Yamaha FSH size decision dilemma

[stevengpaulsen]

Hi all I'm a new member and we have decided to purchase one of the Yamaha center console FSH series boats. The issue we have is the hight of our slip, while it is 24 x 10 and looking at other boats in our dock and others sticking out 6 - 12 inches isn't really the concern for me. However, the hight of the roof is more of a concern. Our entrance hight is just under 10' from water to top.. and unfortunately in doing some measurements on a local 252 we did a walk through on, there is a beam that would be right over the center unit when the boat is lifted out of the water... I know the 195 fsh has a removable / foldable tower making it definitely a fit, it is also missing the room we were looking for in the bow and overall seating I've heard is not very comfortable for more then 4.


Anyone have any thoughts on:
- Possible options for lower profile slips to provide safe clearance. The last thing i want to so damage a new boat and dock...
- Models bigger then the 195 with potential modifications to the tower to allow them to drop/remove/fold? This would be ideal..

Last option if we decide to go big is to sell the lift and use a combination of mooring in our slip and trailering.

Really enjoyed using all the posts here in jetboaters.net to help in our decisions.. any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

The in water height to bridge clearance for the;
195 FSH is 7’11”
222/252/255 FSH is 9’2”

So depending on how your slips cover is shaped either one should fit underneath, provided that when you say the clearance is just under 10’, so 9’11”? On that note, once you pass the entrance, is the interior height taller than the just under 10’ measurement?

The draft on the 195 is 16” so in theory there is enough room for the lift to bring the 195 out of the water under the cover. The draft on the 222/252 is 19” & 22” respectively so there isn’t enough room for the lift to bring either one of those out of the water.

The 195‘s top can be removed, it is not foldable and it is not feasible to take down or put up each time you come or go on the water. I personally don’t see modifying the top on the bigger FSH models. Any way to raise the roof on your slip?

If you think you are going to want 4+ on board then the 222 or 252 are going to be your choices. When I was looking at buying my boat the main reason I went with the 210 FSH was the bow seating as I wanted it to be comfortable for 2 to three couples. If I was buying a boat today (the 252/255 was not available when I bought my boat) I’d be looking at the 252 and I do most of my boating by myself, while I love my 210 FSH, having that extra length would be great in bigger water, and the bow seating / storage area is bigger as well, and I think it would be “more” comfortable than my 210 with 4 people on board. I’ve had 6 people on my boat and it was fine, people had enough room to sit comfortably and could see well enough while we were towing two people on Big Mable. So there was a point where there was 8 on board, and while not cramped it was ……intimate lol! But that was the only time I’ve had that many in the boat and it is rated for 10 people, and that would be okay for a while with two people in each of the seats except the single person jump seats. It depends on what you are going to be doing with the boat and how many people realistically will be on the boat. The 252 has that 5 across seating behind the helm which, next to the helm seating, is probably the most comfortable ride in the boat while underway, and is where you’d want your passengers if the water was rough.

 

[Coult45]

Another thing to consider is water level. Does the water level at that dock stay at a consistent depth? On my lake, our water level will occasionally rise several feet. If the remnants of a hurricane make it this far north, we can go up four or five feet or more (on rare occasions). Two years ago, people with covers on their lifts had to pull their boats from the water because they didn't have enough clearance under the cover to get the boat up out of the water as the level continued to rise.

Personally, I would much rather have a lift and no roof instead of a roof and no lift.

And @FSH 210 Sport is right...taking off the t top is no big deal, once per season to fit it into a garage. Removing it each time you slip would suck.

 

[Jet Boat Okie]

I have a 210 and regularly take 8-10 (it has seats for 10) people on it, with a mix of kids and parents. The bow seating is clutch. It’s great for a day boating for up to 7-8 people if some are kids, but with 10 we usually drop folks off on the islands while I take the kids tubing. I guess above 7 it’s more of a transport vehicle than something you will want to be on all day.

On the height issue…This might sound a little redneck, but my dock doorframe about 2 inches short and my rod holders will hit it. When I enter or exit, I just put a hand on the door frame and push up. The dock lifts a little and the boat sinks a little and it all works out. It’s not elegant solution, but it’s cheap!

I will be back at the lake in two weeks, if you’re still trying to work it out I can measure the dock if you need it, just let me know.

 

[stevengpaulsen]

The in water height to bridge clearance for the;
195 FSH is 7’11”
222/252/255 FSH is 9’2”

So depending on how your slips cover is shaped either one should fit underneath, provided that when you say the clearance is just under 10’, so 9’11”? On that note, once you pass the entrance, is the interior height taller than the just under 10’ measurement?

The draft on the 195 is 16” so in theory there is enough room for the lift to bring the 195 out of the water under the cover. The draft on the 222/252 is 19” & 22” respectively so there isn’t enough room for the lift to bring either one of those out of the water.

The 195‘s top can be removed, it is not foldable and it is not feasible to take down or put up each time you come or go on the water. I personally don’t see modifying the top on the bigger FSH models. Any way to raise the roof on your slip?

If you think you are going to want 4+ on board then the 222 or 252 are going to be your choices. When I was looking at buying my boat the main reason I went with the 210 FSH was the bow seating as I wanted it to be comfortable for 2 to three couples. If I was buying a boat today (the 252/255 was not available when I bought my boat) I’d be looking at the 252 and I do most of my boating by myself, while I love my 210 FSH, having that extra length would be great in bigger water, and the bow seating / storage area is bigger as well, and I think it would be “more” comfortable than my 210 with 4 people on board. I’ve had 6 people on my boat and it was fine, people had enough room to sit comfortably and could see well enough while we were towing two people on Big Mable. So there was a point where there was 8 on board, and while not cramped it was ……intimate lol! But that was the only time I’ve had that many in the boat and it is rated for 10 people, and that would be okay for a while with two people in each of the seats except the single person jump seats. It depends on what you are going to be doing with the boat and how many people realistically will be on the boat. The 252 has that 5 across seating behind the helm which, next to the helm seating, is probably the most comfortable ride in the boat while underway, and is where you’d want your passengers if the water was rough.

THank you for the reply. Its nice to see that my logical hunches and measurements are pretty spot on in comparing to yours. The boat will spend most of its time on Tablerock lake with trips to great lakes, Florida etc.. I love to fish and also have kids and family around most weekends, so this boat just feels perfect. If it weren't for the fact that i can walk from my house to my slip on the doc.. litterally view from back porch, i doubt i'd be having this dilemma. I'm bouncing convenience of walking out and dropping my lift and heading out 100% of the time versus having more room but needing to trailer and mooring the boat in the slip for short periods.

Doublechecked my measurements: The slip entrance is 9' 10'' and the hight climbs to 10' 6" at first beam and 11' 2" at second beam. The boat on lift would have to be under 10'6" .. i believe have no issue just to enter and moor.

Interestingly i found a 252 at a local marina and did a quick measurement - i came to 9'7" from bottom of hull to top of tower.. gives me some hope that if i went bigger i may be able to lift it..

 

[stevengpaulsen]

Another thing to consider is water level. Does the water level at that dock stay at a consistent depth? On my lake, our water level will occasionally rise several feet. If the remnants of a hurricane make it this far north, we can go up four or five feet or more (on rare occasions). Two years ago, people with covers on their lifts had to pull their boats from the water because they didn't have enough clearance under the cover to get the boat up out of the water as the level continued to rise.

Personally, I would much rather have a lift and no roof instead of a roof and no lift.

And @FSH 210 Sport is right...taking off the t top is no big deal, once per season to fit it into a garage. Removing it each time you slip would suck.

Thanks Coult45 i'm learning that the concept of removing the tower every lift is not going to be as convenient as dropping a bimini top each time..

I'm on Tablerock and our dock is a floater so no issues i've seen no issues in my 4 years on lake level impacting hight. If i can use my lift it would definite be the same or similar to the one i have, which locks in to the dock so it doesn't bob.. i'm guessing if i can get a bigger boat up i'd have inches not feet of clearance..

 

[stevengpaulsen]

I have a 210 and regularly take 8-10 (it has seats for 10) people on it, wyith a mix of kids and parents. The bow seating is clutch. It’s great for a day boating for up to 7-8 people if some are kids, but with 10 we usually drop folks off on the islands while I take the kids tubing. I guess above 7 it’s more of a transport vehicle than something you will want to be on all day.

On the height issue…This might sound a little redneck, but my dock doorframe about 2 inches short and my rod holders will hit it. When I enter or exit, I just put a hand on the door frame and push up. The dock lifts a little and the boat sinks a little and it all works out. It’s not elegant solution, but it’s cheap!

I will be back at the lake in two weeks, if you’re still trying to work it out I can measure the dock if you need it, just let me know.

I agree.. the killer on the 195 for me is the missing bow seating.. that pad (even with the aftermarket additional ones) just isn't the same as the 210 and above.. I do notice in digging up specs for the 210 that it is between the 195 and 220's in hight.. a used 210 may be another option.. as for measurements i got mine locked in.. so at least i feel (even if it requires a little redneck nudge LOL) - i could get the 252 in the slip.. maybe not in the air lol..

Thanks again for the post.. if you could do the measurements i'd be curious to compare the spec clearance to what your seeing at your dock.. the spec for 210 looks to be 7' 8" bridge clearance..

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

THank you for the reply. Its nice to see that my logical hunches and measurements are pretty spot on in comparing to yours. The boat will spend most of its time on Tablerock lake with trips to great lakes, Florida etc.. I love to fish and also have kids and family around most weekends, so this boat just feels perfect. If it weren't for the fact that i can walk from my house to my slip on the doc.. litterally view from back porch, i doubt i'd be having this dilemma. I'm bouncing convenience of walking out and dropping my lift and heading out 100% of the time versus having more room but needing to trailer and mooring the boat in the slip for short periods.

Doublechecked my measurements: The slip entrance is 9' 10'' and the hight climbs to 10' 6" at first beam and 11' 2" at second beam. The boat on lift would have to be under 10'6" .. i believe have no issue just to enter and moor.

Interestingly i found a 252 at a local marina and did a quick measurement - i came to 9'7" from bottom of hull to top of tower.. gives me some hope that if i went bigger i may be able to lift it..

Sure seems like the 252 in / at your dock is doable with what appears to be 8” to spare on the entrance.

So not knowing where these beams are at, is it possible you can back the boat in and be able to take advantage of the higher 11’2” / second beam so you could use the lift? You’d need to measure fore / aft to where the T top starts and stops. As long as you can get the pumps out of the water would be enough. You can leave it moored as well but being able to get it out of the the water would be great.

You have a unique and enviable situation with the proximity of your house to the dock. I launch and retrieve my boat each time I use it, so for me that is not an issue. And to me even if a slip was available at my closest lake I’d probably still just launch and retrieve each time as I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving all my stuff on deck even though I live in a very safe area, as well as having to cart everything down to the slip. I load everything up here at the house and when I get to the ramp all I have to do is put the plug in and take off the transom straps.

You can also get a cover from empire covers that will go completely over yiur boat while it is on the trailer. Keeps the boat clean and dry and the sun off of the interior.



Get the 252, you’ll be happy you did. A 210 would be a bit more economical to operate with its 3-3.5 mpg fuel economy but the TR-1’s are not as powerful (111 hp each at sea level) as the 1.8 liter engines (180 hp each at sea level) in the 252. Looking at the the 210 with full fuel, max cargo of 2200 pounds and it’s max of 10 people the power to weight ratio is 1:25.01, the 252 at full fuel, max cargo of 2700# and its max of 12 people is 1:22.63. The 255 FSH sport E (250 each engine) is 1:16 just for comparison=hot rod.

 

[stevengpaulsen]

I see your point on backing it in.. since there is more distance to the start of the tower in the front.. from the front of my slip to the 10' 6" beam is 15' so i'd have to go back and do another measurement LOL.. see the distance from back to front of tower. Backing in would also be nice as you could enter the boat pretty easily from the swim platform.. we have lockers so you wouldn't have that option going in normal. However, my dock is also on the end of the cove so it can get pretty choppy on holiday weekends.. it was rough putting a square pontoon in with only about 8" clearance on each side.. lol.. now thats a 91 with no power steering and ancient controls but still.. i feel backing in could be interesting LOL..

We feel pretty lucky.. slip so close and locker so we just store most items in there.. very safe area as well..

Thanks again for the help..

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I see your point on backing it in.. since there is more distance to the start of the tower in the front.. from the front of my slip to the 10' 6" beam is 15' so i'd have to go back and do another measurement LOL.. see the distance from back to front of tower. Backing in would also be nice as you could enter the boat pretty easily from the swim platform.. we have lockers so you wouldn't have that option going in normal. However, my dock is also on the end of the cove so it can get pretty choppy on holiday weekends.. it was rough putting a square pontoon in with only about 8" clearance on each side.. lol.. now thats a 91 with no power steering and ancient controls but still.. i feel backing in could be interesting LOL..

We feel pretty lucky.. slip so close and locker so we just store most items in there.. very safe area as well..

Thanks again for the help..

And now you will have twin engines to help you maneuver it into the slip!

Sounds like an awesome set up! If my Solix fish finder was flush mounted it would make it more secure than the RAM mount it is on, but it comes off and goes back on in just a few mins, so sometimes I pull it off and stow it in the lockable glove box.

 

[stevengpaulsen]

Thank you all - we have at least narrowed it down to either the 252 or 222 sport.. I think all the points are all valid on the 195 and honestly i think i'd regret it.. At this point its about searching and finding the right deal.. ..

Thanks again. Will post pic when we get it LOL..

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

I’m going to throw another option into the mix - a Robalo 226 Cayman. It’s Robalo’s CC with lower gunwhales designed for bay (or lake) fishing. This boat can be ordered without a T-top and you could install an aftermarket folding T-top.

Robalo Boats | Worlds Leading Manufacturer of Quality Offshore Family Fishing Boats, Bay Boats, Center Consoles and Dual Consoles from 22' to 30'.

Robalo Boats is the leading manufacturer of quality fiberglass saltwater fishing boats. Robalo produces family fishing boats, Bay Boats, Center Consoles and the SUV of the water our Dual Console Models. All boats are manufactured at Robalo's headquarters located in Nasvhille, Ga facility.

robalo.com

You would lose the rear swim platform but gain a large rear casting deck.

Jim

 

[stevengpaulsen]

Thanks Jim,
I did look at the Robalo's as well as some of the other non-jet versions like Dauntless (wow that one is pricey LOL) , Nauticstar, Cobia and a few others as well as some of the metal boats like lund and crestliner that have fish and ski. versions.. The swim platform is what sold my wife... and i love the versatility of the Yamaha for: fishing in fresh / salt and its family friendly swim platform..

The decision is over.. We have locked in a 2023 Yamaha 222 FSH Sport , and family will be driving to pick it up in Alabama next Saturday. Also did a bunch of measurements and met with a lift company (hydrohoist) and they gaurantee me it will fit and lift securely in our slip..

All in all i thank everyone for helping me talk through this and we are super excited..

Will post a picture next Sunday in the water LOL..

All the best!

Steve

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Thanks Jim,
I did look at the Robalo's as well as some of the other non-jet versions like Dauntless (wow that one is pricey LOL) , Nauticstar, Cobia and a few others as well as some of the metal boats like lund and crestliner that have fish and ski. versions.. The swim platform is what sold my wife... and i love the versatility of the Yamaha for: fishing in fresh / salt and its family friendly swim platform..

The decision is over.. We have locked in a 2023 Yamaha 222 FSH Sport , and family will be driving to pick it up in Alabama next Saturday. Also did a bunch of measurements and met with a lift company (hydrohoist) and they gaurantee me it will fit and lift securely in our slip..

All in all i thank everyone for helping me talk through this and we are super excited..

Will post a picture next Sunday in the water LOL..

All the best!

Steve

Awesome news! Congratulations ??!

There is a section in the FAQ about picking up a new boat, I highly recommend you give it a gander. Also, I know it is a very exciting time to pick up a new boat, I encourage you to go through every nook and cranny of the boat with a fine tooth comb. Be sure and check the trailer over equally as well, check that the bearing buddies are filled properly with grease, check the brake fluid level in the surge brake reservoir.

I’m not sure how far away you are traveling to pick up your boat, I suggest at least a one hour sea trial with the salesman to break in the engines (down load and read owners manual for this procedure), and test all the systems on the boat to make sure everything works as designed. All this so you don’t have to put extra miles on the boat trailer to take it back for some simple warranty work.

And yes, the dauntless is expensive, a lot more expensive than your boat as are the others like a Robalo etc..basically $100,000 more. While the boat you are getting is totally awesome, the Dauntless‘s & Grady Whites are next level boats and are worth the money.

Get us some pics!

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

Thanks Jim,
I did look at the Robalo's as well as some of the other non-jet versions like Dauntless (wow that one is pricey LOL) , Nauticstar, Cobia and a few others as well as some of the metal boats like lund and crestliner that have fish and ski. versions.. The swim platform is what sold my wife... and i love the versatility of the Yamaha for: fishing in fresh / salt and its family friendly swim platform..

The decision is over.. We have locked in a 2023 Yamaha 222 FSH Sport , and family will be driving to pick it up in Alabama next Saturday. Also did a bunch of measurements and met with a lift company (hydrohoist) and they gaurantee me it will fit and lift securely in our slip..

All in all i thank everyone for helping me talk through this and we are super excited..

Will post a picture next Sunday in the water LOL..

All the best!

Steve

Congratulations!

I love the new 22’ FSH, Yamaha fit a home run with this model!

Looking forward to the pics.

Jim

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Thanks Jim,
I did look at the Robalo's as well as some of the other non-jet versions like Dauntless (wow that one is pricey LOL) , Nauticstar, Cobia and a few others as well as some of the metal boats like lund and crestliner that have fish and ski. versions.. The swim platform is what sold my wife... and i love the versatility of the Yamaha for: fishing in fresh / salt and its family friendly swim platform..

The decision is over.. We have locked in a 2023 Yamaha 222 FSH Sport , and family will be driving to pick it up in Alabama next Saturday. Also did a bunch of measurements and met with a lift company (hydrohoist) and they gaurantee me it will fit and lift securely in our slip..

All in all i thank everyone for helping me talk through this and we are super excited..

Will post a picture next Sunday in the water LOL..

All the best!

Steve

Hey Steve,

Did you ever post up a pick of the boat in the water?