Yamaha 242LS VS. The Competition: Bow And Cockpit Seating

Good day fellow Jet Boat enthusiasts,

     During the process of producing the original comparisons between Yamaha boats and how they have evolved over the years, we were asked to do the same comparisons between Yamaha boats and their competition. That sounded like a great idea as we did not know if Yamaha really did have as much space as people think they have (when compared to their competition). This article should help you visualize, in vivid color, how Yamaha boats really give you more for your money!

     One thing we were not really familiar with, since we are not in the Sea Ray or Chapparal or Four Winns business, is that there really is a drastic and might I even say expansive price gap between Yamaha's flagship 242 Limited S and the nearest competitor in this article, the Four Winns SL 242. We're not talking hundreds of dollars, or even thousands of dollars, but tens of thousands of dollars separate the two, and that is for the boat nearest Yamaha in this comparison. Sea Ray, which I might add, has the very smallest usable bow seating area and cockpit seating area is, according to our research, over $27,000 higher than the Yamaha! That's 50% more!
   
     We have not done the research on Sea Ray as we have done with Yamaha, specifically on how these boats have evolved over the years, but we can tell you what we do know. Yamaha has made change after change in their hull designs and each time, getting better and better. Do you want to know why they are in the lead by such a strong margin? One element of that is called change! You don't just sit on an idea that works today and expect tomorrow to yield the same results. People change, needs change. We all get better every day of our lives in our respective duties or hobbies, etc. Why should a boat manufacturer be any different? Well Yamaha Boats have made it abundantly clear that they will pursue change and here are some illustrations of how they're changing the industry one boat at a time.

     In the above images you will see Yamaha's 2013 242 Limited S and the three major competitors offerings (most near to Yamaha's target market). Each boat is in the 23'-24' category. Each boat is 8'6" inches wide. Images are from left to right, from longest to shortest, but the size of the boat does not necessarily dictate the size of the seating area. As you will see in the illustrations above, Yamaha, and their award winning design team have maximized the available seating in the bow and cockpit area and have one upped their competitors, all while doing it for less.

     When asking yourself "How is it that Yamaha boats are the best selling brand in the business and have been since 2009? It all boils down to "most bang for your buck"! If I'm Mr. Joe customer out looking for a boat to spend time with family and friends, the Yamaha is where I'd put my money.

      Let's assume for a second that this available space area was the only key area where Yamaha had a leg up on the competition. With the tremendous price differential plus the additional usable space where you need it, one could make a case where Yamaha would be able to sell more boats than the other guys on those merits alone. Now, add back to the equation the fact that they have twin engines (peace of mind), direct drive (low maintenance), no exposed prop (safety), tons of extras at no additional charge (value), Yamaha marine engines (reliability) and one of the best looking boats possibly anywhere ('nuf said), you can see how Yamaha is actually revolutionizing the boat business as we know it.

     Word to the wise.If you're in the market for a boat, do your research. Then, go buy a Yamaha boat! You will love it, your family will love you for it and you will have peace of mind knowing that you got the most out of your hard earned dollar!

Yamaha Boat Cockpit Seating Comparison 2003-2013

Hello fellow Jet Boaters,

     For this article and in continuation from the previous article, we'd like to illustrate the cockpit seating area just as we illustrated the bow seating area a few days ago.

     2013 marks the 10th year that Yamaha has been in the full blown run about business. Its hard to believe that its actually been a decade since the SR230 was debuted. This was really a coming of age for the boat manufacturer that was until then producing smaller, more waverunner like boats. These were very lightweight, relatively flat bottom overgrown personal watercraft and were not capable of grabbing the attention of the rest of the established boating industry. They did their job well and were reliable and of course carried the Yamaha name, but to actually compete with the major names of the industry Yamaha needed to step up to a whole new level.

     Knowing what we know now after seeing what Yamaha has been able to produce since 2003 the original 230 series is not nearly as advanced in either its shape or its technology when compared to the current models. But, looking back then with nothing else to really compare to in the way of competition or other Yamaha models, the original 230 series boats were very well thought through and were even revolutionary at the time they were released.

     The 2003 SR230 featured Yamaha's now industry standard swim platform seating area, twin four stroke fuel injected MR-1 motors and a laundry list of standard features that you'd pay thousands more for if buying from any other boat manufacturer. But, if you carefully study other great manufacturers that have great products, they consistently seek to obsolete themselves or to make what they produce even better. This is the story of Yamaha Watercraft. Each time they introduce a new hull design, there are literally thousands of actual customer suggestions that are considered in how to make the new boat better.

     In the illustration below you will see every four stroke hull Yamaha has ever produced. In each hull you will see the cockpit seating area highlighted in various colors. Each hull is arranged from left to right, from largest to smallest and each cockpit is numbered from 1-6. 1 being the largest cockpit to 6 being the smallest cockpit.

                             


     What I find interesting is that, even though the new 2012 212X/AR210 is two feet shorter than the 2007 230/232, it has more cockpit seating available. This shows that with time and experience along with listening to what their customers wanted along the way, Yamaha has not only been able to improve on a great product, but that they exhibit the capability to continue to do so in the future. This further solidifies their brand name and consumer confidence in that brand. Any manufacturer that has the ability to listen and make adjustments as needed, is standing on solid ground and will not be easily moved.

     Over the last 10 years Yamaha has consistently displayed that they are capable of making a great boat, greater. The new 19' 190/192 series has nearly the same available cockpit seating of the original 23' model. Who would have thought that ten years down the road that Yamaha would be able to offer a 19 foot boat with the same "real" seating capacity of their first 23 footer?!

     If you're in the market for a new boat or a used boat, we hope that the above illustration will help you in your decision. Whether its a new Yamaha or a used one (good luck finding one 'cause they're rare), you can't go wrong regardless of which choice you make.

Yamaha Boat Bow Seating Comparison 2003-2013

Hello fellow JetBoat fans,

     For this article we thought we'd bring you something that may help you in making a decision to buy a new boat versus a used boat. But, in addition to that, we thought that it might be helpful if you could do a side by side comparison of every 4 stroke boat Yamaha has ever made and see for yourself which layout is best for you.

     In the image below you will find every 4 stroke hull design Yamaha has produced since 2003. They are arranged in order of size from left to right, from the largest (240/242) to the smallest (190/192). What we'd like to point out to you is that the hull size is not the determining factor on how large the bow seating area is. In fact if you will study the image below, you will see how the new 19 foot SX190 (pictured extreme right), actually has a larger usable seating area than the original 230 series released back in 2003.

   



 Yamaha boats have a small seating chart mounted on the starboard side of the cockpit, near the throttles. Each placard will list how many individuals each hull is rated for and the suggested weight capacity. When making your decision as to which boat will be a best fit for you and your family, we suggest that you look at the actual space available to you on each boat, versus reading a rated passenger placard. Since it is very difficult to arrange each and every hull side by side for comparison in the real world, we hope that this illustration will serve as a suitable substitute for the real thing.

   

As always, best of luck to you as you search out the best Yamaha boat for your money. One thing you can be sure of is that no matter which boat you choose, if its a Yamaha, you can't go wrong!

Who We Are

Greetings and welcome to our blog!

I would like to tell you how we came into existence and why we are here.

     First and foremost this company was founded and based on service. We started with a little camera and some spare time in the fall of 2009. I was working as a Yamaha/Seadoo boat specialist at the time. It was the off season and I was bored and had little else to do with my time. I wanted to do something to stay busy so making videos about Yamaha boats was an easy way to stay productive.

     That is exactly what we did. My friend, and now business partner, Shane Huseby and I filmed 4 or 5 videos that first day. They were on simple topics, like "How to flush your motors" and "Corrosion Prevention". They were not produced with high quality or professional expertise, but they were accurate and relevant to someone. Quite a few someones actually.

     After a year or so, and several hundred thousand views on these silly little 2 or 3 minute videos, we began to see that there was a need and a demand for information on this very specific topic. The phones began to ring as people from all over the world called in asking for advice on a range of topics. We also began to realize that we were not the only ones who possessed knowledge in this area, but the community of Jet Boaters (yamahajetboaters.com) that we had become a part of was in large part responsible for distributing this wide range of real world experiences and knowledge.

     After seeing that there was an audience, and that there were needs, we launched JetBoatPilot.com. Our goal was simple. We set out to make people's boating experience better. Our product offerings were aimed at making life as a boat owner easier, more enjoyable, safer, better, etc. We feel that we have achieved some measure of success there. But, with that said, we began to ask ourselves, What's next? How do we find new ways to be of service to our fellow Jet Boater community. We feel that this blog is the answer.

     This blog was created to place a demand on new information. To create for us a pressure to produce new content, relevant content. To create a place to post our findings and exploration and to give you, the Jet Boat owner a place to visit, hang out, and to learn more about your new toy or hobby.

     We welcome you and are glad you found us. We look forward to your questions and hearing about your ideas and what makes owning a Jet Boat so special to you!

Thanks again for visiting us! We look forward to serving you!


Will Owen
Co-Founder
JetBoatPilot LLC