Time to vent, had enough!!!!

[Corey]

Do you mean you deleted the check valves?
I would think that if you took on enough water from some waves, etc., the boat will sink real fast because because the deck will get below the waterline in the rear from the added weight. Enough water in the bilge will weigh her down too.

I don't know man... sounds risky

Yep put a straight piece of hose minus the check valves...out all summer and stored at dock for week in water at the keys and bone dry... gravity works! not a drop gets on deck... when I first did it I went and got two rubber plugs to plug the deck ports just in case... but the exterior drains are above the water line they go under briefly during rocking through waves but water never gets to deck.. do it and get two rubber plugs to keep handy to give you piece of mind

 

[Speedling]

So the basic problem seems to be that on the trailer even with the plugs out it holds water instead of draining out the plug at the rear?

 

[Blindduck]

I have a buddy that just purchased a 18' sportsman and there having to modify the trailer for this exact problem with the water holding in the lowest point of boat...He can put his jack on blocks and jack it all the way up and the water will still stand in middle..So dealer and manufacturer are doing the modification...To bad Yamaha want listen and follow up like that.

 

[Earfixr]

So the basic problem seems to be that on the trailer even with the plugs out it holds water instead of draining out the plug at the rear?

Exactly

 

[Speedling]

Exactly

So they didn't put the plug in the right spot or is it not getting down to there or something?

 

[carboncow]

Not sure if this applies but have you read about the anchor drain leaks that allow a lot of water ingres into the changing area? This is covered here:

Hull anchor:

As well as ON THE REEFS amazing posts but are down as he has to reupload his videos.

Fish box leak: This:

Get your dealer on these or DIY.

 

[Mainah]

I am very sorry to hear about all the water issues with the 190 fsh. I have owned a few different fiberglass boats and I can say without a doubt that they should not leak and that they should shed rain water without getting gear or engines wet. I don't currently own any other Yamaha products except for my boat. I can say based upon the current quality or rather lack of quality I will not be buying another Yamaha boat.

I am not the type that needs to find something to complain about. I am also not the type that likes to complain. I am the type to tell it like it is even when I have to be brutally honest about myself. That said this is a venting thread so here is my .02.

Some of the quality compromises are actually engineering compromises aimed at propelling a boat to 40 or 50 mph with relatively low torque engine(s) spitting out high velocity water jet(s). If you made the hull as thick as propped boats it would weigh too much so we are stuck with FRP hulls that won't hold up to abuse like the propped competition but again that is just part of the engineering.

As for what this thread is pointing out well there are tons of examples where Yamaha is failing; leaky hulls in its whole lineup, electronics that don't work because of engineering failures, bolting on 3rd party products that are sub par like towers that could kill someome, stainless that rusts if you look at it, cheap plastic through hull fittings, or trailers that shake themselves apart.

Number one thing a boat should do is float with without leaking. Number two is stay afloat if a little water does make it aboard.

Yamaha is failing at basic boat building and if a whole division were failing this badly at my company there would be major changes. Here is hoping that someone outside of the boat division is reading this site.

As for those die hard Yamaha fans on this site. You all are great folks and I am happy to be part of this community. We all need to face facts that Yamaha needs to fix a lot with quality control and we should expect boats that don't leak and that we don't have to fix as soon as we take delivery.

All that said I will be enjoying my boat on the water tonight with my family.

 

[Earfixr]

I agree 100% with that. I passed on two really well made flats boats because they were not self bailing hulls in favor of the FSH. Now I have a boat I can't leave in the water for long over fears of rain storms filling the bilge. I also worry about damaging critical things like the starter motor and other electrical things that don't play nice with water. Yamaha should change their wording to "semi-self-bailing" cockpit.

 

[Floyd]

I leave my boat in the water for the summer and I worry about rain filling up the boat and running down the battery from the bilge pump running. My solution is to get a solar charger from Harbor Freight for less than $15.
https://www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-solar-battery-charger-62449.html
It comes with a cigarette lighter plug, so I just plug it into the boat and put it on the dash. It puts out 21 volts unloaded, and adds about .2 volts to the battery voltage when connected. So far, it's working.
It is a sorry situation when a boat builder can't design a boat that will drain properly. My boat collects rainwater in at least 20 locations, including 10 cupholders. The only dry spots are the glove compartment and the engine bay. The bilge pump is in a well forward of the engine bay, so it kicks on before water overflows into the engine bay.

 

[Earfixr]

Its almost comical now. More of an amusement than a source of anger. Now its not if i have water in the bilge but merely a question of how much and how high did it get this time?

Maybe Yamaha knew all along? FSH may stand for Fully Soggy Hull? Or Faux Sealed Hull? Or Fills So High? I thought the 190 was in relation to the boats 19' LOA but now i'm convinced its how many gallons the hull will hold before water will actually start to drain out the open plugs in the stern if your trailer jack is maxed out. Or maybe the 190 is how many times your bilge pump needs to cycle between fishing trips so the boat won't sink on the trailer?

If a Yamaha employee does in fact lurk or troll this site, I would love to hear their rationale for the pi$$ poor leaking issues with this boat. I've joked before about not expecting Scout quality at half the price but even a Carolina Skiff self-bails without flooding the bilge. And please verify that it's true that the little clear window on the engine cover is to see how high the water is and not really a fire extinguisher discharge port?

All in all I'm still taking it fishing tomorrow and will have a blast. As long as I'm displacing more water than I have in the hull i'll be back joking again about the rain.

 

[BigAbe75]

I can say based upon the current quality or rather lack of quality I will not be buying another Yamaha boat.

That single statement (specifically from @Mainah ) may be the most disturbing to me, as a relative newbie looking to get into a Yamaha. I found this site primarily through boat research and fell in love with the swim platform and ultimately ended up here. Over the last year, have come to greatly respect his analysis and troubleshooting skills, as well as his opinion.

Are these issues another case of satisfied customers keeping tight lips while the dissatisfied folks post their experiences? We're definitely seeing more issues here, but how many thousands are sold each year? Are we seeing that many issues?

Food for thought, anyway. Definitely hoping to get some better looks at the various models at the Shelbyville raft ups this weekend.

 

[highanddryinco]

...the little clear window on the engine cover is to see how high the water is and not really a fire extinguisher discharge port?

Love that one.

 

[Tonkatoy]

My 2 pennies-
Product is good for the money and it's intended use

I think we just find it ridiculous that Yamaha can't take spend of an extra $100 (if that) in labor to make sure the boats leaves the factory in tip top shape.

It's not like we are all having engine failures, etc..

Just fix the small stuff!! Lol

 

[Grover70]

Can you post photos? Is this water between the engine supports and simply isn't draining out the drain plug? Or is it behind near the bilge pump?

We may

That single statement (specifically from @Mainah ) may be the most disturbing to me, as a relative newbie looking to get into a Yamaha. I found this site primarily through boat research and fell in love with the swim platform and ultimately ended up here. Over the last year, have come to greatly respect his analysis and troubleshooting skills, as well as his opinion.

Are these issues another case of satisfied customers keeping tight lips while the dissatisfied folks post their experiences? We're definitely seeing more issues here, but how many thousands are sold each year? Are we seeing that many issues?

Food for thought, anyway. Definitely hoping to get some better looks at the various models at the Shelbyville raft ups this weekend.

So let's review another experience - Yes, my boat leaked in areas that I fixed. I traced down the problem points and siliconed them. The quality control was not very good. I wrote to Yamaha and got a satisfactory reply. I've had no water in my bilge during any more outings since my fixes. I do not let my boat sit in the rain, and if I did, I'd have a cover that stopped the rain from getting into the boat. Plain and simple. When I wash the boat and water gets into the bilge, seats, etc., it drains as expected. What little water that is left over evaporates away because I let the boat sit, covered, and with hatches and drains open.
My questions about the primary post are:
Is your bilge pump actually working and if so, when is it working?
Why leave a boat sit in the open without a cover? That solves the main problem.
Are your drain valves clear and if so, only breaking the laws of physics can keep water from flowing downhill and out the back. I don't understand how the water can be collecting at the forward portion of the engine area unless the boat is angled forward.

 

[Floyd]

How does your hull hold up sitting in water all summer? Growth etc.?

This is my first summer with the boat, so time will tell. My previous jet boat, a Boston Whaler, did fine for 10 summers out on the mooring. Of course, I had to scrub the hull each fall using starbright hull cleaner to remove 99% of the stain from the slightly tannic water, but no hull blisters or growth on the hull. It's a fairly clean lake with a 60% water turnover each year and visibility down to about 10 feet.