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27-589: A runabout -style PWC typically carries one to three people seated in a configuration like a typical bicycle or motorcycle. "Jet Ski" is a proper noun and registered trademark of Kawasaki. Released in 1972, the stand-up Kawasaki Jet Ski was the first commercially successful personal watercraft in America (after reaching a license agreement with the inventor of the Sea-Doo , Clayton Jacobson II when his license agreement with Bombardier expired). The Kawasaki Jet Ski

54-604: A 160 horsepower (120 kW) inline 4-cylinder four-stroke engine. Kawasaki produced various models of the Jet Ski starting in 1972, beginning with the JS400 and leading up to the current JS1500. In 1990 Yamaha introduced the Super Jet . It was designed in consultation with Clayton Jacobson II. 2020 marked the last model year offered with a 2-stroke as the 2021 model featured a 4-stroke engine. In 1994–1995 Yamaha introduced

81-583: A 45.8% share of the PWC market. Bombardier introduced its first personal watercraft in 1968, called the Bombardier Sea-Doo. It was designed by Clayton Jacobson II , who would later develop the more successful Kawasaki Jet Ski watercraft. Also heavily involved was Bombardier's Laurent Beaudoin , who was interested in expanding the success of the Ski-Doo snowmobile to the PWC market. Advertised as

108-416: A higher capacity axial flow pump and a powerful 635cc two-stroke twin engine in a modified V-hull design for increased maneuverability and stability. In 1992, the company introduced a stand-up JS750-A. The engine was a twin-cylinder 743 cc two-stroke with reed valves and automatic oil injection . The redesigned hull was lighter in weight and more maneuverable. The 750 SXI (JS750-B) was introduced and became

135-503: A level of craftsmanship impossible in large scale production boat building. One exception is the Hacker Boat Company , which continues to produce mahogany boats on the shores of Lake George, New York . Other wooden boatbuilders include Graf, J-Craft, and Boesch. Runabouts can be powered by inboard engines, outboards, jet drives, or inboard-outboard (I/O) drives. Engines can be gasoline or diesel systems. Inboards have

162-399: A remote system leading to a wheel mounted on the boat's console. Inboard-Outboard (or stern drives) are a hybrid, with an engine block mounted within the hull linked to a pivotable lower drive unit which steers the craft, similar to an outboard motor. Jet Drives have a propeller enclosed in a pump-jet that draws water from underneath the hull and expels it through a swiveling nozzle in

189-558: Is 48 feet long and owned by the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, New York. The first runabouts date back to the 1920s and were originally small, fast, powerful, varnished, wooden boats created to take advantage of the power of outboard motors such as the first Evinrude , introduced in 1909. In order to gain speed, the hull shape had to be designed to take advantage of hydroplaning ; a hydrofoil -like design would allow

216-437: Is any small motorboat holding between four and eight people, well suited to moving about on the water. Characteristically between 20' and 35' in length, runabouts are used for pleasure activities like boating , fishing , and water skiing , as a ship's tender for larger vessels, or in racing. Some common runabout types are bow rider , center console , cuddy boat and walkaround . The world's largest runabout, Pardon Me ,

243-556: The FX-1 , which had a limited production of 1500 units. In 2002-2004 Polaris made the Octane, 777cc 2 stroke 2 Cylinder Mid 2000s, Benelli S4 Hydrospace, 2 Cylinder 4T turbo 750cc. With various models made until early 2010's. In 2004 Bombardier introduced the Sea-Doo 3D, which was only sold between 2005–2007. Various manufacturers produce a range of aftermarket competition hulls for stand-up PWCs. Runabout (boat) A runabout

270-498: The Sevastopol Naval Base . There are five categories of Sea-Doo models: Recreation , Tow Sports, Touring, Sport Fishing , and Performance. The Sea-Doo jet-powered sport boats included a four-seater Sportster 150 with 155 hp or 215 hp, a four-seater Speedster 150 with 255 hp, and a seven-seater Speedster 200 with 310 hp, and a Speedster 230 with space for up to twelve people. The Wake 200 model

297-418: The cockpits and up to 400 hp (300 kW) Liberty V-12 marinized surplus World War I aero engines built for speed. But by the late 1940s, Gar Wood had stopped producing boats, and by the 1960s Chris-Craft was moving to the more modern materials of plastic and fiberglass . Hackercraft, with multiple changes in ownership, continued on. The mahogany runabouts built by Italian builder Carlo Riva in

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324-483: The "Jet-powered Aqua Scooter", the original yellow Sea-Doo was 5 feet wide and 7.5 feet long, somewhat resembling a flying saucer. In 1968, it was powered by an air-cooled, 320cc engine with a top speed of 25 mph. Following complaints of overheating and inefficiency, it was replaced in 1969 with a water-cooled 372cc engine. There were common complaints about discomfort from its flat seat and minimally-padded Ski-Doo supplied stainless steel handlebars. After only two years on

351-519: The 650cc X2 previously released in the 1980s. Due to US EPA restrictions, Kawasaki released their final two-stroke stand-up, and discontinued the JS800 SX-R. The model was designated the JS800ABF. On October 6, 2016, Kawasaki reintroduced the stand-up Jet Ski. The SX-R 1500 shared little with its predecessors. It was 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 m), 550+ pounds (250 kg), powered by

378-559: The International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA). At the start, only JS440 stand-ups were raced. After Kawasaki introduced the runabout-style X2 in 1986, it gained its own class, later to be renamed the "Sport Class". Kawasaki introduced the first production stand-up PWC in October 1972. The WSAA and follow-on WSAB were powered by modified 400cc 2-stroke twin-cylinder engines. The WSAA

405-412: The boat to skim atop the water's surface at high speed instead of needing to push aside large quantities of water to move forward. Another design change which followed soon after was the replacement of the tiller and rudder control with a rudder controlled by a steering wheel, allowing the operator a comfortable forward-facing position. A remote lever to allow the engines to be placed into a reverse gear

432-401: The engine block permanently mounted within the hull of the boat, with a drive shaft and a propeller to drive the craft underneath the hull, and a separate rudder to steer the craft. Outboards are steerable external drive motors containing the engine block, linkage gears, and propeller within a single unit, taking the place of a rudder. Outboard drives are mounted to the transom and steered by

459-579: The first stand-up Jet Ski with dual carburetors. Kawasaki introduced the SX-R 800 (JS800A), which increased displacement to 781cc, in the form of an in-line twin 2-stroke engine, generating 80hp. The SX-R also moved to a fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) hull and top deck. Kawasaki introduced the X2 800 (JF800A), which used the JS800A engine, jet unit and lower hull. This was released as an updated version similar to

486-582: The late 1950s and the 1960s are considered by many to be premier European examples of the type. The most famous Riva of all time was the Carlo Riva design called the Aquarama Special . Originally, runabouts were made entirely of wood, with mahogany used for hulls and planking and oak for framing. The use of aluminium in small boat construction came soon after World War II because of availability of aircraft materials as war surplus. Fiberglass

513-614: The market, it was discontinued. The Sea-Doo was re-introduced in 1988 as its own brand under Bombardier. By 1995, annual sales for the Sea-Doo reached over 100,000 units, signaling a turnaround in the company's declining sales. By 1997 the company had $ 212 million in sales, recapturing over half of the PWC market. In 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine , Sea-Doo personal watercraft converted into explosive unmanned surface vehicles were used to attack Russian naval vessels at

540-488: The name "Jet Ski". The 1976 JS400 was popular among thrill-seeking recreational riders and racers. The 1977 JS440 offered more power and performance. It was one of Kawasaki's longest-selling models. In 1982, Kawasaki introduced the JS550, which had better performance. The 550 featured a newly designed high-capacity mixed-flow pump, driven by a 531cc engine. The 550 introduced an automatic rev limiter to prevent engine damage when

567-586: The pump cavitates . The JS550 also introduced underwater exhaust for quieter operation. While the JS550 continued to be improved, in 1986, Kawasaki introduced the JS300. The JS300 was a single-cylinder 294cc two-stroke engine featuring automatic oil injection. They also added the 650 X2, their first sit-down Jet Ski, and originator of the Sport Class for PWC racing. Kawasaki introduced the JS650SX. It featured

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594-665: The stern. They are highly maneuverable and tolerant of shallow water, but need larger engines and use more fuel than the other alternatives. Sea-Doo Sea-Doo is a Canadian brand of personal watercraft (PWC) and boats manufactured by Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). All Sea-Doo models are driven by an impeller-driven waterjet. All Sea-Doo PWC models are produced at BRP's plants in Querétaro and Juárez , Mexico . Its Rotax engines are produced at BRP's plant in Gunskirchen , Austria . In 2016, Sea-Doo had

621-479: Was another early innovation. Among the leading builders of 1920s runabouts was John L. Hacker, who founded the Hacker Boat Company in 1908. Hacker was a pioneering naval architect who developed many design innovations, like the 'V-bottom'. His designs became the model upon which virtually all subsequent runabouts were based. Shortly, similar upscale varnished-wood runabouts by Gar Wood and Chris-Craft and were also available, fitted with windshields to protect

648-455: Was designed with a flat hull and the WSAB came with a convex v-hull design. The design concept distinctive of these original craft included a fully enclosed impeller for safety, self-righting, and self-circling features. Without a lanyard the self-circling allowed the rider to swim back to the idling craft after falling off. Kawasaki called them "Water Jet" and "Power Skis" before they settled on

675-478: Was made for wakeboarding and the two Challenger models were less sporty and more luxurious: a smaller Challenger 180 and a larger Challenger 210. In 2012, BRP discontinued sport boat production, citing a decline in global sales in the marine industry. This meant the loss of 350 jobs, including most of those at a plant in Benton, Illinois . The Sea-Doo Spark which was released in 2014 was aimed to attract new buyers to

702-614: Was the only commercially successful PWC for almost 16 years, from the introduction of the WSAA in October 1972 through the reintroduction of the sit-down, runabout-style Bombardier Sea-Doo in 1988. With the introduction of the Jet Ski, Kawasaki helped create the United States Jet Ski Boating Association (USJSBA), in cooperation with aftermarket companies and enthusiasts. In 1982 the name was changed to

729-643: Was then introduced as another way to reduce the maintenance, cost and weight of watercraft . Given the cost benefits and personal enjoyment of boat building, do-it-yourself ′Kit Boats′ were also introduced using plywood material. In 1955, Chris-Craft created The Plywood Boat Division which marketed both Kit and pre-built plywood craft. By 1960, wooden powerboats had become rare since most new vessels used fiberglass or other lightweight materials, including fiber reinforced plastic materials to reduce weight and maximize speed, particularly in racing craft. The art of boatbuilding in wood has been largely lost since it requires

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