Talk me into this

[Julian]

What if you have like 8 people in the boat, you will still need an extra ballast for weight for the wave to be surfable?

Thanks

Yup...we surfed last summer with a boat load of people and no non people ballast....but it would have been better with just one bag on the swim platform. That will be my purchase this spring when I get around to it!

 

[I_squared_r]

You hit the main points of why the 242 is so appealing to me. I’m about to spend the following on upgrades to the ar240 (rough estimates)

• Tower sound system ($2,500)
• Ski locker ballast ($170)
• WakeBooster or Wake Wedge ($1,000)
• 2 solid bags ($130)
• 2 swivel racks ($550)

The 242x seemed like a worthy upgrade based on the time saved to auto fill some ballast while we get the transom bag set up PLUS I get a pretty decent sound system already installed, the massive bimini, fly by wire, better vinyl, and that sweet blue. I thought I could save the cash and just get a better equipped boat with a little higher payment.

Despite my true hope to stay in a Yamaha (we seriously love our ar240), I think my takeaway from this thread is this:

1. I need to consider V-drives
2. After a couple days of research I’m going to demo the Axis T23 and A24, Moomba Mojo and Makai, Mastercraft NXT
3. I’m need to ask for a surf demo of the 242x WITH WakeBooster whenever it’s actually in hand

I think the on water demos and real world surf test just has to happen at these costs. You guys are all amazing. Thank you for the help! This was actually a great help. I’ll cool my jets (pun intended) and wait for warm weather demos. In the mean time we have a boat we love for everything except surfing. As the great Capt Ron said, “if it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen out there.”

Take your time researching and demoing the other boats. I was the worst impulse buyer and i've learned something. You fell in love with the idea of a new boat, now give yourself some time to fall out of love with the idea. This is my favorite advice because it definitely has saved me from small and big purchases. Example: I wanted to buy a $400 table for my boat. I gave myself a few weeks to think about it and I completely forgot about it so maybe wasn't important to me.

I would give 1 more season on your boat before trading it in because you already spent for the depreciation and you should enjoy your hard earned money. If at the end of the season you are still interested then by my all means take advantage of those end of season deals.

and btw is a $2500 sound system really worth it? I'm too cheap for that. Nor would I buy the swivel racks.

 

[jcyamaharider]

btw is a $2500 sound system really worth it?

YES!!!!

 

[haknslash]

Take your time researching and demoing the other boats. I was the worst impulse buyer and i've learned something. You fell in love with the idea of a new boat, now give yourself some time to fall out of love with the idea. This is my favorite advice because it definitely has saved me from small and big purchases. Example: I wanted to buy a $400 table for my boat. I gave myself a few weeks to think about it and I completely forgot about it so maybe wasn't important to me.

I would give 1 more season on your boat before trading it in because you already spent for the depreciation and you should enjoy your hard earned money. If at the end of the season you are still interested then by my all means take advantage of those end of season deals.

and btw is a $2500 sound system really worth it? I'm too cheap for that. Nor would I buy the swivel racks.

This is solid advice. I took over a year of demoing different boats followed by many, many repeated trips to dealers crawling over the boats again and again. Researching more than I’d like to admit before finally feeling confident enough in my research to make what I felt was a solid decision for my next boat. So don’t be afraid to take a season to just research and demo boats while keeping what you have. You’ll come out much wiser for any problems brands or models have, dealer support (this is huge and can make or break choosing a particular brand), how well a boat holds its value, quality of the build, the list goes on and on. Take the time and do it right and you’ll feel better when it comes time to change boats and you won’t be influenced by initial emotions or impulse buys.

 

[IndySmittyYammi]

YES!!!!

Have to agree!!

 

[dnicholas47]

Yup...we surfed last summer with a boat load of people and no non people ballast....but it would have been better with just one bag on the swim platform. That will be my purchase this spring when I get around to it!

Let’s say you just want to try surfing, but really don’t know if it’s something your family will be into or not. Can you get enough of a wave with just human ballast to get an idea if it’s something you would like? I know you couldn’t do ropeless or do tricks, but is the wave in that event enough someone could get up and just do basic surfing?

 

[jcyamaharider]

Let’s say you just want to try surfing, but really don’t know if it’s something your family will be into or not. Can you get enough of a wave with just human ballast to get an idea if it’s something you would like? I know you couldn’t do ropeless or do tricks, but is the wave in that event enough someone could get up and just do basic surfing?

You can do that with any wave, just hold onto the rope and have fun. You will know if you like it or not. There is also a gathering at the end of July with plenty of surf equipped Yamahas there to test out.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2019-lake-shelbyville-gathering-july-24-july-28-2019.20821/

 

[IndySmittyYammi]

Just a little update: We managed to get out and demo the Axis A24 again, and it just wasn’t for us. HUGE, awesome wave. That said, we got some spray through the sides while running at cruising speed without the side windshield, the interior wasn’t as comfortable as what we’d like, no walk through from the platform really bugged us, and we generally felt we’d be sacrificing too many family boating comforts for the sick wave.

So, Axis is off the list as the T23 won’t improve any of the things we didn’t like about the A24. We’re going to give the Moomba Makai a run next.

More and more I want to believe in the 242X and just go for it. We aren’t going to be a true surfing family for a few years as the little ones grow any way. I’m starting to feel like it’s silly to sacrifice the family boating comforts of our Yamaha to get a huge wave. If my wife and I can toss the rope and have some fun for 1 out the 8 hours we’re on the water for a typical day on the water, then we’ll be happy.

I’ll still demo the Moomba, because you all talked me into it. That said, hopefully I’ll make @jcyamaharider super happy and chalk up one jet guy staying a jet guy!

 

[BigAbe75]

Sounds great! Everyone’s goal is informed decision making that best suits you and your family’s needs.

For me, my parents 19’ I/O was great when I was in HS through the early stages of starting my own family (25yrs on that boat lol). Our SX210 was my first boat purchase, and it has been great. Confirmed that we are indeed a boating family, and that the newer technology and floor plan is far superior to our old I/O. And, now after barely 2 years I’m planning to upgrade to the 242X.

Folks always recommend you buy your 2nd boat first, but I’m very pleased with my process. Yes, it’s a little more expensive, but I feel much more knowledgeable about what we want/need in a boat.

 

[I_squared_r]

Folks always recommend you buy your 2nd boat first, but I’m very pleased with my process. Yes, it’s a little more expensive, but I feel much more knowledgeable about what we want/need in a boat.

Agreed. I never understood the "buy your 2nd boat first" saying. How do you know what your 2nd boat can be? It's as absurd as recommending "marry your 2nd wife first". Maybe i'll start recommending that to people.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Just a little update: We managed to get out and demo the Axis A24 again, and it just wasn’t for us. HUGE, awesome wave. That said, we got some spray through the sides while running at cruising speed without the side windshield, the interior wasn’t as comfortable as what we’d like, no walk through from the platform really bugged us, and we generally felt we’d be sacrificing too many family boating comforts for the sick wave.

So, Axis is off the list as the T23 won’t improve any of the things we didn’t like about the A24. We’re going to give the Moomba Makai a run next.

More and more I want to believe in the 242X and just go for it. We aren’t going to be a true surfing family for a few years as the little ones grow any way. I’m starting to feel like it’s silly to sacrifice the family boating comforts of our Yamaha to get a huge wave. If my wife and I can toss the rope and have some fun for 1 out the 8 hours we’re on the water for a typical day on the water, then we’ll be happy.

I’ll still demo the Moomba, because you all talked me into it. That said, hopefully I’ll make @jcyamaharider super happy and chalk up one jet guy staying a jet guy!

LOL, Glad you are getting to demo these boats and see some of the reasons that we stuck with a Yamaha also. In the end I don't care if people stick with Yamaha or not, it is what is best for you at that given time. It may not be a Yamaha and that is perfectly fine. Love what you got.

 

[haknslash]

Just a little update: We managed to get out and demo the Axis A24 again, and it just wasn’t for us. HUGE, awesome wave. That said, we got some spray through the sides while running at cruising speed without the side windshield, the interior wasn’t as comfortable as what we’d like, no walk through from the platform really bugged us, and we generally felt we’d be sacrificing too many family boating comforts for the sick wave.

So, Axis is off the list as the T23 won’t improve any of the things we didn’t like about the A24. We’re going to give the Moomba Makai a run next.

More and more I want to believe in the 242X and just go for it. We aren’t going to be a true surfing family for a few years as the little ones grow any way. I’m starting to feel like it’s silly to sacrifice the family boating comforts of our Yamaha to get a huge wave. If my wife and I can toss the rope and have some fun for 1 out the 8 hours we’re on the water for a typical day on the water, then we’ll be happy.

I’ll still demo the Moomba, because you all talked me into it. That said, hopefully I’ll make @jcyamaharider super happy and chalk up one jet guy staying a jet guy!

Sounds about right with the Axis.

On the Makai demo have the dealer take some extra ballast if your aren’t bringing several people with you. The big boat needs a good crew or some lead wake bags to sink her deep. Adding some people or extra ballast to simulate a larger crew than just 2-3 people would be ideal to get a better picture what the boat would really do. The bigger the boat the more you need to push them down to displace water. While the Makai is big and long it’s relatively light compared to other higher end wake boats in that size, so don’t expect a massive wave on a light crew on your demo. Try to have the dealer weight it close to what your normal crew size is so you can get a good idea how the wave will look. Also if possible get out on the wave if it’s not too cold of water. Waves can look big and powerful only to feel mushy and not have much push, so don’t go by just looks.

I’m glad you’re demoing the boats so you can see what you like and don’t like. It’s the ONLY way to make a true educated decision with no bias or branding involved. Keep an open mind, and LOTS of question to the dealer and you’ll find the right boat for you and your family. You’ll be happy no matter what you choose then and that is what matters most.

 

[2kwik4u]

I’m glad you’re demoing the boats so you can see what you like and don’t like. It’s the ONLY way to make a true educated decision with no bias or branding involved.

I 100% agree with this. At these price points I would think dealers would have no problem going on demo rides for serious buyers.

Hell I demo'd Yamaha twice over 5 years before we bought our. Dealer was happy to spend time on the lake each session. Hell the last session we met him on the water with our trade in. We drove his personal SX230 around while he took our little Rinker for a test drive/appraisal. We bought from him 4yrs later.

 

[IndySmittyYammi]

An update on the decision process if anyone cares:

We demo’d the Moomba Makai, Moomba Max, Mastercraft NXT, Malibu 23 LSV, and the 242X. The outcome?

We’ll be going @swatski style and modding out our ar240 instead of buying a V-drive or even a 242X.

The Moombas threw a great wave, but we found too many cons vs pros during the demo. We then had dinner with guy that has owned V-drives for years, and he was the final nail in the coffin. Too many stories that worried us with our style of boating. The descriptions of how rough the ride is in the big-ish water, and the wear-and-tear on the boat just didn’t interest us.

The Mastercraft and Malibu were non-starters. The Mastercraft felt cheap, and the layout was a big turnoff for the wife. The Malibu was incredible, but I’ll buy a houseboat to go with my Yamaha before I spend that much on a boat.

I’m in the middle of adding the following:

• Tower speakers
• Ridesteady
• Swivel wakeboard rack
• 200lbs hard ballast
• 700lbs FatSac

Also ordered:

• JetBoatPilot Thrust Vector Wake
• Yamaha WakeBooster (I’m finally next on the waitlist)

Pairing all of this with my swimdeck bag, should give me everything I need.

This was a great learning experience for me. I highly recommend anyone thinking about making the jump to or from any type of boat to spend real time behind the helm WITH your spouse. We thought we were willing to sacrifice our trips to Mackinac Island and dream of taking the boat to the Keys next year for surfing experience, but it turned out when we were behind the wheel of those boats, all we thought about was how much more we weighed ride, speed, and “family” factors vs just a surf wave.

This is going to be an awesome boating season, y’all

 

[swatski]

An update on the decision process if anyone cares:

We demo’d the Moomba Makai, Moomba Max, Mastercraft NXT, Malibu 23 LSV, and the 242X. The outcome?

We’ll be going @swatski style and modding out our ar240 instead of buying a V-drive or even a 242X.

The Moombas threw a great wave, but we found too many cons vs pros during the demo. We then had dinner with guy that has owned V-drives for years, and he was the final nail in the coffin. Too many stories that worried us with our style of boating. The descriptions of how rough the ride is in the big-ish water, and the wear-and-tear on the boat just didn’t interest us.

The Mastercraft and Malibu were non-starters. The Mastercraft felt cheap, and the layout was a big turnoff for the wife. The Malibu was incredible, but I’ll buy a houseboat to go with my Yamaha before I spend that much on a boat.

I’m in the middle of adding the following:

• Tower speakers
• Ridesteady
• Swivel wakeboard rack
• 200lbs hard ballast
• 700lbs FatSac

Also ordered:

• JetBoatPilot Thrust Vector Wake
• Yamaha WakeBooster (I’m finally next on the waitlist)

Pairing all of this with my swimdeck bag, should give me everything I need.

This was a great learning experience for me. I highly recommend anyone thinking about making the jump to or from any type of boat to spend real time behind the helm WITH your spouse. We thought we were willing to sacrifice our trips to Mackinac Island and dream of taking the boat to the Keys next year for surfing experience, but it turned out when we were behind the wheel of those boats, all we thought about was how much more we weighed ride, speed, and “family” factors vs just a surf wave.

This is going to be an awesome boating season, y’all

Wow! Solid advice, and solid decision! Epic season to come for sure!

I could not decide what model to get, and wife made it so much worse: "Honey, just get what you want as long as it has everything we need!". Damn... THERE IS NO SUCH THING!!!

I figured I will save 20k on the purchase and put it back where I need it. Lied to wife.
Got the AR. In retrospect - it was absolutely the right decision for us (I just wish someone told me about the tower locking mechanism issues, but that's neither here nor there).

I used to think we missed out with the E-throttles but do not feel that anymore.
With the addition of RideSteady (which I use all the time and extensively while cruising, not just for water sports) - I feel it gives us the best of both worlds: fly-by-wire smoothness of the RideSteady cruise and the safety of mechanical throttles.
FOr example, pretty reliably (about once a year, lol) I get something stuck in reverse gates... with mechanical (non-E) throttles giving me immediate feedback (through the throttle cables) it saves me a heart-stopping moment on the water.

The only thing that comes with the high trim (E_boats) that I would still want (but is not an easy upgrade) is the big bimini.
The AR 240 tower is perfect for watersports (actually like it more than the big one, with my rope attachment point on top of the bimini). It is also fine safety-wise - once you know the drill with the locking mechanism.

Keep us posted on your endeavors!

--

 

[haknslash]

An update on the decision process if anyone cares:

We demo’d the Moomba Makai, Moomba Max, Mastercraft NXT, Malibu 23 LSV, and the 242X. The outcome?

We’ll be going @swatski style and modding out our ar240 instead of buying a V-drive or even a 242X.

The Moombas threw a great wave, but we found too many cons vs pros during the demo. We then had dinner with guy that has owned V-drives for years, and he was the final nail in the coffin. Too many stories that worried us with our style of boating. The descriptions of how rough the ride is in the big-ish water, and the wear-and-tear on the boat just didn’t interest us.

The Mastercraft and Malibu were non-starters. The Mastercraft felt cheap, and the layout was a big turnoff for the wife. The Malibu was incredible, but I’ll buy a houseboat to go with my Yamaha before I spend that much on a boat.

I’m in the middle of adding the following:

• Tower speakers
• Ridesteady
• Swivel wakeboard rack
• 200lbs hard ballast
• 700lbs FatSac

Also ordered:

• JetBoatPilot Thrust Vector Wake
• Yamaha WakeBooster (I’m finally next on the waitlist)

Pairing all of this with my swimdeck bag, should give me everything I need.

This was a great learning experience for me. I highly recommend anyone thinking about making the jump to or from any type of boat to spend real time behind the helm WITH your spouse. We thought we were willing to sacrifice our trips to Mackinac Island and dream of taking the boat to the Keys next year for surfing experience, but it turned out when we were behind the wheel of those boats, all we thought about was how much more we weighed ride, speed, and “family” factors vs just a surf wave.

This is going to be an awesome boating season, y’all

Glad you went out and demoed the boats. It is truly the only way to do it! You're making the right decision for your family if you took the time to demo several boats and come to a solid decision you feel is best for your families needs. I would have loved to make the Bahamas trip on my Yamaha but my wife would have never gone or made the crossing with me. I'm sure with your upcoming mods you'll love your boat even more and hopefully have a great season.

Interested to hear the con's vs pro's you found on the Moomba's. I have not driven the Makai yet but the Max handled great for such a big boat. Did not feel porky slinging it around despite it feeling so wide and tall on the water. Crossing its own big wake wasn't jarring at all and did not slap on the face of the roller like other boats I've driven including my AR192. What did you think of the storage depth on the Max lol? It's nuts right?! Yea the wake boats will not win you any speed races as their simply not intended for that but rather lots of torque. My wife didn’t care to go fast in our AR192 but the daughter of course loved it lol. I normally cruised in the mid 20’s or low 30’s in it so I don’t find top speed as appealing since the AR192 can get kind of rough at those speeds on windier or busy days. They start building our Max next Wednesday and we're pumped! I hate not having any boat right now as I'd love to be soaking up the sun and relaxing on the water!!

Your opinion of the NXT is the same I had. It just feels cheap throughout. You're basically buying the MC name with that boat IMHO.