Yamaha Cover and Trailer Quality

[MacGydver]

I posted part of this as an answer to someone else’s question on the cover but am curious if anyone has felt like the trailer that came with their boat (Shorelander) or the Yamaha covers are better than low quality. I take very good care of my things I feel and go above and beyond standard maintenance so do nothing feel like I should have these types of problems just over a year into ownership (Waverunners and Triton trailer are about 3yrs old now and no problems from them, just the Yamaha cover)

I love my Yamaha Waverunners and my SX240 boat but the quality problems with.

1. Covers not lasting but slightly over a year
2. The shorelander trailer (sx240) has a broke. Bunk board and a barely functional trailer jack. I do not drive my boat onto the trailer I pull it up with road then use the winch. I try to follow ramp rules that ask you not to drive up into trailer (to avoid washing out the ramp).
3. Snap-in carpet snaps broke on 25% of the snaps when trying to remove the carpet to clean the boat.

My experience with the covers and the Shorelander Trailer are very negative.

But my waverunners and boat start, run, and perform great so that much is positive. I wish Yamaha would put quality into their selections process for vendors they use to make their covers and trailers.

That is just my experience others may have had better experience. The customer satisfaction survey for Yamaha is on boat delivery I think they should follow up a year and perhaps 2yrs later to get a better gauge of how they are doing.

Perhaps this feels like more of a rant but I am genuinely curious if there are any positive things about the Yamaha covers, trailer, or the snap-in carpet to see if I am alone in my experience

 

[Jeel]

I think all trailers suck and probably require more maintenance than a jet boat..as far as the covers , yup , they suck , for the price they cost they should last longer and be waterproof ..But then again i havent seen waterproof cover since my 2008 Kawasaki jetski...ive had seadoo jetskis and there is always water in the footwells after rain

 

[Canuckjetboater]

I posted part of this as an answer to someone else’s question on the cover but am curious if anyone has felt like the trailer that came with their boat (Shorelander) or the Yamaha covers are better than low quality. I take very good care of my things I feel and go above and beyond standard maintenance so do nothing feel like I should have these types of problems just over a year into ownership (Waverunners and Triton trailer are about 3yrs old now and no problems from them, just the Yamaha cover)

I love my Yamaha Waverunners and my SX240 boat but the quality problems with.

1. Covers not lasting but slightly over a year
2. The shorelander trailer (sx240) has a broke. Bunk board and a barely functional trailer jack. I do not drive my boat onto the trailer I pull it up with road then use the winch. I try to follow ramp rules that ask you not to drive up into trailer (to avoid washing out the ramp).
3. Snap-in carpet snaps broke on 25% of the snaps when trying to remove the carpet to clean the boat.

My experience with the covers and the Shorelander Trailer are very negative.

But my waverunners and boat start, run, and perform great so that much is positive. I wish Yamaha would put quality into their selections process for vendors they use to make their covers and trailers.

That is just my experience others may have had better experience. The customer satisfaction survey for Yamaha is on boat delivery I think they should follow up a year and perhaps 2yrs later to get a better gauge of how they are doing.

Perhaps this feels like more of a rant but I am genuinely curious if there are any positive things about the Yamaha covers, trailer, or the snap-in carpet to see if I am alone in my experience

@MacGydver ......my 2018 Yamaha FX Cruiser SVHO was 100% top quality. Even inside the engine bay and other areas that were generally out of sight the fit and finish was absolutely perfect. It was a beautiful boat outside and inside that I would term FLAWLLESS - just what I had expected from reading all of the Yamaha literature! The trailer was a galvanised version and was also very good quality, so no complaints at all. My 2020 Yamaha SX 195 was another story altogether. It arrived with a chip (size of a quarter) in the hull that someone had smeared some colored paint or gel on to try to disguise. There were scratches where the throttles (binnacle) had been installed. Snaps were loose. The windshield was miss-aligned. The gelcoat where the lower dash met the hull was sloppy and ragged. Almost everywhere inside storage lockers there was poor finish and sharp edges. However, the large area under the swim platforms was a whole new level (for me) of utter disregard and incompetence. As a manufacturer who continuously touts quality I have to say BS - I have never seen such a mess. It was not just the unfinished raw fiberglass areas (almost the entire area) it was not the cut out holes through the walls and bulkheads that had not been sealed, it was not the piles of sawdust and chips of fiberglass....... it WAS the handfuls of long spiral metal shavings that I found disturbing and REALLY got to me. WHO leaves a mess like that? Whoever is overseeing "quality" control at the boat factory should apply for witness protection as they haven't the first clue about quality and probably can't even spell the word. I bought the boat based on what I had experienced with my Waverunner two years before and specifically for what I consider the best engine & pump package in the world: the Yamaha 1.8 SVHO with 160 mm jet pump. Would I have purchased it anyway had I looked closer? Probably yes, as I have been fixing the other it items as time permits - but this boat is of far lower quality than my first new boat purchase in 1990, an absolute entry level small bow rider from Georgia - a VIP Vision. The 2020 SX195 does not even approach the quality of that little boat. The trailer that the dealer ordered to accompany the SX195 was the painted Shorelander so I expected lower quality. It is IMO still higher quality than the Yamaha hull that sat on it - LOL. At the (always wise) suggestion of THIS Forum's members I ordered and installed the Sturdy Built Trailer - Stoltz roller up-grade. When younger I obtained my qualifications for off-shore racing and have piloted boats from $100 to $1,000,000.000. I have owned boats from a home made sea flea to a Cruiser worth $400,000.00 and many, many, many boats in between..... but for the money I spent (inflation adjusted) on the 2020 SX195 I have never seen such poor quality control. The factory's quality control (LOL) "team" should be fired. I just pray that the hull is better built than built than it shows and am really glad that they now have (as of 2019) a "lifetime" warranty and that I purchased the 5 year YES warranty. That is my opinion.

 

[Fordman]

I guess mine is just out the ordinary, I've had mine cover for 3 years and use in the winter. Granted here in tennessee we don't get a real harsh winter but mine is on my boat at least 2-3 weeks at a time in the off season. I leave it on during on season and trailer with it on and I haven't noticed any problem with my cover. I try to keep it clean. I've gone inside the boat after it had rained and it's dry inside. As for the trailer, I try and wax it 2-3 times a year and it looks great still. I use my boat as it's a 2018 with 169 hours and I always trailer it. I tow anywhere from 20 miles is the closest lake to the furthest we've gone so far is about 200 miles. Those are one way. I have changed the bow roller but that is all I've done to the trailer.

 

[mistercool88]

Agree with @Fordman. with the premium cover available through Yamaha, mine had gone through two years without anything but a little sun fading.

 

[Bluewater272]

I don't love my trailer, but it does the job as required. I have the premium mooring cover, about to finish its 4th season of life. I have no concerns about it lasting at least 2 more years - the Yamaha branding is starting to flake off, but beyond that - cover is in perfect condition. FWIW, I don't do anything to 'maintain' it - it goes on in April, comes off in October/November and gets shoved in a box for the winter.

 

[Matt Phillips]

The trailers leave a lot to be desired as Yamaha configures them from the supplier (Shorlandr these days) with minimal parts.

As for covers, I've found them (although pricy) to be OK. I do store my boat indoors over the winter so my covers don't take a lot of abuse however, my boat is outside in the sun all summer, and after four seasons, the cover looks just fine.

 

[Quad]

it was not the piles of sawdust and chips of fiberglass....... it WAS the handfuls of long spiral metal shavings that I found disturbing and REALLY got to me. WHO leaves a mess like that?

Who does that? Apparently Boeing

 

[212s]

Heard nothing but good things about the Yamaha premium covers and mine works great, fits snug, and keeps the boat completely dry inside even in torrential downpours. Only been a summer so far. For winter storage I'll be taking it off and keep it in the basement, and putting the shipping cover on it for the winter...should help it last longer.

The trailers aren't bad...no issues with mine except that I'm going to swap out to LED brake lights. Yamaha keeps upping the quality and mine came with nice aluminum rims including the spare. From pics/vids I've seen of the 2021 models, the higher end boats come with LED lights on the trailers now too. I plan to order replacements so I can literally unplug the old ones and plug in the new ones.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Heard nothing but good things about the Yamaha premium covers and mine works great, fits snug, and keeps the boat completely dry inside even in torrential downpours. Only been a summer so far. For winter storage I'll be taking it off and keep it in the basement, and putting the shipping cover on it for the winter...should help it last longer.

The trailers aren't bad...no issues with mine except that I'm going to swap out to LED brake lights. Yamaha keeps upping the quality and mine came with nice aluminum rims including the spare. From pics/vids I've seen of the 2021 models, the higher end boats come with LED lights on the trailers now too. I plan to order replacements so I can literally unplug the old ones and plug in the new ones.

@212s......agree - my covers appear to be top quality (time will tell) with both the trailering cover and the bow/cockpit covers fitting very well, keeping out rain and appearing to be quality materials. My trailer is decent - for a painted trailer, the rims are decent and the tires quality. The bow roller was not good quality IMO so I replaced it with a Stoltz and I do have led lights. My 1.8 supercharged SVHO engine and 160 mm pump are IMO the best combination in jet watersports, it's just the quality control of the boat hull that was disappointing.

 

[Gordon Fischer]

I posted part of this as an answer to someone else’s question on the cover but am curious if anyone has felt like the trailer that came with their boat (Shorelander) or the Yamaha covers are better than low quality. I take very good care of my things I feel and go above and beyond standard maintenance so do nothing feel like I should have these types of problems just over a year into ownership (Waverunners and Triton trailer are about 3yrs old now and no problems from them, just the Yamaha cover)

I love my Yamaha Waverunners and my SX240 boat but the quality problems with.

1. Covers not lasting but slightly over a year
2. The shorelander trailer (sx240) has a broke. Bunk board and a barely functional trailer jack. I do not drive my boat onto the trailer I pull it up with road then use the winch. I try to follow ramp rules that ask you not to drive up into trailer (to avoid washing out the ramp).
3. Snap-in carpet snaps broke on 25% of the snaps when trying to remove the carpet to clean the boat.

My experience with the covers and the Shorelander Trailer are very negative.

But my waverunners and boat start, run, and perform great so that much is positive. I wish Yamaha would put quality into their selections process for vendors they use to make their covers and trailers.

That is just my experience others may have had better experience. The customer satisfaction survey for Yamaha is on boat delivery I think they should follow up a year and perhaps 2yrs later to get a better gauge of how they are doing.

Perhaps this feels like more of a rant but I am genuinely curious if there are any positive things about the Yamaha covers, trailer, or the snap-in carpet to see if I am alone in my experience

I’ve had no quality issues with my trailer or cover for my 2021 195 FSH Sport after having put in 2200 miles of highway travel. It’s the quality of fit and finish of the boat purchased in October 2020 I am very disappointed with. Chipped fiberglass on battery compartment inner lip, undercoat showing through in an area of the engine compartment cover, a center console door that is offset (from the base) by about 1/2” when closed and a broken clean out plug within the first 10 hours of use...to name a few of the quality defects that should have been caught and fixed before delivery the boat to the dealer. I’m guessing the fact that the factory was shutdown due to COVID had some negative impact on production quality... though not an excuse.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

I’ve had no quality issues with my trailer or cover for my 2021 195 FSH Sport after having put in 2200 miles of highway travel. It’s the quality of fit and finish of the boat purchased in October 2020 I am very disappointed with. Chipped fiberglass on battery compartment inner lip, undercoat showing through in an area of the engine compartment cover, a center console door that is offset (from the base) by about 1/2” when closed and a broken clean out plug within the first 10 hours of use...to name a few of the quality defects that should have been caught and fixed before delivery the boat to the dealer. I’m guessing the fact that the factory was shutdown due to COVID had some negative impact on production quality... though not an excuse.

@Gordon Fischer .... we have discussed this before on this forum and I agree with your comments. I was very disappointed with the finish in a number of areas on out 2020 SX195 as well as all manner of fabrication waste in the various cavities. I had never come across that degree of sloppy workmanship and debris left in any new boat I have purchased or seen in friends new boats (that's LOTS of boats from various manufacturers).....and we purchased our boat in May 2020 which had been delivered to the dealership well before one word of COVID had been published so - in our case just lousy quality control. This was all the more noteworthy to us as we had purchased a new 2018 Yamaha SVHO FX Cruiser PWC and you could have eaten off the interior bilge area. It was pristine. Same dealership. My only conclusion was that the PWCs and boats are made at different locations and they must have dramatically different quality control mission statements. Our 2020 SX195 also arrived with a "chip" that was not only a mold release defect but someone at the factory had tried to cover it with some paint - total bush league response. I bought the Yamaha for its engine. Yamaha paid to have the defect fixed and I have been dealing with all the other debris etc. very disappointing! I might feel a bit different if Yamaha literature didn't make such a big deal about quality!

 

[Ronnie]

My 242 LS is old (2010) and Waverunner FX is new (2021). I thinks that may play a bigger factor in the difference in boat quality as my boat was in excellent condition and I bought it used form the original owner in 2012. The oem stereo sucked but I wasn’t expecting much at all in that area. The only other thing that bothered me was finding that so many holes were drilled to mount the speakers (at least two, sometimes three per mounting hole). Was my boat the first one off the line or maybe a prototype? Was the “tech” literally blind? Why don’t they have a multi headed drill mounted to a robotic arm do the drilling? At least use a jig / template instead of legally blind person brailing it!

The trailer is an MFI (metal fabricators inc.). It was galvanized and ok but I ended up repairing or upgrading just about everything but the frame and fenders over the years.

ive Had numerous Yamaha shipping and canvas covers over the years and alternate between them during the off and on seasons. They last 3 years on average.

What burns just a little more about the boat issues is that they are made here in the USA. I assume Yamaha makes them in Japan/Asia as well and wonder if poor quality is an issue or not on those Yamaha boats?

 

[Julian]

I'm about to begin year 5 with my premium yamaha cover. It sits in the NC sun all summer long. I did have to patch the bow when I left a rope crossed over the bow and it rubbed a small hole in it. Other than that I've had no issues. Hopefully it will make it through this year, but 5 years on one cover is pushing it.

I've had no issues with my trailer. I rinse it carefully if it ever is used in salt water.