The jet-drive bowrider: no propeller, huge swim platform, shallow-water friendly.
Yamaha's jet bowriders replace the stern drive or outboard with twin waterjets, and that single decision changes the whole boat. Removing the propeller is a genuine safety advantage around swimmers and a practical one in shallow water, where a jet boat will run over sandbars and weed that would ruin a prop. It also frees up the stern completely, giving Yamaha the flattest, largest and most usable swim platform in the bowrider class — the reason so many families with young kids end up buying one. The AR and SX ranges cover roughly 19 to 25 feet, with strong performance, excellent acceleration and clever storage under moulded liners. The trade-offs are honest: low-speed manoeuvring takes practice because thrust steers the boat rather than a rudder, and jets drink more fuel than an equivalent outboard at cruise. Against that, Yamaha reliability is excellent, service intervals are simple, and the boats are priced competitively against fibreglass rivals with far less standard equipment.
Twin jet propulsion · 4 models reviewed
Yamaha Boats bowriders
