Buying your first jet ski and what you need to know before doing it
How many times have you been to the lake or ocean and seen numerous people buzzing around on jet skis having the time of their life, wishing you were there with them? They are very fast and maneuverable and there is always plenty of splash action to keep you cool on a hot day! They are probably the number one beach rental toy at most resorts around the world, and for good reason. They are fun to drive!
There are many different types and models of jet skis (also called jet skis), and I’m going to go over a few of them. I have personally owned a Sea-Doo GTX for several years and may be a bit biased, but I consider it to be the best and most popular selling brand. The company definitely knows how to market, and today they have the lion’s share of sales. Sea-Doo’s have been around for quite some time and they have a great reputation in the industry for their ease of use and also for being extremely easy to care for and maintain. Any problem associated with a Sea-Doo is usually relatively minor and can usually be inexpensive to fix. Of course, with any large piece of machinery there are always exceptions, and you’ll want to treat it as well as possible so you can continue to enjoy the benefits of being on the water for years to come. Seriously, I’ve seen people go out and wreck a new jet ski just because they want to push it to the limit each and every time in their pursuit of fun. These are the people who will probably end up selling that same jet ski a year or two from now because they’ve abused it so much it doesn’t work as well as it used to, so when you buy a used jet ski the best thing to do is really learn all about it. what you can about its history.
Speed and maneuverability are not the only reasons to buy a jet ski; larger models are also great for extended sightseeing trips or all-day excursions. They are incredibly stable, and some will hold large amounts of dry storage for picnics, clothes, or other items you might need when you stop. That has become one of my favorite reasons for owning the GTX now, it’s just to be able to take off and see where the day takes you, knowing you have everything in store for any eventuality! The first few years I had the jet ski I used it a lot in the Gulf of Mexico and in salt water, and I can’t begin to tell you about the things I’ve seen and the experiences I’ve had with that jet ski! Imagine about an hour after sunset, just laying back on your jet ski with the engine off, just enjoying life, and all of a sudden, a pod of 30 dolphins shows up and sniffs around for fish! I’ve had that happen to me several times, and it’s just one of the memorable times I can say I’ve had with my saltwater jet ski. More recently, I’ve used my Sea-Doo primarily on freshwater lakes around the Atlanta area, and I can tell you that while some of the lakes tend to get very crowded on the weekends, it’s also a very enjoyable experience! On a hot summer day, there is nothing better than jumping into the lake with your jet ski to cool off and swim. I have found that one main difference with busy lakes compared to the open ocean is that you will need to keep your head turned much more to avoid collisions with other boats or people. On a busy day, there are also a lot of waves caused by wakes from other boats and water skiers and you’ll need to watch out for those too.
The difference between saltwater and freshwater jet skis can also be found in boat maintenance, and salt really wreaks havoc on exposed metal parts, especially your trailer! As you’d expect, you’re totally submerging your trailer in salt water every time you put your jet ski in the water, so after each use you’ll need to give both your jet ski and trailer a good wash to try to get the best out of it. . as much salt as possible. Even with that, you’ll still get a fair amount of rust on the trailer, but that’s nothing to worry about. Just do your part after each use, and you should be looking after it for years to come. Also remember to grease your wheel ball bearings every one to two years (any certified shop can do this for you), because repeated dipping in salt water can wash away the grease over time. If you are using your jet ski primarily in fresh water, there is much less maintenance involved. The maintenance shop I use suggests giving it a good wash once or twice a year, and not worrying about hosing it down after every ride unless it’s really dirty. Fresh water will no longer cause it to rust, but of course it is still recommended to grease the ball bearings at least twice a year. If you live in an area where there really is winter and you won’t be able to use your jet ski year-round (anywhere but Florida!), then you’ll probably need to charge your battery again in the spring as well. because it tends to lose its charge for a couple of months if not used, unless it is kept plugged into an outlet continuously.
Other brands of jet skis that are also very popular are Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda and Polaris. Polaris is probably the smallest company of the bunch, and you’ll rarely see these machines out there. Yamaha are a very popular rental jet ski, and you will see them quite frequently on the lakes and bays. Many people will get their first experience with a jet ski at a rental company, whether it’s on a nearby lake or on a week-long trip to some exotic location. This is a great way to “get your feet wet” so to speak, but understand that these rental companies will always have a scaled-down version of the jet ski to slow you down so no one hurts themselves or others. Top speeds in the rental industry rarely exceed 35 or 40 mph, and Sea-Doo even has two owner keys specifically for that reason. They have a “learn key” that has a top speed of about 35 mph for beginners and rental companies to use. Once the owner has mastered this speed, he can progress to the regular key which can have a top speed of up to 70 mph or in some cases even more! However, anything over 60mph can be a really crazy ride, and you don’t want to fall or get thrown off the Jet Ski at that speed! Imagine hitting concrete at those speeds, it’s like water going really fast! So be careful!
As long as you take care of your new Jet Ski and maintain it properly, there’s no reason it shouldn’t provide many, many years of fun and enjoyment for you and your family. With the purchase of a new jet ski, at least you know what you are getting in terms of a good machine. There will be a factory warranty, and sometimes you can also buy a nice extended warranty, and you probably won’t have any initial problems with it. However, with a used model, you really don’t know what you’re getting and you’ll want to do your homework to make sure it hasn’t been abused or damaged in any way by the owner. There are many opportunities to damage the machine in waterways, including running aground in shallows, operating in very shallow water, hitting rocks just below the surface, colliding with other boats or people, or even road traffic accidents. It would be best to have it checked out by a certified marine mechanic before you buy it, just to be sure. However, there is a big price difference between used and new, so if you can find a used machine in good shape, you will save a lot of money between buying a new machine.
I hope I have covered some useful information for those of you interested in buying your first jet ski, and perhaps given you a few things to think about to make sure you are choosing the right one. Also, to give you a good idea of the general maintenance involved and get you away from the many urban legends about how owning a jet ski is a bad idea and you will regret it. I have loved every minute of my Sea-Doo, and remember the purchase as an impulse buy, but a great idea I had for years of enjoyment, both past and future! So have fun everyone and see you on the lakes and roads of the world!