rkelley

OK - wife and I are looking for a small boat to play around on the lake. I have a 7yr old son, we camp alot, and we want to take a small boat with us on our camping trips. I was browsing some online ads locally and found a few SeaDoo Jet Boats for sale that fit my price range. We will be towing the unit with my wife's 2003 Highlander (v6, tows #3500lbs).

Problem is - I don't know much the jet boats. We never have owned a Jet Ski, and I know these units use Jet Ski 2-stroke engines. So, I am looking for some good advice (pros, cons, etc) on buying a used jet boat. What do I need to look for?

Thanks for any advice...

-Ron

Foxborough

Towing should not be a problem that I can see. I towed a #3000 19.5 Cuddy Cabin boat with a Astro van 4.6L. It had a transmission cooler and tow package. I had to watch the water temperature with big headwinds and hills, just had to slow down sometimes because of the drag. I would think a jet boat and trailer would be around #1500. My family loves boating and we all enjoy the rivers & lakes here. Just make sure you are matching your toy with what your family wants to do. I have talked some guys that have boats and only got it wet a few times, everyone else considered it torture to go boating so there it sits. Me on the other had wanted to get a bigger boat a few years back. When I stated that I wanted to sell our current boat and get a bigger one, they had a fit. They insisted I buy the bigger boat first then sell the old one so we wouldn't miss any of the season. Look up NADA and find out what that boat & trailer is worth first http://www.nadaguides.com/SectionHom...=24&p=0&f=5601. I shoot for average trade in on pricing and not average retail. Go to a marina in your area and talk to people/ mechanics about the boat you are looking at. Go to a SeeDoo dealership and look at a new one to see improvements and ask around there about the used ones. I am not familiar with jets at all, I have had ony outboards and I/O boats.

badme

I have had Jetski's and they treated me real good. The only thing I had to watch for was the prop is inside of a housing that makes it a jet drive. The housing will wear more so if you boat in shallow water or beach it on the sand alot. Also make sure the family likes the smell of a 2 stroke. You wont smell it alot but when you do it might involve bickering. Otherwise they are a blast and you should have a lot of fun with one.

triplenickel

Same as anything check maintenance history, check oils etc, also a compression test would be advised as well as a water test if possible. Now if you are talking about true "sea-doo" brand boats they either use their own Rotax power plants or Mercury sport-jets all of which are good products, with one glaring exception. The 120hp Mercury sport-jet, decent pump, but an absolutlely horrible POS of a powerhead, they were actually built by Force (old chrysler technology) and not worth more than their weight as scrap. As far as pump condition goes impellers and wear rings are easy and not to expensive if the rest of the boat makes sense. You'll enjoy the convenience of loading/unloading as well as beaching with the jet drive, plus the safety of the impeller being enclosed. Are there lots of weeds in the lakes you plan on playing in? PM me if you have any questions I used to be parts/service manager at a big jet dealership up here and got pretty farmiliar with most of them.

Later John