My Fiance and I always go to the lake with her cousins and their kids. They have a 22' travel trailer and a jet ski. It's fun but we kind of want our own trailer so we don't have to deal with the kids all the time. Anyone have suggestions for brands.

We are looking for a pop up until we can afford a tow vehicle and then we'll get into a travel trailer. We will probably use it for three years or so and we'll be shopping for used to save$$$.

Anyone have a preference on Jet Skis? At least a 2 seater, maybe a 3 seater.

Thanks

 

If you want a fun two seater get a Sea Doo XP. It's the best jet ski I have ever been on. My buddy has two of them. They are fast and the handling is incredible!

 

I don't own a jet sky but several friends do and they have 2 (or more) and I use one of those. They are fun, but my wife and I like kayaks better and wee can have our own. For us it is the best option because of coast and maintenance.

We have a Coleman "Red wood" pop-up and love it. We chose it because of size and weight to pull from WV to WY with and Chrysler Town and Country.

We looked at and researched about every brand on the market and for the price, options, weight, maintenance requirements and ease of setup. We always returned to Coleman as the best choice for us.

Our maiden voyage was to WY and on the trip we met people with about all of the other brands we researched. Most liked the trailer the purchased but in talking to them, we found they had features that were not optimal and that re-enforced our choice of purchase.

 

I was looking into a long boat trailer with my waverunners up front and a popup on the back on a sliding rail. When we would get to our destination it would be a matter of pulling the hold down pins, dropping the built in jacks and pulling forward to drop the popup. Then we would have a boat trailer free to launch the waverunners.

 

Got a 99 coachmen pop-up and love it. It is built real well. Shower, potty, sink, stove, hot water, slide out, air. we gave $5500 2 years ago.
Look at the jayco campers also they make some good ones. You may be able to get last years model real cheap also.

 

Yamaha Waverunner GP1200R had it, rode it, it damn near killed me...ahhh good times....that thing was a monster!! and i ride freestyle moto-x and freestyle street, that thing was awesome

 

Got a 97 SPX Sea Doo 110hp stock that hauls booty. Hopped up with high compression head, fly flame arrestors, re-jetted carbs, trim tabs, and sponsons. Loads off fun and has great acceleration. Great hull for jumping waves and boat wakes. Its listed as a two person ski but only good for one.

I also have a 93 Yamaha Waverunner 3. It's Slooooooow. Its a cruiser old caddy kinda ride, but the hull is flat on the bottom and you can really spin it around and make it slide side ways on the water. It's the loaner/buddy riding ski. Not to worried about hull damage on this old boat.

People with little experience are not use to having little or no steering when the ski is moving slow and slam into the my pier. So no you can't ride my sea doo you can ride the yamaha.

 

If you're going to ride 2-up, the Sea Doo XP is out of the question. It may be one of the funnest skis out there, but due to its hull design, its VERY unstable, especially while at Idle in those no wake zones, and while getting on and off.

If you're looking for a 2 seater, and just want an entry level machine, look at late model Sea Doo GS (85hp) or GSX (110hp), Yamaha GP800, Kawasaki ZXi1100, Kawasaki Ultra 130, or the Honda R-12.

If a 2 seater with more punch is what you're looking for, the late model Sea Doo GSX limited (98 and up are most reliable) or RX (RX DI for best fuel economy), Yamaha GP1200R or GP1300R (although some modifications are needed to make these skis 100% reliable) or the Kawasaki Ultra 150.

Decent entry level 3 seaters include Sea Doo GTi, '97 to '02 GTX, the 800 Yamaha, and the Kawasaki 1100.

If you're looking for a good midrange 3 seater, i've heard great things about the Sea Doo GTX 4-tec, its a n/a 4 stroke with 155hp.

Hotrod 3 seaters include the Sea Doo GTX 4-tec SC, Kawasaki STx-15F, or Yamaha FX HO.


It really all depends on what you want to do with it, what performance attributes are important to you, and how much you want to spend.

 

We use Honda Aquatrax F12x 4 stroke for water rescue down here in FL.. They will get up and go but they are nose heavy. I understand in the 2005 models they are triing to correct this problem. If you are only on lakes or back bay not a bad deal. In the open ocean with decent waves you will get punished.

 

The non-turbo Hondas are ok, as are the Turbo Hondas, both great handlers. The Turbo ski's however are slower out of the hole compared to comperable models due to the turbo lag.

 

I'd like to stay in the $3-$5K range on a good used ski or maybe more for a good used pair. It looks like I would spend considerably more money for a late model 04'-05'. What kind of financing is available for skis?

 

DON'T BUY TIGERSHARK, I have a 97 Tigershark Montego Deluxe and don't get me wrong it's great, but Tigershark got caught stealing patents from Yamaha and where ordered to stop production on everything for 4 years, so parts are hard to come by. Here is the article

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. of Japan, the world's No. 2 motorcycle maker, accused U.S. rival Arctic Cat Inc. of infringing 17 U.S. patents for components of personal watercraft.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Santa Ana last month, Yamaha says it is the owner of patents awarded between 1991 and 1997 for various components of the vehicles, including hulls, seat latches, water-injection systems, engine parts and switches.
Yamaha claims Thief River Falls, Minn.-based Arctic Cat, with similar products, has in the past wrongly used Yamaha's inventions, even though it knew of the patents.
Arctic Cat "will continue to derive and receive gains, profits and advantages" from the technology unless stopped by court order, according to the suit. Yamaha asks a judge to award damages and legal fees after a jury trial.

 

You can get pretty good rates. Kawasaki had 3.9 there for a while, Sea Doo has 0/0/0 until 2005. I got a loan through a bank on mine, something like 8%.
If the model you look at or the brand you go with doesnt have any specail offers, you're probably looking at 9-11% Through the dealer.

 

yep...intrest is a bish on them....also please ride one for awhile....i got bored with mine in a matter of weeks and then i was stuck payin for something that took up space in my garage

 

James-
What year/make/model do you have?

I had a 1997 Sea Doo GSX for 7 years, I hated to sell it, but it was getting some wear on it.
It had 110 Hp, did about 55mph (fast on water for something so small) and only weighed about 480 lbs, so it was a good jumper.
I enjoyed it so much that last month I just went and bought a brand new one.
Ill be paying on it for four years, and Ill probably have it twice as long, and enjoy every second of ownership.

I guess if it bores you, it bores you, I just can't be bored with something thats quick enough that its hard to hang on to!