New to PWCs, need some advice.

[marcusknight]

I have owned and operated my own boats since I was in high school. But at age 33 I am ready to get some PWCs. I am looking to get a pair on a double trailer as it's going to be a lot more enjoyable activity when with someone else. My budget isn't really high but not real low. I could probably afford a pair made sometime in the 1990s. With that in mind, are there brands that are better than others in that era? Unreliable ones to avoid? Things to watch for when I go out to look at them?

 

[SeaDooSam]

I have heard that Yamahas are very reliable. But as with any boat, it depends on maintenance and upkeep. Will you be using them in freshwater or salt water?

As you can see in my sig I am very biased towards Seadoo. We love ours. Once you get the kinks out, they are pretty reliable.

My mechanic has told me to stay away from anything Seadoo that was direct injected from the early 2000s

What kind of ski are you looking for? Cruising, racing?

Amen to getting two (at least two) . Going with a friend makes it much more fun.

Things to watch out for are the overall condition of the ski. If it is nice and clean most likely it was well maintained. Check for corrosion on the jet pump which would signify salt water use. I would stay away from anything that has been in salt water(unless you will be putting it in salt obviously)

You can peek at the impeller just to see the condition of the impeller as well ( to make sure they didn't suck anything big up. If the impeller is too chipped then the wear ring might be bad. This will mean the ski won't want to move. That means right off the bat you will be taking the jet pump off.

Lastly, I have had skis run perfectly fine on the trailer, but then when we put them under load in the water they don't work. So definitely test ride if possible.

 

[marcusknight]

Thanks for the nice reply SeaDooSam. I live in Wisconsin so it will definitely be fresh water use. More for cruising, not racing.

 

[SeaDooSam]

Ok that's good. If you want a cruising ski you should look at probably Seadoo GTXs or equivalent with the other brands (I dont know much about other brands)

 

[eastont]

I have heard that Yamahas are very reliable. But as with any boat, it depends on maintenance and upkeep. Will you be using them in freshwater or salt water?

As you can see in my sig I am very biased towards Seadoo. We love ours. Once you get the kinks out, they are pretty reliable.

My mechanic has told me to stay away from anything Seadoo that was direct injected from the early 2000s

What kind of ski are you looking for? Cruising, racing?

Amen to getting two (at least two) . Going with a friend makes it much more fun.

Things to watch out for are the overall condition of the ski. If it is nice and clean most likely it was well maintained. Check for corrosion on the jet pump which would signify salt water use. I would stay away from anything that has been in salt water(unless you will be putting it in salt obviously)

You can peek at the impeller just to see the condition of the impeller as well ( to make sure they didn't suck anything big up. If the impeller is too chipped then the wear ring might be bad. This will mean the ski won't want to move. That means right off the bat you will be taking the jet pump off.

Lastly, I have had skis run perfectly fine on the trailer, but then when we put them under load in the water they don't work. So definitely test ride if possible.

Hey Sam.....does the oil injection apply to all Sea Doos of the early 2000's?
I'm looking a ta 2003 and a 2006 Sportster, that appear to be quite similar, except the 2006 says it is fuel injected.

What are your thoughts?

 

[SeaDooSam]

Hey Sam.....does the oil injection apply to all Sea Doos of the early 2000's?
I'm looking a ta 2003 and a 2006 Sportster, that appear to be quite similar, except the 2006 says it is fuel injected.

What are your thoughts?

I have a sportster with a 951 carbed engine. I don't know if those came fuel injected. Is the 2006 one with a four stroke?
By Direct Injected (DI) I am referring to the fuel being injected into the cylinders. You can read many forums that say the DI models have some problems.

What you are talking about, is oil injected, which is fine. Our sportster has oil injection and so did our Challenger and it works fine. You just have to fill the oil reservoir and make sure that oil is actually getting to the engine.

They are definitely fun boats

Side note: You may want to start your own thread.

 

[redneck joe]

they do not steer unless under power. That will be the most important thing you need to know.

 

[SeaDooSam]

they do not steer unless under power. That will be the most important thing you need to know.

Can't believe I didn't mention that! If possible, take a look atsome basic safety brochures about jet skis

 

[JimS123]

Most all Yamahas will be reliable. The older 2-strokes ride poorly and are a little tippy if you have a lot of weight aboard.

DON'T buy any Sea-Doo that is a 2-stroke. They are the least reliable. All S-Ds ride well.

DON'T buy anything other than a S-D or a Yami. DO buy from an adult who can supply maintenance records, not a kid that rode hard and put away wet.

If you are on a budget, my best recommendation would be a late model Yamaha VX 4-stroke. They aren't the fastest or the fanciest, but you won't have problems.

We rode nothing but Sea-Doos since the 1990's. In 2015 we switched from a top-of-the-line GTX 4-TEC to a Yamaha FX Cruiser and couldn't be happier. They are far above a Sea-Doo in all respects.

 

[WaterDR]

Thanks for the nice reply SeaDooSam. I live in Wisconsin so it will definitely be fresh water use. More for cruising, not racing.

I am WI as well. Over by the St. Croix.

We have boated for years and have owned PWCs since the mid 90s. Currently have a 2016 VX HO and a 2017 VX Limited.

What's your budget? For about 10k you can get two solid four stroke machines.

Here is my advice. Run from any two stroke as far as you can. Many will disagree with me so I will get blasted

Solid two strokes are about 2500 bucks each. For 4K you can get a well cared for fuel injected four stroke. A friend of mine just sold his 2006 GTi 130 flr 3300 with 200 hours on it. Pretty clean and garage kept. He sold it flr too little because that's what the dealer offered him on a trade. I sold a 2002 Two Stroke Yam 1200 for the same price.

Four stroke models will be a lot more fuel efficienct and reliable. Two strokes = nightmare. Ticking time bombs.

One model I would consider is a used Kawasaki STX 15F. Awesome machine. Highest resale of any model. 60 MPH, stable and fun. Seadoo GTI 130 models. Or 155 models. Again, reliable and good value. Or ANY Yam VX model. Bullet proof.

As with all models there have been significant model changes over the years. Most notably IBR on Seadoo Models and Ride on yamaha. Awesome features. Not available until 2015 on Yamaha and I think 2013 on Seadoo.

May also want to consider a Yamaha EX...though it's a brand new model in 2017 and most certainly a Seadoo Spark. The Spark may not be your cup of tea (it's not mine) but you can't argue with the reliability and popularity.

You can buy two sparks brand new and a trailer for 10 to 14k depending on the model. While that may be well over your budget, resale is pretty good, warranties are terrific and financing is easy on new ones. 2016 models are still available and 1,000 off msrp.

Since you want two machines, personally I think there are models that make great match sets.

For example, a kawasaki STX 15F and an Ultra LX (non super charged) would be a great choice! The STX being the sports car and the Ultra being the SUV. Bullet proof! Tons of storage. One ride more fun the other more stable. The Ultra better for towing.

Another great choice might be mixing a Seadoo GTI with a Spark. This way you have two different rides and two different fun factors.

For Yamaha I would recommmend an VX and an HO model like a Cruiser HO or if you need to go older, consider an fxho.

IMO, avoid any super charged models. Reliability is lower, fuel economy stinks and more maintence.

Lastly, if you buy a two stroke, insist on a compression test. And for all models, inspect the prop. Compression test on a four stroke is a good idea too.

I helped a guy on another forum recently.../he didn't listen and is now rebuilding a motor. Why? Cuz he was impatient. Drove four hours to pick up a machine and got lazy...now paying the price.

 

[WaterDR]

Most all Yamahas will be reliable. The older 2-strokes ride poorly and are a little tippy if you have a lot of weight aboard.

DON'T buy any Sea-Doo that is a 2-stroke. They are the least reliable. All S-Ds ride well.

DON'T buy anything other than a S-D or a Yami. DO buy from an adult who can supply maintenance records, not a kid that rode hard and put away wet.

If you are on a budget, my best recommendation would be a late model Yamaha VX 4-stroke. They aren't the fastest or the fanciest, but you won't have problems.

We rode nothing but Sea-Doos since the 1990's. In 2015 we switched from a top-of-the-line GTX 4-TEC to a Yamaha FX Cruiser and couldn't be happier. They are far above a Sea-Doo in all respects.

I strongly recommend Kawasaki models to people used only if they are NA models. Do you disagree with that or just forget to mention?

 

[WaterDR]

Sorry...one more point. The hulls do make a big difference. For example, yamaha has basically three hulls...VX, FX and now the EX. FX is the biggest and totally not needed for inland fresh water use especially on lakes and rivers. VX will be a more fun ride IMO without giving up too much stability and storage. However, older FX models are a bit smaller.

 

[JimS123]

I strongly recommend Kawasaki models to people used only if they are NA models. Do you disagree with that or just forget to mention?

I don't necessarily disagree. But I didn't forget.

I know people that own them and they are very satisfied with them. They are the fastest of the bunch, but I didn't think the OP was looking for a speed demon. reliability is OK as far as i know. But, Kawis are few and far apart in my area. There is only 1 dealer left and he is always swamped with business. There are NO dealers where I Summer vacation. With a poor dealer network, they wouldn't be my choice.

 

[JimS123]

The Spark may not be your cup of tea (it's not mine) but you can't argue with the reliability and popularity.

You can buy two sparks brand new and a trailer for 10 to 14k depending on the model. While that may be well over your budget, resale is pretty good, warranties are terrific and financing is easy on new ones. 2016 models are still available and 1,000 off msrp.

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't recommend a Spark to even my worst enemy. They look like and are built like a Fisher Price toy. If you google it you'll find that they have had an unusual share of cracked hulls from nothing more than driving them in wavy water. The hulls are NOT repairable. Even if you are in the warranty, you'll be out of business for the rest of the year. If out of warranty you can send the boat to the trash.

I would debate the resale value. In my area you see few on the water and you can't give away a used one.

 

[WaterDR]

I don't necessarily disagree. But I didn't forget.

I know people that own them and they are very satisfied with them. They are the fastest of the bunch, but I didn't think the OP was looking for a speed demon. reliability is OK as far as i know. But, Kawis are few and far apart in my area. There is only 1 dealer left and he is always swamped with business. There are NO dealers where I Summer vacation. With a poor dealer network, they wouldn't be my choice.

Yup...just pointing out that their NA are solid

 

[WaterDR]

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't recommend a Spark to even my worst enemy. They look like and are built like a Fisher Price toy. If you google it you'll find that they have had an unusual share of cracked hulls from nothing more than driving them in wavy water. The hulls are NOT repairable. Even if you are in the warranty, you'll be out of business for the rest of the year. If out of warranty you can send the boat to the trash.

I would debate the resale value. In my area you see few on the water and you can't give away a used one.

Number 1 selling machine on the water. I don't own one...just stating that it may be a good option for the OP

 

[SeaDooSam]

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't recommend a Spark to even my worst enemy. They look like and are built like a Fisher Price toy. If you google it you'll find that they have had an unusual share of cracked hulls from nothing more than driving them in wavy water. The hulls are NOT repairable. Even if you are in the warranty, you'll be out of business for the rest of the year. If out of warranty you can send the boat to the trash.

I would debate the resale value. In my area you see few on the water and you can't give away a used one.

Totally agree. My friends brother got one and they hit one small rock (I dont believe they were speeding along either). One rock and the thing was totaled. Not to mention that when you touch it it feels like a plastic tub toy

 

[km1125]

Really consider how YOU want to ride and who the other person is with you. Also, what kind of water do you plan on riding in? Taking it out into Lake Michigan would be quite a different experience than smaller inland lakes. Hull size makes a huge difference in the ride, so you'd generally want a larger hull for larger water. Larger hulls are also better for overall stability for a newer rider too. Smaller hull can be much more fun if you are an aggressive rider, especially on smaller lakes. I have a Seadoo XP800 and a couple Yamaha GP1200s and one XL800. They are all at the smaller range of hull sizes (smaller than an FX) and you can get rocked in larger water. The XL is the largest (3 seater) and is much more stable. Some of my friends won't ride larger hulls because they are "too boring" as it's harder to slip them sideways and do spins.

If you are looking at 2 stoke Yamahas (1999-2005ish), see if they have power valves. They are very reliable motors, but had one Achilles heel... the power valve pin would drop out and the power valve would drop into the engine. They make a simple aftermarket clip to prevent this from happening, and I'd want that in any of those motors (they also make a revised power valve and linkage that could be used too).

 

[jkust]

So you are considering a couple of 1990's PWC? My lake is loaded with PWC's with just a very few old ones left and those need a lot of maintenance to get them through each summer. In PWC terms, 90's are ancient relics where as boats aren't quite as outdated. The 2 strokes are pretty loud and now considered obnoxious as I can attest to having a neighbor that has one.
For me, because of the complete lack of any service for PWC's of any brand near my lake house (the local marina refuses to fix them), I am sticking with Yamaha and only Supercharged as there is essentially nothing that goes wrong with a Forced Induction Yamaha engine and especially compared to several years of the Sea Doo's that had some issues as well as a low hour interval for supercharger maintenance versus zero maintenance on the Yamaha Superchargers. Of course there are examples to the contrary no matter what the situation.
I think that PWC's and in particular powerful ones that don't just hit high top end as they pretty much all do now, but powerful so you jump from turn to turn and spin to spin instantly are the way to go. You can spend very little, maybe 9 or 10 grand and get a decent relatively newer PWC with trailer.
I will mention that all of the kids seem to have Sparks now...there's roving gangs of teens on Sparks all summer.

 

[JimS123]

Here's where I would disagree....

The naturally aspirated Yamis are totally bulletproof. The NA SeaDoos are a pretty close second. The SD supercharged are somewhat problematic. The Yami SCs are much better.

If you are going to have a problem, it will b e with a supercharger.

Having at both at the same time I don't see where the SC is any advantage at all. Sure, a little faster, but not worth the hassle...