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 AR and the LX210.
In a nutshell, the model-specific features of the former included an Atlantic Blue” color scheme with flame graphics, a wakeboard tower, a wakeboard rack, a retractable bimini top, removable deck carpets, and dual mirrors.
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 AR 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.
This 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.
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 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.
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 AR 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 an 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.
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.) |
Lubrication System |
Oil Injection |
Carburetor Type |
Triple Mikuni BN 44 |
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. |
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 21-footer AR 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 jetboat 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.
For example, Yamaha offered this model with 4-stroke engines from the 2006 model year, but this boat was completely different than its predecessor!
References