What to look for in a used 242 Limited S (E)

[meegwell]

Hi all,

I have been stalking yammy jet boats for a year and I am quite sure the stars will align for my purchase in February. This will be my first boat (although I do have a reasonable amount of boating experience). I have watched so many videos and read so much I think I know many of the basics. What I am curious about is more specific stuff a buyer should be honing in on prior to purchase. Here is what I am looking at now:

Budget is max $55k, I want a 2015+ 242 LS or LS E. Some questions below but anything I am not thinking of relative to these boats please chime in!

This will be family entertaining, boarding, tubing vessel. Kids ages 9-17 and parents and friends that like to hang out possibly long hours on water or beaches along the way. Mostly river boating and some bay as well.

I am looking at 2015+ because of the articulating keel - and this seems like a worthwhile lower cutoff point and probably about right for my budget range. Is this (keel) a legit decision?

Given the years of the E series plus the general extra cost I don't think I'll find one but I do like some of the E options. Whether it be E options or additional features added from 20015-2018 what should I consider worth trying to go for? I generally do not see very many changes in the span of those years and that comes from watching boat test videos and using the spreadsheet on google docs posted on this website. Very helpful but I want to make sure I'm not missing something and I realize everyone is different about what they like/don't like.

Hours - what are the general guidelines of when maintenance may start to increase as far as hours go? I understand salt water issues. Should I be looking at some sort of max hours for these years or by year?

As I've said, I've never bought a boat, I will be doing 50% cash and 50% leverage. Anything specific to boat financing I should consider in advance? I assume it is not a lot different from a car.

More thoughts may come about but as stated please chime in from experience...any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You!

 

[h2oskierfl95]

I am literally in the same boat (no pun intended) with all the same questions. I am leaning towards the E-series because of the throttles. I think my wife would feel more comfortable with the single throttle mode and cruise.

 

[tkeru408]

I agree with you 2015 is a good cutoff to use. In addition to the articulating keel, the tower was updated in 2015 to the more modern version that's still on the boats today. The Connext screen increased from 7" to 12" starting in 2018. That's a nice upgrade but it might be tough to find a 2018+ 242 Limited S or Limited S-E for $55K with the COVID-related price increases. Pre-COVID prices, you might have been able to find a 2018 242 Limited S for $55K during the winter off-season.

 

[14SX190]

Hi and welcome to site.

Where are you boating?

Buying a used boat requires some background on what you want and it seems you have picked a nice one.

Original owner much better than one passed over and over.

Going over boat is like when you rent a car. Look it over carefully or you will be charged for it.
Cosmetically a well taken boat will not have excessive dock rash along rails or scratches/gouges above waterline. Check under boat too from bow to stern. The bow will have scratches due to trailer roller. Also inspect trailer when boat is in water during water test. Try to lift trailer and spin wheel and listen for bearing noise/rusted leaf springs, bald tires, etc....

Then the interior is easy. Open/touch everything and remove all seat cushions and check for tears. Turn everything on/off.

The engine is where you need some knowledge.
1. Check OIL. Before and after sea trial. I didn't and my cylinder head was cracked and had milky oil . You can search for my saga and see how much hands on it is to tear engine down.
2. Check Compression. Easy to do and tells you health of engine
3. They all have rusted clamps where "Y" connection goes to exhaust.
4. Check for excessive salt scale or signs of flooded engine bay especially if ran in salt.
5. Cables should be inspected as my reverse one snapped on the water.
6. Think about cost servicing pumps as PO may not have. There will be marble sounds coming from pump.

Water test, water test, water test

Hope this helps

 

[captras]

what @14SX190 said for sure. In addition, I would look at the jet nozzles, keel, and all the linkages in that area. Look for evidence of any corrosion, damage, discoloration. I, at least annually, spray my nozzles and that whole area with Chain Wax, to keep the area protected and lubed. Also I would check the condition/function of the clean outs. They should be out for periods of non use and I keep mine coated with silicone spray when they are out. In addition, check the seat hinges where they attach to the hull. I found loose screws on most of the hinges. Fortunately not all were loose and there was not enough loose to allow play in the hinge mounts, so all the loose screws tighten without a problem. Locktite will prevent further issues. Check and make sure the bilge is operational. Look for indications of water in the anchor storage area. Some have had a issue with a leak in that area, around the drain, I think. Last thing I can think of is to check the sound insulation in the engine compartment. Mine was coming a little loose in places, but the dealer fixed all that when it was in for the Connext warranty work.

I have a 2016 SE and love it and not at all sorry I spent the extra $ for the E model. From my POV, I would recommend going with the '16 or later E series boat. I was initially going to go with either an AR or a Limited S. However, the additional items on the E series are invaluable. Items such as the huge biminin, throttle sync, drive control, push button start, Connext all work together to give you options and capabilities that I would find hard to do without, now that I have them. The large bimini, for my use anyway, is a huge plus. In Texas, with kids and family, having that large shade area is something I could not do without.

With that in mind, I would make sure that the Connext and Drive options are completely operational. This was the 1st year, I believe, for these features, and there were some initial problems. It took 4 trips back to the dealer, but ultimately all my issues were resolved and has not been an problem since!

As for hours, is seems around 50 hours a year is pretty normal. I have had mine for 5 seasons now, and just went over the 170 hour mark. I do alot of going places and floating for the kids to swim and have fun, so my use is not as high as others might be.

Hope this helps, and good luck in your search!

 

[WiskyDan]

The pre-mid 2016 1.8L engines have a timing chain that seems to be a trouble spot for some owners. The timing chain was beefed up in mid 2016 (IIRC) to one that is more robust. I bought a 2015 in August and if I had read up on this a little more I might have waited for something newer to avoid the possibility of failure. Fortunately I have two years of YES so if something happens I hope that it will be covered under warranty.

 

[granpachuck]

Hi all,

I have been stalking yammy jet boats for a year and I am quite sure the stars will align for my purchase in February. This will be my first boat (although I do have a reasonable amount of boating experience). I have watched so many videos and read so much I think I know many of the basics. What I am curious about is more specific stuff a buyer should be honing in on prior to purchase. Here is what I am looking at now:

Budget is max $55k, I want a 2015+ 242 LS or LS E. Some questions below but anything I am not thinking of relative to these boats please chime in!

This will be family entertaining, boarding, tubing vessel. Kids ages 9-17 and parents and friends that like to hang out possibly long hours on water or beaches along the way. Mostly river boating and some bay as well.

I am looking at 2015+ because of the articulating keel - and this seems like a worthwhile lower cutoff point and probably about right for my budget range. Is this (keel) a legit decision?

Given the years of the E series plus the general extra cost I don't think I'll find one but I do like some of the E options. Whether it be E options or additional features added from 20015-2018 what should I consider worth trying to go for? I generally do not see very many changes in the span of those years and that comes from watching boat test videos and using the spreadsheet on google docs posted on this website. Very helpful but I want to make sure I'm not missing something and I realize everyone is different about what they like/don't like.

Hours - what are the general guidelines of when maintenance may start to increase as far as hours go? I understand salt water issues. Should I be looking at some sort of max hours for these years or by year?

As I've said, I've never bought a boat, I will be doing 50% cash and 50% leverage. Anything specific to boat financing I should consider in advance? I assume it is not a lot different from a car.

More thoughts may come about but as stated please chime in from experience...any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You!

Great choice I think. We went thru the same process 18 months ago, and I have few suggestions to share that might help.
I love the E Series because of the larger bimini and drive control system. Make sure the canvas is in good shape as they are 5-700 dollars to replace I think. The drive control has several features you should check and make sure they are operating properly. The single level selection should keep the engines synched at all speeds, easy to check by looking at the RPMs. For water sports, you can create a riders profile for acceleration and speed. See if the owner has that already set up and have them give you a demonstration. I would also want to know if the cruise control feature keeps the mph pretty steady.
I looked at the cleanout plugs and made sure they were easy to remove.

My trailer bunks were shot after only a few years. Shorlandr wraps the carpet all the way around the bunks so the water doesn't drain properly, causing the boards to rot prematurely.

I did not care for the original tires and rims, so if they have been upgraded to radials and alloy wheels, that would be a plus. If you do that yourself, 7 or 8 hundred dollars approx.

I am not positive about the year the timing chain was upgraded, but I think 2016 for sure, and some 2015's. I am sure others on here can chime in on that, or search the forum for this known issue.

I would see what WOT performance you will get. These boats get out the gate in a hurry, and they should have no cavitation.

Upgrading to Seadek was a must for us, but luckily the boat we found had it already.

I may think of some other things, but I did want you to know we bought ours with 40 hours and have over 180 now. And we lost almost 8 weeks of boating this summer. I have done my own oil changes and spark plugs, and it has needed little else . I am having trouble with the shower, and that can be a pain to diagnose, so that is another item worth inspecting.

Best of luck ! We love ours and plan to keep her for many years.

 

[meegwell]

Wow...what more can I say? You are all very helpful. Thank you very much. This gives me not only a roadmap for my inspection, but also some important info to help narrow down my choices.