www.iFourWinns.com

Thats another valid point from TX. I do recall pulling a tube would more rather want to pull the back of the boat out of the turn. Big loss in thrust in the turns as well.

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2008 Four Winns 210 5.7 GI/SX
2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Crew
1966 Fed-Up Wife

No offense taken at all, I have pretty thick skin, and an (obvious) warped sense of humor.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Friend of mine has a 2006 230 high output Yamaha jet boat & he is very happy with it. Build quality is very nice & has held up very well so far. There are some aftermarket add ons you can do that improve low speed handling that make it better but not the same as an i/o. One thing is it turns alot of rpm's at cruising speed & tends to be loud. His was pretty good deal which helpfully offsets the depreication that seems higher than i/o's.

Thanks everyone I realize it was a strange question. I've been looking at boats starting to plan a purchase next year and I just found a really good deal on a yamaha. It got me wondering how well they were made and how the engines held up. I've been planning to buy an H210ss or even H220ss depending on how much more in debt I want to go! I know four winns are solid boats so I figured I'd ask some folks who already own nice boats to see what they thought. If I ask on the yamaha forums I know I'm going to get a bunch of yamaha guys telling me they are the best and nothing else compares, so I wanted to hear the other side as well. I've always owned yamaha bikes, quads, bikes, and sleds and had zero problems with all of them, they do make excellent products. There are also some features on thier boats that I really like too. I personally wouldn't mind it being a jet, It's going to be a cruising boat for the family and hanging out on the sandbars with friends. I'm looking for something that looks good and runs pretty strong. It's a tuff decision for me between the Yamaha 212SS which is 320hp and the H210SS which is also offers 320hp. The hard part is I can get the yamaha for about $10,000 less and the performance appears to be really close from what I've seen online (At least as numbers go). They actually look pretty close to the same too. I honestly think it will come down to which one I think looks the best and what I can afford. I have yet to see both in person which will likely make all the difference once I climb in them. Those screaming yamaha motors do sound good, but nothing compares to a V8 with thru hull exhaust!

Our local Four Winns dealer sells both lines as well. Yes, $10k is a lot of money. But take a good look at materials used. That is where you will see the comparison end. FW uses much better materials. Sit in both boats and feel the seating. FW is much softer and plush. I found the Yamaha to be hard and very uncomfortable.

I have ridden in the 232 I believe it is called. Man was it noisy. I also am not a fan of the seating arrangement and how the back of the seats go straight up.

My dealer did tell me they are selling very well for him...just not my cup of tea I guess.

I'm really leaning towards the FW just because they've been around longer and I know thier stuff is quality. I like yamaha's motors but I too am concerned about twice as many things to go wrong and I'm sure they are more high strung than a v8.

We briefly considered/looked at the yamaha boats (also a former yamaha waverunner owner) when we purchased. I thought they were nice but when I got in the Four Winns any thoughts of purchasing a Yamaha boat went out the window for me and especially my wife. The fit and finish was not really close. I have a co-worker and boating friend who bought a yamaha boat sametime as we purchased our Four Winns and I've driven his boat. Pulled him skiing. I was very impressed with it's holeshot and a little jealous of the non-winterization thing, but I still love my boat after 1.5 summers with it. Good luck with your decision.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

I agree with the fit and finish comments 100%. I'd recommend a boat show or visiting dealers of both brands to compare the Yamaha to the FW. The Yamaha looks good on the outside and the price was enticing, but when I got in, it just didn't look finished or all that comfortable for a good, long day on the lake. I love my choice for what we use it for, comfortable cruising with the occasional WOT run in the low 50's. I'm sure there are plenty of satisfied Yamaha owners as well, so make time for a couple test drives. To each his own...

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2010 H210SS 5.0 MPI
Lake Oconee, GA

The tiny draft tempts me.... Rocks are no fun. I just picked up my refurbished props in case I ever hit them again....but we have a Waverunner too, and even it will suck things up off the bottom if you rev it in too shallow water..... I think I'll take the props and great control around the docks.....

Ernie

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JustBreathe
'05 230 Horizon

My wife loves the AR230, but I'm leary on performance in rougher water due to the lighter weight, slow speed handling, and the longevity of materials. When we looked at them the fiberglass did not seem to be as thick as our FW and the weight of the 230 wasn't all that much more than my 18'. Not needing to worry about trim is a plus as well as no prop, but then the first thing to hit will be the hull and if you have a large enough platform (we don't), the drive isn't as much of an issue. The plus side is you can get a fully loaded boat for $40k (sticker)

Honestly though, I'm holding out for a 220 or 240 and would probably look for a slightly used model in the price range of the Yamaha to compare with.

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

I always consider worst case scenario. What if I need to sell quickly? I consider resale value when I make purchases like the one you are considering. Look at Boat Trader and check out how each one depreciates. Just a thought.

Dennis

Hello, The Yamaha Jet boats they are different then Seadoo in that you have two shifters, one for each engine so docking the boat is very easy just like docking a V318. You put one forward one reverse and you can spin the boat 360. I have to tell you that I have not seen problems with the Yamaha. 4winns is a GREAT boat but before you say anything about the Yamaha jet boats maybe you should run one. There is a reason it has been the #1 selling boat in the country 3 yeas running.

Just a note...

I did have a chance to take a spin in one of these...

If you live on a small lake with lots of flat water, these flat out cruise.

They don't do well when there's waves... They cavitate like all hell. you either get a kidney beating to stay hooked up, or you try to stay at speed and your ear drums get a load of noise.

Flatwater great. Anything that gets rough or coastal waters with 'big water' - not so sure.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

You might want to check out the new 2010 model just released.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy