To get a look at what the wakesurfing wave is all about, check out this video of Danny Hampson riding behind his Yamaha 242X E-Series down in the Keys!
The first thing you’ll make note of with the Yamaha 242X is that it’s the only jet-drive boat in our roundup of surfable vessels.
To be perfectly honest, before we tested it, we weren’t completely sold on the idea of a jet-propelled boat working very well for wakesurfing. It turns out that we were pleasantly surprised.
We tested it with Yamaha team rider Danny Hampson, who got the wave perfectly dialed in for us to surf. We added a little extra weight to the rear of the boat, aside from the stock ballast, and it surfed really well.
Developing something called the articulating keel on the Yamaha 242X made it infinitely better than your normal jet-drive boat, which keeps the line you drive steady and smooth. It also makes docking and low-speed navigating super easy.
One of the biggest differences we noticed was just how much this 24-footer liked deep water. With a standard direct- or V-drive boat, you need a solid 12 feet of depth to achieve the optimal wave, but the Yamaha’s wave really changed for the better around 18 to 20 feet.
Top-Notch Trait: What blew us away the most after getting into the 242X was the helm. This thing was probably one of the most comfortable setups we’ve been in, and it had all the bells and whistles you could want. The best thing? A joystick control to easily navigate through the Connext menu screens to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Stat: The sound from the stereo in the 242X was insane. With 18 premium speakers and tower sound bar, the tunes were heard and felt by everyone on board. You can’t really underestimate the power of having a solid stereo system on a boat, and clearly the people at Yamaha know that.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 24’ |
| Beam | 8’5” |
| Dry Weight | 4,032 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity | 50 gal. |
| Seating Capacity | 12 |
| Cup Holders | 14 |
| Engine | Twin 1.8L High Output |
