Yamaha Boats - general questions on what one?

[Dmdunn110]

Hello everyone! I am very new here and hope this is in the right spot.

I am new to the Jetboat community and didn`t really give them a second thought until recently. I have owned a couple boats in my life and am very comfortable around boating but curious on these types of boats in general but most specifically the Yamaha surf boats.

I am trying to decide if certain features are actually worth it for my family and myself. My wife and I are torn between a surf setup type boat or just getting a normal non surf setup. I am a decent/good wake surfer and my wife and friends are not good. They are very new to this world and don`t really ski or anything often, but can get up. However I have a young son (almost 4) and a daughter that will be born in the next 3-5 weeks. So I want a boat that will grow with us until we decide if we want to get a dedicated surf boat for 100k+.

We will be typically going just us 4, but will likely run 6-8 people maybe half the time so we are looking at the 19, but likely going to get the 21/22` boat. Is the motor THAT big of a difference between the surf series and normal series? Ill be driving most the time and I'm not a speed guy by any means. Likely cruising around 28-32? Even less when my daughter is here but is the smaller motors enough to yank larger guys (myself and best friend are both 240(me) 275 (Friend). I have watched numerous videos on the surf wake even with the surf set ups. They aren't good, but enough to have fun it seems and high level guys can let go of the rope.
I want something that I can teach my kids, help friends, etc. but something that also will be enough for me to get back there and just have fun as well.

My though on the jet boat is for Lake Havasu, its not very weedy or grassy. Its rock/sand so we will be doing a lot of pulling up on sandbars, restaurants and floating in the water. So I am looking for a "do it all" minimal maintenance, let my kids learn to drive, etc. It will be our first family boat for the lake so I think something without a prop would be ideal so I can worry a lot less of ruining the lower unit and most importantly my kids (and friends) safety.

Please let me know what you guys think, considering I have next to zero personal experience with these types of boats.
Thank you!

 

[Acard7]

Man, idk, if you are eventually going to spend the money on a wake boat I would just pull the trigger on one of those and have the kids grow up with it! But I see your dilemma because it'll be a few years before the kids are ready to shred some waves.

Yamahas are great boats, jack of all trades, but master of none. Yamaha wake series can make a wave but nothing like you're used to on a dedicated wake boat, and you may even need more weight than the standard ballast. Fit and finish won't be as high class, but then again the price is sometimes 1/3 of a wake boat. Learning to drive a Yamaha is different as well. I always tell people you have to remember you're always in motion unless the motors are off and you need thrust to steer. After you get the hang of it the jet boats are so maneuverable. They are a great family boat, our girls (3 and 7 y/o) love it, and we love not having to worry about watching for a prop. A wake boat prop is tucked under so they would have a legit argument you don't need to worry either, but the draft is much more compared to the Yamaha.

We have talked before that if the girls want to wake surf when they are older we would likely go with a yamaha wake series just because we still want a decent ride in chop since we frequent Lake of the Ozarks and I never see any wake boats cruising the main channel. The yamahas are definitely easy to maintain and work on, which saves me money, which is also why we'd stay with the brand. Another thing to note, if you get the supercharged engines they take 91 octane, the naturally aspirated engines can run 87 octane.

 

[Dmdunn110]

Man, idk, if you are eventually going to spend the money on a wake boat I would just pull the trigger on one of those and have the kids grow up with it! But I see your dilemma because it'll be a few years before the kids are ready to shred some waves.

Yamahas are great boats, jack of all trades, but master of none. Yamaha wake series can make a wave but nothing like you're used to on a dedicated wake boat, and you may even need more weight than the standard ballast. Fit and finish won't be as high class, but then again the price is sometimes 1/3 of a wake boat. Learning to drive a Yamaha is different as well. I always tell people you have to remember you're always in motion unless the motors are off and you need thrust to steer. After you get the hang of it the jet boats are so maneuverable. They are a great family boat, our girls (3 and 7 y/o) love it, and we love not having to worry about watching for a prop. A wake boat prop is tucked under so they would have a legit argument you don't need to worry either, but the draft is much more compared to the Yamaha.

We have talked before that if the girls want to wake surf when they are older we would likely go with a yamaha wake series just because we still want a decent ride in chop since we frequent Lake of the Ozarks and I never see any wake boats cruising the main channel. The yamahas are definitely easy to maintain and work on, which saves me money, which is also why we'd stay with the brand. Another thing to note, if you get the supercharged engines they take 91 octane, the naturally aspirated engines can run 87 octane.

I just know I wont be the one surfing much, my wife doesn't know how to drive a boat so it`ll be me driving 90% of the time until I teach her more. I have ridden plenty of jetskis so I get the concept of a jet boat, i`ve just never physically been in one or driven in one so its hard to know if ill like it or not. I re read what I said and realistically its going to likely be me driving and teaching my wife how to drive, pulling up on sandbars a lot and more or less just posting up on a spot for most the day and maybe going out and just messing around the boat from time to time once my wife learns. I`ve "surfed" behind a basic jetski and it may not be a big wave but it still is somewhat fun.

I just cant phathom in my life right now to spend 50k (on an old) or 100k+ on a newer wakeboard boat. The boat will be at a 2nd house and will be used maybe 30 times a year?.. you break that down and each time you potentially surf is what... a lot?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I have 24 years of experience making jet boats steer with or without thrust so do your research on that , as for what boat to get you will get a lot of opinions but do your research there as well and remember it's the internet best thing to do is take your time deciding and then go for it when you are convinced you have the correct choice in mind.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Hello everyone! I am very new here and hope this is in the right spot.

I am new to the Jetboat community and didn`t really give them a second thought until recently. I have owned a couple boats in my life and am very comfortable around boating but curious on these types of boats in general but most specifically the Yamaha surf boats.

I am trying to decide if certain features are actually worth it for my family and myself. My wife and I are torn between a surf setup type boat or just getting a normal non surf setup. I am a decent/good wake surfer and my wife and friends are not good. They are very new to this world and don`t really ski or anything often, but can get up. However I have a young son (almost 4) and a daughter that will be born in the next 3-5 weeks. So I want a boat that will grow with us until we decide if we want to get a dedicated surf boat for 100k+.

We will be typically going just us 4, but will likely run 6-8 people maybe half the time so we are looking at the 19, but likely going to get the 21/22` boat. Is the motor THAT big of a difference between the surf series and normal series? Ill be driving most the time and I'm not a speed guy by any means. Likely cruising around 28-32? Even less when my daughter is here but is the smaller motors enough to yank larger guys (myself and best friend are both 240(me) 275 (Friend). I have watched numerous videos on the surf wake even with the surf set ups. They aren't good, but enough to have fun it seems and high level guys can let go of the rope.
I want something that I can teach my kids, help friends, etc. but something that also will be enough for me to get back there and just have fun as well.

My though on the jet boat is for Lake Havasu, its not very weedy or grassy. Its rock/sand so we will be doing a lot of pulling up on sandbars, restaurants and floating in the water. So I am looking for a "do it all" minimal maintenance, let my kids learn to drive, etc. It will be our first family boat for the lake so I think something without a prop would be ideal so I can worry a lot less of ruining the lower unit and most importantly my kids (and friends) safety.

Please let me know what you guys think, considering I have next to zero personal experience with these types of boats.
Thank you!

You said above you’ll be running with 6-8 people half the time, that’s significant, how is that working out with your 2017 Yamaha 21’ boat? I have a 21’ boat and 6-8 people is a full house, or as I like to say, that’s a lot of meat on the boat, even though my boat is rated for 10 people and 1860 pounds of people and 2200 pounds of people and gear. I’ve said for quite some time that if I found myself boating with 6 people on a regular basis then I’d move up to the 25’ FSH. It’s a boat not a car, you need room for people and their stuff, and plenty of elbow room.

Seems to me you’d be a prime candidate for a 255XD 255XE with your surf aspirations. My friend John has a 255XD and he and his family surf behind that boat all the time, it makes a good wave and has the electronic controls built in for different peoples wave / speed / launch profiles, built in ballast and push button deployable wake enhancing devices and a high mounted tow point. That boat also has the twin super charged 1.8’s which give the boat plenty of power to get up on plane quickly, which is something you’ll need and appreciate with all those folks on board especially if even half of them are your or your friends size, 240-275# puts you guys in the big boy class, how fast you go is up to your throttle hand.

Further, with the launch and surf controls your wife will be able to drive the boat for you while you surf. There are some other features on the 2025, maybe 2024 models such as dock hold, another feature is the ability of the boat to move sideways etc, a lot like the 255 FSH Sport H with its joy stick steering but push buttons on the 255XD. The E drive on the 255XD is fly by wire with synching of the engines and single or dual throttle control further simplifying operation for you or your wife. There’s also a head compartment for storage and room for a porta potty. The 255XD is a bigger boat and it’s heavy, which, you’ll find very advantageous in its ride quality in the chop, lots of chop on Havasu during the season, and Havasu water can get big quick with surprise wind storms.

“New” high end wake boats are $250-350K, you can find a new but older model year high end wake in the upper $100’s, a new 255XE is $109K, and the 255XD is $120K, you might be able to find a leftover 24’ for less. Yeah seems like a lot but that’s the price of this recreational activity, boats are expensive, but what a great recreational activity it is, and Havasu offers a long boating season. And you can trailer it up to Mohave and Lake Powell to further enhance the experience.

30 boating days a year is not bad… With the storage capacity and amenities the 255’s have on board like the fresh water shower, table etc you could make the most of those long days on the water.

Maintenance is pretty minimal, 100 hours / annual on an oil change and spark plugs, the cones / grease reservoir on the back of the jet pumps should be pulled once a year for inspection and greasing, and a few shots of grease to the intermediate bearings once a year (many folks go longer after the first year) is about it, and a valve lash check every 200 hours. If you can do that maintenance yourself you’ll save a lot of cash. The valve lash check should be between $350-$450 at a dealer but depending on how many hours you put on the boat that could be quite a few years out.

There’s no uhaul’s following the hearse to the graveyard so live while you live.

I’ve included this handy boat buying chart to help you in your decision…there’s been a few who have found this very useful.