Thinking about a boat, need some advice.

[JBehrens]

Hi all,

Ok so I am somewhat new here and have been doing a ton of research on the site for my next toy. I have been around boats all my life and have a pair of jetskis that I have used for lake trips to lake Mohave and Powell for the past 3 years and am now thinking of adding a boat to the fleet. Here is where I need some advice:

1. How true is it to buy your second boat first? I have been looking at Yamaha's current lineup and the two that appeal me the most are the AR195 and 212LS. I have completely ruled out the 24ft lineup as my Tacoma won't pull them well and they are out of my price range. I definitely like the style and price of the AR195 but would the 212LS be worth the extra beer tokens right off the bat with testing the waters on boat ownership?

2. BOAT (Break Out Another Thousand), I hear this all the time "boats are a money pit that you will continue to sink more and more into" how does this stack up for Yamaha? 95% of everything that I have looked at makes it sound like they are bulletproof (besides the towers).

3. Salt water, looks like a lot of people run them in the salt down in Florida, I am out in California, Orange County area my main saltwater use would be out of Huntington Beach area and heading to Catalina on the weekends or for a mountain biking day trip. How well do the 21ft's handle the ocean and maintenance associated with saltwater?

4. Finally, the dealers in my area do not offer test drives and that looks to be common for dealers in California, I definitely don't like the idea of not getting to drive what I'm about to buy but it looks to be my only option out here, is not being able to test drive something I should be concerned about?

I am sure some of these questions have been asked before but I would like to gather as much information as possible before I buy. I defiantly want to hear for the experience of everyone on this site, defiantly a cool place to be. Any advice and buying recommendations are welcome, Thanks!

 

[swatski]

Hi all,

Ok so I am somewhat new here and have been doing a ton of research on the site for my next toy. I have been around boats all my life and have a pair of jetskis that I have used for lake trips to lake Mohave and Powell for the past 3 years and am now thinking of adding a boat to the fleet. Here is where I need some advice:

1. How true is it to buy your second boat first? I have been looking at Yamaha's current lineup and the two that appeal me the most are the AR195 and 212LS. I have completely ruled out the 24ft lineup as my Tacoma won't pull them well and they are out of my price range. I defiantly like the style and price of the AR195 but would the 212LS be worth the extra beer tokens right off the bat with testing the waters on boat ownership?

2. BOAT (Break Out Another Thousand), I hear this all the time "boats are a money pit that you will continue to sink more and more into" how does this stack up for Yamaha? 95% of everything that I have looked at makes it sound like they are bulletproof (besides the towers).

3. Salt water, looks like a lot of people run them in the salt down in Florida, I am out in California, Orange County area my main saltwater use would be out of Huntington Beach area and heading to Catalina on the weekends or for a mountain biking day trip. How well do the 21ft's handle the ocean and maintenance associated with saltwater?

4. Finally, the dealers in my area do not offer test drives and that looks to be common for dealers in California, I defiantly don't like the idea of not getting to drive what I'm about to buy but it looks to be my only option out here, is not being able to test drive something I should be concerned about?

I am sure some of these questions have been asked before but I would like to gather as much information as possible before I buy. I defiantly want to hear for the experience of everyone on this site, defiantly a cool place to be. Any advice and buying recommendations are welcome, Thanks!

212s (w/1.8l engines) are only marginally lighter than 240s (weight less by only 100-200 lbs of so, not much of a difference). So, if you worry about towing with a Tacoma, which I think you probably should, the 195 may be the answer.
I personally think that "buy your second boat first" rule is silly. There is no such thing, and in reality - it is what you can comfortably trailer and store - is the winner. Unless you have a big family and/or want to make a lot of long trips in the ocean, I would "defiantly" look at AR195s. The 19fters used to be pretty crudely finished and unbearably loud, but they have come a long way.

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[haknslash]

Since you're in California you'll need to buy a new boat out of state if it's a 192 or 195 due to the supercharger. It's stupid but that's California for you. If you find one that's already been registered in CA I think you're good.

Since these boats don't have additional drive trains to service and upkeep, these boats arent really maintenance intensive and stuff generally doesn't break. You're yearly maintenance consists of an oil change, lube moving parts and possibly change spark plugs if they need it. Where B.O.A.T. does come into play is when you want to mod it to your liking. Boat specific aftermarket parts and what get your wallet with these boats.

These are jet ski engines so salt water is not an issue so long as you flush after use. I use Salt Away and it does great and breaking down the salt crystals.

 

[Andy S]

Since you own ski's then you understand the maintenance of a jetboat, no different. I don't buy into the rule of B.O.A.T., unless you neglect your boat and have the dealer do the work.

FYI - I think you mean "definitely" not "defiantly" but at least your consistent with your usage.

 

[Beachbummer]

Are you limited to new boats? or willing to consider used? What value are you expecting to get from it?

 

[Ilmmct]

1) I don’t think you should have the “tow vehicle” dictate your boat purchase. I have a 24 footer and when I’ve been truck-less during my boat ownership ... I’ve bummed truck-tows from very willing friends or just rented a stout truck from Enterprise Truck rental. Purchase the boat that best suits your water needs, the Tacoma can do most of the run-around Towing you’ll need for the 24’ boats.

2) 7-Years and two Yammie jetboats owned. I have not seen the “Bring On Another Thousand” issue thus far. I bought both of my boats used with extended YES Warranties, because I don’t like to tie-up excessive amounts of cash for “pleasure” uses.

3) Salt is tough on everything. Nothing special about these boats make them harder to maintain in saltwater. Sounds like you’ve been around boats for a while. The same “salt issues” that harm Prop-boats are what we/Yammie owners deal with.

4) I would test drive and hire a marine surveyor and conduct an on-water check-out if you buy private party. There are plenty of nice used boats out there, with owners that will test drive for serious buyers.

Good luck in your search.

 

[JBehrens]

Since you own ski's then you understand the maintenance of a jetboat, no different. I don't buy into the rule of B.O.A.T., unless you neglect your boat and have the dealer do the work.

FYI - I think you mean "definitely" not "defiantly" but at least your consistent with your usage.

I didn't that, sorry sometimes I can be dyslexic!

Are you limited to new boats? or willing to consider used? What value are you expecting to get from it?

I like the idea of a new boat, for a few reasons: I know what the boat has had as far as problems and maintenance, it can be easier to finance new and the used market for Yamaha jet boats in California is kind of limited so driving to Nevada or Arizona to continue to look at used boats would get old.

I am expecting to go out to the lake with a group of friends and have fun for a weekend, still bring my skis along for the day if we can. Most of our trips have had to be limited to 4 people or we face multiple trips from the dock to the beach for gear and people, so the boat will open that up a bit. I also would like to be able to make the trip to Catalina every now and then. Besides that it would be everything else you like to do with a boat wakeboard, kneeboard, ski, tube, maybe surf, chill out, float, go to stogievill, etc..

 

[JBehrens]

212s (w/1.8l engines) are only marginally lighter than 240s (weight less by only 100-200 lbs of so, not much of a difference). So, if you worry about towing with a Tacoma, which I think you probably should, the 195 may be the answer.

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Do you have any experience with towing with a Tacoma? From what I have gathered add a trailer break controller and it should be good to tow a 21ft, but I could be mistaken. I have talked to a few guys over at tacomaworld.com who say that 21 should be ok but 24 will be too much. I also have a Suburban that can be used for longer trips if needed.

 

[sk380]

If you decide on an AR195 the Dealer in Nevada is awesome to work with - DRY DOCK BOAT SALES - 702-41-2992

 

[Speedling]

I bought an exciter 270 first, realized i loved it, and a couple years later bought my 212ss. Now if only the 270 meant 27 footer, i would probably be buying my third boat.

 

[swatski]

Do you have any experience with towing with a Tacoma? From what I have gathered add a trailer break controller and it should be good to tow a 21ft, but I could be mistaken. I have talked to a few guys over at tacomaworld.com who say that 21 should be ok but 24 will be too much. I also have a Suburban that can be used for longer trips if needed.

I don't know what they tell you but the listed dry weight of 212ls is less than 100lbs lower than AR240 - it is around 3,600lbs for both (without the trailer). Not sure how that would make a major difference in towing, maybe the trailer does? Maybe the guys are thinking of the 210 line not 212 - with the much lighter TR-1 twins - a very different boat.
I have not towed with a Tacoma, I know they come in an array of trims, but towed our old 2012 sx190 with a (2015?) 4Runner Limited for some trips and it was fine. With the AR240 - it would not be so hot - definitely capable, but I would think any hills or longer distance would be an absolute torture test. That said, Yamaha has used 4Runners as a factory tow vehicle for years albeit more recently switched to Tundras, I think. But I don't think they tow very far.

I LOVED most everything about the 190 (with a notable exception of how f@$#ing loud it was). Small enough I could fit it in the garage if I needed to work on it in bad weather, then push it around the driveway on my own etc., yet this boat would haul 6-8 people fine, and was easily capable of a Bimini run (this forum does an annual trip there - something to look into).

The 195 has more than enough power to compensate for the single pump - just check @SamCF posts here - with some relatively minor mods and pump porting/blueprinting (sealing) you can run around fully loaded hauling azz.

The spaciousness of those little 19ft yammies is simply baffling - it is a brilliant design. Of course bigger (as in 21-24ft) is better for cruising and watersports, but you can not beat a 19ft yammie for being a true Swiss army knife of small party boats, IMO.

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[seanmclean]

I'm a believer of buy your second boat first. We bought our first boat last year just to see if we'd like boating (which I was 99% sure we would), ended up upgrading at the end of the season.

 

[CAM212SS]

I ended ended up buying 2 boats. first was a 2011 sx210. for me i wanted more power so we upgraded 2 years later to the 2013 212ss. I could not be happier with the 212

 

[JBehrens]

I don't know what they tell you but the listed dry weight of 212ls is less than 100lbs lower than AR240 - it is around 3,600lbs for both (without the trailer). Not sure how that would make a major difference in towing, maybe the trailer does? Maybe the guys are thinking of the 210 line not 212 - with the much lighter TR-1 twins - a very different boat.
I have not towed with a Tacoma, I know they come in an array of trims, but towed our old 2012 sx190 with a (2015?) 4Runner Limited for some trips and it was fine. With the AR240 - it would not be so hot - definitely capable, but I would think any hills or longer distance would be an absolute torture test. That said, Yamaha has used 4Runners as a factory tow vehicle for years albeit more recently switched to Tundras, I think. But I don't think they tow very far.

I LOVED most everything about the 190 (with a notable exception of how f@$#ing loud it was). Small enough I could fit it in the garage if I needed to work on it in bad weather, then push it around the driveway on my own etc., yet this boat would haul 6-8 people fine, and was easily capable of a Bimini run (this forum does an annual trip there - something to look into).

The 195 has more than enough power to compensate for the single pump - just check @SamCF posts here - with some relatively minor mods and pump porting/blueprinting (sealing) you can run around fully loaded hauling azz.

The spaciousness of those little 19ft yammies is simply baffling - it is a brilliant design. Of course bigger (as in 21-24ft) is better for cruising and watersports, but you can not beat a 19ft yammie for being a true Swiss army knife of small party boats, IMO.

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Looks like the added weight of the trailer the most difference. I would never consider a AR210, it is not worth it's price and is underpowered IMO. I went back and looked at the post, they compared the 212LS (4600lbs) and the 242 LSE (5200lbs) a decent difference in size. They also said that the most difference would come with wind resistance and sway, the Tacos can't control a 24ft's size even if the weight was in check. Everyone over there recommends Tundra for anything over 4000lbs so I don't want to push it with a 242. Best for towing would be the AR195, 3000lbs would feel right at home behind the truck but idk if I want to determine my boats existence on my current truck. I hope to upgrade in a few years to a Tundra and I can always use the Suburban for long trips.

I am for sure attracted to the AR195, it really looks like a capable package for a 19ft boat. I just don't want to get into it and then want to upgrade in a year or two. I don't think I would take the 195 out in the socal open ocean, it gets a little rough for my comfort in a 19ft.

 

[mpbassett44]

I had a 21ft sterndrive. I loved the boat, and I would have been happy with the boat for years to come. My family and I had great vacations and lots of memories that I will never forget...I had a chance to upgrade to a 16 242 limited, and as long as can afford it, I will never look back to a smaller boat. The bigger boat makes a world of difference. Go as big as you can! The ride comfort and storage upgrades just makes the trips easier. I'm not saying a smaller boat isn't fun, but in this case, bigger is better. I would offer a test ride for ya, but my boat is in Havasu. We'll be out there next weekend for the Hot Air Balloon Festival, if you decide you want to give it a shot.

 

[JBehrens]

I had a 21ft sterndrive. I loved the boat, and I would have been happy with the boat for years to come. My family and I had great vacations and lots of memories that I will never forget...I had a chance to upgrade to a 16 242 limited, and as long as can afford it, I will never look back to a smaller boat. The bigger boat makes a world of difference. Go as big as you can! The ride comfort and storage upgrades just makes the trips easier. I'm not saying a smaller boat isn't fun, but in this case, bigger is better. I would offer a test ride for ya, but my boat is in Havasu. We'll be out there next weekend for the Hot Air Balloon Festival, if you decide you want to give it a shot.

Thanks for the offer! I think it will be a little last minute for me, plus my skis are stored halfway between Bullhead and Needles as I am usually on Mohave. How is Havasu this time of year?

 

[OCMD]

1. Run from a single engine. There is a reason there is a glut of them on the used market. Great boat? Sure. Lots or oom? Check. But you need to operate a twin engine to realize how much power a single engine lacks in comparison. A single engine Yamaha is a nice entry level boat for sure. But mark my words after a few trips you will think "Yep that guy was right. Why did I do this?".
2. No way for a Yamaha 4 stroke (2 strokes are a different story, believe me I had one) No way. My current 230 I have had for 5 seasons. I have done nothing but change oils and plugs every year, and winterize. In the spring and EVERY TIME OUT, I just turn the key and go. No worries.
3. These are not ocean going boats. That will be a terrible ride.
4. Buy used, when talking Yamaha specific. They are bulletproof. Be patient in your search, you will find one. Let someone else eat the monstrous depreciation.

 

[mpbassett44]

We spend a lot of time on Mohave also, but during the off season I think Havasu has more going on. I'm sure it will be a little cold in the morning, but it should warm up to a sunny 65-70 degrees. It's definitely not your normal summer trip, but it should be nice. Never been to the Balloon festival before, but this video makes it look nice and worth a trip.

 

[JBehrens]

There is a reason there is a glut of them on the used market. Great boat? Sure. Lots or oom? Check. But you need to operate a twin engine to realize how much power a single engine lacks in comparison. A single engine Yamaha is a nice entry level boat for sure. But mark my words after a few trips you will think "Yep that guy was right. Why did I do this?".

Thanks for the advice, that is the main reason why I am looking at the 212LS. I don't want to have the boat for a year and be wanting to upgrade.

We spend a lot of time on Mohave also, but during the off season I think Havasu has more going on. I'm sure it will be a little cold in the morning, but it should warm up to a sunny 65-70 degrees. It's definitely not your normal summer trip, but it should be nice. Never been to the Balloon festival before, but this video makes it look nice and worth a trip.

Looks like a fun trip! I wish I could go, can't get the time off this late in the game. Do you have anymore preseason trips planned?

 

[mpbassett44]

We might head out to the boat show in April. http://lakehavasuboatshow.com. I think the L.A. Boat show is next weekend (1/18-1/22) in Pomona. It might be a good place to start looking at some options....Here are some pics of Thanksgiving Weekend! Good luck with picking a boat. Hopefully we'll see you out at the lake!