Engine reliability and ease of start-up No stern drive maintenance issues Layout - no stern drive can match the space comfort looks and practicality of the Yamahas back end and swim platform.

Yamaha jet boat vs sterndrive. A sterndrive engine based on an automotive block is much heavier and larger. Since the jet motors sit lower and in the back they allow for more room in the boat. If you had the budget you wanted a sterndrive.

Your 19ft has an 8 6 beam thats a huge difference plus you have an awesome swim platform to hang out on and a fun boat to drive. Each comes as a turnkey package complete with custom trailer and each is priced. Sterndrive motor boats tend to be more maneuverable than inboard units.

Sterndrives cut smoothly through chop. For me this was a good thing since our tow rig a Honda Ridgeline cant tow more than 5000 lbs. Damage to sterndrives and to boat props happens all too often by hitting under water objects with a sterndrive not a problem on jet drive boats.

Because it extends below the keel of the boat the outdrive and its propeller are susceptible to damage if they impact the bottom or an obstruction in the water like a rock or tree stump lurking just below the surface. Yamaha and Sea-Doo build the best-known jet boats. The power difference suggests that the sterndrive should have a speed advantage over the outboard of less than 4 rather than the measured 22.

Automotive engines with sterndrives became the obvious answer. I had an 18 ft stern drive and it had a 7 6 beam. The outboards transom makes that boat 2 inches shorter than the sterndrive.

The amount of room in the cockpit of a jet boat is significantly larger than a boat which is a sterndrive. Some folks may disagree but this is just my opinion. As pleasure boats grew in size during the 70s and 80s buyers wanted more power.