New Jetski Tips/Advice/Accessory Info Wanted

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by chipj29

What are you hearing/reading about the reliability of the Sea Doo?

Mostly that rental fleets are almost always Yamaha, that Sea-Doo innovates more than perfects, etc. I've posted the question in different places and read lots of forums, and there's little to contradict that narrative.

That being said, it *appears* a sizeable portion of reliability problems revolve around new technology (iBr in its infancy, etc.) or supercharged components.

Given that I'll be avoiding both of those, and that there are those features I would like, I'm hoping I'll be ok. Haven't ruled out the Yamaha VX Cruiser HO, but definitely leaning towards the GTI.

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Mostly that rental fleets are almost always Yamaha, that Sea-Doo innovates more than perfects, etc. I've posted the question in different places and read lots of forums, and there's little to contradict that narrative.

That being said, it *appears* a sizeable portion of reliability problems revolve around new technology (iBr in its infancy, etc.) or supercharged components.

Given that I'll be avoiding both of those, and that there are those features I would like, I'm hoping I'll be ok. Haven't ruled out the Yamaha VX Cruiser HO, but definitely leaning towards the GTI.

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The iBr is awesome. My older 09 GTI 130 doesn't have it but my 13 Sea Do does. It makes it so much easier to dock.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

The iBr is awesome. My older 09 GTI 130 doesn't have it but my 13 Sea Do does. It makes it so much easier to dock.

Have your machines been reliable?

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Have your machines been reliable?

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Other than human error, yes. I got too close to shore once and sucked up some rocks. I was lucky it was just at an idle and there was no damage. I just had to remove the rock that got lodged in the impeller.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Other than human error, yes. I got too close to shore once and sucked up some rocks. I was lucky it was just at an idle and there was no damage. I just had to remove the rock that got lodged in the impeller.

How deep does one have to be to avoid this? Also, how does one get away from the trailer/shallows without being in the water?

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

How deep does one have to be to avoid this? Also, how does one get away from the trailer/shallows without being in the water?

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It was my own fault, I left the dock with out my vest and went back to get it on shore. I left the machine running for a second in neutral to go ashore and grab the vest. The machine drifted into about a foot deep and suck up some rocks.
I should have just shut it off. I learned my lesson.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

It was my own fault, I left the dock with out my vest and went back to get it on shore. I left the machine running for a second in neutral to go ashore and grab the vest. The machine drifted into about a foot deep and suck up some rocks.
I should have just shut it off. I learned my lesson.

Sooo...how will I get into deep enough water to start? Can I do it without getting wet?

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Sooo...how will I get into deep enough water to start? Can I do it without getting wet?

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If you're not leaving from a dock you're at least going to get your legs wet up to your knees. You will have to push off from shallow water before you start the machine.

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[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by Biggd

If you're not leaving from a dock you're at least going to get your legs wet up to your knees. You will have to push off from shallow water before you start the machine.

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Get a "retractable" paddle that stores on the machine somewhere. Problem solved. Will also come in handy if, and when you break down, or run out of gas... It's not rocket science. It may even be mandatory that you have a paddle on board. I know there is a law that says any vessel under a certain length (16' I think), has to have a paddle on board. Not sure if these waverunner's fall under that category, but they are considered a "boat". Just common sense anyways to have one on board at all times.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

If you're not leaving from a dock you're at least going to get your legs wet up to your knees. You will have to push off from shallow water before you start the machine.

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Biggd, what would you say is the minimum depth you'd have your ski running? Most of what I've found is 3', but I'm not sure I'll have that in the best launch scenario.

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Biggd, what would you say is the minimum depth you'd have your ski running? Most of what I've found is 3', but I'm not sure I'll have that in the best launch scenario.

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I think you're safe in 2 feet.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Biggd

I think you're safe in 2 feet.

Yeah, I was watching that video Dan posted above, and it looks like the 3' may be from the waterline as opposed to the bottom of the ski.

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[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Yeah, I was watching that video Dan posted above, and it looks like the 3' may be from the waterline as opposed to the bottom of the ski.

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When I'm taking off from my beach I usually go in up to my knees and push off from the back into deeper water, then hop on the back before starting it. If it doesn't start for some reason you're going swimming.
I have a dock so I can get on it without getting wet but I never go on it expecting to stay completely dry.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Sooo...how will I get into deep enough water to start? Can I do it without getting wet?

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Here you go think....this should help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNiEp3cXxBw

Dan

[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Here you go think....this should help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNiEp3cXxBw

Dan

Gotta get some high muck boots, and that retractable paddle in order to keep the feet dry...

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

Gotta get some high muck boots, and that retractable paddle in order to keep the feet dry...

If your worried about getting your feet wet on a jet ski...well, maybe another type of water transportation would be best....

Dan

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

If your worried about getting your feet wet on a jet ski...well, maybe another type of water transportation would be best....

Dan

Dan, as a White Mountains and winter hiker, I'm conditioned to keep dry in cool/hypothermic weather, i.e. early and late season. Given the criticism here, that's clearly stupid of me.

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[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

If your worried about getting your feet wet on a jet ski...well, maybe another type of water transportation would be best....

Dan

Agreed. I'm not worried, I was referring to posts 30 and 32.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

Your not seriously asking this question are you.

Sometimes referred to as a wet-bike. But almost never as a (Wet-less bike)

Absolutely serious. The temp dock at my camp is shallow at best, sometimes scraping bottom at worst. Since most of my concerns have to do with early/late season temps, keeping dry may be the difference between being comfortable/using the ski and not.

There's also the very real potential that climbing on is not easy for me. At a lofty 5'6" with tiny T-Rex arms, boarding from the water will be...interesting.

Also, another member was right: you need to get a life. Most of your posts are more useless than FLL's. At least he's cheerful.

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[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Absolutely serious. The temp dock at my camp is shallow at best, sometimes scraping bottom at worst. Since most of my concerns have to do with early/late season temps, keeping dry may be the difference between being comfortable/using the ski and not.

There's also the very real potential that climbing on is not easy for me. At a lofty 5'6" with tiny T-Rex arms, boarding from the water will be...interesting.

Also, another member was right: you need to get a life. Most of your posts are more useless than FLL's. At least he's cheerful.

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There are some things you just need to find out for yourself by just doing it...

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Absolutely serious. The temp dock at my camp is shallow at best, sometimes scraping bottom at worst. Since most of my concerns have to do with early/late season temps, keeping dry may be the difference between being comfortable/using the ski and not.

There's also the very real potential that climbing on is not easy for me. At a lofty 5'6" with tiny T-Rex arms, boarding from the water will be...interesting.

Also, another member was right: you need to get a life. Most of your posts are more useless than FLL's. At least he's cheerful.

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LMAO @ “t-rex” arms...

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

Its obvious you should not be out there on the water. Consider taking the safe boating course again. The very people we are all afraid of.

Explain why asking questions about keeping my new jetski from sucking up gravel and/or boarding safely/as dryly as possible means I should be off the water. You may be the first member I block because you're nothing but critical.

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[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Explain why asking questions about keeping my new jetski from sucking up gravel and/or boarding safely/as dryly as possible means I should be off the water. You may be the first member I block because you're nothing but critical.

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Oh no, not the old "i'm going to block you" treatment... Maybe you should put him in a "timeout" first, to see if he learns his lesson.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

Oh no, not the old " i'm going to block you" treatment... Maybe you should put him in a "timeout" first, to see if he learns his lesson.

Another useful comment. Thanks for taking your time to add nothing. Gooo you!

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[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Another useful comment. Thanks for taking your time to add nothing. Gooo you!

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I'm just wondering Think, when you go hiking in the White Mtns, and it starts snowing, how do you distinguish yourself from all the other snowflakes???

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

I'm just wondering Think, when you go hiking in the White Mtns, and it starts snowing, how do you distinguish yourself from all the other snowflakes???

Hahaha! There you are! The brilliant Cal Coon we all know and love. You know, denial is not just a river in Egypt. (Another CC gem!). You go girl!

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[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Hahaha! There you are! The brilliant Cal Coon we all know and love. You know, denial is not just a river in Egypt. (Another CC gem!). You go girl!

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What am I in denial about? Not understanding your logic there..., but glad to see you learned something from me. You probably didn't think that would be possible. Never say never... And by the way, you don't know if i'm a girl or not. I could have an "X" for my gender on my license for all you know. I'm kind of offended at that. Are you insulting ALL women here by calling me a girl...??? I think all the women on this forum should block you for your intolerance. You are so mean and "critical".

[Poor Richard]

This thread is amazing on so many levels.


EDIT: Regarding reliability.....I'd simply look at the broken Seadoo's compared to the broken Yamaha's on CL and go from there. You will see that many of the broken Seadoo's are 10yrs or newer whereas many of the broken Yamaha's appear to be 15yrs or older.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Poor Richard

Regarding reliability.....I'd simply look at the broken Seadoo's compared to the broken Yamaha's on CL and go from there. You will see that many of the broken Seadoo's are 10yrs or newer whereas many of the broken Yamaha's appear to be 15yrs or older.

I'd searched over the summer, and it seemed like there was an equal number of machines for sale, but most of the older ones were Sea-Doo. I couldn't tell if that was because they were broken or had outlasted others or it was a numbers game.

I did start searching rental places, and on Winni it's 50/50 whereas elsewhere--in my quick search--it looks like 75/25.

My sense of things from a lot of reading is that the difference today isn't as dramatic as it once may have been and that when looking at simpler machines, it's probably more about maintenance than design.

I think at this point it'll be about how it feels to sit on it, the features, and the final price.

Side note: I posed this question to my association, and almost everyone has a Sea-Doo from DaSilva's with zero negatives to report, and many of them are early 2000 models.

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[Cal Coon]

Think, I think you are way over thinking this purchase. Stop thinking about it, and (as (pos) Nike would say), Just do it!! And then let us know what you think. I think that would be in your best interest, I think...

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Explain why asking questions about keeping my new jetski from sucking up gravel and/or boarding safely/as dryly as possible means I should be off the water. You may be the first member I block because you're nothing but critical.

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If I asked these questions before I bought one then maybe I wouldn't have sucked up rocks in the first place. Like someone else said, "there's no such thing as a stupid question".

[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

Your not seriously asking this question are you.

Sometimes referred to as a wet-bike. But almost never as a (Wet-less bike)

There is no such thing as "stupid questions"... (cough, cough)

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

I hope marine patrol is not reading this. No life vest... then leaving it running with nobody on it.

Good grief.

I was 20' off my dock when I realised I forgot my vest. And the vest was on my chair which was right on my beach but that 2 seconds was 2 seconds to long.

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[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

This also means (defeated kill switch) if was running with out anyone on it.

Maybe he had one of those "extra long" tether cords... No worries!!

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

This also means (defeated kill switch) if was running with out anyone on it.

Well if I didn't have my vest on then I didn't have anything to hook the kill switch to. This is why I realized I didn't have my vest on. I guess we all can't be as brilliant as you every day of our lives.

[TiltonBB]

What many people forget is that in jet skis and jet boats as long as the motor is running the pump never stops. Even in neutral the intake is still drawing in water and in shallow water whatever sand, rocks, and weeds are below can be sucked up.

I found if you have at least a foot of clean water under the hull you could idle to deeper water before touching the throttle without drawing any debris in.

I have beached jet skis many times but always get it heading for shore and try to shut it off in about 2 feet of water and let the headway take care of the rest.

When I sucked up weeds in a Yamaha jet boat you could tell right away by the reduced power and minor shaking, out of balance feel. On some occasions I could get it back up to speed and then shut the motor off. Many times the suction of the passing water (without any suction from the motor) would clear the intake screens of debris. Sometimes the only way to clear the intake was to get under it and do it by hand. In time, you make fewer errors and learn to avoid these problems.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

What many people forget is that in jet skis and jet boats as long as the motor is running the pump never stops. Even in neutral the intake is still drawing in water and in shallow water whatever sand, rocks, and weeds are below can be sucked up.

I found if you have at least a foot of clean water under the hull you could idle to deeper water before touching the throttle without drawing any debris in.

I have beached jet skis many times but always get it heading for shore and try to shut it off in about 2 feet of water and let the headway take care of the rest.

When I sucked up weeds in a Yamaha jet boat you could tell right away by the reduced power and minor shaking, out of balance feel. On some occasions I could get it back up to speed and then shut the motor off. Many times the suction of the passing water (without any suction from the motor) would clear the intake screens of debris. Sometimes the only way to clear the intake was to get under it and do it by hand. In time, you make fewer errors and learn to avoid these problems.

I forgot to thank you for this--I wouldn't have known the pump is constantly running, even in neutral.

So, whenever I'm in a situation where something is close enough to be sucked in, I should make sure the machine is off. Check!

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[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

I forgot to thank you for this--I wouldn't have known the pump is constantly running, even in neutral.

So, whenever I'm in a situation where something is close enough to be sucked in, I should make sure the machine is off. Check!

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No worries! You would have figured it out as soon as you sucked up your first waterski line! There is a reason why many of the hourly jetski rental places do not give dock lines to the renters.

"Neutral" is when the "bucket on the rear where the water jet exits throws 1/2 the water forward under the jetski and 1/2 the water backwards to hold the jetski in place. Sort of.

[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Well if I didn't have my vest on then I didn't have anything to hook the kill switch to. This is why I realized I didn't have my vest on. I guess we all can't be as brilliant as you every day of our lives.

All you gotta do is pierce a nipple and put a key chain ring through it and hook up to that. You will be good to go. And, (unfortunately), you will look completely normal in this whacked out pierce happy society we live in today. You will blend right in and no one will even give you a second look...

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

All you gotta do is pierce a nipple and put a key chain ring through it and hook up to that. You will be good to go. And, (unfortunately), you will look completely normal in this whacked out pierce happy society we live in today. You will blend right in and no one will even give you a second look...

I know I shouldn't be forgetting to put my life vest on but forgetting things is a daily occurrence at my age.

[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by Biggd

I know I shouldn't be forgetting to put my life vest on but forgetting things is a daily occurrence at my age.

I hear ya there, you are not alone... That would be another benefit to the nipple ring. I would think that every time you snag it, tug it, or pull it on something, the pain will be a constant reminder that it is always there when you need it!!! Win, win!! lol

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

I hear ya there, you are not alone... That would be another benefit to the nipple ring. I would think that every time you snag it, tug it, or pull it on something, the pain will be a constant reminder that it is always there when you need it!!! Win, win!! lol

I'll make sure to put it on a post-it note, "get a nipple ring", so I don't forget