, you can test it out for free.

Looking at your profile, if you go and update it with your location (general area is fine), you will find it to be helpful when looking for more info in the future. I read that you're in the Bay area, but I don't know if you mean Green Bay, or Sturgeon Bay For the U.S., a one year Navionics subscription would be $15, adding Canada is another $7, and so on. You'll always have the most up-to-date maps, likely for less than an update would cost you for any Garmin without a lifetime update. I have never liked fixed-head GPS in my cars, as the support/updates often cost me more than buying a brand-new Garmin, plus it added unnecessary potential problems/costs, but the AR210 doesn't come with built-in maps - a benefit in my mind. If you're more comfortable with a Garmin or other navigation unit, by all means do what you think will work best for your needs.

As far as navigation goes, many here find Navionics is stellar for that purpose, and very inexpensive for the features it provides for the cost. @HangOutdoors has a really slick mounting setup for his (Garmin?), so if you go that route (or even if you go with a tablet/Navionics setup), go check out his mount. Whatever you choose, get it and play with it and get comfortable with the interface before you take it out. If I read you right, this is your first boat, so your nav & depth finder might very well save your bacon. Knowing how to turn the backlight down or get it to a brightness that isn't blinding you at night is something you don't want to be learning on that first night run.

Not sure what you want for flotation devices, but I have a good number of basic PFD's for in case I have to deal with Johnny Lawman. I picked up 3 better-fitting PFD's at Costco (beginning of the season is the best time for them) for the wife and anyone else who might come along, that want to wear it, and I have an automagic inflation PFD for myself. Some areas won't allow the auto-inflate as your primary, so check your regulations in your area.

Speaking of flotation devices, go get 2 jetboaters.net floating keychains so you don't have to cancel your day on the water if/when you lose your keys in the drink!

Get yourself a nice reasonable first-aid kit. Here's one. Here's another. Get one of these before you start looking at fancy spendy toys for the boat, so that you don't forget this important piece of safety equipment for your boat and end up throwing $10 at a glorified box of Band-Aids that's suited to a papercut and not much else.

Some hose clamp PLIERS like this cheap, functional set here, or this much nicer clamp here, will help in case something happens and you have to be towed - it may be something as simple as you ran out of fuel, but you don't want to be towed over 5mph without clamping off one or both intake hoses.

Get a nice general-purpose tool kit. Costco or Home Depot offers a nice tool set that'll be small enough to stow away, but should have enough to deal with any small emergency that might arise, or you can check Amazon. Something like this will work, or perhaps this, and add a multi-bit screwdriver

Get yourself an oar or two (boat paddle, in case you need more search terms), for just-in-case purposes. I personally own two of these, and would recommend the same to you. The end hook can be used when bringing your boat in to a pier, and the thing telescopes, so it can be made smaller to stow away easily for you.

Get a grease gun if you don't have one. You'll need to eventually grease your bearings on the trailer. If you need to purchase one, this is what I have and recommend, others may have suggestions as well.You'll end up needing it if you do some service on your boat. I would have your dealer show you where and how to grease the bearings on your trailer hubs. Check them after you have the boat all cleaned up at the end of the day, and add if needed.

Fenders. If you happen across the Mission Fenders threads around here, you might want to give them a shot. I have 3 of the Mission Sentry fenders in Gray. One is missing the keeper on the end of the strap, but I haven't lost it since I bought them. I'm considering getting rid of them, as I like the way my 8" Taylor Made Big B's work better for tie-ups.

Lines will work perfectly fine when deploying your fenders, but for ease of use for the rest of your crew who may struggle with setting them up, these Fender Tender clips are very easy to dial in the right height for your fenders at the pier. I also have 1 of these Airhead suction mount clips set up on one fender, just in case I have to deploy a fender in an oddball setup. 3 fenders, 2 with Fender Tenders, one with a suction mount. I typically only need two fenders, but I'm set for the occasional problem child.

Last few items: Hot Sauce for wiping down the boat after you pull her out. @swatski approved CRC 656 to spray all metal parts down to fend off corrosion. Stainless Steel boat buckles to make it easier to deploy and remove transom straps from your boat. The standard straps they should throw in from the dealership will work fine, those are simply a step up in making your launch and retrieval process a bit faster and easier.

@Ronnie might be in the actual Bay area you're referring to, so he might have some helpful tips, otherwise if he doesn't chime in here, search for him and his posts and look for what he has purchased. Don't look too hard, or you'll have 12 jet skis, a second boat, and all manner of things you never knew you needed! I have no idea if you need more items based on Coast Guard regs (beacon, flare kit, etc), so he'll be able to help out.


You're in trouble now, I warned you that we're great at spending your money!

 

[RConcheiro]

So, check your manual. Toyota is good about giving you access. My manual seems to jive with what has been said, and with my experience stated above. If your owner's manual reads the same as mine, then I would bet that it's extremely likely you will notice a similar improvement as I've experienced. Unless they changed it after 2020, your owner's manual for the boat says you're fine using 87 or above.

View attachment 170025


Previously, I mentioned a tongue weight scale. This is the one I have. Here's the app, you might like this better, if you have a smart phone.

So...back to your questions. Wholeheartedly recommend you look at the trailer's bow stop roller, and if it's yellow/beige/white, don't even take it home with that thing on. Look for Stoltz roller around here, and make your decision. I have a 2019 AR210, and I have the Stoltz RP-336 for the center section, and instead of bell ends (the angled ends), I went with the Stoltz RP-325 end caps. The stock roller seems to suck out loud. I removed mine and thought I had a cool replacement, a blue roller set, but it was way too soft. I ended up with the Stoltz set. There's a thread around here somewhere with a pic of my winch post where you can see what my setup looks like. Seriously, I didn't replace the roller on mine right away, and I had marks from the stock roller that I could scratch off with my fingernail. Time wasted getting the marks off, and all I did was bring it home from the dealership, a half-hour drive!

As for your query, entirely up to you if you want a Garmin or some other such item. Are you considering it for navigation purposes, or are you wanting something for fishing purposes? My recommendation is to hold off on a navigation unit, and head over and check out Navionics at this link. If you've got a smart phone or a tablet, you can test it out for free.

Looking at your profile, if you go and update it with your location (general area is fine), you will find it to be helpful when looking for more info in the future. I read that you're in the Bay area, but I don't know if you mean Green Bay, or Sturgeon Bay For the U.S., a one year Navionics subscription would be $15, adding Canada is another $7, and so on. You'll always have the most up-to-date maps, likely for less than an update would cost you for any Garmin without a lifetime update. I have never liked fixed-head GPS in my cars, as the support/updates often cost me more than buying a brand-new Garmin, plus it added unnecessary potential problems/costs, but the AR210 doesn't come with built-in maps - a benefit in my mind. If you're more comfortable with a Garmin or other navigation unit, by all means do what you think will work best for your needs.

As far as navigation goes, many here find Navionics is stellar for that purpose, and very inexpensive for the features it provides for the cost. @HangOutdoors has a really slick mounting setup for his (Garmin?), so if you go that route (or even if you go with a tablet/Navionics setup), go check out his mount. Whatever you choose, get it and play with it and get comfortable with the interface before you take it out. If I read you right, this is your first boat, so your nav & depth finder might very well save your bacon. Knowing how to turn the backlight down or get it to a brightness that isn't blinding you at night is something you don't want to be learning on that first night run.

Not sure what you want for flotation devices, but I have a good number of basic PFD's for in case I have to deal with Johnny Lawman. I picked up 3 better-fitting PFD's at Costco (beginning of the season is the best time for them) for the wife and anyone else who might come along, that want to wear it, and I have an automagic inflation PFD for myself. Some areas won't allow the auto-inflate as your primary, so check your regulations in your area.

Speaking of flotation devices, go get 2 jetboaters.net floating keychains so you don't have to cancel your day on the water if/when you lose your keys in the drink!

Get yourself a nice reasonable first-aid kit. Here's one. Here's another. Get one of these before you start looking at fancy spendy toys for the boat, so that you don't forget this important piece of safety equipment for your boat and end up throwing $10 at a glorified box of Band-Aids that's suited to a papercut and not much else.

Some hose clamp PLIERS like this cheap, functional set here, or this much nicer clamp here, will help in case something happens and you have to be towed - it may be something as simple as you ran out of fuel, but you don't want to be towed over 5mph without clamping off one or both intake hoses.

Get a nice general-purpose tool kit. Costco or Home Depot offers a nice tool set that'll be small enough to stow away, but should have enough to deal with any small emergency that might arise, or you can check Amazon. Something like this will work, or perhaps this, and add a multi-bit screwdriver

Get yourself an oar or two (boat paddle, in case you need more search terms), for just-in-case purposes. I personally own two of these, and would recommend the same to you. The end hook can be used when bringing your boat in to a pier, and the thing telescopes, so it can be made smaller to stow away easily for you.

Get a grease gun if you don't have one. You'll need to eventually grease your bearings on the trailer. If you need to purchase one, this is what I have and recommend, others may have suggestions as well.You'll end up needing it if you do some service on your boat. I would have your dealer show you where and how to grease the bearings on your trailer hubs. Check them after you have the boat all cleaned up at the end of the day, and add if needed.

Fenders. If you happen across the Mission Fenders threads around here, you might want to give them a shot. I have 3 of the Mission Sentry fenders in Gray. One is missing the keeper on the end of the strap, but I haven't lost it since I bought them. I'm considering getting rid of them, as I like the way my 8" Taylor Made Big B's work better for tie-ups.

Lines will work perfectly fine when deploying your fenders, but for ease of use for the rest of your crew who may struggle with setting them up, these Fender Tender clips are very easy to dial in the right height for your fenders at the pier. I also have 1 of these Airhead suction mount clips set up on one fender, just in case I have to deploy a fender in an oddball setup. 3 fenders, 2 with Fender Tenders, one with a suction mount. I typically only need two fenders, but I'm set for the occasional problem child.

Last few items: Hot Sauce for wiping down the boat after you pull her out. @swatski approved CRC 656 to spray all metal parts down to fend off corrosion. Stainless Steel boat buckles to make it easier to deploy and remove transom straps from your boat. The standard straps they should throw in from the dealership will work fine, those are simply a step up in making your launch and retrieval process a bit faster and easier.

@Ronnie might be in the actual Bay area you're referring to, so he might have some helpful tips, otherwise if he doesn't chime in here, search for him and his posts and look for what he has purchased. Don't look too hard, or you'll have 12 jet skis, a second boat, and all manner of things you never knew you needed! I have no idea if you need more items based on Coast Guard regs (beacon, flare kit, etc), so he'll be able to help out.


You're in trouble now, I warned you that we're great at spending your money!

Awesome info as always… thank you!

 

[Waterpusher]

Good news! Just put the deposit on the AR210. Now time to wait for it to come in! Thanks for all the great info. Just glad I was able to convince the wife to get the 21 instead of 19. Surprisingly, all it took was for the wife to sit in both and see the difference.

What dealer in the Tampa Bay Area has both a 195 and 219 on the lot? I’ve been looking in the same area and no luck.

 

[shnknapp]

@drewkaree listed a lot of great items to purchase and I thought I would add a few more that we have found helpful:

1. We haven't had to use it but like others we purchased a NOCO Jump starter.

2. We also got a cheap set of walkie talkies. Great for communicating if something is still in the car before we walk back to the dock. Also has really helped out when launching or retrieving the boat. We can't power load at our marina so having the trailer in the water at the perfect spot is essential. Yes, we could use our phones but I'd rather take the chance of dropping a $40 set of walkie talkies in the river over a $900 iPhone.

3. Telescoping boat hook has also been a great addition for us. Great for picking up dropped dock lines especially since you are getting 21 foot boat. Not the easy to reach over the boat and grab something out of the water. Also great for pushing off the dock, grabbing dock cleats, or using that instead of extended arm when approaching the dock.

4. This small tool set is also a nice "just in case" item to have.

5. Trailer guide posts are a life saver for us. As I mentioned, we have to use lines to get our boat on the trailer but I know others on this forum how power load also find them invaluable. I went with the 60" CE Smith posts.

6. Surge Brake lock out key is another "just in case" item. Don't want your surge brakes to lock up as your trying to retrieve your boat.

7. Distress signal and we also have some flares. Phones don't always work so it's nice to have a secondary option.

8. Trash receptacle. We tried a a lot of them and liked this one.

9. The engine cut off lanyard is pretty short and the MN/WI DNR really likes to check out that people are using them so we went with this Extra long lanyard that can be work on our ankle. Yes, some people may not use the lanyard but I'd rather be safe and this was a way for me to be safe while also being able to move around the boat.

These are by no means required items, just things that we have either used or wanted "just in case".

 

[Pete B]

Great, great information guys. I bookmarked all of the responses for my shopping lists before Spring. Thank you!

 

[RConcheiro]

Thanks fellas!

 

[RConcheiro]

What dealer in the Tampa Bay Area has both a 195 and 219 on the lot? I’ve been looking in the same area and no luck.

Not sure if they have them in store, but check out Cycle Springs. Ask for Curtis, very straight forward. 727-0771-1211

 

[Waterpusher]

No dealers in the area have the 19’s or 21’s on their lots. I ordered mine at Barney’s and went with the SX195 as my garage is only 20’ deep and garage doorways an inch less than 7’ so no arch. Kept to size because I Didn’t want to deal with storage fees or added work to tow it to clean then store etc.

 

[RobbieO]

Now that we will be waiting a while. What do you all recommend some must have items? I would assume a Garmin Navigation device should be somewhere up there but don’t know which one to get. Any information would be appreciated again… thanks all!

There are numerous threads on here for add-ons and modifications (see @Sotally Tober and @HangOutdoors). Be ready to B.O.A.T's.
I bought a 212SE last year after considering the 195S, which turns out you can't get in CA. One of the deciding factors was a wanted a tandem trailer. And it's always good to have an extra engine. I have a 2020 Ford Explorer Platinum with a tow capacity of 5600 lbs, and it tows with no issues. The dry weight with trailer is 4700 lbs. After fuel and batteries, that leaves about 400 lbs for gear. Check you tongue weight, these boats are delivered heavy on the tongue. I moved my winch post back 6 inches to get under 10%.

Go out and enjoy the boat for awhile and then you will know what you'll want to add. Doubt you will want the stripper pole.

THIS:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/sotally-tober-5s-completed-build-pic-heavy.31483/

 

[212s]

Check you tongue weight, these boats are delivered heavy on the tongue. I moved my winch post back 6 inches to get under 10%.

Was your winch tower that far forward or is the transom hanging off the end now? If the latter, you need to move the tower forward to get the transom flush with the end of the bunks for proper support - you never want the boat hanging off the back as it can warp the hull.

You can slide the axles easily if you need to as well - it's all one section and moves together. Unload the boat, measure the distance you want to move it forward and mark it off, loosen the 4 u-bolts underneath, chock the tires and then just lift the frame a bit to take the weight off and push the tandem axles with your foot - you can do it all by yourself, took me about 30 mins and a couple of pushes to get it just right. Tighten the 4 u-bolts and you're done.

Shoreland'r has all this info on their website and I think it's in the owner's manual too.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Hanging off the bunks a couple few inches with our boats isn't an issue and you won't warp the hull. It is much different than heavy outboards or sterndrives putting weight on the transom.

 

[RobbieO]

It's even. Before the boat was about 6-8" forward. The axles are welded and cannot be adjusted. The axles cannot be adjusted on some Shorelandr models. I weighed all me gear and distribute it in the boat as need to stay around 8%. I was also adjusting the winch post because I'm having issues getting the boat on the trailer straight. The bunks swivel freely, and appear evenly adjusted. Resolution still in progress.