Yamaha-AR-210

2003-2005 Yamaha AR210 Specs and Review [Video]

The 2003-2005 Yamaha AR210 and its base variant, the LX210, were the latest 2-stroke Yamaha jet boats before their 4-stroke successors took over power in 2006.

These models were almost identical to one another except the former was specifically equipped for wakeboarding. It came standard with a lot of bells and whistles like a factory-installed wakeboard tower, bimini top, dual mirrors, and more.

In this post, we’ll review this purpose-built 2-stroke wakeboard boat and its factory specifications.

Yamaha AR210 Review

Hull and Top Deck

In 2003, Yamaha released two new 2-stroke jet boats, the base LX210, and the AR210, which were designed with watersports in mind.

Both of these boats inherited their platform and engines from the LS2000. However, the new models were designed with a swim platform extension, which extended its overall length to 20 feet 11 inches.

The deadrise of this hull was 18 degrees and its draft was only 18 inches.

But contrary to popular belief, running this boat in extremely shallow waters was not recommended since the jet propulsion system required a water depth of 3 feet.

The sporty 7-seater top deck enjoyed a bowrider-style arrangement with two padded seats in its bow. You could also find two swivel bucket seats and a bench seat in the cockpit.

Each of these featured cozy cushions and bolsters for maximum comfort.

The platform housed a lot of storage compartments including two windshield storages, a bow storage, and a tray above the engine bay.

However, the most useful was arguably the under-floor ski locker, which could accommodate water skis or even wakeboards. Aside from this locker, they could also be stored in the optional tower-mounted wakeboard rack.

Even though the two boats were almost identical, there were some key differences between the LX210 and the AR210.

In a nutshell, the main advantages of the latter were as follows:

·         Wakeboard tower (rated for 1 person/350 lbs.)

·         Wakeboard rack (optional)

·         Retractable bimini top

·         Removable deck carpets

·         Dual mirrors

·         Atlantic blue color scheme with flame graphics

These extra features added 54 pounds of weight to the boat, increasing the dry weight to 2206 pounds.

It’s also good to know that due to its wakeboard tower, the AR210 measured 9 feet 10 inches in height on the trailer. (In contrast, its overall height without the tower was only 5’11”.)

Engine and Propulsion

The AR210 shared its 2-stroke, twin-135hp engine package with the LX210 and LS2000. This non-power valved 1200 Yamaha marine engine found its way from Yamaha’s WaveRunner PWC division.

It was designed with reed intake valves but lacked a catalytic converter and power exhaust valves, which translated into increased reliability and durability.

Other features of this power mill included:

·         Architecture: 2-stroke, inline-3

·         Displacement: 1131cc

·         Compression ratio: 6.0:1

·         Lubrication: oil injection with variable-rate oil pump

·         Intake system: Reed valve

·         Induction system: Loop charge

·         Cooling system: Open loop

·         Carbs: Triple Mikuni BN44

·         Plugs: NGH BR8HS

·         Start: Electric

Its dual-engine system was controlled by twin-throttle levers that made slow-speed maneuvers easier.

Engine power was delivered to a “Hyper Flow” Yamaha jet propulsion system, which was also carried over from the PWC division without any significant changes.

It featured two 155mm axial-flow, single-stage jet pumps with three-blade, stainless-steel impellers, and manual reverse buckets.

Keeping easy cleaning in mind, both of these featured screw-in style clean-out ports.

Features

The standard features of the Yamaha AR210 were as follows:

Model-specific features:

·         Retractable bimini top

·         Removable Berber carpet

·         Wakeboard tower

·         Wakeboard rack (optional)

Other standard features:

·         Bow light

·         Bow and stern eyelets

·         Ski hook

·         Grab handles

·         Cleats

·         Fuel cock

·         Jet pump cleanout access panel

·         Reboarding step

·         Deck drains

·         Drain plug

·         Trailer strap eyes

·         Bilge pump

·         Stern light storage

·         Stern light socket

·         Engine compartment blower

·         Horn

·         Dual mirrors

·         CD stereo system

Instrumentation:

·         4” Speedometer

·         4” Tachometers

·         Fuel gauge

·         Warning lights

·         Chokes

·         Ignition switch

·         Safety lanyard

Storage compartments:

·         Bow storage

·         Under-floor ski locker

·         Glovebox

·         Center storage tray

·         2 x Windshield storages

·         Cup holders

Riding Experience

Yamaha’s engineers designed the AR210 as a 2-stroke wakeboard boat, and they did a good job!

Its jet propulsion system housed two enclosed impellers, which were much safer for riders than any other marine propulsion featuring an exposed prop.

The swim platform extension with an integrated reboarding ladder also made the boat easy to reboard while the well-designed wakeboard tower ensured a great wakeboarding experience.

The dual pumps provided great acceleration, starting a heavier wakeboarder with ease.

Even though this engine power was more than enough to even tow two wakeboarders or skiers, the factory Yamaha wakeboard tower was rated for one person or 350 pounds.

It was also unwise to overload the boat, especially when towing. Despite its spacious deck rated for 7 people, it was actually only comfortable for 5.

Its shallow, 18-degree deadrise provided an agile and highly maneuverable attitude, making it easy to restart and pick up wakeboarders.

In contrast, it offered poor performance on the chop, since the hull literally jumped over the waves instead of cutting through them.

Therefore, you could expect quite bouncy rides on anything but glass or a very minimal chop.

Measured with a GPS, the top speed of the AR210 was in the ballpark of 51-53 mph which showed 55-56 mph on the speedo. The boat reached its full speed at 6750 RPM where its combined fuel economy was 28 mpg, so its 42-gallon fuel tank lasted for one and a half hours.

Cruising at a wakeboarding speed of 18-22 mph, the engine decreased to about 2400-2500 RPM.

Unfortunately, maintaining this steady speed on this boat was no easy task, Boats.com reports.

https://youtu.be/VRJBc_ojv9A

Yamaha AR210 Problems

Even though the AR210 built its reputation on reliability and durability, it had some common problems, which were as follows:

High maintenance

2-stroke Yamaha jet boats required significantly more attention and care than their 4-stroke predecessors, and the first-generation AR210 was no exception.

Oil line issues

One of the weak points of this boat was arguably its oil lines which had to be inspected and replaced periodically to avoid oil starvation.

Due to the high risk of an engine seizure, many owners converted the oil system to premix.

Poor performance on the chop

As we’ve discussed, this boat was designed with a 18-degree deadrise, which offered a bouncy experience on rough waters.

Because of this, the AR was primarily recommended for rivers and small lakes rather than the ocean.

Storage in the water

Storing this boat in the water for the long run was not recommended, since its propulsion was prone to clogging or even leaking causing the boat to sink.

Yamaha AR210 Specs Charts

For your convenience, we’ve compiled the factory specs of the 2-stroke Yamaha AR210 under one roof:

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length

20’ 11”

Overall Width

8’ 0”

Draft

18”

Height on trailer

9’1”

Dry Weight

2206 lb.

Maximum people on board

7

Maximum load capacity

1300 lb.

Engine Specs

Number of Engines

2

Type

2-stroke

Number of Cylinders

3

Displacement

1131 cm³ (69 cu. in.)

Bore and Stroke

84 × 68 mm (3.30 x 2.68 in.)

Compression Ratio

6.0:1

Supercharged

No

Lubrication System

Oil Injection

Carburetor Type

Triple Mikuni BN 44

Number of Carburetors

3

Intake System

Reed valve

Ignition System

Digital CDI

Staring System

Electric

Cooling System

Water cooled

Spark Plug

NGK BR8HS

Spark Plug Gap

0.6-0.7 mm (0.024” – 0.028”)

Charging System

Flywheel magneto

Battery Capacity

12 volt / 100 Ah

Recommended Battery

Marine Grade Group 24 Dual Purpose 675 Marine Cranking Amp

Propulsion

Propulsion System

Jet pump

Jet Pump Type

Axial flow, single stage

Impeller Material

Stainless steel

Impeller Rotation

Counter clockwise (rear view)

Impeller Pitch

15.1°

Transmission

Direct drive from engine

Steering Nozzle Angle

23°+ 1°

Performance

Maximum Output (each engine)

135hp (99.3 kW) @ 6750 RPM

Maximum Fuel Consumption (each engine)

14.0 US gal/h (53 L/h)

Cruising Range (full throttle)

1.5 hr.

Fuel and Oil

Fuel

Regular Unleaded Gasoline

Recommended engine oil

Yamalube 2-W watercraft oil, or an equivalent TC-W3-certified outboard oil

Fuel tank capacity

41 US gal (155.2 L)

Oil Tank Capacity

3 US gal. (11.4 L)

These specifications are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Takeaway – Looking for a Yamaha AR210 For Sale?

The AR210 was an affordable lightweight 2-stroke wakeboard jet boat that was easy to tow and operate.

Due to its popularity, many of them are still available, appearing on the used market.

If you are looking for a 2-stroke tow boat, you can find many used Yamaha AR210s for sale on classified boat sites like Boats.com or BoatTrader.com.

You may also find some good deals on online jet boat forums and Facebook groups.

Despite their rather advanced age, the asking prices of these 2-stroke Yamaha jet boats are still in the neighborhood of $10,000-$15,000. As a fun fact, its original price back in 2003 was $23,000.

As a last word, note that 2-stroke engines require more maintenance than their modern 4-stroke relatives, but most service shops refuse to work on them.

Therefore, it’s not recommended to buy any of these vintage 2-stroke boats unless you can maintain them yourself.

If you are not mechanically inclined, you may want to invest in a newer, 4-stroke model.

As an example, Yamaha offered the AR210 with 4-stroke engines from the 2006 model year, but this boat was completely different than its predecessor!

https://youtu.be/oEQJoQIcuLQ

References

Yamahaboats.com

Boats.com


Related posts

1999-2003 Yamaha LS2000 Specs and Review [Video]
1999-2003 Yamaha LS2000 Specs and Review [Video]

The 1999-2003 LS2000 was the larger brother of the lively Exciter 270. These deservedly popular 2-stroke Yamaha jet boats shared the same twin-135hp engine package but the LS2000 was built on a signif...

View post
2-Stroke Yamaha Jet Boats Compared [Video]
2-Stroke Yamaha Jet Boats Compared [Video]

Yamaha manufactured many popular 2-stroke jet boats through the late ’90s and early ‘00s. Encouraged by the success of Yamaha’s deservedly popular PWCs, the Japanese company entered the boat market in...

View post
2000-2001 Yamaha XR1800 Specs and Review [Video]
2000-2001 Yamaha XR1800 Specs and Review [Video]

The 2000-2001 XR1800 was the only closed-deck 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat ever built. This was also the most powerful model in the fleet powered by power valved twin-155hp engines. Its larger brother was...

View post