Yamaha 250 FSH

[2kwik4u]

Just need one of those monster cc boats with a cabin and 8 seats under the center, and 5 outboards!

Here's my "money isn't an problem" boat.......Statement 380 Cuddy

This Cigarette 41GTR I saw on Lake Cumberland a few years ago is pretty dang nice too. I forgot my checkbook at home, otherwise I would've bought it ....just kidding .......Not sure it's really a CC anymore though


Anywho......back to our regularly scheduled "tiny little jet boat" talk

 

[Dixie Highway]

There are kinda/sorta enclosures available:
Overton's T-Top Splash Guard

I would do something custom if I required that. To each their own I say, but if this 24' Yamaha costs $80k, I'm not interested. I wanted a 24' boat, and the Scarab would kind of fit the bill, but at the price of one of those I could buy 2 21' Yamahas, or a hell of a nice offshore outboard center console. The wide open space on deck, central helm, raised driving position, all drew me to the style.

 

[2kwik4u]

@Dixie Highway The Scarab price is a major downfall of that boat. Not sure I'll ever have an $80k budget. If I do though, watch out!

 

[William]

12 inches of water, lol, I am glad to hear some people are interested in fishing in 12 inches of water, not the kind of thing I will ever be interested in but to each his own.

I love a center console, they are the most comfortable boat in my opinion. I am also glad to hear center consoles are not common or popular or seen here and there around the country fishing. I have no interest in doing what everyone else is doing. Here in Washington state all the "real" fisherman are on aluminum fishing boats. I look like a total outcast trolling in my Yamaha fiberglass center console in Willapa Bay. I don't care and what I notice is fisherman don't care either, they are all friendly to anyone out there with any kind of boat.

I am completely uninterested in going offshore, 40 miles offshore to me sounds like a thriller/horror movie. I like coastline bays and inland lakes and I can catch plenty of fish in ten feet of water and if in ten feet of water I get some grass in my shaft I can stand on the platform and pull it out.

The boat, for the price, is UNBEATABLE and I love it. I am super enthusiastic about the chance of a 25+ version. There are a few dozen much nicer center console bay boats on the market for $100k+ but I got my 190FSH or less than each of my last six cars and trucks.

 

[Speedling]

Here's my "money isn't an problem" boat.......Statement 380 Cuddy

This Cigarette 41GTR I saw on Lake Cumberland a few years ago is pretty dang nice too. I forgot my checkbook at home, otherwise I would've bought it ....just kidding .......Not sure it's really a CC anymore though
View attachment 104821

Anywho......back to our regularly scheduled "tiny little jet boat" talk

My wife's biggest complaint about the Yamaha CC's is the sex appeal. Your Cigarette is sexy. The tower is what makes or breaks that I think. Well, the number of outboards out back does too! We saw a midnight express similar to this one out at the Chicago Air and water show and we may hav taken a few photos as it drove by. That thing looks amazing.
Style is similar to what a Yamaha would have only in the fact that it's a CC!!! Whose actually using a CC as only a fishing boat anymore? The appeal to me is the fact that it's like a pickup truck for the water.

It's like, I can go fishing, then the next weekend forget all that lets cram a bunch of spring break "gear" and people and go out. Then the next weekend lets cruise out to the Bahamas. And then lets go in the middle of the week to a small lake with a good resteraunt and do a late night cruise.
Wake boats have their place, and it's not in my garage or driveway. It's in someone elses.
To me, a boat brings you places you can't otherwise get to. It's exploring. I think that a CC is a better "all around" concept than "sniff" even my sexy boat.
When the 19' CC boats went out to the Bahamas and they reported they had a pretty decent ride, I thought that was cool. Now make it 25' and it's even better and safer!
OH the WEEEDS! Who cares? I mean cmon I know @Betik even called his video the year of the weeds or something, but whatever it was just a few stops made worse by everyone stopping together. I didn't care really. (ok, one of the stops was for me, so....)
Pull them out and keep moving. Do a reverse move and keep moving.
In my opinion (and eveyone has one) I would deal with that annoyance rather than ding a prop or a lower drive unit and I bet the weeds are cheaper. I would also like to be able to jump off the back of my boat, which as you can see in the pics above isn't gonna end so great if anything is running. I mean, ya'll gots kids? Mine are nuts but know very well the rules but I see when they ride on "papa and nanas" boat that they aren't always so careful of that blade.
Wow, I sat at the computer... this is what happens when Mr. Lee actually types at the computer instead of on the phone... and i'm done.

 

[2kwik4u]

@Speedling The pickup truck analogy is perfect. Well put sir!

I drive a high option fullsize pickup daily. Need to pickup people at the airport and look professional, got it. Need to drag a boat 400 miles with 2 adults, 2 kids, and all the necessary BS for a toddler on vacation, got it. Need to move your sister and brother in law for the 8th time this year, got it. Need to drive across that field to help the power company find a downed line and get grandparents power back on, got it. Date night with the wife to a fancy place with valet parking, got it (and a slew of compliments from the parking guys as well). It's like driving around a swiss army knife that does pretty much everything really well.

NOW.......If I could get my boat to be the same way..........man-o-man that would be nice. Family trips up/down river, date nights, a little watersports, good place to hangout at anchor. I really think the CC layout lends itself to all of these things. Throw in the reliability, simplicity, and ease of maintenance of a Yamaha jet drive, and it becomes an easy boat to own and use. The Scarab is pricey, but is already making inroads in the wifes head, I could easy sell her on a 25' Yamaha CC.

 

[ptwb]

The pickup truck analogy is a good one but IMO flawed because a lot of center consoles have the specs of 1/2 or 3/4 ton pickup, but the Yamaha and Scarab do not.

Most people that buy a pickup never use it as a pickup, but it's still an actual pickup in every way, and when you go to sell it, people that actually need a pickup would consider your pickup. The Yamaha and Scarab ARE center consoles, but with just about the worst specs of all center consoles EXCEPT for 'maybe' the price.

What's wrong with asking Yamaha to try and do more than just give us looks? Seriously, if somehow Yamaha made the boat draft less, be more efficient, have more range, more seating (even if optional or easily removable), not clog with grass so easily, have more possible bait/fish wells, storage, floor lockers, etc, who here would NOT appreciate that?

As far grass, we go to the keys almost every year. Grass is EVERYWHERE. It's not the end of the world, but for me, the captian, it does suck. It really really sucks. When I say everywhere, seriously, its $#@#ing EVERYWHERE. Entire boat ramps will be 100% clogged up with it that you would have to paddle your way out. When on the water, you are constantly scanning the water to try and avoid it and you are doing this 100% of the time, and no matter how hard you try, you will eventually still get enough build up to slow down or eventually fully clog and multiple times throughout the day. I thought the keys was the only place I had to worry about grass until a while back we visited Steinhatchee to go scalloping. 1st day no issues. 2nd day, coming in to avoid a storm, a TON of boats trying to race in through the channel like rush hour, and one of my engines clogged up and I lost plane with a ton of other boats going fast behind me and I luckily got out of the way quickly but it was scary when it happened. I try the reverse trick, sometimes it works, this time it wouldn't. Now I have to kill my engines off to the side of the channel, but there's very little room between the channel and a shallow shoal and we are bouncing around like crazy and I am on the transom trying to remove the grass and I can see the wake from everybody crashing on the shoal just a short distance away. I don't enjoy ending my day with scraped up hands from removing grass. Am I wrong to ask for Yamaha to try and solve the problem and give us a better experience? Maybe there is no solution, but I would like to think there is and I really hope Yamaha is trying to figure something out. Most likely though they are putting time into another gimmic writing an app so that somebody can turn the navigation lights on from their bluetooth connected phone.

And so I've started looking at outboard center console and bowrider boats and am amazed that with Yamaha always moving their price up, they are now basically the same and better deals can actually be had and there are now lots more options to choose from for the dollar. And if you're considering used boats, that many more doors open up. Yes, I would now have an outboard in the middle of the transom, but I still would have plenty of transom to the left and the right. I'd even say, some outboard designs offer more actual waterline frontage than the Yamaha's. The Yamaha's only offer the absolute rear of the transom because of how the side of the boat goes right to the very back and one ladder. Some outboard powered bowrider transoms, you're giving up 3' in the middle for the engine, but then you're gaining back 4' on the sides because the flat transom extends back and you now have 2' on each side that the yamaha does not have and TWO boarding ladders sometimes! Some offer convertible pads, adjustable seating, lots of options! Two boarding ladders would be a nice plus when I have a fully loaded boat in the keys.

I would love to see Yamaha or Scarab (or even outboard makers) offer a 25-27' center console that is some type of cross between all these boats but still also be a really really really good fishing boat. Maybe I am the odd one, but I'd love to see some type of center console design, something like a boston whaler 270 dauntless, but with the transom of something like a regal 26 OBX bowrider (my family's current favorite) or a Searay 270 SDX. And also, please try harder than the tiny generic center console hard tops. The hard top should be optional, sure offer a generic version, but I wonder what it would look like with another option like a huge 242x like soft/hard top.

When Yamaha introduced the 230s back around 2004, that was a game changer, not just in terms of price, but also in design and layout. Aside from the engines, noise and grass, the boats were very competitive on specs and better in many ways, offer better layouts and more seating. It was a true market disruptor. IMO, the current selection of jet center consoles is not even close.

I would love to get a 25-27 jet powered center console. My family wants a bowrider. Really hoping that somehow Yamaha or Scarab can surprise us with a true market breakthrough in family/fishing center consoles, something that makes my jaw drop and makes me scream I want it. I pray we don't end up with another overpriced and ugly 275 catastrophe.

 

[Dixie Highway]

I personally would NOT want this boat to have a shallower draft. In general terms this would indicate less ability for rough/larger waters, which is the opposite of where I personally would need the boat to be. This is the reason for the recent deviation in CC’s, with specific models designated “bay boats” and others considered “offshore”. If you want a bay boat, you’re compromising your dead rise and offshore capabilities. If you want offshore, you draw more water. There’s no such thing as the one perfect boat for every situation, thus the Yamaha CC. It is a compromise, and frankly one that I chose to make. Jet propulsion on a boat will always have limitations. Know this going in. But I’ll tell you that another $5-10k in price that compromise would have swung another direction. For me, a $55,000 Yamaha jet CC is not a purchase I’d make (unless it was 28’ long and had Blackfin quality components. Haha yeah right). At the price point they are in now it’s appealing.

 

[bolivas]

12 inches of water, lol, I am glad to hear some people are interested in fishing in 12 inches of water, not the kind of thing I will ever be interested in but to each his own.

Hell! If I am fishing in 12" of water, I'll be standing in the water without the boat....

 

[ptwb]

Some random specs for thought:


CC - Yamaha 210 FSH - 3000lbs,17",20deg

CC - Keywest 219FS - 2250lbs,14",19deg
CC - Tidewater 210LXF - 2300lbs,13",17deg
CC - Sportsman 212 - 2300lbs,12",15deg


CC - Scarab 255 Open - 3800lbs,15", 20deg

CC - Keywest 263FS - 4800lbs,18",24deg
CC - Tidewater 252LXF - 4150lbs,16" ,21deg
CC - Sportsman 252 - 4100lbs,18",21deg
CC - Everglades 235 - 4300lbs,15",19deg
CC - Everglades 253 - 5250lbs,16",20deg
Hybrid - NauticStar 251 - 3650lbs,15",16deg (I like this boat, $79k)
Bay - Keywest 250BR - 2400lbs,14",19deg
Bay - Pathfinder 2500 Hybrid - 3500lbs,13",16deg
Bay - Pathfinder 2600 TRS - 4250lbs,15",18deg




Yamaha 210FSH
2000rpm, 4.6mph,2.1mpg
5500rpm,28.6mph,3.6mpg
6000rpm,32.3mph,3.2mpg
7800rpm,44.3mph,2.4mpg

Keywest 219FS With 150hp
1000rpm, 4.0mph,5.6mpg
4000rpm,28.8mph,4.1mpg
6000rpm,46.3mph,2.9mpg

Tidewater 210LXF with 150hp
1000rpm, 4.5mph,5.6mpg
3500rpm,22.5mph,4.5mpg
4500rpm,32.5mph,4.1mpg
6100rpm,45.6mph,2.9mpg




Scarab 255 Open
4000rpm, 9.0mph,1.9mpg
5500rpm,30.0mph,2.8mpg 157 mi range
7000rpm,44.0mph,1.8mpg
8050rpm,55.0mph,1.4mpg

Tidewater 252LXF (twin 150s)
24.5mpg,2.8mpg
51.0mph,2.1mpg

NauticStar 251 (with single 300)
3.8mpg at cruise, 75gal 283 mi range
WOT 52.5mph


I wonder about something like that Nauticstar but with the transom from the Regal 26 OBX or SeaRay 270 (favorites of mine). That's the one outboard fishing boat design I have not seen yet from anybody.

 

[2kwik4u]

@ptwb you're not wrong. Not even a little bit.

We're shopping for two different things. I don't want an outboard. I also don't want to fish, and don't particularly need a shallow draft. Our requirements and desires to be fulfilled by a boat are significantly different.

Doesn't mean we both can't like the CC layout. Will mean we probably won't agree if the new 250FSH is a good boat or not though

Those OB powered bow riders must have some SERIOUS storage space under those rear sunpads. Like, damn near living quarters sized compartments. I think an OB is the simplest drivetrain you can put on a boat. Just ahead of a jet drive. I just really don't moving around them when at anchor. #1 reason I didn't buy a pontoon when I was shopping. All the good Tri-Toon layouts had an OB hanging off the back and ruined the rear lounge area. The rest had I/O setups, and that is the most overly complicated drive system you can get IMO (aside from maybe some of the azipods on larger ships).

The Scarab 255 Open really nailed it with that tailgate IMO. The jet drives make that an easy design to pull off as well.

 

[William]

The pickup truck analogy is a good one but IMO flawed because a lot of center consoles have the specs of 1/2 or 3/4 ton pickup, but the Yamaha and Scarab do not.

Most people that buy a pickup never use it as a pickup, but it's still an actual pickup in every way, and when you go to sell it, people that actually need a pickup would consider your pickup. The Yamaha and Scarab ARE center consoles, but with just about the worst specs of all center consoles EXCEPT for 'maybe' the price.

What's wrong with asking Yamaha to try and do more than just give us looks? Seriously, if somehow Yamaha made the boat draft less, be more efficient, have more range, more seating (even if optional or easily removable), not clog with grass so easily, have more possible bait/fish wells, storage, floor lockers, etc, who here would NOT appreciate that?

As far grass, we go to the keys almost every year. Grass is EVERYWHERE. It's not the end of the world, but for me, the captian, it does suck. It really really sucks. When I say everywhere, seriously, its $#@#ing EVERYWHERE. Entire boat ramps will be 100% clogged up with it that you would have to paddle your way out. When on the water, you are constantly scanning the water to try and avoid it and you are doing this 100% of the time, and no matter how hard you try, you will eventually still get enough build up to slow down or eventually fully clog and multiple times throughout the day. I thought the keys was the only place I had to worry about grass until a while back we visited Steinhatchee to go scalloping. 1st day no issues. 2nd day, coming in to avoid a storm, a TON of boats trying to race in through the channel like rush hour, and one of my engines clogged up and I lost plane with a ton of other boats going fast behind me and I luckily got out of the way quickly but it was scary when it happened. I try the reverse trick, sometimes it works, this time it wouldn't. Now I have to kill my engines off to the side of the channel, but there's very little room between the channel and a shallow shoal and we are bouncing around like crazy and I am on the transom trying to remove the grass and I can see the wake from everybody crashing on the shoal just a short distance away. I don't enjoy ending my day with scraped up hands from removing grass. Am I wrong to ask for Yamaha to try and solve the problem and give us a better experience? Maybe there is no solution, but I would like to think there is and I really hope Yamaha is trying to figure something out. Most likely though they are putting time into another gimmic writing an app so that somebody can turn the navigation lights on from their bluetooth connected phone.

And so I've started looking at outboard center console and bowrider boats and am amazed that with Yamaha always moving their price up, they are now basically the same and better deals can actually be had and there are now lots more options to choose from for the dollar. And if you're considering used boats, that many more doors open up. Yes, I would now have an outboard in the middle of the transom, but I still would have plenty of transom to the left and the right. I'd even say, some outboard designs offer more actual waterline frontage than the Yamaha's. The Yamaha's only offer the absolute rear of the transom because of how the side of the boat goes right to the very back and one ladder. Some outboard powered bowrider transoms, you're giving up 3' in the middle for the engine, but then you're gaining back 4' on the sides because the flat transom extends back and you now have 2' on each side that the yamaha does not have and TWO boarding ladders sometimes! Some offer convertible pads, adjustable seating, lots of options! Two boarding ladders would be a nice plus when I have a fully loaded boat in the keys.

I would love to see Yamaha or Scarab (or even outboard makers) offer a 25-27' center console that is some type of cross between all these boats but still also be a really really really good fishing boat. Maybe I am the odd one, but I'd love to see some type of center console design, something like a boston whaler 270 dauntless, but with the transom of something like a regal 26 OBX bowrider (my family's current favorite) or a Searay 270 SDX. And also, please try harder than the tiny generic center console hard tops. The hard top should be optional, sure offer a generic version, but I wonder what it would look like with another option like a huge 242x like soft/hard top.

When Yamaha introduced the 230s back around 2004, that was a game changer, not just in terms of price, but also in design and layout. Aside from the engines, noise and grass, the boats were very competitive on specs and better in many ways, offer better layouts and more seating. It was a true market disruptor. IMO, the current selection of jet center consoles is not even close.

I would love to get a 25-27 jet powered center console. My family wants a bowrider. Really hoping that somehow Yamaha or Scarab can surprise us with a true market breakthrough in family/fishing center consoles, something that makes my jaw drop and makes me scream I want it. I pray we don't end up with another overpriced and ugly 275 catastrophe.

Sounds like you are tremendously disappointed with your Yamaha FSH? I would encourage you to sell it and get something you are happy with. The boats you listed on your next post with the stats are very nice boats. I am sure the build quality is also higher than the FSH and it's very possible you would be better served getting one. It seems they are considerably more expensive, more than double the price in more than one instance but what does it matter if you buy a less expensive boat you don't even like right?

The FSH in my view an amazing boat for me personally. I do not go in water over saturated with grass so I cannot speak to that experience. If I had been to an area over saturated with grass I would most likely not go back to that area again. I have had outboards and they are not immune to the grass problem in my experience and also just being in water that is mostly grass is no fun for anyone.

The Scarab when compared to the FSH is just not in the same ballpark, the layout is wrong the features are different, it's just not a fish/family boat so using it as a comparison is not very productive.

There is nothing quite like an FSH. It's not perfect but no boat is perfect, there is no perfect thing anywhere and that goes for boats too. I think boating is a tremendously fun experience and personally without any effort I find it natural to enjoy the fun parts of boating and being on the water with my family and friends. For me it is un-natural to constantly consider a better scenario that has not been invented yet to fuel some sort of deep dissatisfaction I have with my current situation. In other words, for me I usually choose to wither A. Look on the bight side or B. Move on to something else. I guess C. keep raining on the parade with constant complaints and criticisms about the way things are in comparison with the way things could be if someone would just invent it, is always another option some of my friends like to consider, but I find myself spending less time with those friends.

 

[William]

I found I can click ignore on some folks, so that's good.

 

[Grassman]

Keep in mind twin engines on a 24-25ft FSH. I dont think 80K would be that bad and I fish out of mine offshore regularly. Look at the price on a 25 ft Sea Hunt Gamefish with twin 150's and 80 will seem like a deal. Many offshore guys feel two motors are a must have.

 

[William]

I have not heard sizing specs yet but was told they built a new hull specifically for the larger FSH and it would get twin 1.8 supercharged motors and a larger fuel capacity. Once again I will say these are rumors but they come from a source I feel has no reason to lie about them.

Can you get any more info from your source?

 

[William]

Still nothing

 

[SCP1]

Some random specs for thought:


CC - Yamaha 210 FSH - 3000lbs,17",20deg

CC - Keywest 219FS - 2250lbs,14",19deg
CC - Tidewater 210LXF - 2300lbs,13",17deg
CC - Sportsman 212 - 2300lbs,12",15deg


CC - Scarab 255 Open - 3800lbs,15", 20deg

CC - Keywest 263FS - 4800lbs,18",24deg
CC - Tidewater 252LXF - 4150lbs,16" ,21deg
CC - Sportsman 252 - 4100lbs,18",21deg
CC - Everglades 235 - 4300lbs,15",19deg
CC - Everglades 253 - 5250lbs,16",20deg
Hybrid - NauticStar 251 - 3650lbs,15",16deg (I like this boat, $79k)
Bay - Keywest 250BR - 2400lbs,14",19deg
Bay - Pathfinder 2500 Hybrid - 3500lbs,13",16deg
Bay - Pathfinder 2600 TRS - 4250lbs,15",18deg




Yamaha 210FSH
2000rpm, 4.6mph,2.1mpg
5500rpm,28.6mph,3.6mpg
6000rpm,32.3mph,3.2mpg
7800rpm,44.3mph,2.4mpg

Keywest 219FS With 150hp
1000rpm, 4.0mph,5.6mpg
4000rpm,28.8mph,4.1mpg
6000rpm,46.3mph,2.9mpg

Tidewater 210LXF with 150hp
1000rpm, 4.5mph,5.6mpg
3500rpm,22.5mph,4.5mpg
4500rpm,32.5mph,4.1mpg
6100rpm,45.6mph,2.9mpg




Scarab 255 Open
4000rpm, 9.0mph,1.9mpg
5500rpm,30.0mph,2.8mpg 157 mi range
7000rpm,44.0mph,1.8mpg
8050rpm,55.0mph,1.4mpg

Tidewater 252LXF (twin 150s)
24.5mpg,2.8mpg
51.0mph,2.1mpg

NauticStar 251 (with single 300)
3.8mpg at cruise, 75gal 283 mi range
WOT 52.5mph


I wonder about something like that Nauticstar but with the transom from the Regal 26 OBX or SeaRay 270 (favorites of mine). That's the one outboard fishing boat design I have not seen yet from anybody.

I will report back on the Sea Ray 270 as I am renting one in Florida.

 

[ptwb]

I will report back on the Sea Ray 270 as I am renting one in Florida.

Thanks! Curious how well she handles rough water and how much bow spray there is. Where did you rent from? Rickenbacker? I've seen a bunch of 270s and the bigger 290s with twins over there. How much for the day? If you can get some video from the bow and also the stern, that would be much appreciated!

 

[robert843]

Still nothing

nope I don’t expect to get any more info. The Miami boat show is four months out and if we will see an early release it would likely be there . If don’t it will likely be next fall at the dealers meeting before we see anything. I’m flying down to the Ft Lauderdale boat show at the end of the month if there is a Yamaha rep there I will harass them a bit to see what info I can get.

 

[SCP1]

Thanks! Curious how well she handles rough water and how much bow spray there is. Where did you rent from? Rickenbacker? I've seen a bunch of 270s and the bigger 290s with twins over there. How much for the day? If you can get some video from the bow and also the stern, that would be much appreciated!

Boatsetter by Tampa.