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#85 · Jet-Maniac Beiträge: 659

So here we are. It’s 2018 and the new and pre-owned personal watercraft market hasn’t been as strong in 11 years. PWC sales are seeing huge increases: Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA experienced a 14-percent growth over last year’s sales, Sea-Doo picked up 6-percent in sales, Kawasaki nabbed an impressive 11-percent (thanks in no small measure to the introduction of its 4-stroke SX-R) and that’s good news for everybody. For 2017, total new vehicle sales totaled at 67,500-plus units, which during the past 12 months, 88 million Americans took to the water, equating to a growth explosion 3-to-4 times greater than previous projections.

Of that growth in the boating market, the personal watercraft industry leapt up an incredible 11-percent in new unit sales – Yamaha reported an impressive 49-percent of new vehicle sales went to first-time buyers (Kawasaki also reported a strong 38-percent in first-time buyer sales). That is a percentage unmatched by any powersport market, be it motorcycles, snowmobiles or otherwise. So what can be done with all of this good news?

Waaay back in 2014, The Watercraft Journal tossed out a very special edition of “Vicious Rumors and Vile Gossip” that not necessarily predicted three runabouts (one from each manufacturer) that were destined to be made, but rather suggested that the trio could easily be offered by each respective OE without much in the way of development costs and manufacturing tooling. In fact, the financial impact to each manufacturer was so minimal that we wagered that little to zero actual cost would be levied in two particular examples: the Kawasaki Ultra LX SE JetSki and the Sea-Doo GTI Limited 215.

Of course, the third suggestion, the Yamaha VXR SVHO later became the GP1800, that is, after Yamaha completely revamped the VX platform literally later that same year as our article (with the GP1800 showing up two years later). Yes, as you’ll see below, we’re going to rehash one suggestion – that is with a few tweaks – and massage our second suggestion for the industry’s leader. Next, we’ve got an all-new idea that we think is a no-brainer for most, particularly in the targeted demographic for which Yamaha is aiming to corner.

Again, these are three suggestions based on absolute minimal cost to the manufacturer that will better cater to each manufacturer’s gaps in their particular product line. This isn’t revolutionary stuff here, folks; just ideas that will appeal to certain would-be buyers and nudges to each manufacturer where they can “flesh out” their product lineup.

#85 · Jet-Maniac Beiträge: 659

The world’s most popular personal watercraft brand turns 50 years old this year, and because of which, we’re giving you a quick glimpse at Sea-Doo’s original machines thanks to the Bombardier family and some vintage video footage. Above is a snapshot from half a century ago as the first Sea-Doo watercraft were in progress. Unlike the top-of-the-line facility in northern Mexico, the original Sea-Doo were assembled at the Roski factory in Roxton Falls, Quebec. According to the original Facebook post, this limited bombardier subsidiary was specialized in fiberglass.

Today’s modern Sea-Doo have come a long way, particularly in the power department. Current Sea-Doo push an impressive 300-horsepower from a supercharged-and-intercooled 1,630cc 3-cylinder, while the original Sea-Doo came with a Rotax engine displacing 320cc, an aluminum 2-stroke, air-cooled, single-cylinder. In all, horsepower output was a paltry 18 @ 6,000rpm. A shadow of today’s 68-70mph top speeds, the 1968 watercraft could reach a maximum speed of 40 km/h (or 25-30mph). Of course, the Sea-Doo was also the first watercraft equipped with a jet engine to be marketed, making it quite unique for its time, hailing a retail price of $995.

And if you liked the above factoids and snapshot, make sure to watch this vintage news reel on the machine in action: