researching for a purchase next spring

[Mike & Lilly]

I like to have the option of having the Bimini or not to have it. The whole cage thing turned me off on the x models. The lager size would be nice but is not necessary for me.

That's my concern I like to have the option but the amount of shade the SE provides its attractive specifically in florida, thank you guys for the reply

 

[2nazt]

If you don't like the shade I think you can get a big water pad to tie up behind the boat. I know some members have it but they set it up at Silver Glen. and it was awesome. @JetSet407 do you know who has the huge blue pad they put behind the boat? Or pictures of it. I will look for a generic google photo though.


Edit to show picture idea

 

[Mike & Lilly]

View attachment 48999


If you don't like the shade I think you can get a big water pad to tie up behind the boat. I know some members have it but they set it up at Silver Glen. and it was awesome. @JetSet407 do you know who has the huge blue pad they put behind the boat? Or pictures of it. I will look for a generic google photo though.


Edit to show picture idea

That's pretty cool

 

[Just1more]

We have the ar240 2015. Previous was ar190 2012. We love these boats. We did add fins and upgraded stereo speakers to both boats. The 240 is very roomy and an awesome ride. Is it April yet? Good luck to you!

 

[JetSet407]

@2nazt Yes I believe @Benny Sibbitt has one.

 

[bronze_10]

I so jealous of you 100+ hour a year guys! I need a new job lol. Makes my measly 20 hours a year combined between skis and boats look pathetic.

AND u live at the beach.. that's makes it even worse..

 

[McMark]

Super happy with my 2015 AR240. No fins here. I don't like dangly bits hanging below the hull. I bought cobras but now just have the extra tie rod on there and no fins.

 

[Drift Away]

hey all. I'm starting my research for a boat purchase for next season. Im in Maryland (on the severn river) and new to jet boats. grew up with I/O s. last boat as a 23' cuddy. looking for a bowrider this time around (21-24ft) for my family (me, wife, 4 year old, and 2 year old) and weighing the pros and cons of jet vs I/O. I'm here to hopefully soak up as much feedback as possible. i really like the new yamaha AR240 and its right at my max price point. I want to buy new this time around and not risk inheriting someone else's headaches.

The yamaha boat is almost Bulletproof. Take care of it, do the scheduled maintenance and it should last for years. I looked at the same AR240 but could not justify the extra money for the wakeboard tower. A good friend of mine has the AR with speaker pods hanging down sounds really nice accept I'm six foot four and hit my head on it 3 times in about an hour. Neither me or my wife wakeboard so the extra three or four thousand didn't seem worth it. We ended up going with the SX240. All the 24 footers are practically the same boat just a few different features on each.

 

[Glen]

Super happy with my 2015 AR240. No fins here. I don't like dangly bits hanging below the hull. I bought cobras but now just have the extra tie rod on there and no fins.

fins do not hang below the hull

 

[swatski]

fins do not hang below the hull

True. The Cobra AKs're like almost a foot above the keel/articulating hull (rudder) level:

 

[McMark]

Come on now, You guys know what I mean.

 

[robert843]

Come on now, You guys know what I mean.

I agree no need for fins. You don't go buy sports motorcycle and put training wheels on it. Well I guess some people do.

 

[Glen]

I agree no need for fins. You don't go buy sports motorcycle and put training wheels on it. Well I guess some people do.

View attachment 49166

Yamaha made a very clear decision (design/price) to not be in the 'sports motorcycle' business (I owed a VFR 700, in my 20's), when it built the modern ('15+) 24 footers. If you want that, shop smaller, or older.

As a guy with 1000's of hours on blue water (personal & US Navy/Marines (including inflatable raiders)), I see fins on jet boats, like traction control on cars.
It's cool having old hot rods, that are loose on the road. But I don't put my family in those cars for extended periods of time, because we know better now.
.02

 

[Glen]

Come on now, You guys know what I mean.

I don't-
What liability are you adding (with fins)?
Everything added is up behind the hull, yet in the flow of water (added rudder effect)

For me the decision ends when I experienced that even with the 'articulating keel' ('15+), that I could not decelerate rapidly and change my heading, simultaneously.
Not necessary often, but when you do, it is MASSIVELY important.

 

[McMark]

I don't-
What liability are you adding (with fins)?
Everything added is up behind the hull, yet in the flow of water (added rudder effect)

For me the decision ends when I experienced that even with the 'articulating keel' ('15+), that I could not decelerate rapidly and change my heading, simultaneously.
Not necessary often, but when you do, it is MASSIVELY important.

@Glen
If you happen to cross a floating stick or branch it's not going to slide right down the middle of the keel. It's going down one side of the hull or the other and smack into the fins. Unfortunately, we have to worry about plenty of debris where I boat.

 

[Glen]

@Glen
If you happen to cross a floating stick or branch it's not going to slide right down the middle of the keel. It's going down one side of the hull or the other and smack into the fins. Unfortunately, we have to worry about plenty of debris where I boat.

Everything in boats is about trade-offs. To get X, you need to give up y.

In this case, for us, getting better steerage is worth the exposure of that rudder/fin surface hitting something floating.

 

[swatski]

For me the decision ends when I experienced that even with the 'articulating keel' ('15+), that I could not decelerate rapidly and change my heading, simultaneously.
Not necessary often, but when you do, it is MASSIVELY important.

I think @Glen put it best here.

Those new keeled hull 24footers have electronically limited reverse and steerability of log-wood when not under power, which can be dangerous.

Distinct from that issue, I run more shallow than most, in a river that is notorious for debris and obstacles. I maybe jinxing myself here, but the way I see it, it's vanishingly unlikely I will ever catch anything with the Cobra AKs that I use right now. I don't even think about it. I don't know of any cases of those fins being damaged due to hitting anything underwater. Same with the Ultimates. Is it possible? - sure, but I worry about hitting rocks or getting gravel/debris in my intakes. And just like Glen said, the first time I missed a turn -- because the boat would massively understeer -- I knew I was going to do something about it.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/how-shallow-can-you-go.11781/

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2016-ar240-cobra-fins-magnum-ak-w-fangs-install-and-first-impressions-plus-ez-locks-refresher.11530/

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[McMark]

I'm not saying fins don't work. They do work. I have a set of cobra jets. They are the best option for fins. The brackets that attach them to the nozzles bent so obviously something is contacting the fins during normal operation. I didn't hit or know of hitting anything and I don't beat the boat. I took them off and left the second tie rod on there.

 

[robert843]

Yamaha made a very clear decision (design/price) to not be in the 'sports motorcycle' business (I owed a VFR 700, in my 20's), when it built the modern ('15+) 24 footers. If you want that, shop smaller, or older.

As a guy with 1000's of hours on blue water (personal & US Navy/Marines (including inflatable raiders)), I see fins on jet boats, like traction control on cars.
It's cool having old hot rods, that are loose on the road. But I don't put my family in those cars for extended periods of time, because we know better now.
.02

Glen I will definitely start by saying thank you for your service! I do not have 1000's of hours of experience on blue water only maybe a couple hundred as a captain of various vessels and maybe another 100 as a passenger so your experience does surpass mine in that category by a long shot. I have owned over a dozen sports bikes in the last 18 years so I do understand the concept on this and I would very much argue that 24 ft Yamaha is very much like owning a sports bike when compared to most bow riders in the similar length category. I looked and could not easily find a bow rider that is a non jet that could pass the planing time and the 0-30 time of the Yamaha. I just looked up 5 brands that I knew off the top of my head and most were not even really close. As for fins I can only speak for my personal experience and at this point I have only had one time where I felt fins would be advantage for me and that's when someone who has never driven a jet boat takes the wheel as most mention they have a tough time at fist keeping the boat straight at idle speeds but usually only take me a minute or two of showing them what to do and they are good. I feel my 240 is more maneuverable then my 20ft I/O that I still have as well. Once again I have no experience on fins so I cant say whether they are better or worse just personally have seen no need for them. Even in the circumstance of needing rapid deceleration I understand the characteristics of my boat and know that if this situation were to arise I need to turn the wheel quickly while under power then pull back on the throttle once the vessel has started the turn and will give probably more effect then pulling back on the throttle and then turning with fins. My post was really meant more to just be funny I sure hope no one took offence to it if they did I apologize. Fins are a personal preference if some feel they need them more power to them its there boat and there choice I would never question which radio someone put in there its the same with fins I would just tell someone first getting into this try it with out fins first if it doesn't work for you get them.

2015 Yamaha AR240 320 HP time to plane 2.3 seconds 0-30 4.3 seconds
2016 Formula 240 BR 320 HP time to plane 7.5 seconds 0-30 9.9 seconds
2015 Cobalt r5 375 HP time to plane ? 0-30 7.59 seconds
Bryant Calandra 320 HP time to plane 3.2 seconds 0-30 8.5 seconds
Chaparral Suncoast 300 HP outboard time to plane 3.0 seconds 0-30 8.5 seconds

 

[swatski]

@robert843 I think we all agree about the fins in jet boats in general being a personal preference. However, the new 240/242 are SEVERELY impaired in reverse, which is electronically limited in all Connext boats, and worse yet with NO override in E-series.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/override-in-reverse-for-e-series.10086/#post-173896

There has been a Yamaha vs Scarab or Chaparral comparison video posted here about the wide turning radius of the new Yammies - I think it is quite accurate actually! These new hulls do not want to turn, and truck strait.

IDK what else but fins? I honestly feel like I can use any help I can get to beef up that little OEM rudder-eske appendage function.

My 0.02
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