[Michigander09]

Hi everyone! I'm new here so let me introduce myself as someone who's looking to own a jet ski and wants to do his homework before making that big step.

I do have a couple questions...

1 - Is it ok to roll or tip-over a pwc with a 4-stroke engine in the water? I've heard as soon as you do that on a 4-stroke, you're in trouble. Where as a 2-stroke is more ok to be submerged in water.

2 - Is a 2-stroke engine ok for towing? One of the main reasons I want a jet ski is so I can take my friends tubing. I understand that 4-strokes generally offer more power, but will a 2-stroke get the job done?

3 - What would you recommend for a guy who will only drive a jet ski for a couple hours maybe 4-5 weekends per year?

So in a nutshell, I'm looking for something I can just gas up and go. I don't really have a lot of free time or too many resources to baby or fine tune a future PWC, so I'm looking for reliability and something easy to maintain. I'll only be using this maybe 10-20 hours MAX per year up at a private Michigan lake. All my research has told me that I should really get a Yamaha instead of a Sea-doo. I've also heard that a 2-stroke may be better for what I'm looking for.

I should also mention that right now I'm looking at a 2005 Yamaha VX 110 with a 4-stroke engine for $4300. Good price, but it's a used model from Florida (salt water use), but has a new engine in it which has around 50 engine hours on it. The original engine had over 200 hours on it because it was a rental. Good deal? Bad deal?

If anyone can help me out with answers to any of these questions I would greatly appreciate it!!

Thanks!

 

[Ernest T]

Hi everyone! I'm new here so let me introduce myself as someone who's looking to own a jet ski and wants to do his homework before making that big step.

I do have a couple questions...

1 - Is it ok to roll or tip-over a pwc with a 4-stroke engine in the water? I've heard as soon as you do that on a 4-stroke, you're in trouble. Where as a 2-stroke is more ok to be submerged in water.

2 - Is a 2-stroke engine ok for towing? One of the main reasons I want a jet ski is so I can take my friends tubing. I understand that 4-strokes generally offer more power, but will a 2-stroke get the job done?

3 - What would you recommend for a guy who will only drive a jet ski for a couple hours maybe 4-5 weekends per year?

So in a nutshell, I'm looking for something I can just gas up and go. I don't really have a lot of free time or too many resources to baby or fine tune a future PWC, so I'm looking for reliability and something easy to maintain. I'll only be using this maybe 10-20 hours MAX per year up at a private Michigan lake. All my research has told me that I should really get a Yamaha instead of a Sea-doo. I've also heard that a 2-stroke may be better for what I'm looking for.

I should also mention that right now I'm looking at a 2005 Yamaha VX 110 with a 4-stroke engine for $4300. Good price, but it's a used model from Florida (salt water use), but has a new engine in it which has around 50 engine hours on it. The original engine had over 200 hours on it because it was a rental. Good deal? Bad deal?

If anyone can help me out with answers to any of these questions I would greatly appreciate it!!

Thanks!

1. You can roll either, but for the larger skis completely rolling them is a rare occurrence. You can cause problems with either ski if they are not up-righted properly. There will be a label on the ski that shows the proper direction to roll them upright. If you do it the wrong way water enters the engine and can cause problems. I don't think that 2 strokes would have any advantage in this area.

2. Any fairly recent (10 years old or less) 3 person ski whether 2 or 4 stroke will be OK for towing, and both will have plenty of power.

3. You have already listed the best ski for your situation: The Yamaha VX is nearly indestructible, easy to maintain (easier than 2 strokes), you don't have to worry about mixing or adding oil, it is a 3 person ski and will tow well, it is stable and hard to roll. Ask why 90% of all the ski rental places use the Yamaha VX: Reliable, easy for newbies to ride, easy to maintain, and the best ski for the money hands down.

Sounds like an OK deal on the VX if that price includes a trailer. I'd be a little worried about salt water use, even with a fairly new engine (rentals often don't get flushed properly and do see lots of abuse). Check carefully for signs of corrosion/rust, and insist on a test ride. A clean 05-06 VX with less than 100 hours with a trailer will generally sell between $4000-5000. Add more $$$ for newer model years.