You're at the wheel of a hot new watersports boat, watching the wakeboarder behind you reel off
trick after trick to the delight of the watersports neophytes on board. The tower is gleaming, the
speakers are kicking, and the ballast system is delivering just the right wake that he needs to rip
some serious air. But this isn't your typical inboard or V-drive watersports boat. It's the new
212X — Yamaha's first boat designed specifically for wakeboarders.
It's an unseasonably hot fall day just north of Atlanta on Lake Allatoona. With winter
looming on the horizon, you're eager to get in as many days on the water as possible. Luckily for
you, today just so happens to be one of those days, and not only that - you're also getting a sneak
peek at a boat that's the first to come off production. Yeah, you're feeling pretty special right
about now.
One glance at the 212X tells you that if looks are any sign of how the boat will perform, then you're in for an incredible ride. The feature that most stands out is the fully collapsible wakeboard tower, which really gives the 212X that watersports-boat feel. Styled to make a statement, the tower has billeted accents and is equipped with built-in wakeboard racks to stow your boards. It also has a large, polished billet aluminum tower mirror that provides a full view while you're driving, so you can keep an eye on the action behind the boat. The bold, aggressive styling makes it stand out from other boats on the water, especially with its huge, hard-to-miss "X" on the side.
As you board the boat, you can't help but notice all the stainless-steel details scattered throughout - including the pull-up cleats, rubrails and handholds - a nice touch that adds both function and style. The deck, which has the same design as Yamaha's AR210, is overlayed with a snap-in, plush berber carpet that's removable, a feature that will come in handy on those days when your crew will be getting in and out of the water (and of course, soaking the deck). It may only measure 21 feet, but there's plenty of room for everyone aboard the 212X, with ample seating for nine people to kick back comfortably. The wraparound seating in the cockpit and flared seating in the bow are both richly upholstered. Two forward-facing bow seats are spacious, and a standard bow filler cushion can maximize room even further, and is a great spot for lounging in the sun or taking an afternoon snooze.
One thing's for sure - you're not about to snooze right now. You're itching to take this boat out for a spin, so you sit down in the newly designed bolster captain's seat. The full instrumentation on the automotive-inspired dash is placed where it's visible at just a glance, so you can keep your eyes ahead of you rather than searching the panel to see how fast you're going or how deep the water is. The sports car-inspired, padded steering wheel feels good in your hands, and the tilt steering easily adjusts to fit just about any size driver. The 212X is the first 21-foot boat from Yamaha to feature twin High Output engines for a combined 320 hp - an impressive amount of power for a boat of this size. With these 4-cylinder, 4-stroke engines, there's plenty of muscle to pull riders up out of the water, which benefits not just novice wakeboarders but also the pros. The engine package is not only among the most powerful in its category, but according to Yamaha, these power plants also lead the industry in fuel efficiency and cruising range, so you can spend long days on the water without having to constantly fill up the tank.
You turn the key to crank up the horses, and push forward the independent, dual engine controls, which individually adjust each throttle position. Boaters used to operating single-engine models might think it's difficult to use two throttles, but once you get past the short learning curve, most will appreciate the additional control independent shifters give you. Idling through the no-wake zone is a breeze with Yamaha's easy-to-use No-Wake Mode, which reduces and sets RPM levels for optimum no-wake speeds.
As you accelerate, there's virtually no bowrise, making the time to plane almost non-existent. While cruising around the lake, you notice the 212X's tight turning radius, which really gives you a controlled feeling as the driver.
It's responsive, but not overly sensitive. It takes a little more than 5.5 seconds to bring the boat from 0 to 30 mph - due in part to the ultra-responsive jet drive system under the waterline - and top speed is a swift 51 mph.
You're having so much fun cruising the lake that you forget to look at the clock, but your stomach is quick to inform you that it's time for lunch. After picking up a few more passengers, you find a shady cove to anchor in. The dinette table that mounts in the cockpit is a perfect place to spread out the food, and with the abundance of stainless-steel cup holders arranged throughout the boat, everyone has a place to set their drinks. The bimini top with Sunbrella fabric provides some welcome shade from the sun as everyone eases their hunger pangs. It's not too long before the gentle rocking of the boat by the water seems to put everyone in the mood for a nap, so you crank up the all-new Sony stereo system with kicker speakers to wake the crew up a bit. With a CD player and built-in Sirius radio, the Yamaha supplies you with some kickin' background music ... yep, this beats any 'ol day in the office. You wish you'd brought your own playlist, since with the digital input and storage compartment, you can conveniently access your music library through the Sony sound system, while keeping your MP3 player safely tucked away.
Once everyone's food is settled, it's agreed that it's high time for some much-anticipated wakeboarding. After watch-ing your fellow crewmembers take a few face-plants, you decide you'll be content to just watch the action from the cockpit today. But that's OK - not only will you get to pilot this high-powered machine, you'll also get to do some experimenting with the ballast. The 212X is the first Yamaha boat to feature an internal ballast system. All you have to do is flip a switch, and the self-filling ballast bags inflate, and with another touch of the button, the ballast bags drain. It takes only about 10 minutes to fill and 10 minutes to empty. The system allows you to add up to a total of 750 pounds of weight, capable of increasing the wake by 6 inches - basically giving the wakeboarder the benefit of having five or six additional people on board. Although today's inexperienced wakeboarding crew (with the exception of Yamaha's Andrew Cullen, who performs some impressive tricks that inspire some "oohs" and "ahhs") is focused on staying up rather than catching air, it's definitely a must-have feature for serious wakeboard enthusiasts. One advanced watersports feature that's missing on the 212X, however, is a cruise control or PerfectPass system, which might be nice to have on this boat as your skill level improves. Since it's something you may want to have down the road, you can get the dealer to add it after the boat's been purchased.
Not only is the boat conducive to socializing, but so is the innovative stern swim platform design. Unlike a lot of swim platforms, it's actually big enough to be a hangout area, and a comfortable one too, with padded seat backs. With a table and table mount, you can have instant waterfront dining if you so choose. You don't even have to get up to change the music, since there's a remote control for easy access to the stereo. With Hydro-Turf mats, it's the perfect place to gear up for watersports, since it will keep you from slipping around. And, after tiring yourself out in the water, it's easy to board the boat via the telescoping reboarding ladder.
Another characteristic that helps the boat feel even more spacious is the abundance of storage compartments. In the cockpit area there's a huge portside storage locker large enough to store a full-size cooler and several PFDs, and the door even doubles as a wind deflector when opened and secured to the adjacent starboard helm console. An in-floor, self-draining cooler gives you easy access to cold beverages without taking up a bunch of room on the deck. Further toward the bow, there's a floor locker to stuff all your gear in, so you can keep the cabin free of clutter. And to top it all off, there's under-seat storage for whatever won't fit into the other compartments.
Perhaps the best thing about Yamaha's 212X is that, compared to a lot of watersports boats on the market today, you get a lot of boat for not a lot of money. With Yamaha, everything comes standard, so you don't have to worry about adding a bunch of amenities to your base price. What you see is what you get - which, in this case, is an extreme watersports boat with high-horsepower engines and lots of great features such as a wakeboard tower with racks and an internal ballast system - all for less than $40,000. It's easy to trailer to and from the water, especially with the swing-away tongue trailer. Plus, it has features for other aquatic activities, such as a towline, in case you want to take a break from the wakeboarding action and go tubing. For the next few hours, though, your activities will entail watching with awe and amusement as your fellow wakeboarders flip and face-plant their way across the lake.
Yamaha 212X
LOA 21'
Beam 8'6"
Weight 3,274 lbs.
Fuel 50.2 gal.
Base Price As Tested $38,999 (w/twin 160-hp, 4-cylinder, 4-stroke High Output
Yamahas)
Hull Warranty 5 years
Yamaha Motor Corp., 1270 Chastain Road, Kennesaw, GA 30144, (800) 962-7926,
www.yamaha-motor.com
Test Data
Performance data was gathered on Lake Allatoona, with twin 4-cylinder, 4-stroke High Output
Yamaha engines, two passengers on board, and a half tank of fuel.
Top Speed 51.1 mph
0-30 mph 5.6 seconds
Decibels @ Idle 72 dB-A
Decibels @ 30 mph 90 dB-A
Decibels @ WOT 100 dB-A
Notable Standard Features
Ballast tanks, wakeboard tower, independent dual-engine controls, wraparound cockpit seating, two forward-facing bow seats, removable marine-grade carpet, integrated drink holders, Sony satellite-ready sound system w/remote and MP3 capability, No-Wake Mode, walk-over transom, extended swim platform w/telescoping reboarding ladder, bimini top, swing-away tongue trailer, and an in-floor self-draining cooler.