Tips for test drive?

[Mike P]

Hi guys,

I have never owned a boat before. I've driven a few rentals (basic outboards only). That's the extent of my skill set. I've wanted a boat forever and my wife and I are heavily leaning toward a 2020 195S. We'll be test driving it Saturday. The dealer mentioned that Yamaha breaks their boats in before sending to them so I don't have to drive it during the 90 minute low rpm phase.

Do you guys have any tips on what I should be looking for to make sure it's the right buy for me? I know you can't answer that but what would be some first time boat owner tips I should look out for on my first test drive?

Things that I want to monitor already are:
*Move around to every seat in the boat while it's under speed
*Be conscious of the noise level under speed (I've never been on a jet boat before)
*Take a look at the wake under speed so I'm familiar with it
*Get a feel for the turning radius at different speeds
*Most important to me, get a feel for how it operates and handles at low speeds, especially docking speeds and "Reverse"
*Test out the radio!
*Open all storage compartments
*Ask for a demo of the bimini top and, if they're willing, fold down the tower
*Depending on if the boat is already in the water or not, closely monitor taking the boat off and on the trailer

They "brought this bought in just for me" to test drive (no, I'm not that much of a sucker) so they'll likely try to get me to buy this one. If we're settled on this model, should I push to order a brand new one? I don't mind waiting at all.

Just trying to go in as informed as a noob can be.

Any additional tips would be most welcome.

Thank you in advance!
-Mike

 

[anmut]

I'm always aware of "distraction talk" from scummy salespeople. They like to interject when they know a negative might be coming up in the demo. A good salesperson will answer the question "what do you not like about this boat?" with some personal opinions. If they say "nothing, it's fantastic." run far and fast.

 

[Scottintexas]

Where are you at? What dealer are you talking to?

I would keep it simple,
does the sound bother you?
does the boat throw you back if you slam the throttles forward?
Does the boat pull left/right if you let go of the wheel?

docking, loading, bimini and most of the other stuff will be second nature shortly,

how do you plan to primarily use the boat? kids? hang out at cove? travel? fish? if you have a primary purpose, say surfing or fishing then you'll want to focus on those aspects of the boat,


.

 

[Nexus]

They "brought this bought in just for me" to test drive (no, I'm not that much of a sucker) so they'll likely try to get me to buy this one. If we're settled on this model, should I push to order a brand new one?

I don't know if the Yammies have it on their displays, but check the hours on the engines. If not, they should be able to give you a report. If it's not new, maybe you can use that to deal a lower price.

This is probably more for a used boat but might still be helpful.

 

[mrtrav]

We were in the same boat as you were last year. Grew up with boats but never owned one before purchasing the AR195. We went to the local boat show looking for something else, in all honesty I didn't even know Yamaha made boats before last January. We pulled the trigger and bought it without any test drive and doing limited research on them (probably a bad idea looking back). However we love it and don't regret the purchase in any way.

If you've never driven a jet drive, definitely get a feel for slow speed steering. The 2019+ models aren't too bad from the factory, but if you get a chance try pulling into a dock slip. That will give you much more of a feel for how it handles over being in the middle of the lake and turning left/right.

Our tower is slightly off alignment, so bolting it back in place on one side we have to push the tower outward to get it to line up. No big deal, but it was annoying the first day trying to get it up and get on the water. So I would recommend going through the process of taking it down, putting it up, and deploying the bimini so you get the feel for it. Nothing novel about it compared to other boats, but it will get you comfortable with how it works.

Other than that I would just say your typical look through of the boat. Check out the build quality, how seats/hinges move, etc.

 

[Gunner]

If its past its break in period drive it like you stole it.

 

[Hoyt]

Yamaha does not test drive their boats to break them in before sending to dealer. Check the hour meter in the conext screen. If it does not say over 1.5 hours then it is still in break in period.

 

[Mike P]

Where are you at? What dealer are you talking to?

I would keep it simple,
does the sound bother you?
does the boat throw you back if you slam the throttles forward?
Does the boat pull left/right if you let go of the wheel?

docking, loading, bimini and most of the other stuff will be second nature shortly,

how do you plan to primarily use the boat? kids? hang out at cove? travel? fish? if you have a primary purpose, say surfing or fishing then you'll want to focus on those aspects of the boat,


.

Great tips. Thank you! I'm in Ocoee, FL and working with BMC Boats. No kids for us. Just the wife, me, and the dog looking to cruise and have some fun. Basic wakeboarding, tubing, and that's about it.

 

[Dean P]

Hi guys,

I have never owned a boat before. I've driven a few rentals (basic outboards only). That's the extent of my skill set. I've wanted a boat forever and my wife and I are heavily leaning toward a 2020 195S. We'll be test driving it Saturday. The dealer mentioned that Yamaha breaks their boats in before sending to them so I don't have to drive it during the 90 minute low rpm phase.

Do you guys have any tips on what I should be looking for to make sure it's the right buy for me? I know you can't answer that but what would be some first time boat owner tips I should look out for on my first test drive?

Things that I want to monitor already are:
*Move around to every seat in the boat while it's under speed
*Be conscious of the noise level under speed (I've never been on a jet boat before)
*Take a look at the wake under speed so I'm familiar with it
*Get a feel for the turning radius at different speeds
*Most important to me, get a feel for how it operates and handles at low speeds, especially docking speeds and "Reverse"
*Test out the radio!
*Open all storage compartments
*Ask for a demo of the bimini top and, if they're willing, fold down the tower
*Depending on if the boat is already in the water or not, closely monitor taking the boat off and on the trailer

They "brought this bought in just for me" to test drive (no, I'm not that much of a sucker) so they'll likely try to get me to buy this one. If we're settled on this model, should I push to order a brand new one? I don't mind waiting at all.

Just trying to go in as informed as a noob can be.

Any additional tips would be most welcome.

Thank you in advance!
-Mike

Everything you've mentioned plus:

1. Yes, check the hours before WOT
2. Check for cracks/fractures - there has been some threads on that
3. While on plane circle around to go back thru your wake
4. Low speed maneuvering is "point and Shoot". That's what I was told when test driving my 192.
5. There should be no water in the boat/hull before nor after the test drive.
6. Our test drive they went WOT and straight into full reverse. That was cool. Stops very fast.
7. Definitely do WOT several time from a stop.
8. If there are any weeds around aim for them
9. Dock on return is a must
10. If you're in salt water watch them flush the engine
11. Ask lots of questions and make sure your in neutral to start the engine.

If you're happy with it buy it. Make sure you get the best price possible and don't be afraid to walk. There are several post on things to do and ask for. With that said, you should always buy your second boat first. We all fall in love with boating and within a couple years we want to upgrade. Ask anybody here as we all (not all) do it.

 

[Mike P]

Everything you've mentioned plus:

1. Yes, check the hours before WOT
2. Check for cracks/fractures - there has been some threads on that
3. While on plane circle around to go back thru your wake
4. Low speed maneuvering is "point and Shoot". That's what I was told when test driving my 192.
5. There should be no water in the boat/hull before nor after the test drive.
6. Our test drive they went WOT and straight into full reverse. That was cool. Stops very fast.
7. Definitely do WOT several time from a stop.
8. If there are any weeds around aim for them
9. Dock on return is a must
10. If you're in salt water watch them flush the engine
11. Ask lots of questions and make sure your in neutral to start the engine.

If you're happy with it buy it. Make sure you get the best price possible and don't be afraid to walk. There are several post on things to do and ask for. With that said, you should always buy your second boat first. We all fall in love with boating and within a couple years we want to upgrade. Ask anybody here as we all (not all) do it.

Dean,

These are incredible tips. Thank you so much. I had to look up WOT . Shows how new I am. I especially like tips #3, 5, and 8. I definitely never would have thought of those.

I assume I have no wiggle room on price since it's a brand new model but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. I'm not afraid to walk. I'd actually be happy if they threw in a nice cover and some extras like fire extinguisher, etc.

Thank you so much!

 

[gwrace1]

Hi guys,

I have never owned a boat before. I've driven a few rentals (basic outboards only). That's the extent of my skill set. I've wanted a boat forever and my wife and I are heavily leaning toward a 2020 195S. We'll be test driving it Saturday. The dealer mentioned that Yamaha breaks their boats in before sending to them so I don't have to drive it during the 90 minute low rpm phase.

Do you guys have any tips on what I should be looking for to make sure it's the right buy for me? I know you can't answer that but what would be some first time boat owner tips I should look out for on my first test drive?

Things that I want to monitor already are:
*Move around to every seat in the boat while it's under speed
*Be conscious of the noise level under speed (I've never been on a jet boat before)
*Take a look at the wake under speed so I'm familiar with it
*Get a feel for the turning radius at different speeds
*Most important to me, get a feel for how it operates and handles at low speeds, especially docking speeds and "Reverse"
*Test out the radio!
*Open all storage compartments
*Ask for a demo of the bimini top and, if they're willing, fold down the tower
*Depending on if the boat is already in the water or not, closely monitor taking the boat off and on the trailer

They "brought this bought in just for me" to test drive (no, I'm not that much of a sucker) so they'll likely try to get me to buy this one. If we're settled on this model, should I push to order a brand new one? I don't mind waiting at all.

Just trying to go in as informed as a noob can be.

Any additional tips would be most welcome.

Thank you in advance!
-Mike

Hello Mike

I've been a boat owner for 22 years. During that time I've owned a 20' bass boat with Merc 200EFI outboard, and a ShuttleCraft/Kawasaki Jet Ski Combo. They were of course 2 cycle engines purchased back in the late 90's. The bass boat was great for fishing but a very rough ride at speed. Had live wells, rod holders etc. My wife began to have a heart attack at anything over 50MPH. It could reach 70 on smooth water. IMHO storage was also limited by some of these options. We also had the occassional prop and transom damage and fuel pump repair that was expensive on an outboard.
On the other hand our Shuttlecraft combo was a blast out on the lake. It wasn't real fast at just over 30kph but never had any issues with it, Jet Ski just required normal maintenance. I sold both of those boats last year while our new home was under construction. Made up my mind this year that we wanted to be back on the water. My wife and I selected the 195S. Reminded us of our ShuttleCraft days and just appeared to be an all around fun boat. Reviews of the Yamaha 19 foot boats seem to be positive. We seldom fish, pull towables and love the water recreation. This boat also seemed to have a low cost maintenance schedule. Best of all no oil or gas mixtures to worry about. We did have a little price sticker shock. Paid 20 K for the bass boat, Merc Outboard and tandem axle trailer, and 13K for the ShuttleCraft/1100 Jetski/Trailer combo. You really just have to decide how you plan to use the boat. We were lucky enough to find one in stock at a dealer just north of us. Never been in the water and still wrapped in plastic. So I would check the hours on the boat your test driving.

 

[ifly4fun]

Seems the cover is a pretty common item that gets thrown in and retail is like $600-$800 and well worth it over the shipping cover.

 

[d_coyne1984]

Be very patient with the learning curve of driving a jet. It is going to be fairly different from the outboards you have driven and at first will probably feel a little squirrely, but once you really get the hang of it, you'll be able to maneuver that thing into places an outboard would never attempt to go. Remember that there is no transmission to wear out on a jet so use the forward to reverse transition as much as you need around the dock.

 

[anmut]

Seems the cover is a pretty common item that gets thrown in and retail is like $600-$800 and well worth it over the shipping cover.

Agreed, however you can just ask to pay cost on the cover AFTER you negotiate just on the boat. Don't let them get all "we'll throw in the cover even though we're 1k higher than the next guy."

Edit: don't be afraid to negotiate the 10 hour service if they're not willing to budge on price. Ask them to get creative and to think about it.

 

[gwrace1]

I don't know if it's common practice but I started getting quotes on the Yamaha boats last year. I walked away when local dealers started charging $2500 for dealer prep. None of them would remove it. When I started the quote process this year those dealer prep charges were no longer on the quotes, although they are still asking for factory MSRP on the boats themselves at least here in south Texas.

 

[tabbibus]

The one thing I wish a I had asked for is the 10 hour service! And yeah, the cover is a very reasonable ask. I also got anchor and "starter safety kit"

 

[Dean P]

Dean,

These are incredible tips. Thank you so much. I had to look up WOT . Shows how new I am. I especially like tips #3, 5, and 8. I definitely never would have thought of those.

I assume I have no wiggle room on price since it's a brand new model but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. I'm not afraid to walk. I'd actually be happy if they threw in a nice cover and some extras like fire extinguisher, etc.

Thank you so much!

Found this which I posted for tips in purchasing a new boat. This is what I did and posted. Good luck.

Here's what I do and shoot for:

1. Let them know you're serious
2. Ask lots of questions with a lot of enthusiasm
3. Extended warranty
4. Maintenance service deals
5. Coastguard Kit
6. Better anchor in the front with 6' chain
7. Additional anchor in the back with 4' chain
8. Dual batteries
9. Upgrade sound system
10. Better amp and speakers
11. Life jackets
12. Fenders (larger the better)
13. Upgraded trailer
14. Boat cover
15. 15' dock lines
16. Mirror
17. Full tank of gas
18. Hats, shirts, shorts (if no, 10-20% off)
19. Don't be afraid to walk, give them your number
20. Kill them with kindness!!!

 

[mrtrav]

We received the cover and 5 year warranty with our purchase, but had to pay for the 10 hour and safety equipment.

 

[DavisAR195]

I owned a 2017 AR195 and very familiar with the 195's and the biggest thing to be aware of for the 2019 newer models is cavitation. In 2019 they changed the design of the haul when they slightly increased the beam and overall length. Cavitation is slippage when you throttle all the way down from a dead stop. You will hear the RPM's peak till the impeller finally catches and brings the RPM's back down. There is a very simple mod that can be done by swapping out the factory cone with a Lucky 13 cone. The cone helps increase jet thrust and eliminates 98% of cavitation when all 3 spacers are installed.

 

[Compatico]

I have never owned a boat before. I've driven a few rentals (basic outboards only). That's the extent of my skill set. I've wanted a boat forever and my wife and I are heavily leaning toward a 2020 195S. We'll be test driving it Saturday.

Being new owners, I recommend watching as many youtube videos of boating advice as you can stand. Proper launching and loading makes things easier - we don't power-load (we use dock lines to pull the boat onto the trailer and have years of practice) and we usually beat anyone else out of the water. As for handling, driving a boat is like driving anything else, you need to practice to get it right, be it outboard, I/O or jet. Launch the boat and take some time to practice handling out in the water where it's safe, and then in the docks away from others. Take your time and get a feel for how it handles. Someone mentioned no trannys, and yes that makes it easy to throw it in reverse to stop forward motion, or vice-versa. This will be our first jetboat, but we've driven jetskis so it's not totally new to us.

Also you need to be aware of the underwater conditions, such as shoals, rocks, old sunken boats, etc. If you aren't sure of the seabed conditions for an area, check out the Navionics web app - it gives you a true chartplotter-like experience on your home computer in a web browser. I use it all the time to check out areas I haven't been before to see what dangers lurk below the surface. And know your downstream directions for proper navigation. If you don't know, feel free to ask another boater.

And if you don't have a recreational boaters license, take the time to get one now from an online boating course before you get the boat. It's not difficult, all the info is available online to learn, and the test is mostly common sense and logical - my wife was nervous that she wouldn't pass years ago, but she did very well and had no serious issues. And then you're legal on the water.

The dealer mentioned that Yamaha breaks their boats in before sending to them so I don't have to drive it during the 90 minute low rpm phase.

That's just plain wrong info. Yamaha does a quality check and fires up the engine to confirm it works properly, and that's it. It's the owner's responsibility to break-in the engine just like buying a new car.

If the boat you test drive has been broken in, then it's not new.

All the other advice above sounds good. And if you don't know or can't find the answer, just ask!