meegwell
Jetboaters Lieutenant
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 170
- Points
- 162
- Location
- Central Virginia
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2018
- Boat Model
- 242X E-Series
- Boat Length
- 24
First, many of you have been very helpful throughout this process and for that I thank yo very much.
So after about a year of stalking the Yamaha 24s, mostly the 242 LS, I finally decided to pull the trigger last week. Being my first boat with no trade-in I wanted a sizable down payment so once that all came together it was time to go. Problem was, as many of you know, options are limited and market prices are unusual (in the bad way for the buyer of course). Between here, there, and the big used boat sites I always had my eye on a few. I was looking between 2016-2019. I already paid for a slip in a trendy downtown marina and they were about sold out so it was time to move.
I was battling the distance to travel issue. I've towed a popup and some smaller trailers but didn't want to jump into this size tow with a trip from Florida to central VA (for example). That being said I was also exploring shipping option. Then within a week or so two 242X's showed up within an hour or so drive from me. I was still set on the LS, not feeling the need for the more surf-specific features with the associated bigger price tag, so I continued to drag my feat a bit.
At some point I convinced myself the 242x would be awesome and time is running out before summer starts. My wife/kids were already informed of this decision to buy a boat so that letdown would have been problematic. These two boats were a 2019 w/ 60 hrs asking $69, and 2018 I believe 190 hrs asking $71 (go figure?). I put an offer in on the first - it was a bank repo so the broker had to submit it and the bank accepted my offer of $68. Then someone came in "well above $70". Gone. I immediately called the other one and I hear "I just took a deposit this morning". Gone. I called a Florida ad for an LS and they said it was long gone (the boat websites let these things linger) so I started to panic a bit.
Right about then another 242x (2018) showed up about 3 hours away. I called them, it was available, so I asked if I could submit an offer. They said don't bother with any offers he is not budging ($72). I wasn't going to hang up I just said OK lets get this done. After some inspection contingency discussion 24 hours later I was driving 3 hours to look at the boat and sign the papers. In the meantime I lined up a shipper from uShip and the following day it arrived in my driveway.
All happened fast. Yes, I would have preferred to take my time and have a sea trial and wait for the perfect 242 LS but looking at the market, the prices, and how quickly they go, I do not regret it. They boat is mint in every aspect (except low batteries but thats another thread - solved). Problem is it's been raining here basically since the day after it arrived (about a week) so I can only look at it out the window, all covered up. Oh well, worse problems to have I guess....
So after about a year of stalking the Yamaha 24s, mostly the 242 LS, I finally decided to pull the trigger last week. Being my first boat with no trade-in I wanted a sizable down payment so once that all came together it was time to go. Problem was, as many of you know, options are limited and market prices are unusual (in the bad way for the buyer of course). Between here, there, and the big used boat sites I always had my eye on a few. I was looking between 2016-2019. I already paid for a slip in a trendy downtown marina and they were about sold out so it was time to move.
I was battling the distance to travel issue. I've towed a popup and some smaller trailers but didn't want to jump into this size tow with a trip from Florida to central VA (for example). That being said I was also exploring shipping option. Then within a week or so two 242X's showed up within an hour or so drive from me. I was still set on the LS, not feeling the need for the more surf-specific features with the associated bigger price tag, so I continued to drag my feat a bit.
At some point I convinced myself the 242x would be awesome and time is running out before summer starts. My wife/kids were already informed of this decision to buy a boat so that letdown would have been problematic. These two boats were a 2019 w/ 60 hrs asking $69, and 2018 I believe 190 hrs asking $71 (go figure?). I put an offer in on the first - it was a bank repo so the broker had to submit it and the bank accepted my offer of $68. Then someone came in "well above $70". Gone. I immediately called the other one and I hear "I just took a deposit this morning". Gone. I called a Florida ad for an LS and they said it was long gone (the boat websites let these things linger) so I started to panic a bit.
Right about then another 242x (2018) showed up about 3 hours away. I called them, it was available, so I asked if I could submit an offer. They said don't bother with any offers he is not budging ($72). I wasn't going to hang up I just said OK lets get this done. After some inspection contingency discussion 24 hours later I was driving 3 hours to look at the boat and sign the papers. In the meantime I lined up a shipper from uShip and the following day it arrived in my driveway.
All happened fast. Yes, I would have preferred to take my time and have a sea trial and wait for the perfect 242 LS but looking at the market, the prices, and how quickly they go, I do not regret it. They boat is mint in every aspect (except low batteries but thats another thread - solved). Problem is it's been raining here basically since the day after it arrived (about a week) so I can only look at it out the window, all covered up. Oh well, worse problems to have I guess....
