Looking for feedback on the 2018 Yamaha 212x

[Jeff Jozwi]

Hi gang. I just signed up to the forum today. I'm in the process of shopping for a wake surf boat. I'm on a semi shallow canal and having a prop under the boat is not ideal. I know props make a better wall of water for surfing but it's not an option, so I stopped by a Yamaha dealership the other day to see what they had to say. They were telling me that surfpointe is a game changer. The owner of dealership has a 212x (what I'm looking at) at his house so we're going to do a demo next week/weekend. I started poking around the net and found this site. I see lots of threads about Yamaha boats w/out surfpointe and they require added ballast, a wedge or both.

I'm looking for experience/feedback on:

• the surfability of a 2018 212x out of the box;
• with a wedge;
• with added ballast; or
• wedge and ballast.

If it doesn't surf out of the box I think I could live with adding a wedge if that solves the problem. Having to hang a giant bag off the back of a brand new boat is simply sub-par, in my opinion. What does it take to really make these surfable?

Thanks all!

 

[spatty99]

Surf Pointe is pretty much a marketing gimmick. It will reduce some of the turbulence in the wake, but it is the opposite of a "game changer". Plus, you can also easily make the modification to all Yamaha boats. I would be apprehensive working with dealers so blatantly misleading.

You can surf behind a Yamaha, but that requires a ton (literally) of additional ballast and a wedge like device. But even then most serious wake surfers would be disappointed.

 

[Jeff Jozwi]

Well that's a kick in the pants... Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Jeff Jozwi]

Surf Pointe is pretty much a marketing gimmick. It will reduce some of the turbulence in the wake, but it is the opposite of a "game changer". Plus, you can also easily make the modification to all Yamaha boats. I would be apprehensive working with dealers so blatantly misleading.

You can surf behind a Yamaha, but that requires a ton (literally) of additional ballast and a wedge like device. But even then most serious wake surfers would be disappointed.

Thanks. Just curious, do you have one, or have ridden behind one? Noticeably different than the prior design?

 

[spatty99]

I have a 2008 212X and am currently deciding on the next boat. Most likely a new 212X (can't beat a Yamaha for all- around performance), but also interested in the entry level wakeboard specific boats given the price creep of Yamaha. I also follow the forum way too closely so understand the current consensus. There are a lot of threads on Surf Pointe, but in summary it is just adjusting the nozzles inward a few degrees (toward each other, not down) to reduce some wash/turbulence on the wave face. It really makes no difference in the wave size/length/push where a jet is already most deficient.
I know @haknslash has been demoing a lot of surf boats and has feedback, check out his postings.
And @buckbuck has done the mod on his 2008 212X and posted some feedback, check his as well.

 

[Jeff Jozwi]

I have a 2008 212X and am currently deciding on the next boat. Most likely a new 212X (can't beat a Yamaha for all- around performance), but also interested in the entry level wakeboard specific boats given the price creep of Yamaha. I also follow the forum way too closely so understand the current consensus. There are a lot of threads on Surf Pointe, but in summary it is just adjusting the nozzles inward a few degrees (toward each other, not down) to reduce some wash/turbulence on the wave face. It really makes no difference in the wave size/length/push where a jet is already most deficient.
I know @haknslash has been demoing a lot of surf boats and has feedback, check out his postings.
And @buckbuck has done the mod on his 2008 212X and posted some feedback, check his as well.

Thanks again. I been sifting through this forum for the past couple of hours. Lots of good info. All pics/videos of good wakes have a couple bags on the rear seat and swim platform. It's 2018 for crying out loud. The necessary ballast should come from the factory. Ugh!

 

[haknslash]

Keep in mind that even dedicated wake boats need more ballast than stock to throw a monster wave. Just how it is.

The recipe you'd need for a twin engine X model is a Gantlin wake wedge and the new custom swim deck bag (it's a true game changer IMO....far more than Surf Pointe). The custom bag puts the weight right where it needs to be to dip the corner of the boat into the water. The rear bag doesn't take long to fill with my tsunami pump, maybe 5-7 mins for my 490 lb bag. The 21' and 24' bag is larger so fill times would be longer.

 

[Jeff Jozwi]

Keep in mind that even dedicated wake boats need more ballast than stock to throw a monster wave. Just how it is.

The recipe you'd need for a twin engine X model is a Gantlin wake wedge and the new custom swim deck bag (it's a true game changer IMO....far more than Surf Pointe). The custom bag puts the weight right where it needs to be to dip the corner of the boat into the water. The rear bag doesn't take long to fill with my tsunami pump, maybe 5-7 mins for my 490 lb bag. The 21' and 24' bag is larger so fill times would be longer.

I saw the Gantlin wedge and bag on their website. That looks like the solution. If everybody is adding a wedge and ballast to make their Yamaha surfable it seems like Yamaha should figure a way to hide more sacks and add a wedge...like the manufactures of prop boats are doing from the factory. Extra sacks remind me of the days of trying to turn a ski boat into a wakeboard boat...20 years ago. Oh well. I guess the good news is if surfpointe isn't a real game changer and I still need a wedge and sacks I can also look at gently used boats. Lemonade.

 

[haknslash]

The swim deck bag isn't a big inconvenience though since it is off to one side of the swim deck allowing you to use the other half for getting in/out of the water or using the swim deck as a staging area. With the longer/bigger sacks across the bag or bench it takes up space, so it's not a huge issue.

 

[Scottie]

Its all in what you want. I'm on a lake with shallow spots also. I have a 2013 212x, with stock ballast, and the WakeWedge. The wave wasn't good at all until I added the swim deck bag. That is now the only additional bag I use, and while ANY wave can always be taller and longer, I doubt very much that you would be unhappy with the wave. As @haknslash said, additional ballast bags for a nice surf wake is VERY common on even the most expensive dedicated surf boats, so adding a bag that isn't in the main seating area isn't a big deal in my opinion.

 

[spatty99]

Something else to note on the newer 2017+ 212X is that there is a clearance issue with the bimini and tow rope (rope rubbing the canvas). Some have reported having to cut the bimini poles shorter for adequate clearance. There is also interference with the bimini folded.

 

[AndyF]

Hold off on the 2018 212x. Seems lots of issues this year but am still researching as to the cause. I bought one in June and has been in the shop twice already and no ETA on fix. Yamaha has great track record but based on what I have found so far it seems some issues have cropped up on 2018 212x and possibly some other models

 

[Jeff Jozwi]

Hold off on the 2018 212x. Seems lots of issues this year but am still researching as to the cause. I bought one in June and has been in the shop twice already and no ETA on fix. Yamaha has great track record but based on what I have found so far it seems some issues have cropped up on 2018 212x and possibly some other models

Are your problems related to the surfpointe? It's my understanding (although still researching) the surftpointe is the only substantive change from recent years.

 

[buckbuck]

SurfPointe is not a game changer. It is a simple redirect of nozzles which gives slight improvement. You are going to need a Wake Wedge for sure. We do fine with stock ballast but usually have a boat full of people which helps weigh it down.

 

[ripler]

Your biggest issue may be the lack of depth on the canal to create a decent wave no matter what kind of boat you have. I've experienced this on other people's boat on the river, if we are in the deep channel the wave is awesome, if we move to the edges where the water is more shallow the wave is crap.

 

[Jeff Jozwi]

Your biggest issue may be the lack of depth on the canal to create a decent wave no matter what kind of boat you have. I've experienced this on other people's boat on the river, if we are in the deep channel the wave is awesome, if we move to the edges where the water is more shallow the wave is crap.

The shallow canal is in front of the house. The lake is plenty deep. Thx.

 

[Jeff Jozwi]

I saw a post on this forum where someone was talking about removing the hard tank ballasts and replacing them with larger bags attached to the factory fill pumps...to add more weight and keep the ballast tucked away. Does anyone know if this was successfully implemented? It sounds like an interesting concept.

 

[spatty99]

Are your problems related to the surfpointe? It's my understanding (although still researching) the surftpointe is the only substantive change from recent years.

I think the best improvement in the newer 212X is the sound reduction. That is the primary reason I plan to upgrade.

Other changes are more questionable, like the tower (easier to fold, but new head and rope clearance issues) and Surf Pointe (marketing, change amounts to turning a couple nuts).

 

[GoVols01]

I haven't had any issues with the tower tow point and rope rubbing the bimini at all. You can reduce the rear height of the bimini with factory settings. The clearance looked like it would be an issue when I first bought the boat, but you need to remember that the stern of the boat dips downward when it gets underway, which prevents the rope from rubbing the bimini frame.

Quality on my '17 has been good, other than the annoying mysterious leak I have that the dealer was unable to fix in the spring.......and my oddly stiff steering.

 

[spatty99]

@GoVols01 There have been quite a few with the bimini issue on the 21's, including several that cut down the poles to lower the height. Sounds like interference may be a function of how tight the canvas fits since many can't stretch it to the lowest position. How much head clearance do you have with the bimini in the lowered position? And doesn't the rope drag on the bimini when circling around to pickup a down rider?