Does Sea-Doo Still Make Jet Boats? Where Can You Buy One?

Update: The new Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boat family is here!

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Does Sea-Doo still make jet boats? This is a typical question of many Sea-Doo enthusiasts, and with good reason.

Sea-Doo isn’t just the market leader of the PWC (personal watercraft) market, but it also became known for their high-performance boats.

But how does a Sea-Doo boat work? And are they still in production?

We, at JetDrift, have gathered the most important information about Sea-Doo boats into this post!

What Is a Sea-Doo Jet Boat?

Sea-Doo boats are jet boats powered with a jet propulsion system and one or even two Rotax engines. Unlike regular boats that use propellers, jet boats use impellers to generate thrust. The boat sucks the water into the pump and forces it out to move the boat forward. Beyond the unique propulsion system, Sea-Doo boats have many convenience and safety features.

The Sea-Doo jet boats use the same propulsion systems and four-stroke engines as Sea-Doo’s personal watercraft.

Does Sea-Doo Still Make Jet Boats?

No, unfortunately Sea-Doo doesn’t currently make jet boats. Until 2012, Sea-Doo manufactured several popular boats like the Speedster, Sportster, and the Challenger. These amazing jet boats offered 155- 430 horsepower depending on the model! But to the great regret of the fans, Sea-Doo boats are no longer in production.

Why Did Sea-Doo Stop Making Boats?

Sea-Doo stopped manufacturing boats because of the poor sales results due to the financial crisis. According to the company, the sales decline started in 2007, so finally on September 14, 2012, Sea-Doo announced that it will stop making jet boats. Instead, the company started to focus on developing other recreational vehicles like the Sea-Doo PWCs, Can-Ams, Ski-Doos, and many more.

It’s also a fact that jet boats are less popular compared to the sterndrive boats because of their drawbacks.

They aren’t only more expensive to maintain, but they require more attention and are less durable. Additionally, jet drives are prone to suck up ropes, seaweed and other objects into the pump, causing many problems.

Moreover, jet boats offer a less enjoyable ride experience and are harder to steer in tight places. And don’t even mention the noise, as jet boats are significantly louder compared to other types of boats.

Because of these drawbacks and the financial crisis, buyers steered away from Sea-Doo boats.

Scarab, the Reincarnation of Sea-Doo Boats

If you fell in love with Sea-Doo boats, don’t worry as you have more options to purchase one.You can even buy a used one, of course, but if you’re looking for something new, you should take a look at the Scarab boats.

Scarab boats are considered the reincarnation of Sea-Doo boats. It’s because the company Rec Boat Holdings LLC purchased the assets of the Sea-Doo jet boat line, and released a new boat line under the name of Scarab.

Virtually, Scarab not only got to carry on the legacy of the Sea-Doo boats, but they are powered with Rotax engines just like Sea-Doo PWCs, and many other recreational vehicles manufactured by BRP.

Because of this, it’s safe to say that Scarab jet boats are the “new Sea-Doo boats” on the market.

So if you’re looking for a Sea-Doo jet boat for sale, it’s highly recommended you take a serious look at the new Scarab model line:

How much is a Scarab boat?

Scarab boats cost around $30,000 to $130,000 depending on the model and the features. The cheapest Scarab boats are the 165 family with price tags of $25,000-$35,000, while the most expensive model, the Scarab 285, costs around $130,000.

Who owns Scarab jet boats?

Scarab is owned by Rec Boating Holdings (“Rec Boat Holdings LLC”?) which belongs to the Beneteau Group (? correct public name) since 2017. The Holdings owns other popular brands such as Glastron, Wellcraft, and Four Winns.

How fast is a Scarab boat?

You can expect the top speed of the Scarab boats to be around 53-37 mph. Even the smaller models like the Scarab 165 and 195 can go as fast as 53-54 mph, while the Scarab 255 can reach an amazing top speed of 57 mph.

How Much is a Sea-Doo Boat?

If you stick to the original Sea-Doo boats, don’t worry, as many of them are still available on the second-hand market. Are you wondering how much a Sea-Doo boat is?

In general, used Sea-Doo boats cost around $5,000-$30,000 depending on many factors like its features, age, and condition. The cheapest Sea-Doo boats are typically the aged Sportsters, as they’re available from $5,000-$10,000. If you’re looking for something younger, be prepared to pay around $7,000-$20,000 for a Speedster, and $5,000-$30,000 for a Challenger.

As Sea-Doo exited the boat market in 2012, be aware that even the youngest Sea-Doo boats are already several years old.

The aged parts and engines require much more maintenance and are less durable as well. If you buy an aged Sea-Doo boat with hundreds of hours in its engine, be prepared for an engine rebuild.

If the boat features twin engines, it makes the situation even worse as a double engine always means a double headache!

Sea-Doo offered several jet boat models over the years; the main model lines were the Explorer, Speedster, Sportster, and the Challenger.

If you want to learn more about these unique Sea-Doo boats, don’t hesitate to read more!

Sea-Doo Explorer Review

The Sea-Doo Explorer was the first Sea-Doo boat on the market, released in 1993. Thanks to its unique and exciting design, it got a lot of media attention.

When you ride an Explorer, you can operate it in the same way as a regular Sea-Doo PWC, but the instead of the regular PWC hull, it features a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) hull!

We can say that the Explorer is a mix of a RIB dinghy and a Sea-Doo PWC! Over the years, the Explorer was marketed with 5 different engine options from 570cc (55 HP) up to 718cc (85 HP).

Sadly, this model line was canceled in 2002, but if you’re looking for something similar, you should take a look at the newest PWC-boat attachments!

Sea-Doo Speedster Review

One year after the introduction of the Explorer, Sea-Doo released the first Speedster, which was considered the first “real” Sea-Doo boat.

This early model was manufactured with a 650cc, 160 HP, two-stroke engine. After some updates over the years, the Speedster finally got the standard Rotax four-stroke, non-supercharged, 1494cc engine in 2004.

From 2006, Sea-Doo offered the Speedster with twin supercharged engines, which boosted its performance up to 410 HP.

How fast does a Sea-Doo Speedster 150 go?

The Sea-Doo Speedster’s top speed is around 45-47 mph with the non-supercharged, single 155 HP engine option. As the Speedster 150 was offered with a more powerful, 215 HP supercharged engine, taking advantage of this power source, the Sea-Doo Speedster 150 can even hit 58-59 mph.

How fast does a Sea-Doo Speedster 200 go?

The Sea-Doo Speedster 200’s top speed is around 54-68 mph depending on the engine option. The non-supercharged Speedster 200 offers 310 HP and 52-54 mph top speed, while you can expect 56-58 mph with the 370 HP supercharged engine option. The most powerful model in this family produces an amazing 430 HP and can hit 67-68 mph depending on the load and the weather conditions.

How long is a Sea-Doo Speedster?

As their names imply, the Sea-Doo Speedster 150 is 15 feet long (and 7 feet wide), while the Sea-Doo Speedster 200 is 20 feet long and 8 feet wide.

Sea-Doo Speedster Problems

Are Sea-Doo Speedsters reliable? As a rule of thumb, Sea-Doo Sportsters are as reliable as any other Sea-Doo PWC, as these vessels are powered with the same engines.

In general, the non-supercharged Sea-Doo Sportsters are considered much more reliable, as the supercharger always needs more maintenance and a higher chance of malfunctions.

Sea-Doos (both boats and PWCs) built before 2008 have a higher risk of breakdowns, as their superchargers feature ceramic clutch washers. These small ceramic parts are prone to blow up causing major engine damage.

Because of this, it’s highly recommended to replace these ceramic washers in every supercharged Sea-Doo jet boat.

Additionally, every Sea-Doo supercharger has to be rebuilt after 100 hours or 2 years! Another problem with Sea-Doo boats is that with 4 passengers it rides low in the water which means the water can enter the boat easily from the bow, especially on choppy water.

Sea-Doo Sportster Review

The first Sea-Doo Sportster was introduced in 1995, powered with twin 650cc, two-stroke engines, which produced an amazing 160 HP.

In 2004, Sea-Doo replaced the Sportster’s power source for a four-stroke, 1494cc, 155 HP Rotax engine.

From 2005, the Sea-Doo Sportster was available with two engine options, the non-supercharged 1494cc power source offered 155 HP, while the more powerful supercharged power plant produced 215 HP.

Let’s drill into the specs of these models!

How fast does a Sea-Doo Sportster 155 go?

The Sea-Doo Sportster’s top speed is around 50 mph at 6,800 RPM, while you can expect the “best cruise speed” at around 35 mph. The Sportster is powered with a 155 HP, four-stroke, 1494 cc Rotax engine that features a closed-loop cooling system.

How fast does a Sea-Doo Sportster 215 go?

With the advantage of the supercharged 215 HP engine option, the Sea-Doo Sportster 215 can go as fast as 55 mph. Although it’s not a significantly higher top speed compared to the non-supercharged model, you can expect a much faster acceleration and better riding experience.

How long is a Sea-Doo Sportster?

The Sea-Doo Sportster is 15 feet 4 inches long and 7 feet 1 inch wide. Compared to its bigger brothers, the Sportster is significantly smaller, as in comparison, the Sea-Doo Challenger is 19 feet 9 inches long (2003 model year).

How much does a Sea-Doo Sportster weigh?

The Sea-Doo Sportster weighs no less than 1,454 pounds (dry weight).

How much is a Sea-Doo Sportster?

Sea-Doo Sportsters cost around $5,000-$10,000 on the second-hand market. The asking prices strongly depend on the years, engine options and the conditions.

Sea-Doo Challenger Review

The Sea-Doo Challenger was introduced in 1996. This model was manufactured with a 782cc, 110 HP single two-stroke Rotax engine, but from 1997, the Challenger was also available with a twin-engine option offering 220 HP.

The first four-stroke Sea-Doo Challenger was released in 2005 with 185 HP and supercharged 215 HP (later 255 HP) power sources.

Speaking of dimensions, Sea-Doo Challengers arrived with three different hull sizes:

Challenger 180  – 18 feet
Challenger 210  – 21 feet
Challenger 230 – 23 feet

How fast does a Sea-Doo Challenger 180 go?

The Sea-Doo Challenger 180 can hit 43-50 mph top speed. With the 215 HP engine you can expect 43-45 mph, while the 255 HP Sea-Doo Challenger can go as fast as 48-50 mph.

How fast does a Sea-Doo Challenger 210 go?

To balance the bigger and heavier hull, the Challenger 210 got a twin Rotax engines. The top speed of the Sea-Doo Challenger 210 with non-supercharged (310 HP) twin engines is around 46 mph, while the supercharged version offers no less than 430 HP and 55 mph top speed.

FAQs About Sea-Doo Boats

How much does a Sea-Doo boat weigh?

Sea-Doo boat weights vary widely depending on the model and its engine option. The lightest Sea-Doo boats are inarguably the Explorers as they are as lightweight as 710 pounds! On the other end of the spectrum, you can find the Challenger 230 with 3,435 pounds of dry weight!

How do you drive a Sea-Doo jet boat?

You can drive a Sea-Doo boat just like any other jet boat. Be aware that steering a Sea-Doo boat at slow speeds could be tricky, as without throttle, jet boats are difficult to maneuver. Because of this, you’ll need more practice to learn how to drive a Sea-Doo jet boat properly, especially around docks and while you load it on the trailer!

How do you start a Sea-Doo boat?

You can start a Sea-Doo boat in the same way as any other jet boats. Make sure that you did the pre-ride checklist, and learn the basics of how to start a vessel before heading to the ramp!

Conclusion

Sea-Doo entered the jet boat market in 1993 and two years later the company bought the Celebrity Boat assets. From then, Sea-Doo released many iconic jet boat models like the Explorer, Speedster, Sportster, and the Challenger.

Unfortunately, Sea-Doo doesn’t make jet boats any more, as the company canceled this product line in 2012 due to poor sales figures.

If you want to buy a Sea-Doo boat, you can choose from used models or you can take a look at a Scarab boat, as these boats are considered the reincarnation of Sea-Doo boats.

But if you stick to Sea-Doo products, you can also buy a Sea-Doo PWC, as the company offers many exciting models year after year. If you hesitate about deciding what to buy, a PWC or a boat, don’t miss our post on the topic.

References:

yachtandboat.com