Builder · Core · Kennesaw, Georgia

Yamaha Jet Boats

Yamaha's US sport-boat division, founded 2000. Twin-jet-drive sport boats from 19 to 27 feet, separate from Yamaha Outboards. Compete on price-per-feature against Bayliner and Chaparral.

Founded: 2000
Headquarters: Kennesaw, Georgia
Ownership: Yamaha Motor Corporation
Tier: Core
Website: yamahaboats.com

Yamaha Jet Boats is the US sport-boat division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, founded in 2000 and based in Kennesaw, Georgia. The lineup is twin-jet-drive sport boats 19 to 27 feet, separate from the Yamaha Outboards division (which sits in a different building on the same campus).

The brand argument is the jet-drive form: shallow draft, no propeller, instant throttle response, and a layout that owes more to a personal-watercraft platform than to a sterndrive sport boat. Yamaha jet boats compete on price-per-feature against Bayliner VR and Chaparral H2O at the entry tier and against the Sea Ray SDX line at the mid-segment.

Lineup

Current platforms.

195S

Entry 19-foot jet boat
212S / 222XD

21 to 22-foot wake and family
252SD / 252SE / 275SD / 275SE

Volume mid-segment hulls, 25 to 27 feet

Model breakdown

Each platform, what it does and where it falls short.

Yamaha Jet Boats 195S

The 195S is the entry to the brand. Twin Yamaha 1.8L jet drives, open layout. Targeted at the first-boat buyer who wants the jet-drive form on a small hull.

Things we like

· Shallow draft jet form opens up rocky launches and skinny water
· Twin-jet rigging gives instant throttle response and tight turning circle

Things we don't

· Open layout limits use to fair weather and protected water
· Reverse-bucket wear on heavily-used dock-in/dock-out hulls at three years

Yamaha Jet Boats 212S / 222XD

212S is the family-friendly bowrider; 222XD is the wake-focused platform. Twin Yamaha 1.8L jet drives.

Things we like

· 222XD wake quality with optional ballast approaches non-jet wake-boat segment
· 212S family layout serves dual-use buyers

Things we don't

· Wake quality on 222XD lags dedicated v-drive wake boats from Malibu and Centurion
· Pre-2017 hulls have narrower beam and noticeably tippier at rest

Yamaha Jet Boats 252SD / 252SE / 275SD / 275SE

The 252 and 275 are the volume sellers. SD is deck-boat layout; SE is bowrider. Twin Yamaha 1.8L supercharged jet drives on the SE variants.

Things we like

· Twin supercharged jet drives on the 275SE give 50-mph top end on a 27-foot hull
· Wide-beam family layout gives more entertaining space than non-jet competitors

Things we don't

· 2018 to 2020 supercharger maintenance is documented cost item, factory service interval is 100 hours
· Resale gap to non-jet sport-boat comparables widens at five-year mark

Buyer's guide

The Yamaha Jet Boats story and what to know on the used market.

Origin and ownership

Yamaha Jet Boats was founded in 2000 as Yamaha Motor Corporation's US sport-boat operation. Production has stayed at the Kennesaw, Georgia facility throughout. The division is separate from Yamaha Outboards.

The 242 platform launched in 2007 and reset the segment with a wider beam. The 2017 redesign across the 252 platform tightened the hull form and improved wake-sport capability.

Design philosophy

Yamaha jet boats use twin Yamaha 1.8L marine jet drives across the entire current lineup. No outboard or sterndrive variants. The supercharged variant adds 50 to 100 horsepower at the top of the lineup.

Hull forms across the lineup run flatter than non-jet sport boats (the jet drive does not need a deep V to clear a propeller). Wider beam than non-jet equivalents.

Used-market notes and known issues

Pre-2017 252 platform has narrower beam, tippier at rest. Used market trades pre-2017 hulls at a 15 percent discount.

Jet pump impeller wear at 200 hours on hulls in shallow rocky water. Replace as preventive.

2018 to 2020 supercharger maintenance is 100-hour factory service item. Documented cost.

Reverse-bucket wear on the 195 platform at three years on heavily-used dock-in/dock-out hulls.

Resale

Yamaha jet-boat resale runs mid-pack. Three-year depreciation sits at 20 to 25 percent on the 252 platform. Five-year depreciation runs 30 to 35 percent. Smaller used-buyer pool than sterndrive comparables.

Where Yamaha Jet Boats fits

Buyers cross-shop Yamaha jet boats against Bayliner VR / Element, Chaparral H2O, Scarab jet boats, and Sea Ray SDX. The argument for Yamaha is the price-per-feature equation, the shallow-draft jet form, and the wide-beam family layout.

FAQ

Frequently asked.

Is Yamaha Jet Boats the same as Yamaha Outboards?: Same parent (Yamaha Motor Corporation), different US division. Yamaha Outboards builds the Yamaha-branded outboard motors. Yamaha Jet Boats builds the twin-jet-drive sport boats. Both operate from the Kennesaw, Georgia campus but in different facilities.
How does jet drive compare to sterndrive?: Jet drive: shallow draft, no propeller, instant throttle response, tight turning circle. Trades against: jet pump impeller maintenance, 100-hour supercharger service on supercharged variants, slightly less efficient at sustained cruise. Both forms work; the buyer chooses on use case.
What's the maintenance cost on a 252SD?: Annual service on twin Yamaha 1.8L jet drives runs $1,200 to $1,800 (non-supercharged). Add $600 to $900 for 100-hour supercharger service on SE variants. Bottom paint $400 to $1,000. Storage $1,500 to $4,500. Insurance for a $75,000 hull runs $800 to $1,500.
Where are Yamaha jet boats built?: Kennesaw, Georgia. Yamaha Motor Corporation facility, separate from Yamaha Outboards.

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Categories Yamaha Jet Boats fits.

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