PWC vs. Boat--this is not a poll!!!

[tntway]

i know somebody out there must own one or the other or both.

i'm looking for good info & pro's and cons of both. had been looking at an 18' i/o for maybe next year. then got to thinking about a couple of jet ski's for me and the wifey. have a 4. 5 y/o

daughter, too.

i know i can get 2 pwc's for the price of the boat. what's their

fuel economy like? how bad is maintainence? etc...

we live close to the Ct. river and we'd like to have some fun on

the water instead of watching others do it for us.

sorry i'm so long winded, but i know i can count on my TDR brothers and sisters for good info. heck, y'all haven't steered me

wrong on my truck yet...

thanx in advance.

 

[Scollins]

Boat:

Pro's:

Dry when you want to be, wet when you want to be.

You can bring some friends along for a nice day on the lake.

Water skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding.

Bimini top will keep the sun off when its too hot.

Greater range, allows you to go more places that are futher out.

I/O's have good fuel economy, and not banned in some locations.

Outboards are also more economical than before.

Quieter than a PWC.

Don't HAVE to wear a life jacket (although recommended. )

Con's:

Larger size to deal with.

More to clean.

More space needed for storage.

More "stuff" needed to be safer than a PWC, although this is arguable. (Flares, anchor, etc. )



PWC:

Pro's:

Lots of fun. You can do tricks, etc.

Small size means they are very manuverable.

Requires less storage space.

Easier to clean up after use.

Con's:

You are ALWAYS wet.

You MUST always wear a life jacket.

With 2 PWC's you can have 4, maybe 6 people with you.

PWC's are not very comfortable for extended cruising.

You are ALWAYS wet.

Smaller gas tanks means limited range.





My background:

My dad owned a PWC, but just one. It was great fun when you were on it, but it royally sucked when you were the one on shore watching someone else run. Having another would have been better, but still not ideal. I now own a boat. I would consider PWC's as a SUPPLEMENT to owning a boat, but not the other way around. Also, PWC's are banned in some places, so that is a factor.



I'd say, get a boat! They are more flexible, just as much fun, and typically have higher resale values. It has been said that the best two days in a boat owner's life are they day they buy the boat, and they day they sell it! That has not been my experience so far... ... ... ... .



My boat: '99 Seaswirl 230 Cuddy

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Definetly go with the boat!!! Make sur you take your safe boaters course. The DEP is out there. Teach your wife how to operate the boat, then in a few years get a PWC. More experience in the water, and the kids being older will make the PWC a lot more fun. I have a 17' Four Winns bow rider, a lot of fun. Plan on getting a 24-26' next year.



E-mail me if you would like to see it in action, I run the Housatonic River.

 

[swamp rat]

Scollins,

You left out one of the more important CONS for the PWC.



Like a Motorcycle they are smaller and tend to get the worst end of a run in with a boat. Another CON, like "SOME" motorcycle riders, "SOME" PWC riders sometimes get the feeling of invincibility and do stupid things that get them in trouble.



Most times, I find myself much more critical when I see a M/C rider or Trucker do something stupid because I are one myself.

 

[JConley]

I had an 18 foot IO Celebrity, and now I have a Jetski. The boat was a PIA.



Reason for the Jetski

1. You dont need to hook up a jetski to the truck in order to move it around.

2. You can go more places since you only need about 12" of water plus it is more maneuverable than a boat

3. Less to clean, less hassle, and easier to launch and trailor in a stiff wind.

4. Launching a Jetski by yourself is 1/10 the hassle of launching a boat.

5. Most of you time wasted with a boat will be waiting on the others that think you have nothing better to do than than wait on them to show up. BTW, dont expect any of those "guests" to help pay for gas, or help clean when you are done. Get a boat for you and your family, not for your friends.

6. With a Jetski, you can be off to the lake in 5 minutes, and if your guests dont show??? who cares.



For the above reasons, you can tell that I dont miss the boat. If you go with a Jetski, get a Yamaha. I have over 80 hours on mine, and I have never done a thing to it. I never bothered to get the "rape me" 10 hour service check from the dealer. If you can work on the Ram, this thing is a piece of cake. I did a lot of research on what to buy, and it was Yamaha hands down. My second choice would be a Kawasaki. Here is the link to the model that I have. http://www.yamaha-motor.com/01watercraft/suv1200/info_frame.html The new ones are red. The 99 and 00 models are white and gold. This thing is the cadillac of watercraft. About a week ago, I made a 97 mile trip on the ski, and I didnt hurt a bit the next day. I carried an extra 10 gallons of gas in the storage compartments, and I still had 1/4 tank when I was done. If you want to go about 175 miles, you can pack an additional 25 gallons in the storage compartments (four 5 gallon cans in the rear, and 1 in the front), in additional to the 18 gallon gas tank. I get between 3-4 MPG on the water. This ski is the dryest ride on the water. I can be cruising around the lake for hours, and not get a drop on me. If I want to have fun, this thing will spin, and you can get wet. My 3 year old daughter rides in front of me on this, and I dont have to worry about water hitting her in the face. Since this thing is so big, it is also the smoothest riding Jetski on the water. I have ridden with other jetski riders who are getting beat to death by the chop, and I dont have a problem. BTW, This thing also maneuvers as good as a 3 person craft, and some 2 person craft, so dont let the size fool ya. This SUV will pull waterskiiers out of the water faster and easier than some boats. I have pulled a skiier, and I barely noticed them on the back. If you cant tell, I love this thing!!!



Whatever you do, decide based on what you and your camily will use and enjoy the most. Good luck.

 

[NVR FNSH]

that things not a ski - it's a small boat 4 people on a ski? what's the world coming to? I guess you could pick the kids up from soccer practice on that thing



Brian

 

[Mactruck]

Boat Definetly !

TNT, I have a 19. 5 foot Ski Nautique and I wouldn't go any other way. Wakeboarding is a great sport maybe I'll teach ya sometime

One thing about PWC's is that I tend to get bored on them after a while. you run around on your lake or river going back and forth racing or cruising. Theres only so much you can do. till you go "what next" I'm not discounting them. They are fun but they are just not as versitile.

One thing about that river and an I/O. watch your draft. those sand bars are a killer if you don't know your water and you spend a lot of time servicing them. Thats why I like my inboard. Low draft ( a little less than 2 feet) And very little service. Only thing I have done is replace my steering cable this year and it's a 91'

Good luck

 

[tntway]

draft...

hey kev-- what's the draft on those bumpers?

VERY seriously tho' many thanx to all who have responded to this request. much great info and some stuff that we hadn't thought about. right now definately leaning towards the boat.

we'll see what next year brings...

 

[weber1048]

I would look into a jet boat. Can do all of the things listed above plus there is nothing below the boat to hit the bottom. When you are up on the plane my boat only needs 3 inches of water. Only 9 inches standing still. They come in inboard or outboard configurations. As far as outboard power get a Honda 4 stroke, quite and more fuel efficient, up to 130 HP.



My . 02



Doug

 

[Papa Joe]

I've often said a man should have a dozen boats. You need a canoe, a 65-foot yacht, and ten others in between.



No, I know, I can't afford that fleet either.



IMHO, PWC's should be purchased in pairs, or more. A single PWC gets boring real fast (gotta share the fun!). No matter how many PWCs you have they get to be taxing after a short while. You get tired, hungry, burnt, gotta pee, etc.



So the solution is simple. Two or more PWCs and a otuboard pontoon boat with the chairs, cooler, BBQ, potty for the girls, shade, towels, munchies, etc. A good substitute for the PWCs is a small, sporty two/three seater runabout.



Happy boating, Joe

 

[TMc]

Go for the boat, especially if you just like to sprawl out and relax in the sun and have a cold one. And if you feel energetic you can ski or tube or wakeboard or fish or have a small picnic or get laid or take a trip to Port Jeff or that's enough. I have a 19' celebrity I/O bowrider and love it , especially after doing a couple of motos on my CR500 I then go out on the boat to relax. The one thing to think about though is will you trailer it all the time or get a slip, its definitely nice to just drive to the dock and hop on and go, but it cost $$$ for the slip 500 -1000 for one on Lake Zoar in Monroe CT.

I don't mind trailering all the time cause I got it down to a science. The waverunner jetski thing is definitely alot of fun but the fun runs out unless you keep going to different places. And it always seems those guys are hanging out waiting for me to come by and make a decent wake so they can have some fun.



Butttt let me warn you, a boat IS a lot of work, so If you don't like to keep up on things don't get the boat. I have a routine that take about 10 minutes I do every time I go out (cleaning etc) that goes along way by the time you get to the end of the season.



Good luck!!!!

 

[K_Arts]

I actually have one of each. I have an 18ft FourWinns boat and also a Yamaha 1200XL 3 person Waverunner. Honestly it is a toss-up on what your family enjoys. My first advice is go out to a dealer and try out both. My wife and I enjoy taking both out. . it all depends on how tired we are and what type of mood we're in. We both love taking the boat out cruising and anchoring out in the boon docks and just veg'n. But on the other hand nothing beats the fun of a PWC. Though as other people stated... you should really purchase 2. Sometimes when my wife and I go out, I want to get all crazy and push my limits. . but I know not to do it with her on back. Yes another PWC is in the near future... LOL



As far as maintenance, I spend more time taking care of my boat then I do my PWC. I just fill the pwc with fuel and go, where as the boat, I have to clean the interior, the windows. . bla bla bla. Also I like the PWC cause not only is it easy to work on, but I can actually work on it outside of water. Where as the boat, you can work on it outside of the lake, but unless you have the right equipment, you can't start it outside of water... for troubleshooting problems this can be a bummer.



One bad thing about the PWC's is that they are all 2 stroke motors, so you have to fill up with fuel and 2 stroke oil. Keep in mind that 2 strokes deliver more polution then 4 strokes, so because of this some lakes have banned them.



Make sure your lake will except which ever choices you are looking at and go test drive both... it really is the only true way to find out what your family will enjoy. Though as someone stated above... . I did a lot of research before I bought my PWC and the Yamaha was at the top of the list. I am very happy with my choice. If it wasn't for Yamaha making a quality product, my second choice would be a Sea Doo.



For more info check out www.boattest.com and start studying the different brands. See what fits your family.



Make sure before you purchase anything, that you take it for a test drive!!!





Hope this helps



Kev

 

[CumminsAholic]

It all depends on what you want to do. If it's purely to play, a jet ski especially 2 is way more fun than a boat. You aren't ALWAYS wet. You don't have to get wet at all. But you can. IMO With a boat the only way to have fun is pull a tube or skier. With a jet ski you can be by yourself or with others and pull a tube or skier. I ride for 2 tanks of gas in a day, probably 5-6 hours of sitting on a jet ski. I don't get sore. But I'm 20 and race sleds in the winter, so I'm used to it.

With a boat you can take the family on a cruise. Grandma and grandpa can go with you around the lake, you can eat, drink (pop of course), and pull a skier, etc... And you can fish if you're into that.

I personally have a jet ski and my cousin has one too. It's a polaris 785 pro. We keep them on the same trailer so we have access to 2 to use at a time. I'd rather have them than a boat because I can go out after work by myself and cool down. Me and my girlfriend can go out on one or both, and on the weekends we can have 8 friends over and still have a blast. I don't think I could have too much fun in a boat by myself.

Maintence ... I've had a little bit on mine as it's a race model. Some rings, and 2 pistons. Not bad in 3 years in my opinion. I have about 85 hours on it. I do all the work myself. It's tight, but still workable. My cousin hasn't touched his. It's a 97? yamaha waveblaster 2 and has over 100 hours on it.

I guess it's all in what you want to do. When I get my house on a lake I'll have both Til then my choice is the jet ski.

Corey