Sea Doo Switch 21 Cruise purchase dilemma

[rockdoc]

I've been on the water for over 20 years, and I thought I had the used boat market figured out. But this fall has thrown me a curveball that's got me scratching my head, and I'm hoping some of the seasoned folks here can help me make a final decision. I've always loved the idea of a Yamaha, but an interesting offer on a brand-new Sea-Doo has me second-guessing everything.

My family and I boat on the St. John River here in New Brunswick, which can get quite choppy at times, so a stable ride is important. We're a family of 4 and commonly have 5-6 people on board, and we enjoy basic watersports like skiing - by no means experts a;though I do deep water start on a slalom ski. I also need to be able to pull the boat out of the water regularly.

Here's the situation:

My first choice was a Yamaha jet boat, specifically a 2011 242 Limited S. I love the simplicity of a jet drive and the lower risk of a costly outdrive repair. The local market for these is thin, and the few listings are priced so high that the value proposition is tough to justify.

Because of the lack of good used Yamaha options, I started looking at a 2011 Sea Ray 260 Sundeck with a 5.7L Mag and Bravo III drive. It's in mint condition with only 200 hours. The fit and finish and the space are impressive, plus it has a pump-out head, which my wife loves. As an experienced boater, I'm well aware of the maintenance and risks of an I/O, so I'm hesitant.

While I was doing my due diligence on the Sea Ray, a dealer reached out to me with an interesting proposition: a 2024 Sea-Doo Switch 21' Cruise 230hp for $40,000 CDN with a warranty until the end of 2027. This is a boat I hadn't even considered. I'm intrigued by the modularity and the ease of use with the iBR and handlebar steering. My main concerns are the long-term reliability of a new concept boat and whether it can handle the choppy conditions of the river.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has experience with these different types of boats.

To anyone who has owned both a Yamaha jet boat or other traditional boat and a Switch: How do they compare in terms of handling and ride in chop? Do you miss the Yamaha's twin-engine performance? Do you find the Switch's modularity a game-changer? Any regrets with the Switch or was it a good compromize.

To anyone who has owned a traditional deck boat like a Sea Ray and a Switch: Is the build quality of the Switch a major step down, or is it just different?

I am leaning toward purchasing the Switch but have to admit the comfort of the 260 Sundeck with a 5.7l Mag paired with a BIII is attractive. The Sundeck is a 2011 with 200hrs in freshwater. Both boats are the same price and located 6 hours from me.

Thanks in advance for any insights.

 

[Bluewater272]

Never driven a switch, but whenever I see them out on the bay when its mildly choppy (less than 2'), no one looks like they are enjoying the ride.

 

[Neutron]

I've been on the water for over 20 years, and I thought I had the used boat market figured out. But this fall has thrown me a curveball that's got me scratching my head, and I'm hoping some of the seasoned folks here can help me make a final decision. I've always loved the idea of a Yamaha, but an interesting offer on a brand-new Sea-Doo has me second-guessing everything.

My family and I boat on the St. John River here in New Brunswick, which can get quite choppy at times, so a stable ride is important. We're a family of 4 and commonly have 5-6 people on board, and we enjoy basic watersports like skiing - by no means experts a;though I do deep water start on a slalom ski. I also need to be able to pull the boat out of the water regularly.

Here's the situation:

My first choice was a Yamaha jet boat, specifically a 2011 242 Limited S. I love the simplicity of a jet drive and the lower risk of a costly outdrive repair. The local market for these is thin, and the few listings are priced so high that the value proposition is tough to justify.

Because of the lack of good used Yamaha options, I started looking at a 2011 Sea Ray 260 Sundeck with a 5.7L Mag and Bravo III drive. It's in mint condition with only 200 hours. The fit and finish and the space are impressive, plus it has a pump-out head, which my wife loves. As an experienced boater, I'm well aware of the maintenance and risks of an I/O, so I'm hesitant.

While I was doing my due diligence on the Sea Ray, a dealer reached out to me with an interesting proposition: a 2024 Sea-Doo Switch 21' Cruise 230hp for $40,000 CDN with a warranty until the end of 2027. This is a boat I hadn't even considered. I'm intrigued by the modularity and the ease of use with the iBR and handlebar steering. My main concerns are the long-term reliability of a new concept boat and whether it can handle the choppy conditions of the river.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has experience with these different types of boats.

To anyone who has owned both a Yamaha jet boat or other traditional boat and a Switch: How do they compare in terms of handling and ride in chop? Do you miss the Yamaha's twin-engine performance? Do you find the Switch's modularity a game-changer? Any regrets with the Switch or was it a good compromize.

To anyone who has owned a traditional deck boat like a Sea Ray and a Switch: Is the build quality of the Switch a major step down, or is it just different?

I am leaning toward purchasing the Switch but have to admit the comfort of the 260 Sundeck with a 5.7l Mag paired with a BIII is attractive. The Sundeck is a 2011 with 200hrs in freshwater. Both boats are the same price and located 6 hours from me.

Thanks in advance for any insights.View attachment 240265View attachment 240266

My local dealer has told me the switch is hard to sell thats why they offer great deals on them.
I asked him if they had a lot of issues with them, he said a lot of head gasket issues. He said his opinion is that sea doo will probably stop producing them if sales dont pick up.

 

[steelhorse454]

I've been on the water for over 20 years, and I thought I had the used boat market figured out. But this fall has thrown me a curveball that's got me scratching my head, and I'm hoping some of the seasoned folks here can help me make a final decision. I've always loved the idea of a Yamaha, but an interesting offer on a brand-new Sea-Doo has me second-guessing everything.

My family and I boat on the St. John River here in New Brunswick, which can get quite choppy at times, so a stable ride is important. We're a family of 4 and commonly have 5-6 people on board, and we enjoy basic watersports like skiing - by no means experts a;though I do deep water start on a slalom ski. I also need to be able to pull the boat out of the water regularly.

Here's the situation:

My first choice was a Yamaha jet boat, specifically a 2011 242 Limited S. I love the simplicity of a jet drive and the lower risk of a costly outdrive repair. The local market for these is thin, and the few listings are priced so high that the value proposition is tough to justify.

Because of the lack of good used Yamaha options, I started looking at a 2011 Sea Ray 260 Sundeck with a 5.7L Mag and Bravo III drive. It's in mint condition with only 200 hours. The fit and finish and the space are impressive, plus it has a pump-out head, which my wife loves. As an experienced boater, I'm well aware of the maintenance and risks of an I/O, so I'm hesitant.

While I was doing my due diligence on the Sea Ray, a dealer reached out to me with an interesting proposition: a 2024 Sea-Doo Switch 21' Cruise 230hp for $40,000 CDN with a warranty until the end of 2027. This is a boat I hadn't even considered. I'm intrigued by the modularity and the ease of use with the iBR and handlebar steering. My main concerns are the long-term reliability of a new concept boat and whether it can handle the choppy conditions of the river.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has experience with these different types of boats.

To anyone who has owned both a Yamaha jet boat or other traditional boat and a Switch: How do they compare in terms of handling and ride in chop? Do you miss the Yamaha's twin-engine performance? Do you find the Switch's modularity a game-changer? Any regrets with the Switch or was it a good compromize.

To anyone who has owned a traditional deck boat like a Sea Ray and a Switch: Is the build quality of the Switch a major step down, or is it just different?

I am leaning toward purchasing the Switch but have to admit the comfort of the 260 Sundeck with a 5.7l Mag paired with a BIII is attractive. The Sundeck is a 2011 with 200hrs in freshwater. Both boats are the same price and located 6 hours from me.

Thanks in advance for any insights.View attachment 240265View attachment 240266

I have heard nothing but horror stories about the switch. They flip over easily, the quality of fit and finish is not great, and the motors do not compare to Yamaha re: quality.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

For me, a switch is not an option for a number of reasons, firstly they’re unstable and I’ve seen several reports of them capsizing in waters that were not that rough. You mentioned choppy waters where you boat, pick a choppy day and take it for a test ride.

There are no clean out ports on the switch to clear up pump intake clogs, yes they have some sort of back flush system, but I would not have bought a jet boat without clean out ports like the Yamaha.

You like to ski, I sincerely doubt that switch is going to be a decent ski tow boat, I have zero experience with them but it just doesn’t look like a good ski tow boat, the Sea Ray would probably be the best option with the Yamaha next.

On the Yamaha you’re looking at, it’s too old. Yamaha has a bad habit of no longer making some critical parts, specifically the multi function tachs or dash screens. There are some folks on here that are struggling with this, one owner made a new dash panel and cut his instrumentation over to analog gauges for fuel level, tachometers and engine heat, he tied up his original instrumentation cluster behind the dash but has lost other functions such as engine alarms in terms of other overheating conditions in the exhaust system. So if you’re keen on the Yamaha get one that’s only a couple of years old.

I’m not trying to trash the Yamahas, I love my 210 FSH!, I’ve got about 730 hours on the engines and they run great. I’m just being honest with you. They’re great boats and the bang for the buck can’t be beat. I love the swim deck as it makes a 21’ boat have as much usable deck space as a 23-24’ outboard boat. I land almost all of my fish on the swim deck, I like hanging out on the swim deck too. I love looking at other boats but always come back to the swim deck. For me the best alternative in a conventional boat is an I/O drive with a swim deck.

The bravo III outdrive is a duo prop if I’m not mistaken and these provide a lot of bite in the water, great for pulling a skier up out of the water, they have no prop walk or torque steer as well as better mpg over a single prop in a given platform, and you said the boat is in mint condition.

Another point you make is about launching and retrieving the boat, the Yamaha jet boats can get pushed around by the wind pretty easily as they do not have a keel or an outdrive to hold them in the water, I can only imagine what the switch and its much higher windage would be like. As far as low speed handling, the twin engine Yamaha handles pretty good, being able to use the differential thrust is huge. In the later model boats, where they have the improved jet pumps and articulating keel, using no wake mode at level three gives a lot of low speed directional control. I do not have any aftermarket steering systems as I don’t need them.

I’ve learned to launch and retrieve my boat in some pretty sporty conditions, and when it’s too windy differential thrust is just not effective enough and you have to use both engines together and the steering wheel. It’s not like a prop driven boat that is connected to the water.

After owning my 210 FSH with its small but functional head compartment and a porta potty, there is NO WAY I’d have a boat that didn’t have some sort of head compartment, so the pump out head of the sea ray makes it the winner considering the other two boats don’t have any kind of a head compartment. My next boat will probably have a pump out head.

So to me, and not knowing the dead rise on the Sea Ray you’re looking at, considering the three options you’ve presented along with your intended usage and passenger load I’d say the sea ray is the best option for you. Yeah, you’ve got an outdrive to deal with, but you know what the maintenance requirements are as far as gear oil changes and the engine cooling water impeller changes go. Is it a fresh water cooled engine or a raw water cooled engine? If it’s a fresh water cooled engine that makes winterization a lot easier. To winterize the Yamaha you just blow the excess water out of the water locks, put stabilizer in the fuel.

The jet pumps have their maintenance needs as well, you’re supposed to pull the cones and check the grease level and for water intrusion every 100 hours or once a year.

 

[rockdoc]

The dash issue sounds problematic. Thanks for sharing your input!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Remember there is a reason they are giving them away ,any good product holds it's value.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”​

― Benjamin Franklin

Just remember this when buying a price rather than a product !

 

[Beachcampin]

This may be more of a problem in the south (I'm in Florida), but my maintenance guy, who also works on the new SeaDoos told me that the plastic that the entire topside is made of does not hold up well and they are having warping and fitment issues as the boats age. Its also getting brittle. I wouldn't consider this at all unless you have a boat shed or something where its going to spend most of its life indoors. I see so many of them just sitting outside in folks driveways in the Florida sun.

Also, not sure where on the river you're going to boat, but I would definitely favor a Yamaha over an IO if its going to be in brackish water. I do not ever want the experience of replacing manifolds and risers again.