In article <1500h05ad069sovo8vdcbvq2elu4uatevt DeleteThis @4ax.com>,
Je <je DeleteThis @ald.com> wrote:
>Sorry for the general question but I've been looking through Google
>and can't find a recent recommendation for a newbie. I'm looking at
>getting my first jetski and need some purchasing advice.
Je, for good discussions of this topic (and plenty of partisan advice!)
try <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.pwctoday.com" target="_blank">www.pwctoday.com</a> The FOrum message boards and terrific.
>I've never jetski'd before but we recently got a cottage so I thought
>it would be fun.
Oh, it is that! :^)
>I'm a bigger guy so I would imagine I should stick
>to at least 100hp to get me around. The jetski would be used
>primarily on a smaller lake but my buddy has a house on Lake Ontario
>so I would probably end up there a few times over the course of the
>summer. I'm looking for something that will be fun for myself
>primarily but my wife might try it on a few occasions.
OK, first thing - it's not just the HP that is important - it's the
size of the hull. You say you're a larger guy. Well, our best friend
is 6'3" and 250 + lbs. When he rides our Polaris SLH, he literally
capsizes the d*mn thing getting on it. :^)
So, a "two seater" usually means "only one person can ride it comfortably,
and if you're large, maybe not even you." I'd say that you should be
looking for a three seater. Advantages: easier for two-up riding with
your wife, legal for towing (two seaters generally are not), and more
stable for novices and deep water boarding.
>In the autotrader (www.trader.ca), there were a couple of 96/97 Sea
>Doo XP's that seem to suit the requirements. There was also a Yamaha
>and a Kawasaki. If anyone has a general recommendations on a used
>jetski that would be : a) fun, b) relatively inexpensive, c)
>make/model, I would really appreciate it.
Again, take a look at <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.pwctoday.com" target="_blank">www.pwctoday.com</a> Lots of opinions, a searchable
database, good discussions. Since we've been on the boards, we've
picked up several generalities:
1) Sea-Doo has higher sales, and lots of problems. Whether that's a function
of sheer numbers on the market vs. higher flaws than average
is hotly debated. Personally, I wouldn't buy one unless it was 2000+
model year, and maybe not even then.
2) Most of the rental yards we used from 1995-2003 rented Yamahas. We
constantly heard "bulletproof" as a descriptor of the brand. That said,
we bought a Polaris and a Kawasaki. :^) Our best friend and my
brother-in-law have both bought two Hondas each. Taste and
preferences are highly individual. Take any strong opinion with a
grain of salt.
3) Consider who will be doing the maintenance and service. If you buy
a Kawi, and there are no dealers nearby, it might be an exercise
in frustration.
4) The big debate in recent years has been two stroke vs. four stroke.
We have one of each. The two stroke is simple, easier to do
self-maintenance on, and cheaper. The four stroke is better emissions,
and thus allowed on most bodies of water, even Lake Tahoe. It's
also much more expensive to buy. You should make sure that your likely
lakes allow two strokes before buying one. It would be a shame to spend
several thousand dollars on something you can't ride easily.
5) To get an idea of reasonable used prices, there is boattraderonline.com
Fun place to browse.
Good luck, and let us know what you decide!
Sandi<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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