KEY WEST BOATS FORUM-189 Owners (2024)

Ok, been intensely researching what the no-matter-what boat will be that stays under the carport. You know, the one the old guy wouldn’t part with even though it hadn’t been used for the last 15 years. The 1720 is out...not because it isn’t worthy but because it’s not the one for a number of reasons, none of which can be satisfied.

Right now, I’m dialed in on the 189FS. From appearances, she can raft up well on an island...among others. BUT she can fish. I’m liking the seating arrangement. Potty for the ladies..... 150HP max rating. Fast and agile....easy to clean and maintain. I’m hopeful to stop the 2’ itis’ right here right now.

I’d appreciate any AND all good/bad experiences with the 189. Shortcomings? Good stuff, bad stuff? Nothing is too minor nor major....just plain ole’ actual user things. You know the shoulda’ coulda’ woulda’ why didn’t they.....type feedback.

SteveFL wrote: ↑

Feb 06, 2020

Ok, been intensely researching what the no-matter-what boat will be that stays under the carport. You know, the one the old guy wouldn’t part with even though it hadn’t been used for the last 15 years. The 1720 is out...not because it isn’t worthy but because it’s not the one for a number of reasons, none of which can be satisfied.

Right now, I’m dialed in on the 189FS. From appearances, she can raft up well on an island...among others. BUT she can fish. I’m liking the seating arrangement. Potty for the ladies..... 150HP max rating. Fast and agile....easy to clean and maintain. I’m hopeful to stop the 2’ itis’ right here right now.

I’d appreciate any AND all good/bad experiences with the 189. Shortcomings? Good stuff, bad stuff? Nothing is too minor nor major....just plain ole’ actual user things. You know the shoulda’ coulda’ woulda’ why didn’t they.....type feedback.

Having owned one, I can say the 189FS is a great all around boat. I experienced no negatives at all. Easy to trailer and launch, fast yet economical to run, and capable for its size.
However, I'm not a fan of 150 HP on this boat. It's a heavy engine for that particular boat, and causes the boat to squat at the stern...it's just not well balanced IMO, and absolutely needs trim tabs with that engine. The 115 Yamaha would push mine to 42-43 MPH, accelerate very well, and was never lacking for 'push' in rough conditions or with 4 people aboard...and was perfectly balanced. If you need to go 50 MPH, then get the 150. If not, I'd stick with 115 or the lighter weight Suzuki 140.

Captain Dan

SteveFL wrote: ↑

Feb 06, 2020

Ok, been intensely researching what the no-matter-what boat will be that stays under the carport. You know, the one the old guy wouldn’t part with even though it hadn’t been used for the last 15 years. The 1720 is out...not because it isn’t worthy but because it’s not the one for a number of reasons, none of which can be satisfied.

Right now, I’m dialed in on the 189FS. From appearances, she can raft up well on an island...among others. BUT she can fish. I’m liking the seating arrangement. Potty for the ladies..... 150HP max rating. Fast and agile....easy to clean and maintain. I’m hopeful to stop the 2’ itis’ right here right now.

I’d appreciate any AND all good/bad experiences with the 189. Shortcomings? Good stuff, bad stuff? Nothing is too minor nor major....just plain ole’ actual user things. You know the shoulda’ coulda’ woulda’ why didn’t they.....type feedback.

I bought a 2016 189FS with a Yamaha 150 back in April and have used it A LOT since then. I have fished salt water along the South Carolina coast and found that I can get through the shallow creeks very well with the 12" draft, but it also handles great when I want to fish near shore, outside the jetties. I also do a lot of lake fishing for bass and that is where I have found the only flaw with my 189 setup. I have a t-top and it is set back to a point that it really limits your casting range from the back bench area. If you don't have a t-top that problem is solved. Otherwise, it is a great all around rig and I absolutely love it. It is stable, handles some moderately rough water very well but is still a breeze for me to take out by myself. Another benefit is that I am able to trailer it around with a mid-size Nissan Frontier pickup.We have fished the jetties comfortably with three adults on the boat as well as two adults and 2 or 3 smaller children. If you do a lot of casting, such as bass fishing, it gets a bit crowded with more than two people though. It is an OK cruising boat but I would imagine some of the bigger versions are probably more comfortable for "lounging around". We go beach hopping on some of the mountain lakes near our house and it does just fine with a few people and a big cooler on board.
One quirky thing happened is that I lost all of my electronics on a salt water trip which included my maps and depth charts. Lesson learned, carry a back up hard copy. The issue was that while it appeared that all batteries, fusing, breakers etc., are inside the console, there is one circuit breaker under the rear starboard seat that feeds the accessories. Someone tripped this breaker while stowing gear under the seat. This breaker was not clearly noted on the wiring diagram and it made for some puckering on the way back in. Also took me some time to figure out once back on the trailer.

As for as the engine, I will admit I am among the "more is better" crowd and have been pleased with the "get up and go". I can cruise in the high 30s to low 40s and it will get up around 50 with a couple of people on board. Fuel efficiency seems good, though I have not done any math to back that up. Plenty of torque to get you up and out of trouble. I can honestly say that I have never heard anyone complain about the 115 either though. At least no one that actually owns one. I do not have trim tabs and it has not yet been a MAJOR issue for me, but the boat would handle better with them and i will be adding them on shortly. If I had it to do over, I would have had the dealership put them on back when I bought it.

Maybe the new still hasn't worn off for me yet but I really love the boat for what I do with it. I have had the one circuit breaker incident but otherwise it has been trouble free and low maintenance.

Thanks very much for the reviews!

I’m about 99% sure the 189 will do everything we need. I always want maximum HP whenever possible. Just about everyone thinks top end appeal is the primary / only reason for buying maximum HP but that is not true here. Of course I want a fast speed when necessary such as running from weather. But the primary reason is having as much power as possible to better handle loads, pulling skiers, etc..

Theoretically, having more power when needed for rough conditions or for heavier loads is 100% valid. But in reality, in many cases it becomes more of a 'topic' or 'debate point' than an actuality.
I can tell you that in actual use, if you were 'trying to beat it home' because of a storm...that you're not going to run 50 MPH, or even 40 MPH in a 189...unless conditions were essentially flat...and when is that with an impending storm ? Like I said...this becomes little more than a talking point...including having enough guts for heavier loads, rough conditions, or skiing.
Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely not an advocate of underpowering.But certain boats with max power just aren't proportionate weight-wise and end up sub-optimally balanced which negatively affects handling and ride characteristics. The 189 is one of these.
I've found that for many recreational boats, the 'sweet spot' for engine size is one notch down from the max rating.
I've always loved speed, power. I've built engines, used to drag race, and have gone 100 MPH on the water...but I'll take a boat that's 'well balanced' 100% of the time, as opposed to one that's a 'thrill ride' 2% of the time. Just sayin...

Captain Dan

Not to argue captaindan, but I’ve beat weather many times over the years. I fished bass tournaments for at least 10, maybe 12 years. Time and again we’d look up and see clouds brewing and make it back bone dry.

About 8-9 years ago, a souped up pontoon boat went screaming by out in choctawhatchee bay. I looked up, wondering what was going on until seeing fog creeping my way. By the time I turned my Grady 228 around, I could not see the bow pulpit as the fog settled in. Fortunately I had a chartplotter track to follow back to the ramp. Had I noticed in time, I would’ve made it back much safer. I even installed radar after that event.

I’ve got many more examples but yes sir, speed can come in handy where weather is concerned.

SteveFL wrote: ↑

Feb 06, 2020

Not to argue captaindan, but I’ve beat weather many times over the years. I fished bass tournaments for at least 10, maybe 12 years. Time and again we’d look up and see clouds brewing and make it back bone dry.

About 8-9 years ago, a souped up pontoon boat went screaming by out in choctawhatchee bay. I looked up, wondering what was going on until seeing fog creeping my way. By the time I turned my Grady 228 around, I could not see the bow pulpit as the fog settled in. Fortunately I had a chartplotter track to follow back to the ramp. Had I noticed in time, I would’ve made it back much safer. I even installed radar after that event.

I’ve got many more examples but yes sir, speed can come in handy where weather is concerned.

Agreed...we've all raced to get ahead of a storm at times. My point is that max HP...or one click down...seldom makes a difference in actual use in those conditions. I've run my 189 with 115 HP faster than many more powerful boats in nasty stuff while trying to scramble home. One's skill set will factor in much more than a 35 HP difference.
In fact, the bow of the 189 can be used to greater effect in the rough stuff, without the heavy 150 hanging off the back. 'Seaworthiness' (or rough water ability) in this case actually favors the 115 on this hull.
It's all a matter of degree. Speed is only useful if the particular hull and conditions allow for it. Above 44-45 MPH, the 189 is very light in the bow, and that's further aggravated by the weight of the 150. Nobody...myself included...is going to safely run that boat flat out above 45 MPH in anything other than near ideal conditions. When conditions are right...let 'er rip...we all love that blast when conditions permit it.

Captain Dan

captaindan wrote: ↑

Feb 07, 2020

SteveFL wrote: ↑

Feb 06, 2020

Not to argue captaindan, but I’ve beat weather many times over the years. I fished bass tournaments for at least 10, maybe 12 years. Time and again we’d look up and see clouds brewing and make it back bone dry.

About 8-9 years ago, a souped up pontoon boat went screaming by out in choctawhatchee bay. I looked up, wondering what was going on until seeing fog creeping my way. By the time I turned my Grady 228 around, I could not see the bow pulpit as the fog settled in. Fortunately I had a chartplotter track to follow back to the ramp. Had I noticed in time, I would’ve made it back much safer. I even installed radar after that event.

I’ve got many more examples but yes sir, speed can come in handy where weather is concerned.

Agreed...we've all raced to get ahead of a storm at times. My point is that max HP...or one click down...seldom makes a difference in actual use in those conditions. I've run my 189 with 115 HP faster than many more powerful boats in nasty stuff while trying to scramble home. One's skill set will factor in much more than a 35 HP difference.
In fact, the bow of the 189 can be used to greater effect in the rough stuff, without the heavy 150 hanging off the back. 'Seaworthiness' (or rough water ability) in this case actually favors the 115 on this hull.
It's all a matter of degree. Speed is only useful if the particular hull and conditions allow for it. Above 44-45 MPH, the 189 is very light in the bow, and that's further aggravated by the weight of the 150. Nobody...myself included...is going to safely run that boat flat out above 45 MPH in anything other than near ideal conditions. When conditions are right...let 'er rip...we all love that blast when conditions permit it.

Captain Dan

Great forum! I think this (115 Sho) is the answer....

https://yamahaoutboards.com/en-us/home/ ... /in-line-4

SteveFL wrote: ↑

Feb 07, 2020

captaindan wrote: ↑

Feb 07, 2020

SteveFL wrote: ↑

Feb 06, 2020

Not to argue captaindan, but I’ve beat weather many times over the years. I fished bass tournaments for at least 10, maybe 12 years. Time and again we’d look up and see clouds brewing and make it back bone dry.

About 8-9 years ago, a souped up pontoon boat went screaming by out in choctawhatchee bay. I looked up, wondering what was going on until seeing fog creeping my way. By the time I turned my Grady 228 around, I could not see the bow pulpit as the fog settled in. Fortunately I had a chartplotter track to follow back to the ramp. Had I noticed in time, I would’ve made it back much safer. I even installed radar after that event.

I’ve got many more examples but yes sir, speed can come in handy where weather is concerned.

Agreed...we've all raced to get ahead of a storm at times. My point is that max HP...or one click down...seldom makes a difference in actual use in those conditions. I've run my 189 with 115 HP faster than many more powerful boats in nasty stuff while trying to scramble home. One's skill set will factor in much more than a 35 HP difference.
In fact, the bow of the 189 can be used to greater effect in the rough stuff, without the heavy 150 hanging off the back. 'Seaworthiness' (or rough water ability) in this case actually favors the 115 on this hull.
It's all a matter of degree. Speed is only useful if the particular hull and conditions allow for it. Above 44-45 MPH, the 189 is very light in the bow, and that's further aggravated by the weight of the 150. Nobody...myself included...is going to safely run that boat flat out above 45 MPH in anything other than near ideal conditions. When conditions are right...let 'er rip...we all love that blast when conditions permit it.

Captain Dan

Great forum! I think this (115 Sho) is the answer....

https://yamahaoutboards.com/en-us/home/ ... /in-line-4

The SHO version of the 115...awesome idea !

Captain Dan