Top 10 Jet Skis For First Timers in 2023 | Watercraft Zone
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- Here is the latest instalment of WatercraftZone's list of the Top 10 Jet Skis and personal watercraft for first-timers and anyone new to the sport.
Buying your first new Jet Ski or personal watercraft can be daunting given the choice of more than 50 models across three brands - Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner and Kawasaki Jet Ski.
With a range of new models for 2023, we’ve updated our Top 10 list of Jet Skis for first-timers - or anyone considering a Jet Ski as a stepping stone to a boat, downsizing from a boat to something more nimble, or looking for a watercraft that is more capable in shallow waters.
While many of the Jet Skis on our 2023 list carryover from 2022 - but with new colour schemes and options - there are a some new models for 2023 that are definitely worth a look.
We held back publishing our 2023 Top 10 list so we could consider every model available this year.
As a general guide, Sea-Doo and Yamaha have three sizes of Jet Ski and personal watercraft: small, medium and large.
Kawasaki's sit-down Jet Ski line-up has medium and large options.
We’ve selected non-supercharged skis for this video, because they’re fast enough already, more fuel-efficient than supercharged Jet Skis, and are a great way to get into the sport.
We have covered Jet Skis from the cheapest to the dearest, to make sure there is an option for every budget, and included prices in Australia and the US where possible.
Some other handy hints: as this video was published, in Australia Sea-Doo has two-year warranty coverage, Yamaha has three-year warranty coverage, and Kawasaki has industry-leading five-year warranty coverage.
If buying a Jet Ski in the US, Canada, Europe, or Asia, please check with your local distributor.
Most personal watercraft manufacturers recommend an inspection by the selling dealer after the first 10 hours of operation.
After that, routine maintenance for most models is recommended every 100 hours of operation, or every 12 months, whichever comes first.
All prices listed in this video are in Australian dollars - unless otherwise stated - and exclude trailer and registration which typically add about $2500 to $3000 to the price.
While care has been taken to ensure these prices were accurate as this video was published, please check with your nearest Jet Ski dealer for the most up-to-date information.
You can also search for more details and the latest prices on every model in the Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner and Kawasaki Jet Ski model ranges at watercraftzon.com.au.
A reminder, this is not sponsored content, and as always we aim to highlight the pros and cons of each Jet Ski or personal watercraft based on our real-world testing experience.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
01:01 Warranty
01:20 Servicing
03:12 Sea-Doo Spark and Spark Trixx
04:33 Yamaha EX
05:31 Yamaha JetBlaster
06:15 Kawasaki STX 160
07:44 Kawasaki Ultra 160
09:51 Sea-Doo Fish Pro Scout
11:15 Yamaha VX 1050
12:54 Sea-Doo GTX 170
14:03 Yamaha FX HO
16:46 Sea-Doo Fish Pro Sport and Trophy
19:12 Sea-Doo Explorer Pro
I would be so good at spending money, too bad Im not good at making it
Why arent you good at making it?
You can do it!
Amen brother
I hope that changes for you. My time on the lake with one of these is usually the highlight of my summer.
Thanks. My family just got into PWC's last year when we purchased a GTX 170 and a Spark Trixx. Both have been excellent but for completely different reasons. This year we added a GTI 170 and another Trixx. The GTI is a lot more maneuverable than the GTX but the latter is better in chop. I'd recommend the GTX for cruising, the Spark for maneuverability and fun and the GTI for a little of both.
Thanks for the feedback. Two great choices (well, four actually). Hopefully sharing your real world experiences with your four Sea-Doos will help others considering the same watercraft. Thanks again for your insight into these models. Much appreciated.
In 2020 i rode a see doo gtx 55. To me it was pretty fast being that i was a newbie, but what would you reccomend that has more speed?
My experience is limited to the 3 skis discussed. The 170 will be a bit quicker than the 155 but they have an artificially limited top speed. There are a lot of faster skis. I just can't comment on any of them because I've never ridden any of them. @@locks4
Love your Explorer Pro review in this medley!!! Love that Sea Doo is catering to such niche markets!!! We bought ours a couple weeks ago and absolutely love the comfort, range and storage. The WINDSHIELD is a game changer if you don't like the wind, water and salt in your eyes!!! #SeaDooExplorerForTheWin
Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate you taking the time to leave a note. In our extensive time with the Sea-Doo Explorer Pro (we have a separate review video too on our CZcams channel), a lot of riders of other Jet Skis queried the need for a wind shield. But once you've ridden with it, it is hard to live without. Especially in cooler weather or rough ocean riding. We found the shield is better at deflecting wind than water spray, but it does get rid of the bulk of the splash in really rough conditions. Here's hoping we see more Jet Skis like this! Anything that broadens the appeal of Jet Skis is great in our opinion.
@@WatercraftZone Couldn't agree more! We have owned many PWC's from every manufacturer and we have never enjoyed the ride (especially when riding tandem) as much as we have in the short time we have had the Explorer Pro. I can't believe it took someone this long to put a windshield on a PWC!! We will keep posting about our experience on the watercraft in the future. Thx for the kind note, it's greatly appreciated !
Well put together video, great effort 👍
Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. More coming soon.
Great job of giving us a ton of info for so many of these skis, all in one video!
Thanks so much for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Stayed tuned for more cool videos soon.
all very good jet skis.
Thanks for the feedback. We think so too. And it looks like there will be even more great options for 2024. Stay tuned! :))
Thanks
You’re welcome.
Kawasaki stx160 for the best power to price ratio / strong hull / super reliable.
Agree it's a great hull and the new top deck from 2020 made it more user friendly. We just wish it had trim adjustment. Here's hoping that might make the next round of upgrades for the Kawasaki STX160.
I like jet ski very much.
Thank you. We do too. Hope you’re enjoying our videos. We have more on the way!
I feel like the GTI 130 / 170 should have been on this list. Affordable, versatile, and plenty powerful. What's weirder is that the FishPro Scout is here (along with the Sport and Trophy), and it's just a GTI 130 with a cooler and Garmin system, which I would argue are not necessary for people new to the sport. I know it's not my list to make, I'm just sharing my opinion.
I have a GP1800R SVHO which I love but I’m coming from a 19 GTI 130 se and I have 0 complaints very solid ski
@@SME5724 Nice. I don't have any experience with that platform, but I do know the current-gen (2020+) is even better. I bought a 2021 GTR about two weeks ago and it's an absolute blast to ride. Very predictable handling, plenty of power, but I'd still trust a novice on Eco mode or with a learner key.
Thanks for the feedback. You're right, the Sea-Doo GTI 130/170 is also a great craft and great value. We kind of included it as it is the basis of the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Scout, but perhaps we should have called out the GTI 130/170 more specifically. We will keep it in mind for next year.
@@WatercraftZone Yes, I would have mentioned it as the GTI SE 130/170 and said that there are different variations that include the Wake 170/Fish Pro Scout for more specific riding purposes
An interesting alternative to the FishPro Scout 130 is a GTI SE 170 with tech package (sound system and reverse flow clean out) with the 51L cooler a few rod holders and cup holder and it’s basically the same thing for close to the same price…except you are getting the the audio instead of the garmin and the 170hp instead of 130. Just a thought as that is likely what we are doing here in Canada
I have a plan to buy this seadoo jetski, but I'm confused about choosing the type, can you please give me a suggestion? I want the type with the highest performance in which type GTX, RXP X or RXT whichever is the highest variant
Sea-Doo RXP-X300 is the top performance ski among those you've listed.
Well...they are all the same actually. My rxtx 300 is a little bit faster than my rxpx....but they all do the same top speed and same acceleration. The rxpx is basically a 1 seater. I would go for the gtx limited 300, then rxtx 300, I wouldn't get the rxpx as I need to do tow sports and you need a 3 seater to LEGALLY tow any water sports.
How reliable are jet-ski's for long distance (solo) cruising???
Now, i never owned one, but i do all my maintenance alone and i have a car, motorcycle, atv, lawn-mower and so on, and i am thinking about buying a Jet-ski but they are way expensive for my budget, all but the cheapest models, yet if better models are much more reliable then off course i would rather buy them, hang the expence, however i have to be able to use it for cruise at least 7 days or more at any point, alone, up to 500 miles there and 500 back and all in between... so any info or recommendation are welcome, ta...
We have done long distance riding on all three brands - Sea-Doo, Yamaha and Kawasaki. All have their strengths and weaknesses. The common theme for reliability is good maintenance. If you maintain each skill well they will look after you. Main thing to watch out for on Sea-Doo is IDF failures and carbon seal wear. On Yamaha FX watch out for fuel injector wires becoming detached near the connectors. On Kawasaki fuel economy can be an issue on long rides. Hope this helps.
Guys i had ride in the past and this summer the Yamaha VX With the 110-120 hp 1100 or 1200 i dont remember properly And i love it! The whole jetski especially how the boat its been crafted and how its moving turning etc i just need some more hp they told me about yamaha VFX Which has 180hp i loved it but does anyone know anything else with same hull as the yamaha VFX? thank you
Thanks for the note. The Yamaha VX (a mid-size model) is a different hull to the Yamaha FX (a full-size model). Both are excellent. In fact the Yamaha VX shares its DNA with the race-winning Yamaha GP1800R SVHO performance model. In essence, the VX is a great value proposition and very nimble. The longer and larger FX is also nimble (for a full size craft) but would be better than the VX if you're riding in ocean or plan to have one or two passengers from time to time. Hope this helps!
I bought a 2023 seadoo spark 60hp. Best purchase i've ever made. It may seem weak, but 40 MPH on water seems like 60MPH on road. These things are moddable. With a simple ECU flash you can double the horsepower.
That's good feedback, thanks for sharing. We agree that it certainly feels fast and is a heap of fun. We have a cool Sea-Doo Spark video in the works. Watch this space!
Welll....not double.. but 30hp without any mods.
Bone jeskiu:. 😀
Should also include the belassi burrata
Watch this space. Review coming soon. : ))
Do I need a license in Canada?
Yes.
@@WatercraftZone how to get it?
Kawi 310 lx is the fastest ski on the market
In our experience the Sea-Doo RXP-X300 RS is the fastest Jet Ski on the market today, right out of the box. That said, this video covers non-supercharged skis aimed at first-timers to the sport. Pretty much any supercharged craft from Kawasaki, Yamaha or Sea-Doo will be plenty fast enough for most thrill-seekers.
Kawasaki IS NOT the fastest ski on the market! It's sea doo 300hp....it's lighter....faster....
Hey, cool Video 👍.
Can u help me find best jetski for me? Where can i contact you?
Thanks
Thanks for the note. Our best advice is in the 2023 Top 10 video you have just viewed. Also try our 2024 Top 10 video which has some newer models as well. Once you’ve decided on price range, your local Jet Ski (personal watercraft) showroom will be able to assist. Thanks for watching and good luck with your new ski.
Yamaha and Bombardier do not make Jet Skis…Kawasaki makes Jet Skis. Yamaha makes Wave-runners and Bombardier makes SeaDoos. The generic term for these craft is PWC. Personal Water Craft. Just saying.
Thank you for the feedback. This comment comes up quite a bit. We understand the term Jet Ski is a Kawasaki brand name, however it is now common-use language. That's why we refer to both Jet Skis and personal watercraft wherever possible. However, TV News bulletins, for example, always refer to Jet Skis and Jet Ski riders, even if the coverage talks about personal watercraft users in general.
I will buying a JetSki SVHO Cruiser Yamaha GP1800 , Kawasaki JetSki Ultra LX- 5 310 and also RXP - 300 Sea Doo JetSki with price RM 86,00 0, RM 76 ,860 and also RM 46,000 . When I having a job's worked as ♎ government with allowance 🏠 rm600 .
we used to have smaller boats that are way better for the size. and not a boston whaler!
We see your point, but PWCs can also go places boats can't. And they're more easy to move around in the garage or driveway.
PWC, not Jet Ski!
We get this feedback quite a bit and understand where you're coming from. While many enthusiasts know the difference between PWC (personal watercraft) and Jet Ski (a name Kawasaki came up with), the term Jet Ski is now widely accepted as a generic description for such watercraft and is used in common speech and, for example, in TV news reports.
@@WatercraftZone
And you're complicit in the process, as an influencer.
Bruh, no one cares. You cant always say Personal Watercraft..Its just easier to say Jetski, everyone knows what he's referring to.
@@Alex-ln9on
Just because you don't care, doesn't mean nobody else cares!
Not a single Electric one, kind of what you buy today. Ban on fossil driven wheicles are coming fast.. and fuel stations are going extingt !!
Haha no one wants an electric WATERcraft
The review was based on current reality
Electric Jet Skis are coming, but they're some time off. Taiga is still ramping up, and Sea-Doo has foreshadowed an electric model some time in 2025, pending any delays.
Good luck finding one.
Ok Greta