Seeking Advice: 252se or 255xe

[Taylorman]

Looking to buy a boat for the family. We have 3 young boys (oldest is 10). I don’t see wake surfing being a huge desire for them but they’ll want to wake board, tube, ski, etc. I see a strong emphasis on using the wake series for wake surfing but not much is mentioned about other wake uses. Is the wake series needed to get a decent wake or can a 252se produce enough wake to have some fun?

The added storage and features like the swim seats are appealing. Plus, my wife likes the “warm” interior colors much more than the wake series “cool” colors. I don’t care about the paddle shifters. They’re cool but not worth waiting longer for to me. The added HP of the 255 is nice but, IMO, those benefits are offset by the maintenance & premium fuel reqs. So at the end of the day I come back to wondering if we can get enough wake out of the 252? If I have buy a bunch of aftermarket parts/weights just to get a decent wake I might as well get the wake series. Thanks in advance for any advice/feedback.

 

[MajorBummer210]

Even the Yamaha wake series boat will require you to buy aftermarket gear. If you want a wake surf boat, buy a wake surf boat, not a jet boat. Jet boats inherently don’t produce a large wake (in comparison to other types of boats) because of their ability to quickly get on plane.

if you want a really good all around family boat that doesn’t have a behemoth outboard on the back…then get the Yamaha.The 252se will be great for y’all. Good for tubing, wakeboarding, chilling, etc…

 

[Txbred]

I have a 252se and it would be very difficult if not impossible to get a wake without added weight. Great boat to pull tubes,wakeboards and skies.

 

[Julian]

You don't need ballast to wake board. I've never added ballast for the kids wake boarding behind my boat, they never got good enough to need it. I'd buy the non wake boat and if in the future your kids turn about to LOVE jumping wakes and want bigger wakes, then either add your own ballast or buy a dedicated wake boat.

 

[Taylorman]

Thank you all. This is good advice. Getting the wake series feels too much like putting the cart before the horse. I went ahead and put a deposit down on a 252se.

 

[deubank1776]

Looking to buy a boat for the family. We have 3 young boys (oldest is 10). I don’t see wake surfing being a huge desire for them but they’ll want to wake board, tube, ski, etc. I see a strong emphasis on using the wake series for wake surfing but not much is mentioned about other wake uses. Is the wake series needed to get a decent wake or can a 252se produce enough wake to have some fun?

The added storage and features like the swim seats are appealing. Plus, my wife likes the “warm” interior colors much more than the wake series “cool” colors. I don’t care about the paddle shifters. They’re cool but not worth waiting longer for to me. The added HP of the 255 is nice but, IMO, those benefits are offset by the maintenance & premium fuel reqs. So at the end of the day I come back to wondering if we can get enough wake out of the 252? If I have buy a bunch of aftermarket parts/weights just to get a decent wake I might as well get the wake series. Thanks in advance for any advice/feedback.

I think that the SE brings just as much fun as the XE except you don't have built in ballast and built in wake boosters. You can always buy a wake booster from Yamaha and a ballast bag from anywhere. Personally, I would go for the SE. Less Expensive, Warm Interior, Some lakes have HP limits, and some places restrict the kind of engine that is in the X series. If they aren't wake surf no reason for the XE.

 

[Taylorman]

I think that the SE brings just as much fun as the XE except you don't have built in ballast and built in wake boosters. You can always buy a wake booster from Yamaha and a ballast bag from anywhere. Personally, I would go for the SE. Less Expensive, Warm Interior, Some lakes have HP limits, and some places restrict the kind of engine that is in the X series. If they aren't wake surf no reason for the XE.

Thank you. That’s helpful feedback. The added HP sounds enticing but in reality I don’t think it’s a good fit for our use. I’ll be doing more “family friendly” driving and won’t get much time to enjoy the extra HP. I didn’t realize some lakes have HP limits but it makes sense.

 

[deubank1776]

Thank you. That’s helpful feedback. The added HP sounds enticing but in reality I don’t think it’s a good fit for our use. I’ll be doing more “family friendly” driving and won’t get much time to enjoy the extra HP. I didn’t realize some lakes have HP limits but it makes sense.

What state are you located in?

 

[Taylorman]

What state are you located in?

NC

 

[deubank1776]

NC

NC is such a beautiful state. For example Lake Lure, Has a overall size limit of 28 feet, Powered boats like runabout, ski, jet, fishing, etc. has a limit of 21 feet. Other than pontoon the boat cant weigh over 4,000 pounds, and no jet skis. Where do you plan to put the boat into?

 

[Taylorman]

NC is such a beautiful state. For example Lake Lure, Has a overall size limit of 28 feet, Powered boats like runabout, ski, jet, fishing, etc. has a limit of 21 feet. Other than pontoon the boat cant weigh over 4,000 pounds, and no jet skis. Where do you plan to put the boat into?

Jordan Lake is the closest (10 mins). From a convenience standpoint we’ll likely end up there quite a bit but do want to explore other lakes. I have family and friends with houses on Kerr and Gaston. When the housing market settles down we’ll be looking for a place on Gaston as well. There are plenty of other lakes within an hour from is including Falls I’d like to check out as well.

It’s a shame that the 252 is too big for Lure. We’ve vacationed there and love the area. We plan to take the boat to Carolina beach with us this summer as well.

 

[deubank1776]

Jordan Lake is the closest (10 mins). From a convenience standpoint we’ll likely end up there quite a bit but do want to explore other lakes. I have family and friends with houses on Kerr and Gaston. When the housing market settles down we’ll be looking for a place on Gaston as well. There are plenty of other lakes within an hour from is including Falls I’d like to check out as well.

It’s a shame that the 252 is too big for Lure. We’ve vacationed there and love the area. We plan to take the boat to Carolina beach with us this summer as well.

Couldn't find restrictions for those lakes so have fun boating!

 

[Julian]

Jordan Lake is the closest (10 mins). From a convenience standpoint we’ll likely end up there quite a bit but do want to explore other lakes. I have family and friends with houses on Kerr and Gaston. When the housing market settles down we’ll be looking for a place on Gaston as well. There are plenty of other lakes within an hour from is including Falls I’d like to check out as well.

It’s a shame that the 252 is too big for Lure. We’ve vacationed there and love the area. We plan to take the boat to Carolina beach with us this summer as well.

My boat is in a slip at Rollingview Marina on Falls Lake. No restrictions on Falls. Perhaps we'll see you out there someday?

 

[Taylorman]

My boat is in a slip at Rollingview Marina on Falls Lake. No restrictions on Falls. Perhaps we'll see you out there someday?

Yes, I do want to check out Falls. When that time comes I’ll shoot you a message beforehand. It would be great to some tips from regular and even meet up if the timing works.