Yamaha 212SS vs. Four Winns H210SS

kmarkol · **Joined:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:04 am **Posts:** 1

Does anyone on this forum have any recommendations on the two subject boats?

My wife and I are currently deployed to Afghanistan but will return home in a few months and will be buying our first boat! We've been researching extensively and I'll be honest, we're leaning heavily towards a 2008-10 Yamaha 212SS. Exceptional performance, good reliability, and a great swim platform. It's kind of like comparing apples to oranges as it's I/O vs jet, but I also personally like the 2008-11 Four Winns H210SS boats as well (with the 320 HP engine). Hole-shot isn't quite as good but the performance is still really good for an I/O. And I will definitely admit that the high whine of two jetboat engines doesn't come close to comparing to the throaty growl of an American small-block V8 with through-hull exhaust (man that's nice). Here's your chance to sway me! Ha ha.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:54 am

Have you much boating experience? Because if not, a conventional prop boat may be easier to learn on than a jet. Jets have their advantages but low speed handling is very different than a prop boat, they don't steer well at low speeds and if there is a lot of debris in the water where you boat the water intakes get clogged up often. I think I'd rather have a standard I/O than a jet, if freshwater, in salt water I'd recommend an outboard over either one. Less maintenance and weight, better performance for the same hp.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Here it goes -

Simple - the Yamaha is having to use two high rpm engines to power the jets drives and equal the hp of the 5.7 in the FW. That means - TWO (2) engines to maintain and hopefully keep tuned. These are high rpm engines that in my opinion tend to work great when tuned and running perfect, which does seem to be infrequent. Then you have twice the number of drives to maintain - yes, jet drives have jet pumps and those go out too. Twice the number of drive linkages, throttle assemblies, wiring harnesses and double the odds of hitting something with the jet drives.

The maintenance of a single engine I/O can be a booger as far as access in teh H210SS, but can't imagine having to crawl in there with two motors to change oil, service and winterize. Typically, having twins is a good thing cuz it means increased manueverability, but with the jet drive that is not typically the case at all.

The twin HP jet drives are running at highyakka to get that boat up to 50mph which is top speed in no wind, wake or weight on board based on mfg reports.....that means your top speed with beer, coolers, food, people will be LESS than that. The top speed of the FW SS (AMERICAN) Hot Rod boat is 60mph if my speedo is accurate....if not then more like 58ish. The FW SS will fly and has the sound (when wanted) to go along with it. The integrated platform on teh FW is bigger than you think and ample....if not get an extended platform or go to the newer 2012 FW SS models, which have the way bigger platforms. Basically, in this case the Harley outruns and the crotch rocket!!!

The jet boat is prone to sucking up debris - that's why they have the reach thru in the rear deck so you can reach down and pull seaweed, hydrilla and used condoms out of the drive unit. Come on man - if your gonig to get a boat - get a boat....not a rice burning novelty boat. Just seems to me that you don't take a highly tuned high rpm engine and drive setup and dump it into the water where conditions can be the harshest. Corrosion, moisture, suspect fuel, ethanol blah blah blah.

How did i do in convincing you?????

Mark T · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:56 am

Yamaha will do better in shallow water than the Four Winns, but if you are boating on choppy water the FW will give you a smoother better ride. Do you want to go fast on smooth water or do you want a smooth ride and be able to tow tubers and boarders on choppier water ??

Jet boat would be fine for a second boat...

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

it just seems strange to me to have a RPM guage hit 1,100 as i reach 50 mph. seems like a piston would fly out and hit me in the head or something. I'm sure Yahama's are fine - it's just a matter of what you want.

I would have a serious talk with some mechanics first though - i have a bud who pays nthru the nose to get his Jet Ski worked on and essentially that is what you are talking about (x2).

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

Jetboats have two engines, if one fails out on the lake, you an still make it home without having to call SeaTow

Winter Sux · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:47 pm

TX H210SS wrote:

Here it goes -

Simple - the Yamaha is having to use two high rpm engines to power the jets drives and equal the hp of the 5.7 in the FW. That means - TWO (2) engines to maintain and hopefully keep tuned. These are high rpm engines that in my opinion tend to work great when tuned and running perfect, which does seem to be infrequent. Then you have twice the number of drives to maintain - yes, jet drives have jet pumps and those go out too. Twice the number of drive linkages, throttle assemblies, wiring harnesses and double the odds of hitting something with the jet drives.

The maintenance of a single engine I/O can be a booger as far as access in teh H210SS, but can't imagine having to crawl in there with two motors to change oil, service and winterize. Typically, having twins is a good thing cuz it means increased manueverability, but with the jet drive that is not typically the case at all.

The twin HP jet drives are running at highyakka to get that boat up to 50mph which is top speed in no wind, wake or weight on board based on mfg reports.....that means your top speed with beer, coolers, food, people will be LESS than that. The top speed of the FW SS (AMERICAN) Hot Rod boat is 60mph if my speedo is accurate....if not then more like 58ish. The FW SS will fly and has the sound (when wanted) to go along with it. The integrated platform on teh FW is bigger than you think and ample....if not get an extended platform or go to the newer 2012 FW SS models, which have the way bigger platforms. Basically, in this case the Harley outruns and the crotch rocket!!!

The jet boat is prone to sucking up debris - that's why they have the reach thru in the rear deck so you can reach down and pull seaweed, hydrilla and used condoms out of the drive unit. Come on man - if your gonig to get a boat - get a boat....not a rice burning novelty boat. Just seems to me that you don't take a highly tuned high rpm engine and drive setup and dump it into the water where conditions can be the harshest. Corrosion, moisture, suspect fuel, ethanol blah blah blah.

How did i do in convincing you?????

Well you have me convinced

30 years ago I had a 16 foot 350 HP jet. A ton o fun. Drive maintenance is zilch. But what you lose in slower speed handling aint worth it in the long run. Off plane they're dogs and economy is always a pig.

Drew Da Boat Guy · **Joined:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 1:15 pm **Posts:** 7

Okay I gotta weigh in on this. I have sold Four Winns for 10 years and the Yamahas for about 6 years. Both are great boats.

Some common misconceptions on the Yamahas are the "two engines, twice the problems" scenerio. Honestly, even though Yamaha has two engines, they have a lot less problems than any stern drive I have ever had. There is a whole lot less maintenence to do on these boats (no winterization, etc.) than on the Four Winns. I have probably 500 hours of usage in the Yamahas and I have NEVER sucked anything into the jet...It just doesn't happen often if you pay attention to not run over your ski rope. (Further more, you are just as likely to run over your ski rope and wrap it around your prop in the Four Winns). They use about 25% less fuel at cruising speeds than sterndrives and you use 87 Octain Fuel which saves you 10 cents a gallon as well. The Yamahas are SIGNIFICANTLY faster to 30 MPH than any Sterndrive (about twice as fast for most boats). The Four Winns (5.7L 320 HP) Tops out at 55 MPH and the Yamaha (Twin 180 HP for 360 HP total) Tops out at 56 MPH (Boattest.com).
They corner AMAZINGLY. Plus I don't have to worry about my kids getting messed up in the prop.

On the other side of the coin, the Yamahas don't feel quite as solid as the Four Winns in the water. They are squirrely at low speed and blow a bit worse in the wind (when you are tied up). There is something about the sound of a 5.7L engine that puts the Yamahas to shame. The Yamahas are louder than most stern drives but with a whinier sound than a sterndrive (which I find a little annoying). The 21SS will sound much cooler due to the Capt Call Exhaust. Four Winns (to me) has the edge in looks.

Really both are great boats, ride both and buy your favorite. If you make it down to Lake of the Ozarks I will be happy to take you for a ride in both of them. Side by side

.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:40 pm

Stay away! Jet boats are fun on calm waters, but are all over the place in the rough. They don't have the giant rudder (sterndrive) to keep them steady. Unless you NEED a jet system because the waters are hazardous to props, there's no reason to get one.

robbo3 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:02 pm

The best I can recommend is to try and drive a Yamaha before you commit. We have liked the Yamaha layouts since we first saw them a few years ago, however I was always skeptical on their performance because I had never driven one.

Last fall, someone let me drive their SX210 and while the sound/handling was different, it isn't anything that I couldn't live with. The boat that we drove had the Cobra fins installed, which seems to have a better effect on slow speed handling. I did not have any problems handling the boat and was impressed by how it handled the mid-afternoon chop on our local lake. In our 18' boat, we will typically get pounded, the 21' hull handled it much better. I also drove through a shallower, heavily weeded section without clogging the pumps.

I'm assuming that worst case scenario, the maintenance would be even with an I/O given that you are exchanging the outdrive for an additional motor and end up with the same cylinders as a V8. Certainly there are sacrifices that you make given the large cost difference between a Yamaha and FW, but it certainly seems like it will work well for how we boat.

I am going this weekend to complete the deal to trade my FW for a 2011 AR210, we are really looking forward having the extra space, wakeboard tower, swim platform lounge, etc. I have definitely been pleased with my Four Winns since I've had it and would definitely consider one again in the future.

Good luck with your decision, I'm sure you'll be happy either way.

www.iFourWinns.com

Yamaha 212SS vs. Four Winns H210SS

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