Thinking about a boat, need some advice.

[robert843]

Best advice anyone can give is get out and test drive both. I know you said your local dealers won't do that but if you go in ready to buy with your financing approved and a deposit and let them know you are buying one of those two for sure someone is going to take you out on them and if they won't you don't need to buy from them. Even if you have to spend an extra 2k flying out of state and getting a boat shipped back to get that done it could save you thousands more in depreciation knowing you didn't make the wrong choice and having to upgrade later. The real answer though is if your really considering the two of those boats you already know which one to get because if your worried before the purchase that you may want to upgrade if you buy the smaller one it is almost certain you will.

 

[swatski]

There is no question a larger boat is better, in general, within limits.

BUT

If I was trying to decide between a 30k+ boat that I can tow with my truck and fit in my garage - versus a 50k+ boat that needs a new truck and a storage facility - I would think about it twice.

Not to mention - at the elevation of Lake Powell (4,000'?) - a supercharger is an absolute Godsend. I think a 195 w/a SC single SVHO engine (and the 160mm pump) would outrun a 212 N/A 1.8 twin over there (a 195 would run circles around an MR-1 twin at that elevation. )

And no, Yamaha boats are not bulletproof (sic). But they are fairly popular and the forum support is pretty strong.

--

 

[haknslash]

Best advice in this thread is the from Robert who said test ride them all. Don't listen to people on the internet tell you crap they've made up and regurgitate over and over. A 192 or 195 is NOT gutless. It will NOT be left behind from a twin engine 1.8L. There are a few people on this forum who has what seems a personal issue towards a 19' boat on here and they love to pop into threads like this. You never seem them in any threads except ones like this. Maybe they got beat by a 192 or 195 and that's why they're haters lol? I would be willing to bet if Yamaha only made 24', 26' and 28' models those same people would tell you the 24' sucks too since it's the smallest.

A boat is NOT something you live in or on. Well not ones like these. So buying the biggest is not really ideal if you don't need the space.... unless you're just trying to make up for something else in life tehehehe. Sure having tons of room is nice but if it's just a small group none of it matters. If you're talking about taking out lots of people every time then yes don't get a smaller boat and buy the biggest you can afford. But if your crew will be small majority of the time and you want something you can tow with your Taco and fit in a 7' garage well that really cuts out anything larger than a 19' boat. When I was boat shopping I originally wanted to get a brand new 212X but it wasn't going to fit in my garage from the tower. Then I looked at the 212SS but it wouldn't fit lengthwise in my garage. Since the biggest priority for me was fitting it in the garage to save on storage fee's the 19' boats was my new target. I test drove both the 21' NA and 19' SC'd boats. Holeshot the 192 was immediate and it wasn't until the midrange and up top did the 21' feel a little quicker. Both felt similar when I crossed the wakes to see how they felt with a good smacking. All of these boats regardless of size have a flat bottom at the stern and will slap because they don't have a full deep V hull. Obviously the larger you go up in size the less you will get tossed around but all of them will slap and all of them can take water over the bow in rough waters in the oceans or big lakes.

I've had my 192 for what will be my 3rd season this year. Supposedly I should have sold it by now or regretted life and wanted to kill myself for making this purchase. That's if you go by a few people's opinions of a small boat on here lol. The only reason why I want to get out of mine at some point is to get a proper wake boat to surf with. I didn't get bit by the surf bug until 2 years after I had my boat but it is what it is. I have nowhere to put a surf boat so it will have to wait until we move to a larger home. I really enjoy my 192 and I enjoy riding in my friends' 24' boats. In terms of performance it takes an SX24o (a factory freak one at that) to give my boat a run. The heavier 242LS with all sorts of gadgets and mods doesn't pull away up top. Neither of the larger models will drive sportier or carve tight like the 19' can. All depends on what you're looking for in a boat. For me and my small crew of 3-4 people my 19' does really good as checking off all the boxes. I just want a change in direction of boat so I can surf easier/better.

PS, if you're buying a boat thinking about resale value then you don't need to be buying a boat. These aren't collectibles, they are toys and all of them depreciate about equally regardless of size. Same about buying a boat if you care about gas efficiency lol. It's more about smiles per miles for me. Good luck with your searching. Range on the other hand is limited by fuel tank size. For me I boat in lakes with access to fuel marinas so it's not an issue for me even if I needed to refuel. Most times I don't need to fill up again until the next weekend unless I'm doing a ton of boating that day plus pulling people.

 

[Just1more]

We started out in the AR190 2012. We loved the boat! We did move up to the AR 240 2015, but it was more about new features added to the line than anything else. Plus the Wife said yes when she saw it at the boat show and who disagrees with an upgrade! We loved our 190. Wakeboarding, single and double tubing. It was a great boat. Usually was four to six people on board and I always thought the boat handle everything very well. We did not get a test ride before buying. We have waverunners also. We added fins (game changer), upgraded speakers, added more engine sound proofing , dual batteries and LED lighting and the 190 gave us some great times. If there is a boat show in your near future check it out! Have fun and good luck!

 

[robert843]

@haknslash makes good points. There are two main reasons I see people upgrade and one is Lifestyle and one is performance based. A lot of people who start on a 19ft boat and then upgrade underestimated the amount of people that they would have on their boat they thought I have a family of four and that's all we will have but realize that due to their lifestyle they constantly have 6-8 people on the boat so they upgrade. The second on I see a lot of is performance based but not in the speed sense. They got a 19ft but underestimate their local waters or the waters the frequent and the boat is not comfortable in heavy chop and they experience that a lot so they upgrade to a 21 or 24. The 19ft boats can be great fun machines as long as your realistic about the uses of it and how you intend to use it. I would not buy the 19 ft boat if I consistently expected to have 7+ people on the boat or if I planned to spend a lot of time on large bodies of water or the ocean if those are not you it could be a great fit.

 

[Beachbummer]

I had a 18ft seadoo for 14 years and it served us well. Nothing wrong with owning a boat of a particular size first and later upgrading. I got so much fun and value out of that boat. If it's the size you need for your family and the water conditions you will encounter the most, the 19ft with supercharger will serve you very well. As with everything, sometimes you will wish it was bigger, and others you will wish it was smaller (tight driveway entry...missed by 4 inches... man..)

I don't know about anyone bringing any hate to the thread, but I will say that many that upgrade wish they had done it sooner also (Me included... I could have upgraded a few years ago and saved some grief from the 2cycle and my small boat was really wet) , but it's a learned experience that is not shared until it is experienced, so maybe that contributes to the disconnect between those pushing for larger boat, and those indicating that a smaller boat will be just fine.

The 19 is not a little boat by any means. My suggestion mimics others... get a ride on the one you want, and make sure it totally fits. Nothing but grins and smiles, and you are sold. if not, try again.

 

[Sbrown]

19 ft is plenty of boat especially for your first one. Honestly, it doesn't matter what size boat you get for your first, after 3 to 5 years you're probably going to want to change it anyway. That's the nature of boats and boaters.

 

[JBehrens]

If I was trying to decide between a 30k+ boat that I can tow with my truck and fit in my garage - versus a 50k+ boat that needs a new truck and a storage facility - I would think about it twice.

Not to mention - at the elevation of Lake Powell (4,000'?) - a supercharger is an absolute Godsend. I think a 195 w/a SC single SVHO engine (and the 160mm pump) would outrun a 212 N/A 1.8 twin over there (a 195 would run circles around an MR-1 twin at that elevation. )

Well in my case I know that I will have to store it somewhere, my place just is not big enough to store the boat it would just be the entire garage. I would like to get a house with RV/Boat parking on the side yard in the future but that is still a long ways off. The towing is one thing that will become a new challenge. On I-40 I am used to towing my skis at ~75-80MPH (don't tell the CHP with California towing speed of 55), I know that is not possible with a boat no mater what so I have to accept that.

The MR-1's suck at Powell. A few years back, one of my friends brought his 2003 SX230 and it was a pig, with people at WOT he could only get to 37MPH. I would think that N/A 1.8 twins would do better then MR-1's, but like you said the forced air of the SVHO will likely be better.

I've had my 192 for what will be my 3rd season this year. Supposedly I should have sold it by now or regretted life and wanted to kill myself for making this purchase. That's if you go by a few people's opinions of a small boat on here lol. The only reason why I want to get out of mine at some point is to get a proper wake boat to surf with. I didn't get bit by the surf bug until 2 years after I had my boat but it is what it is. I have nowhere to put a surf boat so it will have to wait until we move to a larger home. I really enjoy my 192 and I enjoy riding in my friends' 24' boats. In terms of performance it takes an SX24o (a factory freak one at that) to give my boat a run. The heavier 242LS with all sorts of gadgets and mods doesn't pull away up top. Neither of the larger models will drive sportier or carve tight like the 19' can. All depends on what you're looking for in a boat. For me and my small crew of 3-4 people my 19' does really good as checking off all the boxes. I just want a change in direction of boat so I can surf easier/better.

PS, if you're buying a boat thinking about resale value then you don't need to be buying a boat. These aren't collectibles, they are toys and all of them depreciate about equally regardless of size. Same about buying a boat if you care about gas efficiency lol. It's more about smiles per miles for me. Good luck with your searching. Range on the other hand is limited by fuel tank size. For me I boat in lakes with access to fuel marinas so it's not an issue for me even if I needed to refuel. Most times I don't need to fill up again until the next weekend unless I'm doing a ton of boating that day plus pulling people.

It is good to hear so much support for the 19ft, they look like really versatile, fun boats. I am not buying a boat for resale value, I know that, I just want to try and make the depreciation hit as few times as possible. I do fear that my family and friends are going to get the surf bug and be disappointed with the lack of wake created by the 19ft's. One thing I wish they would bring Conext to the 195's, having the ability to get more info on the screen would be a selling point, not to mention rider profiles.

The second on I see a lot of is performance based but not in the speed sense. They got a 19ft but underestimate their local waters or the waters the frequent and the boat is not comfortable in heavy chop and they experience that a lot so they upgrade to a 21 or 24. The 19ft boats can be great fun machines as long as your realistic about the uses of it and how you intend to use it. I would not buy the 19 ft boat if I consistently expected to have 7+ people on the boat or if I planned to spend a lot of time on large bodies of water or the ocean if those are not you it could be a great fit.

I think the 19ft would only be suitable for lakes on the Colorado out here. The ocean where I am is usually 2ft-4ft and can get to 6ft-8ft no problem, I would not think about taking a 195 out in that. So it would stay out at the lakes, most of them don't get too bad, nothing I haven't taken on a ski before so I think it would be fine. All of my friends and I are in our 20's so chop is kind of fun. When I take trips I plan on having the skis with the group so that could help the crowd a little but we also do night cruises so that could get a little crowded with 6-8 people.

 

[haknslash]

Honestly I'm glad I don't have Connext. At first I was really excited for the new Connext but it has it's share of issues. I prefer to keep it simple until Yamaha can put out a more reliable electronic gauge cluster. That being said it's only a matter of time before the 19' get a gauge refresh like the other models have received. Wouldn't surprise me to see them put he same one from the 210's in the 19' boats for the 2019 models later in the fall.

 

[JBehrens]

Honestly I'm glad I don't have Connext. At first I was really excited for the new Connext but it has it's share of issues. I prefer to keep it simple until Yamaha can put out a more reliable electronic gauge cluster.

Really? Is it that bad?

 

[haknslash]

It has it's quirks and most of the complaints are documented on here. It's not surprising for first iteration of electronics to have a few gremlins. The delaminated display and sometimes being unresponsive are the big issues I have with Connext. I know how frustrating it can be when my phone decides to not work so i can only imagine how it would be for my boat out on the water.

 

[JBehrens]

I had a 18ft seadoo for 14 years and it served us well. Nothing wrong with owning a boat of a particular size first and later upgrading. I got so much fun and value out of that boat. If it's the size you need for your family and the water conditions you will encounter the most, the 19ft with supercharger will serve you very well. As with everything, sometimes you will wish it was bigger, and others you will wish it was smaller (tight driveway entry...missed by 4 inches... man..)

I don't know about anyone bringing any hate to the thread, but I will say that many that upgrade wish they had done it sooner also (Me included... I could have upgraded a few years ago and saved some grief from the 2cycle and my small boat was really wet) , but it's a learned experience that is not shared until it is experienced, so maybe that contributes to the disconnect between those pushing for larger boat, and those indicating that a smaller boat will be just fine.

The 19 is not a little boat by any means. My suggestion mimics others... get a ride on the one you want, and make sure it totally fits. Nothing but grins and smiles, and you are sold. if not, try again.

Well I guess my next problem would be getting to a dealer to take a test drive. I would likely end up at Dry Dock Boat Sales in Vegas, the are the closest with a AR195, problem is if I go out and try to test drive is the dealer going to be expecting a purchase right after?

19 ft is plenty of boat especially for your first one. Honestly, it doesn't matter what size boat you get for your first, after 3 to 5 years you're probably going to want to change it anyway. That's the nature of boats and boaters.

That sounds like a true but I would think the 212 might give me more life or satisfy the urge to upgrade to a 242 for a few years more due to the similarities between the 212 and the 242. That being said, my uncle had his 19ft Monterey 192LS for 10 years before upgrading to a M3.

 

[Sbrown]

Really? Is it that bad?

It has it's quirks and most of the complaints are documented on here. It's not surprising for first iteration of electronics to have a few gremlins. The delaminated display and sometimes being unresponsive are the big issues I have with Connext. I know how frustrating it can be when my phone decides to not work so i can only imagine how it would be for my boat out on the water.

Having the 2017 iteration of Connext, I have to admit I would be happier with more manual switch control of various circuits, rather than having to use connext for control.

 

[Sbrown]

That sounds like a true but I would think the 212 might give me more life or satisfy the urge to upgrade to a 242 for a few years more due to the similarities between the 212 and the 242. That being said, my uncle had his 19ft Monterey 192LS for 10 years before upgrading to a M3.

How many boats did your uncle have before he bought his Monterey?

 

[JBehrens]

It has it's quirks and most of the complaints are documented on here. It's not surprising for first iteration of electronics to have a few gremlins. The delaminated display and sometimes being unresponsive are the big issues I have with Connext. I know how frustrating it can be when my phone decides to not work so i can only imagine how it would be for my boat out on the water.

That is understandable, having all the boats systems be unresponsive due to a glitch in Conext would suck. What about the benefits of things like preset speeds for riders? My friend who is kind of like a 'first officer' while out has a decent amount of time towing wake borders but having that extra bit of help sounds like it would make a difference when having less experienced operators towing you, but I could be wrong.

 

[haknslash]

Yamaha dealers will gladly take you on a test ride. They understand they won't land a sale every single time so I wouldn't sweat it. Take as many on a test drive as you like as it's ultimately your money.

Personally I'd use something like Ridesteady Hydrophase if I was wanting to have settings for riders or control the speed accurately. I think only a E model series with drive by wire can control and have settings from the factory Connext but I could be wrong there.

If you're wanting to surf ropeless you'll likely want a twin IMO as they can hide ballast easier and weigh more which helps make a larger wake. There's also the wake wedge to help deflect the jet on one side which helps clean things up immensely. However you can wake board behind any of these boats just don't expect massive wakes to ramp off of. This is where I ran into the surf bug. Don't get me wrong I love my 192 but wife likes to go slower these days and I want to surf more so I think I can see where we will be going in a few years or whenever we have room for a surf boat. That's not to say you can't surf on these boats because you certainly can but if you want to get real serious about it you may find yourself out of a jet boat regardless of size you buy now. Just speaking from my perspective. I love the simplicity of these boats and love there's literally no maintenance or upkeep as from the basics and that is something I'm sure I'll miss if I jump ship one day.

 

[JBehrens]

How many boats did your uncle have before he bought his Monterey?

He started out with a pair of 1997 Kawasaki 1100STX jet skis that be bought new in 98 as a leftover, added the 2003 Monterey 192LS to the fleet in 2004 (also bought the leftover), 2013 traded the 192LS in for a 2012 Monterey M3 (bought the demo unit from the dealer).

 

[JBehrens]

Yamaha dealers will gladly take you on a test ride. They understand they won't land a sale every single time so I wouldn't sweat it. Take as many on a test drive as you like as it's ultimately your money.

Personally I'd use something like Ridesteady Hydrophase if I was wanting to have settings for riders or control the speed accurately. I think only a E model series with drive by wire can control and have settings from the factory Connext but I could be wrong there.

I was told by the dealer that any 7" or 12" Conext system has the rider presets but I can not confirm for sure. Anyone know?

 

[haknslash]

I think only the 24' with 12" Connext may give you a rider profile setting. I'm sure someone will chime in and confirm. I don't know what all consists of rider profiles on these boats other than speed settings since there are no wake making devices to alter to a riders desires. I don't have GPS on my boat so my speed control is RPM dependent. If I want something better than the factory Cruise Assist I would need to get either Ridesteady Hydrophase or Perfect Pass. Of the two I would choose Ridesteady as its newer tech and doesn't involve the installation of additional servo motors (something else to fail).

 

[Jgorm]

Beware of the mr1 versions. You can't buy a new engine, only a junky rebuild from sbc. For mostly salt water use, get an outboard. They are more efficient and low water clearance offers no advantages in the bay and ocean. The prop is way more efficient, goes faster with less gas. Going through weeds and kelp is no concern. Massive support too. Nobody on the coast specialises on Yamaha boats. Run compression on anything you buy used! I didn't and got burned. Then I bought a ski with the same mr1 to swap into the boat and that's having issues and is down a cylinder. I love my ar230, but its been a headache.