Just joined and am serious about a 2007 SX120... too old?

[Whiskey]

Hello everyone, I just joined up after reading for a couple of days. We are a family of 5 with three boys, age 19, 9 and 8. We bought a house less than a block from a lake with a private boat launch my wife is pressing me hard to get a boat. I'm a motorcycle guy and fan of Yamaha so I've always been keen on the Yamaha PWC and boats but have never owned one.

I was going to pull the trigger on a 18" second hand 2007 Sea Ray 185 Sport I/O then realized that if I'm spending around $14k for a clean used boat I'm approaching the price for a used Yamaha and that brings me to today.

I have found a 2007 SX210 that is a few hundred miles away and appears to be very clean. Is this a boat I should be wary of, or does a well kept 2007 SX210 still have alot of life in it. I own a couple 2007 Yamaha motorcycles that are heavily used and well kep and they will probobly out live me. Are the boats the same? I don't see many complaints on the Yamahas anywhere online and it seems like the way to go.

Wants:
1. Don't want to out grow the boat immediately. The Sea Ray 185 seems small already and we havn't even taken one on the water yet.

2. Want to be able to actually take 6-8 people on the boat and still water have people able to wakeboard/water ski.

3. Surfing seems cool, but it's not a need more of a want to try type thing.

4. Need to be able to go into shallow water due to snags/trees in a flooded managed lake it will be used in. Seem like the Yamahas are great for this.

5. Needs to be low maintenance like the Yammie bikes are.

Is a jet boat a good idea for a novice?

Any opinions on the age/size/power of the boat would be super appreciated!

 

[Julian]

A Yamaha sounds like a good fit. With kids that will want to get into tow sports behind the boat, I'd look for one with a tower first....not critical, but it is one of those things you may find you'll miss if you dont have it (I missed it with my SX230). I'd look for a good used AR 230 or AR 210 like this one:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2007-ar210-for-sale-20k-greenville-n-c.19881/

List your location in your profile and we may be able to help you find something in your area!

Happy hunting! Julian

 

[Whiskey]

That's a good point and I agree. Well my wife does.... But the good thing is that this boat actually has a tower on it.

 

[Whiskey]

A Yamaha sounds like a good fit. With kids that will want to get into tow sports behind the boat, I'd look for one with a tower first....not critical, but it is one of those things you may find you'll miss if you dont have it (I missed it with my SX230). I'd look for a good used AR 230 or AR 210 like this one:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2007-ar210-for-sale-20k-greenville-n-c.19881/

List your location in your profile and we may be able to help you find something in your area!

Happy hunting! Julian

Thanks! I'm actually in WA State near Lake Tapps. We pay dues for a series of local private parks that grant us access to private boat launches. It seem silly not to have a boat when there is a park with boat launch and docks 50 feet away.

 

[merlinjet]

Welcome aboard! If you're planning on carrying 6-8 people, and pulling skiers, you are definitely in the twin engine category. Shallow water cruising is a Yamaha specialty. A well cared for, low hour Yammie in the 7-8 year old range could prove to be a great value and serve you well for years to come. I've seen some 10ish year old sold by members that were in pristine condition. You just have to go see the boat and check it out on the water.

 

[Whiskey]

The seller is asking $25,000. For that price I can justify the 2016 listed in the classifieds! It's just in OK and I'm in WA.

 

[Julian]

The seller is asking $25,000. For that price I can justify the 2016 listed in the classifieds! It's just in OK and I'm in WA.

That's strange...the ad says 20k....but you can find something on your side of the country.

 

[PJ73]

I sold my Sea Ray 185 Sport last August. Family of 4 but whenever we would take out even a couple more people the boat was packed. Coolers, skiis, tube. There is no storage on those sea rays. We made the jump to a 21 ft Yamaha. The storage is fantastic, roomy, and the transom can't be beat. I don't think you'll grow out of a 21 ft quickly. The 21 footers are fantastic. That said, if you want a shit-ton of room, then go with the 24 footers. You can get an AR240 for a good price.
Oh, and...

 

[Whiskey]

Sorry, the other boat is the one for higher price, not the one listed here.

 

[Cajunchad]

We always have 6-8 on the boat with us. When we originally decided to look, we were looking at ar210's in the 20-25k range. We ended up spending a lot more (34k and I was completely uncomfortable with the amount at the time) , but getting the extra 3 ft and finding the right boat has completely been worth it. (boat was only 5 years old at the time) From what I've seen, if the previous owner(s) have maintained it properly, the yamaha's are very low maintenance. The boats are very easy to maneuver....but make sure you have the cobra fins. I would have no issues picking up a yamaha at 10 years old. Consider the hours on the engine and see how it runs in the water. We run ours in a flood lake, and have enjoyed in thoroughly. We have a tower and wake board, ski, and even a removable ballast to surf. Doesn't do quite as well as your wake board boats, but the kids really don't care.

I would actually prefer a jet boat for a novice......

 

[Whiskey]

@Cajunchad thanks for the well thought out reply. We decided to go for the 2006 SX230 knowing it was over priced when looking nationwide for a boat. We looked at a couple other SX230’s that were newer but they both looked like a mess. One reeked of fuel in the engine compartment/bilge and the other was a rusty mess in the engine compartment and throughout the boat. How someone can take zero care of such an expensive toy is beyond me.

The boat we found is a couple hours away and has no rust I can find. Has about 200 hours and is immaculate. I’d rather have a clean older boat than a rat trap newer boat.

I should be picking it up this weekend unless something falls through. Here’s a couple pictures.

We are beyond excited. The boat should last us a very long time.

 

[PJ73]

@Cajunchad thanks for the well thought out reply. We decided to go for the 2006 SX230 knowing it was over priced when looking nationwide for a boat. We looked at a couple other SX230’s that were newer but they both looked like a mess. One reeked of fuel in the engine compartment/bilge and the other was a rusty mess in the engine compartment and throughout the boat. How someone can take o
Care of such an expensive toy so poorly is beyond me.

The boat we found is a couple hours away and has no rust I can find. Has about 200 hours and is immaculate. I’d rather have a clean older boat than a rat trap newer boat.

I should be picking it up this weekend unless something falls through. Here’s a couple pictures.

We are beyond excited. The boat should last us a very long time.

 

[PJ73]

BTW, how do you like that wheel lock on the trailer?

 

[Whiskey]

It's not mine, it's the previous owners. He loves them and has one on each side of the trailer. I think you actually drag the boat off with them on but it would cause a ton of racket and more than likely rip off the valve stem. I don't think most people with go for a trailer with these on it.

 

[PJ73]

It's not mine, it's the previous owners. He loves them and has one on each side of the trailer. I think you actually drag the boat off with them on but it would cause a ton of racket and more than likely rip off the valve stem. I don't think most people with go for a trailer with these on it.

Thats what I thought. Used as more of a deterrent. If they want the boat, they're gonna take the boat.

 

[Whiskey]

We went and picked her up. We love the boat already. Picked it up Saturday and spent Saturday and Sunday on the water!

After practicing I feel that I’ve got a decent handle on the slow speed maneuvering - which is good because the park we launch from has a narrow ramp and log booms and a dock immediately around it on all sides. Hairy! The boat has jet pilot fins on it so I’m sure that helps.

We wife backed the truck in to the launch to pick me up last night and did great! She had to deal with the pressure of backing up the trailer in that tight environment and sunk the trailer like a pro.

I hope the boat lasts us a long time.

 

[OrangeTJ]

Congrats! Very nice looking boat. If you take good care of it, I'm sure it will serve you well for years and years to come. If you want the interior to stay nice, be sure to keep it covered when not in use as the sun can make a mess of a boat interior in short order. If you experience a reduction in performance, dollars to donuts it needs new spark plugs. It's amazing how sensitive these things are to spark plugs. Seriously, do yourself a favor and change them every year.

Oh, yeah - don't beat yourself up to bad when you suck up your first tow rope. It happens. Having a good sharp knife and some needle nose pliers aboard can save your day in that instance.

 

[Whiskey]

@OrangeTJ Thanks! I'll keep some needle nose pliers on the boat from now on. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Whisky]

Congrats on the boat and welcome to the forum! Great name!

 

[Whiskey]

haha nice to meet you @Whisky ! Great name youerself!