Family Fun: The Boat for You and the Crew!

Many of us set benchmarks of where we want to be by age “x”, and often consider attaining certain items or statuses as the definition of having “made it”. For me, the symbol of success that forever loomed in my mind was a gleaming, quick-moving, ocean-cruising boat!

However, after I looked around at the prices of boats when I was in college, I quickly realized the water crafts were beyond my financial means and settled instead for a used jet ski. The jet ski provided plenty of fun but with it came the resignation that I wouldn’t be owning a boat anytime soon.

Photo provided by Pixabay

A couple years into my career (by then a proud owner of a dog, a house and partner to a loving fiancee), the boat bug came crawling back into the wanting lobes of my brain. I again researched the many types of boats available, recognizing that I preferred a recreational “runabout” but also very much aware I could not afford the mainstream SeaRay, Cobalt or Bayliner models. That’s when I stumbled upon the Yamaha line of boats.

Turns out that Yamaha realized there was a niche market (and a significant one at that) for middle class earners looking to get into the fun world of boating. Producing boats that are a significant step above small fishing crafts, and far more moderately priced than the competitors listed above, Yamaha capitalizes on this market by offering boats with jet output engines. Or more plainly, the boats basically have oversized jet ski engines in them. In turn, they are able to sell boats at a far more manageable price.

Our Yamaha SX 190 anchored on a sandbar for some partying!

After checking out a boat show, my now-wife and I settled on looking into purchasing a Yamaha SX 190 model. This is the smallest in size of the manufacturer’s boats and while it certainly is not cheap, the boat could still be bought with a variety of features and an included trailer for the same price as any mid-level car. And so after some negotiating with the local dealership, I suddenly became a boat owner in the summer of 2013.

Our boat on the easy-to-use trailer

Since then, I cannot express the amount of fun my wife and I have had not only as a couple on the boat, but also as hosts to our many friends. The SX 190 allows us to pull skiers and tubers alike, max out speeds at 40 mph, and comfortably relax on the open water with the bimini top protecting us from the hot sun. Additionally, because of the jet engine and some intuitive features (easy access to the propeller axle), Yamaha made these crafts remarkably friendly to first-time boat owners.

Chasing dolphins from our SX 190 - Quite possibly my favorite thing ever!!

So if you find yourself looking dreamily at the open water and wondering if you’ll ever be able to tear across it with the family onboard, take it from a fellow Steemian, you can make your future boat happen far sooner than you think!