PWC Offshore, PWC Endurance Racing
Buyers Guide for Offshore (Ocean) Personal Watercraft (PWC)
We receive many emails and questions asking us “what is the best craft for riding hard in the ocean?” The intent of these observations is to provide you with PWCOFFSHORE’s unbiased assessment of:
Personal Watercraft that we believe are best suited for enthusiasts who are riding aggressively and at high speeds in the ocean in straight lines (not lakes, not glass water, not closed course, not for waterskiing, not for doubling up). The ocean/offshore riding denotes riding aggressively in chop, rough water and waves at higher speeds for long distances.
There is absolutely nothing scientific about how we generated the information, feedback or the observations you see on this page. These observations, the pros and the cons of each craft are strictly our opinions. We could be wrong and if you read this page, you’re welcome to take our input at your own risk. We base our opinions on riding these watercraft in the ocean and/or subjective feedback we hear from other aggressive offshore riders and racers. Candidly, we don’t have any brand loyalty whatsoever. It’s very simple; we will purchase the craft that gets us across the ocean as fast and as reliably as possible. These opinions will change as the products, time on the water and the aftermarket evolves over time.
Please note that we will only mention the watercraft that we believe are best suited for aggressive offshore use. If the PWC is not on the list and you want to ride hard and fast in the ocean, we believe that your money is better spent on a craft that is on the list. We’ve also ranked the craft from top one to six. Note – just being on this list is quite an accomplishment!
We’d like to congratulate the manufacturers of the watercraft that made the list: As of 6/15/2008, they are:
Honorable mention: Honda 15X (Approx. 198 hp three seater) However we can't endorse this craft yet, we just don't have any seat time on this craft.
Scoring (note that the scoring is based on how these craft compare to the other seven craft on this list only)
5 = Superior
4 = Good
3 = Acceptable
2 = Below Average
1 = Not good
N/A = Unknown
Categories:
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#1: Kawasaki ULTRA 250X (Price: 11,700)
250X: Highlights and other observations: Supercharged, Intercooler 1500 cc, 250 horsepower, 4-cylinder, 4 stroke, three seater. Possibly the best hull ever produced for offshore use. Large, heavy craft lends to stability and comfort. Top speed on stock craft is approximately 64.5 to 66 mph. Great hookup in the rough. Very heavy consumption of fuel, very large fuel tank. Suggest you purchase the R&D Fuel Pickup Valve if you purchast this craft, will give you access to that last half gallon in the tank. Quick out of the hole. Nose down angle of attack can lend to greater hookup. Very stable at high speeds, great craft in the rough (the best). Deep V hull lends to a surprising affinity to lean and turn for a craft of this size. If ridden hard, some of these craft could experience gas in oil (GIO) issue that could result in the need for frequent oil changes (my 2007 did). Guages are hard to see. Kawasaki got a lot right with this craft, most remove and replace modifications do very little to augment performance with this craft. It is difficult to get the aftermarket parts to achieve higher speeds. It takes a lot of investment in the aftermarket to get this craft to 70 mph. The best speeds we’ve heard of after substantial investment in the aftermarket is between 73 and 74 mph (not personally validated – just heard / also note that we suspect that the mods involved getting the front end so far out of the water that the craft lost a great deal of its hookup). Adjustable steering. If you are a standup offshore rider this craft is a nice fit due to its large size, also relatively comfortable sit down craft. The beauty of this craft is its ability to do 65/66 mph in the rough. Also understand that if the ocean smoothes out, it is likely you will be passed by a SeaDoo which appears to be a faster flat water craft. The ULTRA250X is a rough water muscle craft. Fair warning, this craft drinks the fuel (Premium only), but one must love the 250 horsepower.
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#2: SeaDoo RXT (Priced at 11,799)
RXT: Highlights and other observations: Supercharged, Intercooler 1500cc, 3-cylinder, 4-stroke, 215 hp, three seater, weights 801 pounds dry: This product has been on the market for some time now and therefore the after market has had a significant amount of time to get a lot right with this craft . There is no shortage of aftermarket parts available for this craft, with another approximate 10,000 of investment in aftermarket parts and labor, one can make this a true 79 mph (GPS) craft. Note the smaller pump than the RXT-X can play a role in the RXT achieving higher top end speed for the RXT with the after market modifications. Relatively speaking, fuel consumption is not bad with this craft. Consider upgrading your supercharger washers if you purchase this craft. More of a sit down craft than a stand up, if you are over 6 ft tall and you are a standing offshore rider this craft may present minor issues. A much leaner craft then the ULTRA250X. The RXT is a very good straight line craft however its turning ability is marginal at best. The beauty of this craft is the stock top end speed of approximately 66 mph and the after market’s ability to make this a very fast three seater. Note that should you decide to drop the big bucks and make this a high 70 mph craft, you will lose some stability in the upper 70 mph range and you may require additional riding skill - the RXT tends to get a little squirrelly when you’re pushing the high 70 mph range. Note that all of the above also applies to the SeaDoo GTX Limited (they are very similar craft and almost identical structurally)
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#3: Yamaha FX SHO (Priced at 11,999):
Speed: 3
Stability in the ocean: 4
Hull for speed in the rough: 3
Reliability in the ocean: 4
Opportunities to upgrade w/aftermarket: 2
Agility: 4
Quickness out of the hole: 4
Riding comfort / Ergonomics: 5
Fuel consumption and range: 5
FX SHO Highlights and other observations: Supercharged 1812 cc, approximately 205 hp, 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, three seater, has cruise control. We’re told that this engine is possibly the best watercraft engine ever produced. Very quick out of the hole. In typical conservative Yamaha fashion, this craft appears to be under-boosted and underutilized i.e. there is a great deal of potential and untapped power with this craft. As soon as someone figures out how to unlock the ECU, this craft will be a significant force to be reckoned with in the offshore racing arena. Light high-tech nanotechnology (NanoXcel) hull results in a lighter hull but we're hearing a rougher ride in the ocean - nanotechnology appears to be a more rigid hull that doesn’t appear to flex like fiberglass therefore some of the pounding of the rough water is transferred to the rider. Good hookup in the rough. Extremely quiet and smooth power band. It is distinctly possible that this craft could increase its position on this page as time and the aftermarket progresses. Nice job Yamaha.
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#4: SeaDoo RXT-X (Price: 13,300)
Speed: 5
Stability in the ocean: 2
Hull for speed in the rough: 3
Reliability in the ocean: 3
Opportunities to upgrade w/aftermarket: 2
Agility: 2
Quickness out of the hole: 5
Riding comfort / Ergonomics: 3
Fuel consumption and range: 1 (but, keep in mind you have 255 hp!)
RXT-X Highlights and other observations: Supercharged, Intercooler 1500cc, 255 hp, 3-cylinder, 4-stroke, weights 804 pounds dry: A rocket out of the hole, the quickest three seater out of the hole the industry has aver produced. Hang on tight when you go from a standstill to 50 as you will be there in a heartbeat, this craft literally screams out of the hole. This appears to be SeaDoo’s answer to the ULTRA250X, consider this craft the RXT on steroids. New hull design has resulted in a slight loss of stability at high speeds in the rough relative to the RXT, larger pump increases hole shot however we're hearing it may makes it more challenging to achieve higher speeds with the aftermarket. Aftermarket race inspired handlebars come stock, a very nice touch that may help the standing rider. This has a different hull from the standard RXT – the pump intake is further back/aft in the hull – some are saying that this results in better hookup due to intake placement. Not the best looking craft aesthetically, give the aftermarket some time with this craft and we suspect it will move up on this list.
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#5: SeaDoo RXP-X (Priced at 12,999)
Speed: 5
Stability in the ocean: 2
Hull for speed in the rough: 2
Reliability in the ocean: 3
Opportunities to upgrade w/aftermarket: 3
Agility: 5
Quickness out of the hole: 5
Riding comfort / Ergonomics: 2
Fuel consumption and range: 2
RXP-X Highlights and other observations: Supercharged, Intercooler 1500cc, 255 hp, 3-cylinder, 4-stroke, two-seater PWC. Consider this craft the RXP on steroids - given the weight to horsepower ratio, this craft is a monster out of the hole! The smaller hull is less suited for the open ocean than the larger three seater craft therefore this craft can be a little more difficult to hang on to at high speeds in the rough - some say it takes more skill and greater effort. When it gets rough, you may find yourslef slowing down. If you are over 6 feet tall, sit on this craft before you purchase it to ensure you are comfortable. We like the race handlebars! This is the quickest stock two seater craft out of the hole the industry has ever produced, this craft literally screams out of the hole. Larger pump increases hole shot however it makes it more challenging to achieve higher speeds with the aftermarket, we really like the handlebars and race related theme of the craft.
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#6: SeaDoo RXP 215 HP (Priced at 11,599)
Speed: 4
Stability in the ocean: 2
Hull for speed in the rough: 2
Reliability in the ocean: 3
Opportunities to upgrade w/aftermarket: 5
Agility: 5
Quickness out of the hole: 5
Riding comfort / Ergonomics: 2
Fuel consumption and range: 4
SeaDoo RXP 215 Highlights and other observations: Supercharged, Intercooler 1500cc, 215 hp, 3-cylinder, 4-stroke, two-seater PWC. The smaller hull is less suited for the open ocean than the larger three seater craft but the speed of this craft is alluring. This craft can be a little more difficult to hang on to at high speeds in the rough – some say it takes more skill and more effort. If you are over six feet tall, sit on this craft before you purchase it to ensure you're comfortable. The aftermarket has multiple upgrade options for this craft - with about another 10,000 worth of parts and labor one can make this a true 80 mph craft, the challenge will be maintaining those high speeds in the rough due to the relative size of the craft’s hull. Again, one of the beauties of this craft is that there is a multitude of aftermarket parts available for this craft. Note that if you choose to drop the big money in the aftermarket and make it a 80 mph craft, you will lose some stability when you are pushing these exceptionally high speeds
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Honorable Mention: Honda 15X (13,300)
Speed: 2
Stability in the ocean: 5
Hull for speed in the rough: 5
Reliability in the ocean: N/A
Opportunities to upgrade w/aftermarket: N/A
Agility: 4
Quickness out of the hole: 3
Riding comfort / Ergonomics: 5
Fuel consumption and range: 4
Honorable mention: Honda 15X (Approx. 198 hp three seater) However we can't endorse this craft yet, we just don't have any seat time on this craft. Honda 15X Highlights and other observations: A nice surprise from Honda! This 1500cc, 198 hp Turbocharged, 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, three seater is the largest, craft ever produced. We have never ridden this craft so we can only share what we’ve heard (there is one just purchased in a local PWC club), and seen online. We’re told that the V hull is surprisingly agile and leans like a motorcycle. The engine appears to be underutilized and appears to have great potential for aftermarket upgrades. This is not the fastest craft around (we’re hearing approx. 63.5 - 64 mph top speed stock), nor is it a rocket out of the hole but we can only speculate that Honda has tuned it down. We challenge you to just think about Honda engines and the 1000’s of Honda tuner enthusiasts out there! Give this craft a few years of aftermarket and watch out! Keep in mind that historically, unlocking the Honda's ECU for the aftermarket could be a challenge. A very dry ride, extremely stable and hooks up nicely. Pictures we’ve seen of the craft denote a very low riding position so if you’re going to purchase this craft for hard core (standing) offshore endurance riding or racing, you may have to consider upgrading the handlebars. The offshore and endurance community is excited about Honda stepping up. Those of us who have owned Honda motocross bikes, quads and Honda crotch rockets know full well what this company is capable of – quality, reliability and performance, we shall see!