• Welcome to Jetboaters.net!

    We are delighted you have found your way to the best Jet Boaters Forum on the internet! Please consider Signing Up so that you can enjoy all the features and offers on the forum. We have members with boats from all the major manufacturers including Yamaha, Seadoo, Scarab and Chaparral. We don't email you SPAM, and the site is totally non-commercial. So what's to lose? IT IS FREE!

    Membership allows you to ask questions (no matter how mundane), meet up with other jet boaters, see full images (not just thumbnails), browse the member map and qualifies you for members only discounts offered by vendors who run specials for our members only! (It also gets rid of this banner!)

    free hit counter

New 2016 Yamaha E-Series Options Described with lots of photos!

Julian

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 2*
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
18,593
Reaction score
20,904
Points
1,082
Location
Raleigh, NC 27614
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
242X E-Series
Boat Length
24
The following boats will have a new options package from the factory: 242, 242 Limited, 242 Limited S, and the 242X is only an E-Series boat (can't get it without the E-Series package)

The E-Series Features include:
  • Drive by Wire for smooth acceleration through the RPM range; features RPM engine synch and single throttle lever functionality. This was REALLY impressive.
  • Next generation of Yamaha’s Connext® helm control system featuring Yamaha Drive
    Control allows watersports enthusiasts to program GPS-controlled speeds, four
    different acceleration curves and stores rider profiles for quick access.
  • Push Button Start.
  • Upgraded trim level with premium appointments like aluminum and Kevlar coving inserts and much more heavy duty seat fabric.
  • Premium tower with built-in solar panels and extra-large bimini top that covers 2/3 of the boat (on 242 Limited S E-Series). Yamaha says that the solar panels will produce 1.5 amp hours combined in the sun.
All of these features are covered in the 242X video in detail, but here are some photos for you to enjoy:

Push button start, there is still 1 key that they put on the side wall under the throttles. Once it is in, you can start and stop each engine with these buttons:
IMG_3620.jpg

Here is the key on the side wall with the safety lanyard connection too:
IMG_3621.jpg

Here is a shot of the new throttles that run the drive by wire system:
IMG_3608.jpg

This black box (behind the helm) is what covers the servo motors that move the gates up and down:
IMG_3606.jpg

There is one, and only one, drawback I came up with on the drive by wire system. They have limited the reverse RPM to 4000, so if you like doing sub moves, this might not be possible in an E-Series boat!!! Perhaps there will be a software hack we can implement to over ride the 4k limit???

Here is a shot of the 242X ConnectX screen. As you can see, there are 5 presets you can set for different riders, or different activities, like the one in the bottom left called SFP they have set up for SurF Port. You can use the 3 digits for anything you want, initials etc. If you don't have the X model, then the ballast settings wont be visible/available. In the center you see the Target speed (9mph), Acceleration curve (Slow) and ballast status. Also, you can see the red "Single Lever" button that syncs both engines exactly and means you only have to use one lever to control the engines (or two if you like):
IMG_3603.jpg
Those of you who complained about ConnectX not showing the correct voltage for the Starter and House Batteries might take note here that two different voltages now show (hopefully that means they have fixed that issue!)

Here is a shot of the interior of the 242X:
IMG_3601.jpg

Here is the 242 Limited E-Series interior:
242 Limited E-Blue_Red-Cockpit Seating_01 small.jpg

Here is the 242 Limited S E-Series interior:
242 Limited S E-Red-Cockpit Seating_02 small.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3620.JPG
    IMG_3620.JPG
    5 MB · Views: 32
  • IMG_3621.JPG
    IMG_3621.JPG
    1.1 MB · Views: 31
  • IMG_3608.JPG
    IMG_3608.JPG
    4 MB · Views: 29
  • IMG_3606.JPG
    IMG_3606.JPG
    1.7 MB · Views: 30
  • IMG_3603.JPG
    IMG_3603.JPG
    7.9 MB · Views: 34
  • IMG_3601.JPG
    IMG_3601.JPG
    2 MB · Views: 32
  • 242 Limited E-Blue_Red-Cockpit Seating_01 small.jpg
    242 Limited E-Blue_Red-Cockpit Seating_01 small.jpg
    450.1 KB · Views: 35
  • 242 Limited S E-Red-Cockpit Seating_02 small.jpg
    242 Limited S E-Red-Cockpit Seating_02 small.jpg
    422.1 KB · Views: 34
Last edited:
I love technology, but my concern here is the weatherproofness of all of these electronics. What can their tested lifespan be? Servo motors, wiring, touch screens, even military grade stuff fails on a regular basis. This is my only worry. By the time Im getting my new 242X it might be 7 years old....
 
I love technology, but my concern here is the weatherproofness of all of these electronics. What can their tested lifespan be? Servo motors, wiring, touch screens, even military grade stuff fails on a regular basis. This is my only worry. By the time Im getting my new 242X it might be 7 years old....

I'm not so concerned there, a lot of this stuff has been used in the outboards side of things for a long time and based on the controls and components in these pictures they are simply just reprogramming and moving them over to the inboard jets. I'm heartily impressed by the E series upgrades and really look forward to seeing them in person.
 
The 242X interior (BLUE/BLACK) is far more gorgeous in person than photos allow.

Good to see Yamaha is finally coming around on adding a little excitement in "appearance."
 
I think its nice to see that they're concerned with using better materials.
 
I'm also really liking the solar panel idea, pretty innovative, and if it really does maintain a trickle type charge to the batteries that will save everyone from dead batteries at the ramp!
 
@njmr2fan The added complexity does mean there is more to break and it will cost more to fix, but servo motor and controls like these have been around for a while. That is how the PerfectPass system works...and I've never heard of anyone saying their servos have failed....
 
@Julian - any idea if I will be able to retrofit any of the drive by wire or ballast /connect items into my 2015?
 
Oh man, you'd probably have an easier time selling yours and getting a new one with warranted factory installed features.....
 
@Julian - any idea if I will be able to retrofit any of the drive by wire or ballast /connect items into my 2015?

Anything is possible with enough time and money, but I think retrofitting the drive by wire would be costly. You'd need new throttles, new cables, servo motors for both the gates and the throttles. Could it be done...yes. But you'd also have some gel coat work to do to fill in the big hole your current throttles need....

As for the ballast...again...probably. It would be nice to be able to add after market ballast bags to an existing ConnectX screen....but no mention of being able to do that...no.
 
neat stuff, but I would not want to be the test dummie for these newfangled goodies!
 
It will be fun hearing about them.who's gonna be the first to take delivery?
 
Thanks for posting some great videos. I feel 72,000 is a bit more than I wanted to pay. I do love the improvements but will have to love my boat a little longer.
 
Thanks for covering everything [USERGROUP=3]@Administrative[/USERGROUP]!

this is really stupid, but did they put a drain in the port side cooler? Also what does the 242 E-series look like without the bimini up?

I'm honestly not a fan of the bimini at all...
 
Thanks for covering everything [USERGROUP=3]@Administrative[/USERGROUP]!

this is really stupid, but did they put a drain in the port side cooler? Also what does the 242 E-series look like without the bimini up?

I'm honestly not a fan of the bimini at all...

I believe that Julian's video of the 242x covers the Bimini appearance pretty well.
 
Good question.where does that entire apparatus store when you don't want it?
 
The Bimini is non removable? (I think) But you could remove the canvas.
 
Back
Top