PWC with a propeller?

I need someone to help me settle a matter of honor. Did anyone ever
make a PWC with a propeller instead of a jet drive? Now, I'm not just
talking about an impeller here. I remember seeing one reviewed in a
magazine a long time ago, and I thought it was about the stupidest
thing I ever saw. I remember an exposed prop, like you would expect to
see on a big boat. But, it was a vessel you straddled and rode like a
motorcycle. I didn't see how it could have the performance of a jet,
and i didn't like the prospect of having to climb onto the thing over
that prop when i fell off in the middle of the lake, so i figured it
was just a bad idea all the way around.


Recently, a guy at work bought a jet ski, and I asked him if they still
made the ones with propellers, and everyone has been giving me hell all
day. At least 4 people have told me "Thats why they call them JET
skis", and then, of course no one listens when you try to explain that
'Jet Ski' was just the name of kawasaki's early product, and it has
hung on as a general name for all craft of the type.


I have been looking online all day for one of these things, and the
best evidence i have found was that there are laws all over the place
that refer to 'specialty prop-craft', and lump them together with jet
driven PWC for the purpose of the laws/rules. If you search for
'specialty
prop-craft' though, pretty much all you find is laws. Nothing short of
a picture will get me off the hook on this one.


If any of you can shed any light on this, I'd appreciate it. If you
dont have a picture, but can remember a model name and/or manufacturer,
that'd be great, at least I'll have something to search for. If you
think I'm remembering something wrong, or even if you think I am crazy,
please set me straight so i wont waste anymore time on this.


Thanks in advance for your help.


-jeff

Hakutsuru wrote:
> I need someone to help me settle a matter of honor. Did anyone ever
> make a PWC with a propeller instead of a jet drive? Now, I'm not just
> talking about an impeller here. I remember seeing one reviewed in a
> magazine a long time ago, and I thought it was about the stupidest
> thing I ever saw. I remember an exposed prop, like you would expect to
> see on a big boat. But, it was a vessel you straddled and rode like a
> motorcycle. I didn't see how it could have the performance of a jet,
> and i didn't like the prospect of having to climb onto the thing over
> that prop when i fell off in the middle of the lake, so i figured it
> was just a bad idea all the way around.
>
>
> Recently, a guy at work bought a jet ski, and I asked him if they still
> made the ones with propellers, and everyone has been giving me hell all
> day. At least 4 people have told me "Thats why they call them JET
> skis", and then, of course no one listens when you try to explain that
> 'Jet Ski' was just the name of kawasaki's early product, and it has
> hung on as a general name for all craft of the type.
>
>
> I have been looking online all day for one of these things, and the
> best evidence i have found was that there are laws all over the place
> that refer to 'specialty prop-craft', and lump them together with jet
> driven PWC for the purpose of the laws/rules. If you search for
> 'specialty
> prop-craft' though, pretty much all you find is laws. Nothing short of
> a picture will get me off the hook on this one.
>
>
> If any of you can shed any light on this, I'd appreciate it. If you
> dont have a picture, but can remember a model name and/or manufacturer,
> that'd be great, at least I'll have something to search for. If you
> think I'm remembering something wrong, or even if you think I am crazy,
> please set me straight so i wont waste anymore time on this.
>
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>
> -jeff

This won't be of too much specific help, but I think I can at least
vouch for this not proving you're crazy (notice I didn't say I can
vouch for your not BEING crazy). Here's my story, back in November of
'95, I was on vacation with my family and my then-girlfriend in
Cancun...this was before I was especially into pwc's or anything, 3
years from then I would buy my first one in '98 and it would quickly
become the all-consuming obsession in my life that it has been since
then, but back then they were just something I'd happily rent and ride
on vacations and never think about otherwise. And I do remember that
the whole family signed up for some guided "Jungle Tour" on jetski's
through part of the rainforest I guess. I just remember having fun, my
stepfather getting lost from the group at some point, that was about
it. As part of it they took pictures of you when you were riding and
sold that to you at the end of the tour. Now some years later, AFTER
my life as an obsessive full-time pwc enthusiast had been in effect for
a couple years, I remember finding and looking back at that picture of
me and my t-g (then-girlfriend!) on that jetski tour, and noticing to
my amazement (I hadn't noticed or thought anything about it at the
time, because then I didn't know anything about jetskis, and never gave
them any special thought), that the pwc we were touring the jungle on
had not only an outboard stuck on the back but also, definitely, a
STEERING WHEEL! Other than that, it was shaped pretty much like a
small waverunner.

But that's all I can give you! I don't think I have the picture
anymore, it's part of my past-lives souvenirs that seem to have become
scarce since I got married and moved with my wife and family into a new
house, if I did I could show it to you and we'd know neither of us is
hallucinating. Other than that, I don't know...look up Jungle Tours in
Cancun, get in touch with them and ask them what kind of jetskis they
were renting out on Thanksgiving weekend of '95 and if they have any
pictures!

richforman