242x E Series? or another Boat?

[Ryan Cassidy]

I've had a 240sx for 6 years now and love the boat.. Never had any inkling of trouble and love the overall quality of the boat. However, when I bought the boat, they didn't offer a collapsible tower and my dock wouldn't fit an upright tower. That problem has been solved as I have a new dock But more things have come to light....

I've done all the modifications to it and many have been incorporated into the new 242x... So that's kind of cool, and like I said I love the boat.

However, I've been injured twice and am going in for surgery tomorrow with my latest skiing injury. first time was wakeboarding. I'm thinking I need something that is a little less strenuous but still fun like wake surfing. But I can't do that behind a 240sx. I was on my neighbors X30 MC (awesome boat) and while I liked the boat, and the wakesurfing experience, the price is ridiculous.

All that said, I'm considering upgrading and using this opportunity (while on pain meds ) to look at a new boat. Internet surfing until I am mobile again my initial thoughts are the 242x E Series (Love the Yami products) or the Moomba Mojo. I'm not looking to spend more than $75k on a boat.. that is still obsurd in my opinion, but it is what it is.

I'm looking for something that will allow me to do ALL the wake sports so I can wake surf, my kids and do everything else. Something that is WAY quieter than my sx240 (its loud, anyway you slice it). I would need Perfect pass like system, would need ballast, tower, etc. and want a good quality boat. With all that does the 242X really check those boxes? Am I getting a good clean surf wake? is it really quieter than the older boats (or even close to an inboard)? Any thoughts on that from folks that own them?

The 242x doesn't have tabs on it, I see that as a small short coming for shaping the wake, but damm, I really like the Yamaha products. Moomba has all the wake stuff, but I don't think has near the technology/finish etc that Yamaha does.

Thoughts on all the above? It's pandoras box I know, but as I sit here I figured I'd start doing some research and get the thoughts of everyone and their experience from the boards.

Thanks again for humoring me!

 

[swatski]

Subscribed!

 

[Derek Fosbury]

I can't answer all of your check-boxes, but what I do know so far is:

1. the GPS speed control works great. so good my wife drove the boat with me waterskiing for the first time this week! 6 years on the AR210 I could not get her to do it as she was not able to properly control speed and watch everything else at the same time. So huge check there, IMHO.

2. yes, definitely quieter than the old Yamaha boats, although still can be improved with a little bit of work. It's quieter than my neighbours I/O (2005 19' Chaparral), but don't expect it to be in the league with an inboard or v-drive like the MC's. We also have a 24' MC v-drive with the V8, and that thing is near silent. Of course, we can really only use that boat for water-skiing and wake-surfing... not good for any other activities, especially in anything other than very calm/flat conditions.

3. the quality of the materials, seats, speakers, wire gauge used throughout, etc., is way above my 2009 AR210, and the overall feature set of the boat is really great. That being said, as I've stated in other posts, I don't think the overall quality is on par with the Chaparrals or other premium brands such as SeaRay. For example, if you do any work on the Yamaha behind the outward facing surfaces, get ready for some fiberglass in your skin . As another data point, however, the stitching and parts of the vinyl on the MC simply disintegrated over the winter, creating a $4K issue to repair/replace... not really what you expect on a $140K (CDN) boat.

Hope that helps a little. Hopefully Julian will chime in on his wake-surfing experience so far on his new 242x .

 

[Ryan Cassidy]

See all that stuff is really good feedback and thoughts. My wife hates driving the boat and PP make it partially palatable, but I think the new DBW controls will even enhance that. I'm hoping its almost to eh MC quite level to be honest... maybe 75% of the way there.. need to give it a good stretch goal right?

I hear you on the behind the scenes surface stuff.. I do all my own work and know exactly what you are referencing. I also like the face that in GA/SC where I boat, I don't have to winterize the Yami... the Moomba I would.. :-(

 

[robert843]

I have very little experience on the 242x. Basically only seen never ridden on it. Take this with a grain a salt but same advice I would give anyone who says they want a boat mostly for wave and water sports. Buy a dedicated boat which ever brand you like. They going to throw a better wave and be quieter then the Yamaha. I'm sure the 242x is a great boat but it's probably a great all around boat with ballast not the same as one of the dedicated boats.

 

[Ryan Cassidy]

Very good point... that's what I like about the Yamaha.. its a great all around boat and a lot of fun. part of me says if I get the Yami, I can invest 2k in some tabs and get a better wake but not a MC wake of course. But we do cruising a fair amount, we love the swim platform and would like to go to bimimi. None of which the Mojo is exactly fit for.. its more of a dedicated wake sports boat... I guess my current thought is if I can get the all around boat of the yami, the quiteness of an inboard, and the wake control of a MC and the finish/features of the yami hat's the ideal boat

 

[Zarrella]

@Julian ...is the man to talk with!

 

[JHC212X]

Chap 243 VRX Vortex with ASP?

I'm thinking about the 223.

 

[Ryan Cassidy]

Yeah, I've got a thing against the Rotax motors is all... long story, but not sure I can overcome it. Ha I'm sure part of it, is a submlinal alliance to yamaha as my jetskis both have the 1.8l engines too.

 

[Julian]

@Ryan Cassidy I am getting to love the launch/speed controls of the E-Series boats....used them again last night and love that I can set both the acceleration and speed setttings and just flip one lever forward and the boat accelerates and comes to speed automatically. The rider gets an identical pull every time, so they know what to expect...no more driver error! (I do think it would be cool to add two more launch speeds....med/slow, and Med/fast, but I'm a perfectionist. It is so freakin' awesome to just flip that throttle forward and all I need to do is steer!!!!!! LOVE IT SO MUCH MORE than PerfectPass!

As for wake surfing, I twist my knee just before getting the boat, so haven't done any wake surfing yet. Optimally you would want a @jcyamaharider 's wake wedge on the boat, and very likely more ballast than the X comes with stock...but that will depend on your weight and the size of your board. You might be fine if you are light and have a big board.....seems like you are really focused on wake surfing....which if that is the case....and that is all you want to do, then a dedicated wake surf boat is probably more up your alley. But if you seek ok wake surfing and a well rounded boat, the X is a good choice.

 

[Ancient canoe]

As someone who has never been on dedicated wake/surf boat what makes them not a good all around boats as well? I am just curious neither are in my market

 

[jcyamaharider]

We set up an X that Jeff Page surfed behind and all they added was a 400 bag on the swim deck and a 400 bag on the surf side seat. I would have liked to have seen a 750 on the surf side seat but that wake looked good anyways.

 

[Julian]

As someone who has never been on dedicated wake/surf boat what makes them not a good all around boats as well?

• The biggest thing is the hull shape and freeboard depth - flat and low...so no way you put them in the ocean.
• Wave handling with the hull is not so good (but jets without the new keel aren't hugely better, but enough so to make it viable)
• Their draft is much deeper and not adjustable at all....no trimming up for a shallow water approach to a beach as you could with an IO/OB....just can't go shallow at all.
• In general they don't whip around as nicely as a jet does....so tubing is possible, but not as easy to get the side to side whip....but still doable.
• Stern/patio of them is slowly evolving to something like the Yamaha's....everyone is copying it! Many of the newer ones have huge swim platforms and better access.

 

[Ryan Cassidy]

Agreed with Julians' assertions above.... we use it for 80% recreational waters ports for me and the kids, and 20% for cruising, hanging out etc. But I don't want something without a tower (x takes care of that) and if I have a tower, I want a wave big and clean enough for wakesurfing but want it via a push of the butto

Seems like I can get part way there, maybe upgrade the bags to help some with bigger bags.

Julian, any videos of you wake surfing or any idea the DB noise comparison ok old boat to new boat?

 

[Glen]

have the 242X (and frankly having issues with the ballast and "Err" msg in speedo (so 'perfect pass' functionality does not work)).
It is a new boat to Yamaha and they are chasing those electronic issues (slowly).

With all that said-

Took the boat to Bimini this year. EPIC!!
Considering a trip from Montauk, NY, to Block Island, MA.
Use it on the Chesapeake Bay, off Annapolis, for Blue Angels Demonstration. AWESOME!
Drop it in the Potomac River to run out for lunch on the water.

We use the boat on a very wide spectrum of conditions. Ocean to lake.
Wake surfing is something we wanted to add to our boating spectrum.

I am confident that Yamaha will fix my issues and the 242X is fitting OUR use-case for the boat, perfectly.

 

[Julian]

I do not have any videos of wake surfing behind my boat....yet (due to knee injury). There is one short one from when I test drove the X in my review under the 2016 Models section.

For DB noise levels, Boattest.com has good data on this in their test section.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I do not have any videos of wake surfing behind my boat....yet (due to knee injury). There is one short one from when I test drove the X in my review under the 2016 Models section.

For DB noise levels, Boattest.com has good data on this in their test section.

@Julian I need to come down and ballast that baby out for you and put on the secret weapon

 

[Ryan Cassidy]

Knee injury? What did you do?

I dislocated mine and broke my tibia this weekend.. hence why I had surgery yesterday and am looking at boats while on opiates

I looked at boattest, must have missed it, will do it again.

 

[Julian]

Julian I need to come down and ballast that baby out for you and put on the secret weapon

You are welcome to visit ANY TIME - preferably with your secret weapon! LOL (that doesn't sound right LOL)

 

[Ryan Cassidy]

Secret weapon? Ummm what is it? Lol