Tubing behind a 242XE?

[sauroneru]

I'm looking at 24' Yamaha boats. I've heard the XEs may not be good for tubers. The main duty of this boat is to haul 4-8 year olds behind it in all sorts of various tubes. I understand you can use a slightly longer tow rope, but I'm curious how much of an impact always having a surfing wake behind you makes. Should I avoid the XEs because of this, or in reality does it not make a lot of difference?

 

[ElJefeClicko]

I was surprised at the difference in pulling a tuber behind a jetboat vs. a prop bot. While I'm sure the wake difference has an affect (positive or negative depending on what you are after), my 242XE doesn't provide me the effortless whipping them in and out of the wake like the previous boat, which was an 8-cylinder cobalt. It doesn't seem to me like it's an issue of power, just how the steering affects your ability to mobilize the tubers. I think the difference is significant enough to warrant a test-run before committing if tubing is your number one activity.

 

[jacoviii]

If you do not feel you can whip them in and out it is 1st you have not re-aligned your nozzles to get rid of surf point, 2nd need a set of Cobra jet fins.
some good info here. VVVV

https://jetboaters.net/threads/cobra-fins-on-our-18-242x-and-new-top-speed.22744/

The wave behind the 242X is not a surf wave all the time. To make it a good surf wave you have to fill both rear ballast center ballast @30% Plus you need to add a rear swim step ballast and the wake wage or Yamaha wake booster. Wake Wedge for Yamaha Jet Boats

 

[ITgeek]

I'm looking at 24' Yamaha boats. I've heard the XEs may not be good for tubers. The main duty of this boat is to haul 4-8 year olds behind it in all sorts of various tubes. I understand you can use a slightly longer tow rope, but I'm curious how much of an impact always having a surfing wake behind you makes. Should I avoid the XEs because of this, or in reality does it not make a lot of difference?

I am not sure who you are talking to about tubing, but tubing is pretty basic. I have never heard anyone say "that boat is not good for tubing" I suspect it was a salesman trying to sell you one of his boats.

My kids have been pulled on tubes by everything from Jet skis, pontoons, stern drives, jet boats, center consoles, cabin cruisers, to high end/hard core wake boats. They had fun on every one of those watercraft. I have never heard any of my kids, or their many friends critique on the tubing experience, and these kids are hard core teenagers, where the fun is trying to hang on at highspeed and hard torque. They do show a preference, when it comes to more advanced wakeboarding & waterskiing but that is a different thing.

The only thing that really is important for a boat to have is some decent speed, and maneuverability. The Yamahas have got that in spades. Jet boats handle differently than stern drives, but once you get used to them, you can match any stern drive out there. In my 2012 242 LS, I still regularly out run/turn new $150K Moombas and Tiges.

I have not tested the XEs, but it my understanding the XE has adjustable ballast tanks that can be adjusted to suit and even has a "tubing" mode.

 

[tabbibus]

242 LSE, pulls tube great. My little ones love it.

 

[Julian]

The X boats are identical to the other models with the exception of ballast tanks. So tube with them empty. I can whip my tubers around at will with no issues. The only complaint you can get is if you let the tubers sit in the middle of the jet wash.....avoid that as they will get pelted with spray (less fun).....but for annoying teens...it is payback!

 

[biffdotorg]

The X boats are identical to the other models with the exception of ballast tanks. So tube with them empty. I can whip my tubers around at will with no issues. The only complaint you can get is if you let the tubers sit in the middle of the jet wash.....avoid that as they will get pelted with spray (less fun).....but for annoying teens...it is payback!

Julian is right on the money, the hulls are no different, but the X models will give you the option to drop in a bit of ballast when the kids want some air. And honestly, we will fill the ski locker ballast on our 242 to add some volume to the wave. This applies to a pair of 2-person tubes, or a single 3-person granny tube! It's all in what your riders want. And on a hot day, a bit of spray is not that big of a deal either. It's not like it hurts.

There may be point covered above about Surf Pointe, but that will have to be addressed by someone that owns that feature. But I doubt it effects tow sports much at 20-23mph, which seems to be our common tube speeds.

Good luck,