Just got the OK from the Boss!!!

[Tempest]

Well, after roughly 4 years my wife is finally on board! It’s funny how things work out... I’ve always wanted a Glastron GTS 187/207 because I loved the purity and looks of them and was bummed when they were discontinued. They are nonexistent on the used marketplace too. The one that I did find that was worth buying would cost me roughly $32k all in to my door, hardly a deal on a 3 year old no longer made boat in my opinion. With that being said, I’ve also pined for a red Scarab 195 ID On again, off again.
A friend just picked up and came by with a new $17k 2019 Kawasaki JetSki over the weekend and my wife told me to just get one of those hoping it would quell my boat desire... suffice to say, it won’t. His son ran it aground at the end of the day and now it needs an impeller... I accompanied him to the dealer to drop it off and started to warm up to a Yamaha AR 195 in red but, I despise the seating configuration.
Another friend with a diner whose customers are a local Yamaha dealer offered to work with me on negotiating a mutually beneficial deal as a result of their relationship. I surprised my family with news that I put down a deposit (I didn’t... yet) but, something is still keeping me from pulling the trigger. I genuinely hate the seating, the dashboard and the interior layout in general. The value for the money however and their reputation for build quality and reliability have me strongly considering them (sticker is $38.5k) on a 2020.
i made one last-ditched online search and a NEW red 2018 Scarab 195 ID came up for $35.5k. MSRP on a similar 2020 is $50-52k. Wakeboard tower, standard dash, standard audio package but, exactly how I’ve been building one on the site otherwise. I do not know about the engine, I’m afraid it’s the 200 hp variant and I would have been most comfortable with the 250 hp. If it’s the 250 hp I’m going for it! I guess what I’m asking is what do I do? looking for some opinions as I’ve never been interested in the Yamaha and I think the Scarab seems priced to move, I’m even brazen enough to try to negotiate further on it. If I’m not mistaken, a 2018 doesn’t need the supercharger rebuild either. Looking for advice, thanks!!!

 

[HangOutdoors]

How big is your family? How many people do you envision in your boat? Do you have a storage constraint? Have you looked at any of the Yamaha 21' boats? Or circa 21' in general? Not sure what is still available out there. I felt the 19' foot boats, not just Yamaha felt a bit cramped. 2 of us and 2 kids quickly turned into 2 of us and 5-6 kids, including friends, gear and watersports stuff. The onboard storage felt small as well. Make sure the boat will fit your lifestyle and usage case for the next 3-5 years, you can't add on size or reconfigure seating. Unless I am mistaken the 195ID we looked at is really 18' 10" and maxes out at 8 people.

The AR210 we got had a better seating arrangement with the J Seating and twin engines. I would have liked the 1.8's in the 212 but not for the cost at this time. The Scarab looked good inside and felt like it had a good finish.

What also sold us on Yamaha was the clean out ports on the swim deck, rather than having to get under the boat out on the water, which in a bad chop sounded less than fun and dangerous. As far as feel, we didn't test the Scarab so I cannot speak to that.

Also where do you live and boat? Lakes, Rivers, Ocean? Very large bodies of water or just inland lakes or both? I wanted a bigger boat and the 21' handles Lake St. Clair and the Great Lakes better than a 19' yet fits in an inland lake and river just fine.

 

[anmut]

I too hated the AR platform seating. That's why we bought the 212S.

 

[Tempest]

How big is your family? How many people do you envision in your boat? Do you have a storage constraint? Have you looked at any of the Yamaha 21' boats? Or circa 21' in general? Not sure what is still available out there. I felt the 19' foot boats, not just Yamaha felt a bit cramped. 2 of us and 2 kids quickly turned into 2 of us and 5-6 kids, including friends, gear and watersports stuff. The onboard storage felt small as well. Make sure the boat will fit your lifestyle and usage case for the next 3-5 years, you can't add on size or reconfigure seating. Unless I am mistaken the 195ID we looked at is really 18' 10" and maxes out at 8 people.

The AR210 we got had a better seating arrangement with the J Seating and twin engines. I would have liked the 1.8's in the 212 but not for the cost at this time. The Scarab looked good inside and felt like it had a good finish.

What also sold us on Yamaha was the clean out ports on the swim deck, rather than having to get under the boat out on the water, which in a bad chop sounded less than fun and dangerous. As far as feel, we didn't test the Scarab so I cannot speak to that.

Also where do you live and boat? Lakes, Rivers, Ocean? Very large bodies of water or just inland lakes or both? I wanted a bigger boat and the 21' handles Lake St. Clair and the Great Lakes better than a 19' yet fits in an inland lake and river just fine.

Honestly, it's just the 3 of us. My wife and I and my 11-year-old daughter and our pug. We already have a weekend home where I will be leaving the boat and will trailer it not even a quarter of a mile down the road to a drop off. As a matter fact, I have several drop offs to pick from. We are located on the Peconic Bay of Long Island, right next to shelter Island. The boat will be used basically for some day tripping and mild water sports. I am sure that some people will be coming along but really don't expect a full house. The cleanout ports of the Yamaha are the number one reason I am even considering one. I dread potentially having to enter the water to clear any debris, ropes etc... on the shaft but, would never even consider the boat with an exposed prop with my family and the amount of children close to the shore. Aside from the exterior styling I do not like the Yamaha (it's just me I'm sure).
As I mentioned earlier, I'd have to say in terms of styling that the Glastron GTS is 207 is my favorite boat to look at. That boat came in at roughly 21 feet but, a similar size boat in either a Yamaha or Scarab would completely price me out as they would have 2 engines etc... Will be calling the dealer shortly to get the exact specs.

 

[Dean P]

Our first jetboat was the SX-192. Kept it for 3 years before jumping into a larger jetboat. They say to buy your second boat first. There's a lot of truth to that. I ended up getting a (used) 2017 Chaparral 223VRX. Yes, you are correct with the 2018 and up superchargers are maintenance free (as are mine). The Rotax BRP engines are sound and are very fast. Their bucket design and iST system are fantastic and make handling very easy (especially at low speeds). My advice is to buy your second boat first cause you will fall in love with boating and be hooked forever.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Sounds like the boats you are looking at in the 19' range would be perfect for you then.

 

[minn19]

My wife and daughter had to talk me into getting another boat since I'm the main one doing the work on it etc. So far glad they did as it had been a lot of fun.

 

[Tempest]

Sounds like the boats you are looking at in the 19' range would be perfect for you then.

Just spoke with the dealer. Boat had the 250hp engine but sold this last Saturday. I'm seriously in funk right now...

 

[Winerocks]

Bummer the boat sold. We went with Scarab over Yamaha for a few reasons. Both have great layouts, and make best use of the space. Never felt cramped, or that there was unused space. What sold us on the Scarab was low-speed maneuverability, overall power, and the engines. When other people have asked why we went with Scarab, I've told them that it was like comparing a Buick to a BMW. Buick is the Yamaha, BMW is the Scarab. One is a very comfortable cruising boat, one is more of a driver's boat.
I think you can't go wrong either way.
The general consensus with the cleanout ports in Yamahas is that although they seem like a good idea, are more of a gimmick. I boat in a river that tends to have a fair bit of debris (logs, sticks, plastic bottles, weeds), and have never had to manually pull anything out of either pump. Things get in there, but a couple of donuts and kill the engines, and the crud comes out. The debilitating thing (never had this happened...currently knocking on wood) is when ski lines get wrapped up. The cleanout ports on Yamahas is not going to help much in getting this out.
Hope this helps.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Tempest I feel for you and I know how that feels.... Only one thing to do! Keep looking your boat is out there somewhere.

 

[minn19]

Bummer the boat sold. We went with Scarab over Yamaha for a few reasons. Both have great layouts, and make best use of the space. Never felt cramped, or that there was unused space. What sold us on the Scarab was low-speed maneuverability, overall power, and the engines. When other people have asked why we went with Scarab, I've told them that it was like comparing a Buick to a BMW. Buick is the Yamaha, BMW is the Scarab. One is a very comfortable cruising boat, one is more of a driver's boat.
I think you can't go wrong either way.
The general consensus with the cleanout ports in Yamahas is that although they seem like a good idea, are more of a gimmick. I boat in a river that tends to have a fair bit of debris (logs, sticks, plastic bottles, weeds), and have never had to manually pull anything out of either pump. Things get in there, but a couple of donuts and kill the engines, and the crud comes out. The debilitating thing (never had this happened...currently knocking on wood) is when ski lines get wrapped up. The cleanout ports on Yamahas is not going to help much in getting this out.
Hope this helps.

You haven't driven a newer BMW lately have you?

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Tempest was looking something up at the Marina and I noticed this on Scarab Boats, may be of interest to you.

Scarab Specials | SkipperBud's | Midwest's Largest Boat Dealer

Browse through our Scarab clearance stock! SkipperBud's is the Midwest's largest boat dealer with over twenty locations including California and Washington. Stop by and get financed for the boat of your dreams!

www.skipperbuds.com

 

[Julian]

NEW red 2018 Scarab 195 ID came up for $35.5k. MSRP on a similar 2020 is $50-52k.

Not sure where you got the 50-52K number from....they start at $38,300 and go up to $41,900. Here is the JD Power price with 250hp

 

[HangOutdoors]

Why are there still This year, 1 and 2 year old Scarabs New available and all the Yamaha's are sold out? Is it just perception or are the maintenance issue's, or is it something else? Not trying to stir the pot, was just curious as far as Jet Boats are concerned.

 

[Nexus]

Well, after roughly 4 years my wife is finally on board!

When we bought our first boat, my wife was luke-warm to the idea, to say the least. We ended up purchasing a 12-year old Sea-Doo for 15K. I figured that even if we lost 100% of the value of the boat (broken down, stolen, just didn't want it anymore), it wouldn't be the end of the world. It would hurt, but be manageable. Anyway once we got the boat, she loved it! She loved being on it more than I do, I think. So, when I was thinking about purchasing a new Scarab, I figured she'd be the voice of reason and would veto the idea. Nope! She was full-on board! We are now the proud owners of a 2019 Scarab 195 ID. All that to say is that once you're out on the boat, your wife will see the value of the boat and will see you as the smartest man on the planet! I'm sure your daughter will love being out there too!

Not sure where you got the 50-52K number from....they start at $38,300 and go up to $41,900. Here is the JD Power price with 250hp

A new Scarab 195 ID (250 hp) starts at $38,300 but can go up to over $64,000 (with the factory discount) if you completely spec it out!

 

[Winerocks]

You haven't driven a newer BMW lately have you?

Ha! I’ve got a 2008, before they got soft.

 

[Winerocks]

Why are there still This year, 1 and 2 year old Scarabs New available and all the Yamaha's are sold out? Is it just perception or are the maintenance issue's, or is it something else? Not trying to stir the pot, was just curious as far as Jet Boats are concerned.

I think there are a few reasons. The first and likely most important is that they are a very young company, fighting for market share. Another is that Seadoo boats disappeared, and Scarab appeared, and people were confused. In addition, Scarab, Chaparel, and Glastron (all owned by Beneteau) all basically launched the same jetboats at the same time with the same powertrains. This lead to a bit of an oversupply that has dominoed over a few years.
Yamaha has been in the jetboat market for 20 years, and as such are well-established in the industry. They push things like the cleanout ports and manufacturing their own engines, which gets peoples’ attention (both got my attention) I think there may be better dealer support with Yamaha as well.
Scarab is still trying to get a foothold in the boating world, where buyers tend to be very brand-loyal.
I love my Scarab, and don’t regret buying it over a Yamaha.

 

[Tempest]

Ok, not to be deterred, whom do you guys recommend I reach out to to get a quote? Paying MSRP would suck and I'm unwilling to do so... I'd sooner buy in January... Thanks!

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Winerocks Excellent information very good points they all make sense, thank you.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Tempest I linked you Skipper Buds above. If you would like me to I can send you all the Scarab places around here, some don't list their boats in boat trader, but I am not sure if Michigan is in your zone, etc. Let me know, I don't mind.