[JPS500]

I am new to the PWC world--I have four sons 18-24 and we have rented skis on vacation and ridden with friends on lakes, but I have never owned one. We recently bought a house on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island and want to know what the best models would be for this area which is a somewhat protected but large salt water bay (not offshore ocean, but opens into the ocean at the southern end) and gets a pretty good chop from what I can see.

I am agnostic on manufacturer as there are dealers from each of the major companies nearby so I am open to ideas across the spectrum

Thanks for your thoughts in advance.

 

[xjaywalker]

Yamaha IMO. The hull design seems to have a deeper V shape, which I feel allows it to cut through rough waters better then Sea Do's. The Honda also has a nice hull design but the Yamaha (agian IMO and I am partial cause I own 2 FX skis) is a more reliable ski.

We live in Southern CA and rode our FX's from Dana Point to Avalon (Catalina - 27 miles open ocean) without too much bodily pain. Took 2 hrs there on 2-4 ft swells and 2.5 hrs coming back with 5-6 ft swells (it was crazy but worked out OK).

Good Luck

 

[Ernest T]

Kawasaki makes the best rough water skis. The reason is they are large skis with the deepest "V" shaped hull. Look at the most popular ski that offshore racers use, and you see that 7 of 10 ride the big 4 stroke Kaws.

That said, Kaw is the least reliable ski on the market according many, so I personally would not recommend one unless you are a good ski mechanic or have a team of mechanics standing by when it breaks.

SeaDoo makes a ski with an suspension, which would seem to make it a good rough water choice, but Outlaw recently posted problems with using this system in rough water, so that ski may not be a good choice either.

I would second the recommendation by xjaywalker for a Yamaha FX HO or possibly a SHO. The FX model skis have a relatively deep "V" hull design, and handle well in rough water. The Yamaha VXR/VXS, FZR/FZS, and VX models all have a flatter hull design and are not the greatest in rough water, unless you like to bounce.

 

[IDEagleEye]

I agree with the comment on the rough ride with the Yamaha VX series. I am constantly in search of calmer water for my 2009 VX Cruiser.

 

[Outlaw]

Kawasaki has met its match with new Seadoo S-3 hull reason being a longer, heavier ski with a deeper V hull ( like offshore performance boats 24 degree deadrise) Check in with my friend Jerry Gaddis on facebook. He owns PWC PERFORMANCE and the GREEN HULK forum. He is a cool guy with a wealth of info.

 

[RocBestest]

i had a kawasaki ultra 250 and it handled pretty well in the chop, as far as any problems with it i never experienced any in the 3 years i owned it. I just recently sold it and im in the market for the new 300x.