[Cynicism]

I'm looking to buy a used ski, I'm leaning towards a 1999+ Seadoo.

What I was wondering is, what sort of things should I be aware of? How many hours is considered average, what are the different styles "GTX/GTS/GTI", and which models use closed or open cooling systems? I'm currently thinking about a "Bombardier GTX" as I see them for sale in my area often, are they good?

I'm looking for a ski that is powerful, but yet still agile enough to get out of its own way. I'll be running the ski in mostly brackish water, but it will see the gulf a few times each year. I want something that can seat at least two, but I don't really need more than that. I live in south Florida so I can ride all year long. I'm pretty good with tools and have worked on my own cars before, but I'm not a mechanic.

Hope you guys can help me, I'm eager to learn and ride.

 

[YamaDoo]

Hi,

And welcome to the forum. Here is a great info page for SeaDoo watercraft since they came out in 1988 through 2010.

Sea Doo Model Reference (1988-2010)

All the "G" skis you mention are all three seaters.

GTI is the entry level model with the least powerful engine

GTS is the middle of the line machine

GTX was the flagship until the RXT came out.

If you are looking to get a 2 stroke the 800cc engine was SeaDoo's best engine reliability wise. The 951 had more power but were less reliable. So you have to decide what's your priority. Otherwise look for a 4 tec four stroke which came out for the 2002 model year.

2 strokes usually last around 200 hours but I've seen some go for much longer. There are just too many factors involved to pinpoint an exact boundary when a unit has "too many" hours. Be sure to do a compression check before you buy.

 

[Cynicism]

Thanks for you reply. Do any of these models feature a closed loop cooling, or was that a newer feature? As I'll be running in brackish water with the occasional salt water trip, I assume flushing would be an issue with an open loop cooling system. Is there a conditioner you can use to coat your cooling pathways to help them resist corrosion?

Would you know what would be Kawasaki and Yamaha's contenders to the "G" series? I'm still leaning heavily towards a seadoo as my limited experience has been around them. I'd just like to know what models would be considered comparable.

 

[YamaDoo]

The 2002 and up GTX 4-tec has the closed loop cooling system none of the two strokes do. Kawasaki's 3 seat competitor was the STX1100 and later the 4 stroke version the STX12 and STX15. Yamaha's was the XLT1200.