Difference between a 2020 Yamaha 242 S and 242 SE

[Zulf]

Hi there. I am thinking of buying a 2020 242 Limited S. However I heard there is a 242 SE. What is the difference and is it worth to get the SE.

Also, if I buy the 242 Limited S, can I upgrade it later to the features of the 242X ( Wakeboarding, Surfing, etc) Appreciate your input.

 

[PeterB]

The “E-series” adds push button start, electronic control of throttles and buckets, rpm sync of engines and single lever control. It also adds a solar charging system and extended - semi rigid - Bimini top.
We have an 2016 242 Ltd s - mainly because the e series Bimini top was a problem on our lake which has a low bridge to contend with. We added a Ridesteady which takes care of gps speed control and engine syncing which I like better than the e-series control and while we still have key starts there are threads on the forum for adding push button start if desired.
Others on the forum can likely comment about the x-series upgrade better than I can, but in general I know many have added ballast systems some with automatic filling along with surfing mods that go beyond the x-series offering.
This forum thrives on upgrades so generally you can find and modify a lot to meet your needs, though switching from cable operators to throttle by wire may prove difficult along with the different Bimini top

 

[Zulf]

Thanks @PeterB. This is helpful. I really like the boat I want to get but I would like to add 2 things on this boat
1) Add the feature for wake board and surfing ( Not sure how much it would cost extra
2) the boat is white with a trim of blue on the bottom. I would like to add a decal or something as I like boats with more color & design. ( I wonder if I can get the decal separately for the side of the boats)

 

[PeterB]

We originally thought about adding some extra decals but opted not to, but there were kits online as well as a local shop for vinyl wraps that were suitable for boats - I seem to remember prices in the $1200 and up range but that was for a lot more than just a stripe. I’m sure a simple google search will find options for you. As for the wakeboard and surf set up - search this forum as there are plenty who seem happy with what they have done

 

[Zulf]

Thanks @PeterB!

 

[captras]

We went thru this decision process when we bought our 2016 242 SE... cost of the AR vs the S vs all the additional features on the E. We went for the E! Money well spent! Have no regretted the decision once! Great boats, but we found that the value of all the additional E features mentioned in the earlier posts far outweigh the additional costs.

 

[Zulf]

We went thru this decision process when we bought our 2016 242 SE... cost of the AR vs the S vs all the additional features on the E. We went for the E! Money well spent! Have no regretted the decision once! Great boats, but we found that the value of all the additional E features mentioned in the earlier posts far outweigh the additional costs.

Thanks @captras. This is helpful. It seems like there is a value with the featured of the E package/

 

[BigMan77]

I just finished a purchase of a '19 242SE. I did tons of homework, cross shopped yamaha sizes, trim levels, and then even looked at other jet boat brands. We settled where we did based on:
- large fixed bimini that provides tons of shade
- Push button start is huge, as my 18month is fascinated with keys atm. Dash on our last boat looked like a puma tried to stick a claw in and around the key hole with great vigor...
- Throttle sync is nice peace of mind and single throttle operation just takes all the challenge out of it for my wife.
- Fly by wire is great. No stuck cables. Cars and planes use it for good reason.

Buying from a forum member gave me a huge list of options at a great price. At the time, an S just could not compete.