1998-1999 Yamaha Exciter 135 Specs and Review [Video]

The Yamaha Exciter 135 was the single-engine version of the flagship Exciter 270. These 2-stroke Yamaha jet boats shared the same hull but they were marketed with different engine packages.

In this post, you will find out more about this vintage entry-level Yamaha jet boat and its specifications.

Review

Hull and Top Deck

The Exciter 135 debuted in 1998 as the smallest sibling of Yamaha’s popular Exciter jet boat family.

Due to its single-engine configuration, it was often referred to as Exciter 135 SE, or just Exciter SE (SE here stands for Single Engine).

As the name suggests, the Exciter was designed with a thrilling boating experience in mind.

The boat inherited its patented “GP1” fiberglass hull and sleek top deck from the 220, which debuted in 1995 as the first jet boat in Yamaha’s marine fleet.

This shell measured 16.6 feet in length and 7.6 feet in width. Even though its draft was only 13 inches, the jet pump still required a water depth of about 3 feet for a safe operation.

Weighing only 1450 pounds, the single-engine Exciter was the lightest Yamaha jet boat ever built. In contrast, its twin-engine counterparts weighed 240 pounds more.

The boat came with a low deck, featuring sporty lines and a bowrider-style front area. The latter offered cushioned seats and a small bench with under-seat storage.

Other storage units included a glovebox, a storage tray above the engine, and a ski locker incorporated into the floor.

In terms of capacities, the 135 had a weight capacity of 930 pounds, including five people and the gear. It also had a 34-gallon fuel tank and a 2.6-gallon oil reservoir.

Engine and Propulsion

The Exciter 135 was the only single-engine Yamaha jet boat ever built. It was powered by a purpose-built 2-stroke, 1131cc, triple-cylinder Yamaha marine engine that delivered 135hp at 6750 RPM.

This engine was the big-bore configuration of its 1051cc successor used in the 220, both of which were borrowed from Yamaha’s PWC division.

The axial-flow, single-stage, 155mm jet pump of the 135 was also derived from Yamaha’s PWC line.

It utilized a stainless-steel impeller, manual reverse, and innovative clean-out ports integrated into the rear platform. Thanks to their screw-in design, they were less prone to blowing out.

Yamaha used the same 155mm PWC jet pump across its entire 2-stroke jet boat line.

Features

The single-engine Exciter shared most of its features with its twin-engine brothers, including a ski hook, bilge pump, rear reboarding step, drain plug, 32-quart cooler, cleats, eyelets, navigation lights, grab handles, deck drains, and a pump clean-out port.

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Top Speed and Performance

Due to its single engine, the 135 was much less aggressive and playful than twin-engine models.

This is no surprise since the single-pump setup made the boat less maneuverable with fewer opportunities for tricks such as spins.

Yet, its engine power was more than enough to pull a skier or a wakeboarder, while its jet propulsion proved to be much safer than an exposed prop.

According to factory brochures, the claimed top speed of the Exciter 135 was 45 mph, which was 10 mph less than the 220.

In return, the 135 shined in terms of fuel economy and other owning costs.

The WOT fuel consumption of its single engine was only 14 gph and an estimated time of 2.4 hours.

(In contrast, the fuel consumption of the twin-engine Exciter 220 and 270 were 24.4 and 28 gph, respectively.)

If you just played around, its 34-gallon fuel tank lasted around two and a half hours if you were hard on the throttle.

Thanks to its patented hull design and small dimensions, the 135 was extremely maneuverable. It offered an amazing grip and was capable of quick sharp turns.

In tight corners, passengers appreciated the bolstered seats and well-positioned grab handles!

Problems

The main problem with the Exciter 135 was arguably its poor rough water performance.

While it offered a great boating experience on rivers and small lakes, it wasn’t recommended for larger bodies of water.   

This is no surprise since its small hull with a low freeboard couldn’t handle bigger waves.

Another common problem with the 135 was the cavitation in its pump, especially in sharp right turns. Since its propulsion system was designed for jet skis, it didn’t fit in a boat hull perfectly.

This design flaw caused the jet pump to suck air instead of water at a certain point in the turns. Since the water couldn’t load the pump properly, it resulted in a cavitation impeller and finally a power loss.

This phenomenon was present on all early 2-stroke Yamaha jet boats, but it was way more prevalent on the single-engine 135.

Although it could not be eliminated, installing an aftermarket impeller could significantly reduce this negative effect.

Aside from this issue, it’s safe to say that the 135 was one of the most reliable Yamaha jetboats ever built.

Due to its single-engine configuration, it had much higher reliability and significantly lower owning costs than twin-engine models.

Specs Charts

As a takeaway, we’ve listed the factory specifications of the 1999 Yamaha Exciter 135:

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length	16’7” (5050 mm)
Overall Width	7’7” (2320 mm)
Draft	13” (330 mm)
Dry Weight	1450 lb.
Maximum people on board	5
Maximum load capacity	930 lb.

Engine Specs

Number of engines	1
Type	2-stroke
Number of cylinders	3-cylinders
Displacement	1131 cm³ (69 cu. in.)
Lubrication system	Oil Injection
Number of carburetors	3
Maximum Output	135hp @ 6750 RPM
Maximum Fuel Consumption	14.0 US gal/h (53 L/h)
Cruising Range (full throttle)	2.4 hr.
Recommended engine oil	Yamalube 2-stroke outboard oil, or an equivalent TC-W3 certified outboard oil
Fuel tank capacity	34 US gal (129 L)
Oil Tank Capacity	2.6 US gal. (10 L)

Takeaways – Are You Looking For a Yamaha Exciter 135 for Sale?

Even though it was discontinued before the Millennium, there are still many Exciter 135s for sale on Craigslist or classified sites for an average asking price of $3,000-$5,000.

You may also find some good deals on Yamaha jet boat forums and FB groups.

If you’re considering buying a vintage 2-stroke Yamaha Exciter, note that the twin-engine 220 and 270 models were far more popular due to their higher performance and fun factor.

Sure, they require more attention and a larger budget to operate.

The main competitors of this boat were the Bayliner Jazz, Sugar Sand Tango, and 2-stroke Sea-Doo jet boats.

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

References

Yamahaboats.com