Review of the all New 2016 Yamaha 242X E-Series Wake Sports jet boat

[Julian]

Yamaha has two primary changes to their 24' line up this year:

1. The E-Series addons - See this thread for all the E-Series features
2. 242X E-Series Wake Edition Boat (there is no non-E-Series 242X)

This thread will focus on the 242X, which in itself IS an E-Series boat, but has the following additional features:

1. Triple Ballast System-3 bags totaling 1500 pounds
   1. Touch Screen controlled via the Yamaha ConnectX system
   2. Two 50 gallon bags in the stern and one 100 gallon bag in the center
   3. Each bag can be controlled independently via the touch screen 0-100%
   4. Through hull intake & drain on the bottom of the boat
   5. Five Savable user or activity settings that save the Ballast setup, Target Speed and acceleration (slow, medium or fast). So you can name these by a person...or name it for a general activity (IE wakeboarding)
2. Ultra Premium Audio System
   1. 2 Amps totaling 1000 Watts
   2. 10" Polk Sub-woofer
   3. 6.5" Polk Audio speakers in bow and stern
   4. 6.5" Polk Audio bullets on tower
   5. Wet Sounds Sound bar with 8 3" full range speakers and 2 1" titanium tweeters. This sound bar can be tilted forwards or backwards.
3. Custom Color Matched Upholstery - this stuff really feels heavy duty!
4. Carbon Fiber Texture Cockpit Inserts - adds some classy looks to the interior of the boat.
5. Upgraded Gel-coat and Graphics Package-comes in Blue/Back or Grey/Black versions - I like the blue black version. The limited S has a red option I'd love to see on a 242X...maybe next year?
6. Upgraded Premium Gussi Italia Sport Steering Wheel with over-sized grip
7. Extra Large Folding 140 Degree Billet Aluminum Rear view mirror with carbon fiber mount. I have a similar mirror on my boat, and love it. But some will likely prefer to mount the mirror to the tower or bimini frame, which I think would be doable...I see a mod in someone's future!
8. Swing in Billet Aluminum Wake Board Racks with 2 size slots to accommodate thin and thick boards.

So enough reading about all the cool things in this boat! How about seeing it? First a quick preamble...I was the only one able to make it down to Atlanta to check out the boat, and as such, took many of the videos and photos myself. Looking back, I wish I'd taken more, but got a little carried away with checking things out. That isn't to say I didn't get all the shots I wanted, just would have been good to get some more angles! Yeah...I'm a perfectionist! On top of that, I've been travelling a lot, had a big party and did a big remodel on our house....so fitting time in to edit all of this was challenging! Yeah...I know....Wah Wah! LOL

I hope you like the video!!!!

Now many of you will be wondering how the wake behind the boat is for wake surfing. All I can tell you here is that you can surf it ropeless with just one side ballast bag filled, but it isn't a huge wave and not shaped by any wedge etc. So although the Yamaha team said that they thought the best wave was achieved by only filling one side bag, those of you who are die hard surfers will want to fill all 3 bags to 1500lbs (this is what the Yamaha Press Release says the ballast system will add) and then either sit folks on the wake surf side, or add another bag on the seat to get the lean going.

Since we didn't get a chance to fill all three ballast bags on my outing, who will be the first to do this and get us some video? @Williamsone46 perhaps....since he is at the Yamaha Dealer meeting??? We need better wake videos!!!

#242X

 

[Julian]

Here is the video thread....in case it gets buried in all the photos! Hope you enjoy it!

 

[haknslash]

Home run

 

[Pointblank]

Fantastic work, Julian et al, on rolling out all the new info. Huge leap over how information trickled out in previous years.

Really great to see Yamaha stepping up with the higher level trims. And that electronic throttle...wow!

Thanks for bringing us this first look!

 

[Julian]

Fantastic work, Julian et al, on rolling out all the new info. Huge leap over how information trickled out in previous years.

Really great to see Yamaha stepping up with the higher level trims. And that electronic throttle...wow!

Thanks for bringing us this first look!

I'll probably sound like a broken record, but that drive by wire throttle is AWESOME! Solar panels are super cool too! And the bimini is HUGE!!!!

 

[jlcj7]

So with that steel frame I assume the bikini isn't collapsible?

 

[MikeyL]

Professional wake boaders, brought by Yamaha for Promo Dealer Video Filming (on Lake Oconee, rated the 242X a "7" or an "8" when compared to a Malibu Wakesetter !

Then again, a 24 foot WakeSetter is way north of $100K !!!!!!!!!!!!

These were PRO's who made this comparison ranking.

 

[njmr2fan]

Nice video! Thanks for putting that together and doing all this leg work. The driving around in secret boats is the fun easy part. Editing and narrating and doing all the IT work for the website is the $#itty part. This next Heineken I have is for you!

 

[Julian]

So with that steel frame I assume the bikini isn't collapsible?

Actually the bimini is collapsable. I didn't get a chance to collapse it when I was on the boat, but there are pins you can pull to collapse it and the tower. Let me see what I can post about that....

 

[OperationROL]

2015 242 Limited S for sale!!!! @OperationROL's Wife

 

[Ziess21]

Actually the bimini is collapsable. I didn't get a chance to collapse it when I was on the boat, but there are pins you can pull to collapse it and the tower. Let me see what I can post about that....

Is it really steel, or was that just misspoke? Seems like aLuminum would make more sense...

 

[Julian]

Is it really steel, or was that just misspoke? Seems like aLuminum would make more sense...

Probably a miss-speak on my part! Feels really solid no matter what it is!!

 

[OperationROL]

Great job on all the write ups, photos and videos. Thanks @Julian.

 

[Julian]

Is it really steel, or was that just misspoke? Seems like aluminum would make more sense...

In their marketing materials it is referred to as a BILLET aluminum tower....but I emailed and asked them about that as I am pretty sure that is a mistake and they missed out some words in the paragraph and it was supposed to say "Billet aluminum steering wheel and an aluminum bimini" as cutting pipes from aluminum block would get expensive fast!

 

[haknslash]

Agreed nice videos and thanks for taking the time to post them! If I may offer some friendly constructive criticism, try to watch the exposures if you can, I know it's hard on a bright sunny day for an image sensor not to mention shooting a bright white object against darker water. Footage is very much appreciated and great job!

I really like the steering wheel on this boat!

 

[Julian]

Agreed nice videos and thanks for taking the time to post them! If I may offer some friendly constructive criticism, try to watch the exposures if you can, I know it's hard on a bright sunny day for an image sensor not to mention shooting a bright white object against darker water. Footage is very much appreciated and great job!

I really like the steering wheel on this boat!

Yeah.....the exposure setting on my camera got pressed and messed up a few shots before I noticed it was high. I hope to have more people join me next year so I could focus (pardon the pun) on taking photos and videos vs playing with the boat....wait...I mean....bring a camera man along so I can play more!!!

 

[MikeyL]

Yeah.....the exposure setting on my camera got pressed and messed up a few shots before I noticed it was high. I hope to have more people join me next year so I could focus (pardon the pun) on taking photos and videos vs playing with the boat....wait...I mean....bring a camera man along so I can play more!!!

< Mikey volunteers, @Julian >

 

[njmr2fan]

Shall we pregame here or by you @MikeyL ? @Julian Maybe both?

 

[Shuck Water]

Finally, the perfect jet boat!! I want!

 

[leatherneck33]

So where is the center ballast bag located?