Is the 2015 AR 240 appropriate for South Carolina waters?

[Mauimike]

Hello, great experienced 2015 AR 240 and jet boat owners!

Took a test drive on the protected river in the Charleston South Carolina area. Worked up most of the details on a purchase, and not sure if I should pull the trigger. I have owned runabouts, fly bridges, and 34' sunbrige with twins shaft drives. We mostly did destination boating in the northwest and Canada. Not allot of fishing. I'm new to the charleston waters and what I can tell is a center consul (CC) is king here for deep sea fishing or bay boats for getting into the creeks. Yamaha boats was not at the Charleston boat show, that tells me something. I plan to use the boat for inter tubing, and would like to cruise the intercostal, to where I do not yet know. Maybe trailer to Florida for a week not sure what location would be best.

The question!

Do you think the 2015 AR240 will Handel the intercostal and rough water? Will it be ok in the creeks? Could I resell this type of boat in this area, when I think based on my limited knowledge CC boats are the boat type to have here. Is the the Yamaha 2015 AR240 the right boat for me? Thank you in advance for your time in advisement. Also I joined another form and only got 3 response in a week so I'm hoping the form is strong with this one... . Just joined today so I missed the new Yamaha boat photos I have been looking for!

Mike

 

[Bruce]

Welcome Aboard Mike!

I am unfamiliar with the South Carolina waters but we have many owners in the area who I am sure will answer soon.

We take trips to Bimini every year crossing the Gulf Stream in 19' to 24' Yamahas. One crossing was in 3' to 5' seas. I have taken my SX230 out in 3' seas with 30 mph cross winds in the Gulf. As with any boat you will likely find that although the boat is capable of more there is a level of rough water that you do not want to endure.

I also live in an area with little dealer presence from Yamaha. Both of mine have come from other states. I sold my LX210 for $1000 dollars under book value in 3 days.

I live on a shallow 3' to 4' bay. You will find that the shallow draft and lack of prop allows you to go where others do not dare.

 

[GTBRMC]

@Mauimike ...

You may want to wait for the new bay boat Yamaha will announce on 2/12/2015. It is a very different option, but could open up interesting possibilities for you. Some details have leaked, but the splash date is Thursday.

 

[Mauimike]

Welcome Aboard Mike!

I am unfamiliar with the South Carolina waters but we have many owners in the area who I am sure will answer soon.

We take trips to Bimini every year crossing the Gulf Stream in 19' to 24' Yamahas. One crossing was in 3' to 5' seas. I have taken my SX230 out in 3' seas with 30 mph cross winds in the Gulf. As with any boat you will likely find that although the boat is capable of more there is a level of rough water that you do not want to endure.

I also live in an area with little dealer presence from Yamaha. Both of mine have come from other states. I sold my LX210 for $1000 dollars under book value in 3 days.

I live on a shallow 3' to 4' bay. You will find that the shallow draft and lack of prop allows you to go where others do not dare.

Thank you sir.

 

[Mauimike]

@Mauimike ...

You may want to wait for the new bay boat Yamaha will announce on 2/12/2015. It is a very different option, but could open up interesting possibilities for you. Some details have leaked, but the splash date is Thursday.

Thank you sir.

 

[JC6275]

Welcome @Mauimike , as stated above you may want to wait a week and see what Yamaha unveils, and any other options they disclose at said unveiling...

 

[Julian]

I've boated Charleston harbor with @Stacey in SC and @andy07sx230ho in my SX230. The new 2015 AR 240 would handle the bay and inter-coastal with no issues. I've boated the inter-coastal in SC and NC and love to do it in my Yamaha. It is not a boat for going out in the ocean in for fishing....but some do it. Trailering it to Florida would be fine...depending on where you want to go. We've been to Lake Murray twice with our boat, and have trailers to lots of other lakes in NC, IL, WI and Ontario Canada.

If you are looking for a tubing, skiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing boat...the Yamaha can do it all. Its not really a fishing boat...but we have threads here where folks are modifying their boats to fish from.

Ask away and you'll get plenty of answers here!

If you look on the member map and see someone in the location you are in, you can use the @<name> feature to get their attention if you ask them a question.

 

[Mauimike]

Thank you, Sir.

 

[octavio3311]

The 2015 AR240 will fill your needs - and then some.
It's a fantastic boat!

 

[Andy S]

Hello, great experienced 2015 AR 240 and jet boat owners!

Took a test drive on the protected river in the Charleston South Carolina area. Yamaha boats was not at the Charleston boat show, that tells me something.

The question!

Do you think the 2015 AR240 will Handel the intercostal and rough water? Will it be ok in the creeks? Could I resell this type of boat in this area, when I think based on my limited knowledge CC boats are the boat type to have here. Is the the Yamaha 2015 AR240 the right boat for me? Thank you in advance for your time in advisement. Also I joined another form and only got 3 response in a week so I'm hoping the form is strong with this one... . Just joined today so I missed the new Yamaha boat photos I have been looking for!

Mike

@Mauimike I am a little shocked that there were no Yamaha's at the Charleston Boat show. The Charleston Yamaha dealer, Charleston Power Sports & Marine http://www.charlestonps.com/, which who probably gave you the test ride has been selling Yamaha's for over 7 years, @Stacey in SC bought her 2008 from them and was very happy with the sale & service.

Others have answered you questions about handling the intercoast waterways, rough water, and creeks and I fully agree with them. I have boated in all those conditions plus 3 trips to Bimini and my 2007 SX230 handles those conditions very well. I could only image that the 2015 24 footers with the new keel and rudder will handle those conditions even better.

As for resale of a Yamaha's in South Carolina. I regular watch boat ads and craigslist to see what is out there and the used Yamaha's from 2005 and newer seem to sell as fast as any other boat brand. The older 2 stroke version of these boats seem to struggle.

Hope this helps!

 

[ACRDSPORT14]

I used my dad's 21' sea hunt in charleston bay area's. One day we went around the cooper river bridge, wasted my whole day fighting wake, and rough sea's. What a waste of a day.

 

[txav8r]

Just wanted to say welcome aboard to you @Mauimike ! You will find that the 24' yammis are great all around boats. You may find a CC more apt to bay boating, but they are a compromise when it comes to water sports. No boat fits all needs perfectly and they all give up something to gain somewhere else. While you may not have the perfect boat for cruising, it will do it nicely. But lets face it, cruising ICW or the bays as well as open ocean isn't the best in anything under 30-35'. But then again, tubing behind a 35' flybridge is not the best either. Yamaha builds a great all around boat and it can do MANY things very well. Just look at the 20 to 30 boats that make a trek across the gulf stream every year to Bimini in the Bahamas! We have plenty of guys that go open water, even guys in Oahu, Maui, Austrailia, even a guy boating both oceans from Panama! We have guys doing parasailing, water jet

scuba diving, charters, rentals, even have a member(s) that developed a wake wedge to make the Yamaha even more competitive with purpose specific boats. Guys fish these boats successfully too. You will have more than enough boat to use in any of the areas you mentioned, and you will enjoy it more than a CC in a vast array of activities, but the deeper V and outboard drive of the CC may provide you more bay boat capability...but that is just a maybe, because tomorrow, you may find that Yamaha offers something in that market as well. The question is, is 19' more comfortable than 24'?...I doubt it, but everything is a compromise. Now if you want to go grab a nice 35' CC with 3 350 O/B Yamahas strapped to the back...you won't have any issues in most water...but you won't have a great swim deck and lounging comfort of the AR either. It is a compromise...all of them are. Once again, welcome aboard and good luck on the decision. I would find one of these guys in your area, @andy07sx230ho , @Julian , and several others...not finding Stacy's screen name at the moment, but lots of information and members that love to talk about their experiences and boats. The knowledge base here evolved from that other forum...here you will get answers, most times before you can ask another question! Welcome aboard!

 

[robert843]

I too was disappointed yamaha wasn't at the Charleston show hoping they will be at the columbia one this weekend. For the purpose you mentioned the Yamaha will work great if you plan to spend more time in the harbor or off shore you may prefer something with a higher freeboard and more dead rise. As you mentioned though you planned to spend more time in the intercoastal and creeks this boat will do great for you in those conditions. We spend 90 percent of our time in the intercoastal and I wouldn't see any concerns with that boat on a daily basis in it.

 

[robert843]

So went to the Columbia show today and all they had where 3 2014's the guy from captains choice marine told me it would be several months before they got any 15's as they where overloaded with 14's he then began to give me the same sales pitch as the last dealer saying the only difference was the articulating keel when I told him that was incorrect the boat has different hull and deeper deck he told me I was incorrect and looked at me like I was an idiot I love these dealers it clearly states on the web site all new hull and deck design.

 

[Andy S]

So went to the Columbia show today and all they had where 3 2014's the guy from captains choice marine told me it would be several months before they got any 15's as they where overloaded with 14's he then began to give me the same sales pitch as the last dealer saying the only difference was the articulating keel when I told him that was incorrect the boat has different hull and deeper deck he told me I was incorrect and looked at me like I was an idiot I love these dealers it clearly states on the web site all new hull and deck design.

Things have gotten busy so I won't be making this years boat show and with what you found out I'm now glad that I can't go. I was really hoping to see the new '15, maybe during the '16 boat show I can see the '15's.

 

[Mauimike]

Thanks for everyone's kind response!

Mike