You going for the longest thread ever award ?

 

Well, that escalated quickly...

 

You need to PM 2Cooler "jetskibrian" for advice....he fishes Chesapeake Bay on a jet ski. The guy knows his stuff !

Just one of his many great threads...

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=1235529

And his web site...

http://jetskibrian.com/

 

Yamaha and Seadoo are pretty much 1A and 1B. These two companies together control over 70% of the PWC market.

You already stated the main difference. Yamaha is water cooled and Seadoo is liquid cooled. No different than an outboard motor, the Yamaha should be flushed with a water hose if used in salt water. However, even the Seadoo should be flushed sometimes as well; although saltwater doesn't go through the motor, it still goes through it's jet system. Which one is a better system? Beats me. At the end of the day, I think they are about the same. While Yamaha may need an engine flush, Seadoo will need extra maintenance on the cooling system.

Both are about the same price range. Price is primarily a factor of motor and options. The cheapest PWC's will have the least HP and will pretty much be stripped down on options. The higher end models will have supercharged motors and a lot more options. Heck, I think Seadoo even makes a PWC that is in the $6K range. It's very much stripped down though. Yamaha's lowest end unit is around $9K.

For either brand, you are looking at $10-12K for a middle of the road model.

Also, you did mention fishing setups. While I do not have one, I do know that since Yamaha is water cooled, they have the water ejection on the back platform of the ski; hence the rooster tail of water you see behind a lot of PWC's. This can somewhat get in the way of some of the fishing setups people have. Being liquid cooled, Seadoos don't have this, so you don't have to worry about building something around the water ejection port. This may not make sense if you aren't familar with PWC's.

 

Yamaha and Seadoo are pretty much 1A and 1B. These two companies together control over 70% of the PWC market.

You already stated the main difference. Yamaha is water cooled and Seadoo is liquid cooled. No different than an outboard motor, the Yamaha should be flushed with a water hose if used in salt water. However, even the Seadoo should be flushed sometimes as well; although saltwater doesn't go through the motor, it still goes through it's jet system. Which one is a better system? Beats me. At the end of the day, I think they are about the same. While Yamaha may need an engine flush, Seadoo will need extra maintenance on the cooling system.

Both are about the same price range. Price is primarily a factor of motor and options. The cheapest PWC's will have the least HP and will pretty much be stripped down on options. The higher end models will have supercharged motors and a lot more options. Heck, I think Seadoo even makes a PWC that is in the $6K range. It's very much stripped down though. Yamaha's lowest end unit is around $9K.

For either brand, you are looking at $10-12K for a middle of the road model.

Also, you did mention fishing setups. While I do not have one, I do know that since Yamaha is water cooled, they have the water ejection on the back platform of the ski; hence the rooster tail of water you see behind a lot of PWC's. This can somewhat get in the way of some of the fishing setups people have. Being liquid cooled, Seadoos don't have this, so you don't have to worry about building something around the water ejection port. This may not make sense if you aren't familar with PWC's.

Yamaha calls that the "visibility spout" and the water used to make it comes from through the pump, not the motor.

Yamaha patented the concept and trademarked the name - so no other PWC manufacturer can use it.

the spout (AKA "douche nozzle") can be turned off or permanently disabled without harming the ski. There's also a video on youtube of a guy that rerouted the water to use it in a livewell.

 

The fastest one

 

Thanks Dave, the water port on the back of the Yamaha did raise my eye as far as being able to rig it out for fishing without having to worry about that.

 

I'm thinking about building one of the to use in West Bay.....

 

Would be easier to buy one of these...

 

Would be easier to buy one of these...

There are not good fishing platforms if you intend to go out to sea where the waves are.

 

I've owned PWC's since 1999 and spent 3 years behind the parts counter of a large powersports dealership. . .and I suggest Yamaha for their long term reliability. I also suggest that you buy yourself some Fluid Film (google it) as my experience shows that it outperforms silicone spray in marine environments far more effectively (it isn't as "pretty" in the engine bay, but it flat out works). There's a reason that most PWC rental outfits rent Yamaha watercraft, take a look around and see who's renting what as these will typically be your reliable workhorse platforms. Don't overlook the older Yamaha 4 stroke skis, some of them will go several hundred engine hours if well maintained. My 2006 Yamaha FX140 has 165 hours and has only ever required oil changes, preventative maintenance, and a battery. I'd avoid forced induction models, maintenance cost increase rapidly when turbochargers and supercharges need to be rebuilt or replaced.

 

if i was buying a "Personal" watercraft for fishing saltwater today it wouldn't be a jetski
i'd buy the new little 10' Mowdy scooter (Pt.Lavaca) with the casting/poling platform over the console

in the 70s~80s i owned one of the original 14' Mowdy scooters
my 40hp Merc was jacked up and had a jet drive lower unit
i never should have sold that boat!

if i was personally buying a new bay boat today it would the the 13' Mowdy
it's almost the same as my old 14'fter
the perfect two person shallow water rig
and the 14'fter is still small enough and light enough on the trailer that you can tow it with a 4cly. Jap sedan

 

and to know- I don't own a boat/craft with a motor anymore
I started fishing kayaks in the late 80s when I got rid of my scooter
I prefer the quiet

 

.

 

On the Seadoo, yes it has a closed cooling loop for the motor (ie, no raw water flows thru the motor). However, the exhaust and pump are still cooled by raw water, so in salt use, you will still have to flush the exhaust after each trip, and there is a procedure that must be followed so as not to backflow water into the motor thru the exhaust. Only owned Seadoo so cant speak to Yamaha, but all of my seadoos thru the years were relatively maintenance free.

Make sure you add an auto bilge pump to whatever brand you buy as the drive shaft seals do fail at the most inopportune times-lol!!!

 

It's been a few years since I have PWC's, but I hope this spring I will be back into one. I've had lots of PWCs, from stand ups to 3seaters, and they have all been Yamaha. And for good reason. Great hull design, therefore less HP required, allowing Yamaha to use lower compression engines. That leads to unrivaled reliability and durability. I would suggest the VX series if you are budget minded, or the FX series for more speed, length. But more $.
I hope to see you at the near rigs and in the bays soon!

 

Jesco, thanks for the recommendations on models. I am looking for something for just what you stated, the bays and rigs. I will probably spend more time near the rigs than bays, but will definitely hit the bays from time to time. Would it be recommended to purchase new or a newer used one? I am leery of buying used especially since I will be taking it to the rigs often and don't want anyone else's problems. Are there any tell tale signs to look for if buying used to either steer away from or lean towards?

 

I would avoid used if possible. Plenty of good PWC's that have a few years on them, but... I prefer the peace of mind of a new ride. If used is too good a deal to pass up, buy from sellers who live away from the coast. Fresh water is much easier on everything. I think I would go with a new VX over a 3plus year old FX if I wear heading out to the rigs. But that's just me.

 

If you're looking to fish from a PWC, then the conversation should pretty much start and end with the Yamaha SUV. 13 feet long, 5 feet wide and pretty much untippable. I'm 6'2", 245 lbs and I don't think I could flip it if I tried.

There is a group of us who fish out of Galveston and most of us use the Yamaha SUV. Huge amount of storage, stable, and fast enough (around 50 mph).

They were made from 2000-2004 (I think). You can pick up a used one starting at around $3,000-ish. Maybe up to $4000-$4500 in mint condition with a new motor.

Here are a couple videos of our fishing trips...