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Buying your first jet ski and what you need to know before you do it

How many times have you been on the lake or ocean and seen numerous people whizzing around on jet skis having the time of their lives, wishing you were there with them? They are very fast and maneuverable and there is always plenty of splashing 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 personal watercraft (also called personal watercraft), and I am going to go over a few of them. Personally, I have owned a Sea-Doo GTX for several years and I may be biased, but I consider it 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 has been around for quite some time and they have a great reputation in the industry for ease of use and also for being extremely easy to care for and maintain. Any problems associated with Sea-Doo are 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 that 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 that it doesn’t perform as well as it used to, so when buying a used jet ski it’s best to really learn everything. what you can about its history.

Speed ​​and maneuverability aren’t the only reasons to buy a jet ski; the larger models are also great for extended sightseeing trips or all-day excursions. They’re incredibly stable and some will have copious amounts of dry storage space for picnics, clothes, or other items you might need when you stop. That has become one of my favorite reasons to own the GTX now, it’s just being 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 owned the jet ski I used it extensively 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 show up and sniff around for fish! I’ve had that happen to me several times, and it’s just one of the memorable moments I can say I’ve had with my saltwater jet ski. More recently, I’ve used my Sea-Doo mostly on freshwater lakes around the Atlanta area, and I can tell you that although some of the lakes tend to get very crowded on the weekends, it’s also a very nice experience! On a hot summer day, there is nothing better than taking your jet ski out to the lake to cool off and swim. I found that one main difference with busy lakes compared to 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 plenty of waves caused by the wakes of other boats and water skiers and you’ll need to keep an eye on those as well.

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 on your trailer! As you would expect, you are totally submerging your trailer in salt water every time you put your jet ski in the water, so after each use you will need to give both your jet ski and trailer a good wash down to try to get it looking its best. . 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 the ball bearings in the wheels every year or two (any certified shop can do it for you), because repeated soaking in salt water can remove 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 it 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 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 in the bunch, and you’ll rarely see these machines around. Yamaha are a very popular rental jet ski, and you will see them quite often on the lakes and bays. Many people will have their first experience with a personal watercraft from 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 please understand that these rental companies will always have a scaled down version of the jet ski to slow you down so no one will hurt themselves or others. Top speed in the rental industry rarely exceeds 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 35mph for use by beginners and rental companies. Once the owner has mastered this speed he can progress up to the regular key which can have a top speed of up to 70mph or in some cases even higher! However, anything over 60mph can be a really crazy ride, and you don’t want to fall off or get thrown off the Jet Ski at that speed! Imagine hitting concrete at those speeds, it’s like water when you’re 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 why it can’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’re getting in the way of a good machine. There will be a factory warranty, and sometimes you can buy a good extended warranty as well, and you probably won’t have any initial problems with it. However, with a used model, you don’t really know what you’re getting and you’ll want to do your homework to make sure the owner hasn’t abused or damaged it in any way. There are many opportunities to damage your machine in waterways, including running aground on shallows, operating in very shallow water, hitting rocks just below the surface, colliding with other boats or people, or even highway traffic accidents. It would be best to have it checked by a certified marine mechanic before you buy it, just to be sure. However, there is a huge difference in price between used and new, so if you can find a used machine in good condition, you will save a great deal of money over buying a new machine.

I hope I’ve 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’re choosing the right one. Also, to give you a good idea of ​​the general maintenance involved and steer you away from the many urban legends about how owning a jet ski is a bad idea and you’ll regret it. I have loved every minute of my Sea-Doo, and remember the purchase as an impulse purchase, 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 trails of the world!

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