Choosing between a jet boat and a prop boat comes down to draft, what sits below the hull and how you will use the boat. In the 22-foot bowrider pair compared here, Yamaha's jet-drive AR220 lists a 21.3-inch draft, while Sea Ray's outboard SPX 210 lists 31 inches with its motor trimmed down.
| 2027 model | Yamaha AR220 (jet) | Sea Ray SPX 210 Outboard (prop) |
|---|
| Draft | 21.3 in | 31 in trimmed down, 15 in trimmed up |
| Beam | 8 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in |
| Fuel capacity | 75 gal | 37 gal |
| Power | Twin Yamaha TR-1 marine engines | Mercury 150 FourStroke outboard, 200 hp option |
All figures were read from the Yamaha and Sea Ray model pages on 12 October 2026. Yamaha lists the AR220 starting at $66,999; Sea Ray does not publish a price on its SPX 210 Outboard page and offers a quote request and dealer contact instead.
Browse jet boats and outboard boats for sale on Searchshop.
This comparison uses builders' own published figures and one government safety page, not test drives. Yamaha's AR220 and Sea Ray's SPX 210 Outboard were chosen because both are 2027 bowriders with the same 8-foot-6-inch beam, one driven by jet drive and one by a propeller on an outboard motor. Yamaha lists the AR220's length as 22 feet and Sea Ray lists the SPX 210 Outboard at 23 feet 11 inches overall, so lengths are not compared. Mercury Marine's jet outboard pages cover the smaller jet boats used on rivers, and the U.S. Coast Guard's engine cut-off page covers the safety rule that applies to both types. Every figure was read on 12 October 2026. Searchshop listings do not record drive type, so listing counts and asking prices by drive type are left out.
A jet drive moves a boat by pulling water in and pushing it out, while a prop boat turns a propeller that sits in the water below the boat. Yamaha describes its jet drive as pulling water through internally housed propellers and pushing it out, and says this removes the need for an exposed drivetrain. On a prop boat such as the SPX 210 Outboard, the propeller hangs below the outboard motor at the stern.
The jet boat lists less draft in this pair: 21.3 inches for the Yamaha AR220 against 31 inches for the Sea Ray SPX 210 Outboard with its motor trimmed down. Yamaha says the minimal draft of its jet boats makes shallow areas easy to navigate.
A prop boat's outboard can be tilted up. Sea Ray lists a 15-inch draft for the SPX 210 Outboard with the motor trimmed up, shallower than the AR220's listed draft. Before you buy for shallow water, ask the dealer how each boat is meant to run at the depth you have in mind.
Smaller boats can use a jet outboard instead of a jet-drive hull. Mercury Marine says its 65 and 80 hp Jet outboards are built for shallow water and suit compact river skiffs and small jon boats. Mercury builds them on its 2.1-liter inline four-cylinder powerhead, the same engine size it lists for its 75, 90 and 115 hp four-stroke outboards. When you compare a jet outboard with a propeller outboard, compare the rated horsepower, not the engine size.
A jet boat like the Yamaha AR220 has no exposed propeller, which removes one hazard for people in the water, but the Coast Guard's engine cut-off rule applies to both types. Yamaha says its jet drive eliminates the need for an exposed drivetrain. The U.S. Coast Guard warns that a typical three-blade propeller running at 3,200 rpm can strike 160 times in one second.
Under federal law, the operator of a motorized boat under 26 feet with 3 or more horsepower must use an engine cut-off switch link when running on plane or above displacement speed. The rule took effect on 1 April 2021, and both the AR220 and the SPX 210 Outboard are under 26 feet. The Searchshop boat safety guide covers the equipment you need on board.
Yamaha offers a dedicated low-speed system on some of its jet boats, and it links low-speed control to added thrust. Yamaha's Low Speed Handling Assist, part of its DRiVE X system announced in 2022, works when the wheel is turned more than 65 percent while the forward paddle is in use: it raises engine speed in proportion to the wheel angle, up to 3,500 rpm, which Yamaha says gives more thrust and greater control. Yamaha introduced DRiVE X on its flagship 275SDX for 2023, and the AR220's specification table lists both DRiVE and DRiVE X as No.
Docking is easiest to judge on a sea trial, so ask to practice slow turns and docking in both types before you decide.
Jet drives can draw debris through the pump, and Mercury designs its jet outboards to handle it. Mercury says the stainless impeller on its Jet outboards withstands harsh, abrasive debris that can be drawn through the pump.
On any used boat, ask for the service records for the drive and look at the propeller or the jet pump intake. The Searchshop boat maintenance guide has an annual service checklist.
Sea Ray publishes speed and range figures for the SPX 210 Outboard, while Yamaha's AR220 page lists fuel capacity but no speed or range. Sea Ray lists a cruising speed of 23 to 25 mph, a top speed of 42 to 44 mph, and a range of 135 miles at cruising speed.
The AR220 carries 75 gallons of fuel for its two engines against 37 gallons on the SPX 210 Outboard. Fuel capacity alone does not tell you range, so ask a dealer for fuel-use figures or check them on a sea trial.
The right drive depends on where you boat and who will be in the water. Use these points to narrow it down:
- Swimmers and watersports at the stern: Yamaha's jet boats have no exposed drivetrain, though the engine cut-off rule applies to both types.
- Shallow lakes and sandbars: compare listed drafts; the jet AR220 lists 21.3 inches against 31 inches for the SPX 210 Outboard trimmed down.
- Rivers and small boats: look at jet outboards, which Mercury builds for shallow water, river skiffs and small jon boats.
- Published speed and range: the SPX 210 Outboard comes with Sea Ray's figures; for a jet boat, ask the dealer.
- Docking confidence: try both on a sea trial, and ask whether a jet boat has a low-speed control system.
For more on choosing a boat type, read the Searchshop boat buying guide and the pontoon vs tritoon comparison. When you know which drive suits you, compare boats for sale from dealers on Searchshop.
Yamaha's jet boats list less draft than a comparable outboard boat with its motor down. Yamaha says the minimal draft of its jet boats makes shallow areas easy to navigate, and its 22-foot AR220 lists a 21.3-inch draft. Sea Ray's SPX 210 Outboard lists 31 inches with the motor trimmed down and 15 inches trimmed up.
Yamaha's jet boats have no propeller hanging below the hull. Yamaha describes its jet drive as pulling water through internally housed propellers and pushing it out, which it says eliminates the need for an exposed drivetrain. On a prop boat, the propeller sits in the water below the stern.
Jet boats under 26 feet need one just like prop boats. The U.S. Coast Guard says the operator of a motorized boat under 26 feet with 3 or more horsepower must use an engine cut-off switch link when running on plane or above displacement speed. The rule took effect on 1 April 2021.
Jet outboards are sold for small boats. Mercury Marine offers 65 and 80 hp Jet outboards that it says are built for shallow water and suit compact river skiffs and small jon boats. They use Mercury's 2.1-liter powerhead, which Mercury also lists for its 75, 90 and 115 hp four-stroke outboards.
