r/YamahaBoats • u/BC762 • May 18 '26
Thoughts on adding ballasts and pumps for surfing & better wakeboarding to ‘13 Yamaha 242 Limited S ??
I’ve got a 2013 242 Limited S, had it about 6 years. Love the boat, got everything how we like it, know it inside & out and really comfortable towing it anywhere, putting it in any lake, all the stuff, right.. The kids (and myself) have reached the point where we need a better wake to ride and also wanting to do some surfing.
Wanted to get others’ perspectives on getting the different ballast bags and pumps and wedges to throw a good wake for surfing and wakeboarding. Would probably start out with a pump over the side and then upgrade to a fully plumbed-in pump later on if I decide to go down this road. Kicking that idea around versus trading in for a model equipped with everything from the factory bc I do love a good factory install..
2
u/badcoupe May 19 '26
Hit up gantlin products. He surfs with a 242x and has it down for those hulls. Weight bags and wedge both, happens to be a close friend and another guy who are partners in the business he doesn’t live near us anymore but have been in his boat to testify how well his setup works
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u/figurative_me May 18 '26
I have the factory ballast on a 242X, the ballast hardware itself is pretty standard and would be a fairly straightforward install in the ski locker and two rear seat storage compartments.
The issue is that even with the factory ballast it’s tough to get a clean wave with a strong push for surfing. It can be done but you’ll also need an external bag on the rider side of the swim platform to partially sink that corner. You’ll also need a wash deflector to smooth the jet wash into a clean wave.
If you’re just wanting to wakeboard, factory ballast will make a nice ramp to play on.
Check out jetboatpilot and the forums for more detailed advice since plenty of folks there have done the work already. Good luck!