Jet Skis, Sea-Doos, WaveRunners, and Personal Watercraft Guide

If you are looking to purchase a personal watercraft (PWC) -- chances are you're a bit of an adrenaline junky with a need for speed, drawn to the thrill of zooming within the water at high velocity. That, or your kids have convinced you to buy one since they've decided they can't survive without it! Either way, if you are planning on acquiring a Jet Ski, Sea-Doo or Waverunner to your lake, river, or ocean -- there's one clear fact: you're procuring this watercraft for pure pleasure and adventure! This guide will walk you through the different types of personal watercraft for sale available on the market and help you decide which brand and model may be ideal for you.

Personal Watercraft Basics

Personal watercraft, also referred to as water scooters, generally come in two distinct kinds:"sit-downs" and"stand-ups". Sit-downs, also referred to as runabouts, are mainly driven by means of a rider who's seated on the boat. Stand-ups, as its name suggests, are driven by means of a standing rider. Stand-ups are geared more towards competitive racing and tricks, and only hold one rider, whereas sit-down models typically hold 2-3 people (sometimes as much as 4).

One of the most attractive factors about these kinds of watercraft are that they're easy to maneuver, do not require a permit, and also for the most part, are easy to handle on the water. Whereas a boat is much larger and is more challenging to maneuver, PWC's allow you to cruise around the waters quickly at a much more relaxed manner. As always, the passengers on the boat, the slower you're bound to go! Obviously you'll need a little practice and you will have to be aware of the waters/general rules about boating.

If you are contemplating purchasing a own watercraft/Jet Ski, but have not driven or ridden one before, it's best to check out one on a sea test several times before you purchase so you can learn how to drive one safely. PWC's are readily available to rent in most areas around the world. The activity has been popular for many years and is accessible at most holiday destinations by water, whether it be an ocean beach, lake or river. Lease companies don't usually require any sort of experience or licensing to lease and drive you, and on average cost about $50 per hour. This is a median price, although Prices vary. Before you buy your own, make sure that you get out there and take one for a real-life test drive!

Buying Your First PWC: What's The Best Brand For You?

Once you've done some test drives and are comfortable working a PWC, you can take a close look at your alternatives. First things first, you'll want to purchase from a reputable brand. But how can you restrict your decision to come up with the best brand/manufacturer for you personally? Let's take a closer look at each one of these manufacturers.

Kawasaki Jet Skis are made for speed demons! The business has a reputation for creating the quickest personal watercraft on the water. If you're looking to be a trickster and beat all your buddies in a Jet Ski race, then this is the choice for you!

The term Jet Ski is frequently utilized in a generic manner to refer to all types of recreational private watercraft, and probably has the best brand name recognition of all of the PWC manufacturers.

Kawasaki Jet Skis are known to be sterile looking and super-fast. Unlike some other brands, they come with speakers so that you can ride in style! Because of their fanciness, they will cost you a little more -- typically Jet Skis for sale start around $10,000.

Although Kawasaki's Jet Ski might be the better-known new name, the very first and oldest jet-propelled personal watercraft brand was actually Bombardier's Sea-Doo. Founded at the 1960's by Clayton Jacobson, a well-known bike racer, the first prototype designs were referred to as"bikes for the water" and looked a lot as a powered water ski.

Sea-Doos are probably the most economical personal watercraft out there, and are a fantastic option for first time buyers. Besides being cheap, Sea-Doos are also normally light and easy to maneuver. If you're a beginner in the PWC entire world, this is a great choice to learn on and get comfy with. Pricing varies, however you can discover some models of employed Sea-Doos available as low as $5,000. If you are on a budget, this is definitely the choice for you, remember there is always a time and place for an update!

Yamaha also produces a great, dependable and dependable PWC called the WaveRunner, similar to their other motor crafts. Being such a respectable brand, Yamaha has some great options starting from about $7,000. The benefits of purchasing a Yamaha is they're reliable, great for the family, and offer a great deal of speed out on the water.

Even the Yamaha brand is enormous, thus there is more access to parts and mechanics that know the product. In case you have an issue and you also have a Yamaha, you'll feel assured that somebody close by will understand how to mend it!

As soon as you've chosen the brand that you want to decide on, you'll have to narrow down the model that's quite attractive to you. Do you plan on cruising around with both children or wife? Are you going to be racing against your own friends? Or are you just looking for something safe and reliable, with good speed that offers some other options for household activities?

You will find tons of unique models, offering distinct variables and features to think about like extra seating, storage size, fuel tank size, hull type, handlebar relaxation, motor size, weight of your jet ski and much more. Based on your intended use for your water ride, you'll have to figure out which version best suits you.

Say you are looking to do long-distance fishing trips with your friends in the sea, you will want to make sure to get a good amount of storage to your gear. You'll also want to be sure you have a large fuel tank. The last thing you want is to be stuck in the middle of the sea with no gas!

One other important feature would be handlebar comfort, if you anticipate traveling far distances, you'll need to make sure that your butt and your palms are comfortable for the long ride ahead! Don't forget that if riding in the sea, you frequently have waves that occasionally can be rather laborious. That means you'll need a Jet Ski with more of a deep V on a flat bottom strand, which will ensure a smooth ride as you cut through the waves.

All in all, if you're planning on riding in the sea, it is ideal to purchase the safest choice with ample storage, high comfort-level and large motor & gas tank.

Jet-skiing on rivers or lakes is rather the opposite -- you do not have to worry about your hull, either storage or really some of the other things mentioned previously. If you're just planning to use your jet ski recreationally on the river or pond, something basic will do.

A deep-v hull is not essential, nor will be an ample amount of storage or a huge gas tank. Broadly speaking, you'll be traveling shorter distances while on a lake or river, and are usually near most resources that you'd need. Therefore this is a superb place to save on your own Jet Ski budget. If you plan on remaining on the river or lake you can save some money by avoiding those additional items which are essential for sea rides.

Speed, Engines & Safety: What To Expect From Your PWC

Depending upon the PWC which you purchase, your maximum rate could be anywhere from 40 MPH to 70 MPH. As you may never actually reach 70 MPH, it's important to understand what your Jet Ski is capable of.

Speed is a significant factor to think about, even if you aren't a speed demon. When you hit a certain speed level the watercraft becomes increasingly tough to function and you can not slow down fast should there be a danger in your way. If you intend on traveling longer distances, then you may need to take into account a PWC that can get you there quickly, which means you'd wish to think about using a greater MPH limit. If you plan on having your kids cruise around, you may want to stay at the 40 MPH speed limit, as things get a bit trickier to command the quicker you are going!

As mentioned previously, all PWC's have inboard jet engines, which will be a blessing when riding in shallow waters since you do not need to worry about your engines slamming on reefs or shallow sand. It also allows for easy parking by just driving the jet ski straight up on the sand. You'll have more of a carefree ride knowing your engine won't rip out should you accidentally hit something under you.

Jet Ski / PWC Safety Tips

Personal watercraft engines possess a high-powered jet which essentially shoots the water back, causing the watercraft to propel forward. It's unlike a ship, but much more like a jet plane or jet rocket, sounds cool, huh?! But just like anything with an engine, or whatever moves in general, you must be cautious when traveling at high rates or moving around other people or ships. Life jackets are always necessary and required while riding a Jet Ski, Sea-Doo or WaveRunner.

Even if you're a professional runner, its the law to wear one constantly. PWC's are fantastic that people get comfortable operating machines on the water and are a terrific step before operating larger motor-powered engines out on the water, like a ship. PWC's are literally built for a fantastic moment. You buy you to have fun, so it's important to keep in mind that despite having fun, safety must always be in the forefront of your mind.

Post Purchase: Jet Ski / PWC Life

Upon purchasing your private watercraft vessel, your own life will open up many doors for adventure, activity and exploration! PWC's can essentially all go into those shallow waters, little crevasses and nooks that ships are too large to get. Jet-skiing can be used for both sport and leisure. From racing to tricks, if you are the athletic and aggressive type, there's possibility to show your talents off in the sport of jet ski.

PWC's can also be used to tow wake boards, and tubes, basically giving you access to many things a ship can do! If you are a fisherman, why don't you throw a line off your Jet Ski!? Fishing would be a bit more challenging to perform on a PWC, since you do not have exactly the identical amount of space. However it's completely do-able! Catch a cooler, strap into the back, attach a fishing pole holder into it and you are good to go! Provided that you're good with being lonely, fishing on a Jet Ski isn't a issue!

It is great for kids and ideal for entertainment, with a little functionality when using it for fishing, cruising, or maybe even as your means of transportation! Even though there might be no"perfect" PWC out there for every purposes, at the close of the day you'll certainly enjoy your watercraft no matter which one you buy -- as they're all made for pleasure! Happy riding!

Personal Watercraft FAQ

Do You Need A License To Drive A Jet Ski?

Personal watercraft / Jet Skis are deemed small vessels, thus are regulated by the exact same state and national laws as other small vessels. However, state laws vary, and several don't take a different sailing license for these types of small vessels. There are a variety of factors such as age, duration, year/manufacture date, passenger capability and horsepower/top rate. If your state requires a boating license and you also run a PWC without it, then you might be fined as a result.

What is The Fastest Personal Watercraft?

Three of the fastest PWC's available on the marketplace are Yamaha's FX series, Kawasaki's Ultra 310LX Jet Ski and Sea-Doo's RXP-300.

How Quickly Can A Jet Ski Go?

The fastest speed ever recorded for a PWC has been 92 mph , on a HSR-Benelli Series R, although generally speaking the very best speed of most PWC's is between 65-70 MPH.

Requirements for personal watercraft insurance vary by country. Some states require at least basic liability insurance policy coverage to be able to operate the watercraft on public waterways. As always, it's your legal responsibility to know and understand the applicable laws in your area before operating any boat to be sure you are in full compliance. And naturally, we would recommend PWC insurance for all riders, regardless of whether or not it is required in your state.

Normally insuring your own personal watercraft will cost between $100-$500 per year, so it's well worth the price for reassurance. Obviously, your costs will depend on several different factors including your place, manufacture date, model, engine horsepower and maximum speed.

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