Top 10 Jet Skis For First Timers in 2023 | Watercraft Zone

Here is the latest instalment of WatercraftZone's list of the Top 10 Jet Skis and personal watercraft for first-timers and anyone new to the sport.

Buying your first new Jet Ski or personal watercraft can be daunting given the choice of more than 50 models across three brands – Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner and Kawasaki Jet Ski.

With a range of new models for 2023, we’ve updated our Top 10 list of Jet Skis for first-timers – or anyone considering a Jet Ski as a stepping stone to a boat, downsizing from a boat to something more nimble, or looking for a watercraft that is more capable in shallow waters.

While many of the Jet Skis on our 2023 list carryover from 2022 – but with new colour schemes and options – there are a some new models for 2023 that are definitely worth a look.

We held back publishing our 2023 Top 10 list so we could consider every model available this year.

As a general guide, Sea-Doo and Yamaha have three sizes of Jet Ski and personal watercraft: small, medium and large.

Kawasaki's sit-down Jet Ski line-up has medium and large options.

We’ve selected non-supercharged skis for this video, because they’re fast enough already, more fuel-efficient than supercharged Jet Skis, and are a great way to get into the sport.

We have covered Jet Skis from the cheapest to the dearest, to make sure there is an option for every budget, and included prices in Australia and the US where possible.

Some other handy hints: as this video was published, in Australia Sea-Doo has two-year warranty coverage, Yamaha has three-year warranty coverage, and Kawasaki has industry-leading five-year warranty coverage.

If buying a Jet Ski in the US, Canada, Europe, or Asia, please check with your local distributor.

Most personal watercraft manufacturers recommend an inspection by the selling dealer after the first 10 hours of operation.

After that, routine maintenance for most models is recommended every 100 hours of operation, or every 12 months, whichever comes first.

All prices listed in this video are in Australian dollars – unless otherwise stated – and exclude trailer and registration which typically add about $2500 to $3000 to the price.

While care has been taken to ensure these prices were accurate as this video was published, please check with your nearest Jet Ski dealer for the most up-to-date information.

You can also search for more details and the latest prices on every model in the Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner and Kawasaki Jet Ski model ranges at watercraftzon.com.au.

A reminder, this is not sponsored content, and as always we aim to highlight the pros and cons of each Jet Ski or personal watercraft based on our real-world testing experience.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Warranty

01:20 Servicing

03:12 Sea-Doo Spark and Spark Trixx

04:33 Yamaha EX

05:31 Yamaha JetBlaster

06:15 Kawasaki STX 160

07:44 Kawasaki Ultra 160

09:51 Sea-Doo Fish Pro Scout

11:15 Yamaha VX 1050

12:54 Sea-Doo GTX 170

14:03 Yamaha FX HO

16:46 Sea-Doo Fish Pro Sport and Trophy

19:12 Sea-Doo Explorer Pro