2020 Sea-Doo Fish Pro 170 review

The Sea-Doo Fish Pro was released in late 2018 as a 2019 model year with a 155 horsepower 1503cc three-cylinder Rotax engine.

In late 2019, Sea-Doo released the 2020 model year with a larger 1630cc three-cylinder Rotax engine and a power bump to 170hp.

In every other regard, both the 2019 and 2020 year models are identical to each other, with a white deck, green hull and yellow side steps.

Not everyone is a fan of the colour scheme, but Sea-Doo says the dark green hull was designed to blend with the scenery in lakes and rivers, from a fish’s perspective. Not sure what the fish will make of the green hull in the ocean, but this is the explanation we got when we asked about the choice of colour.

With the power bump came a $1300 price increase. In 2019 the Sea-Doo Fish Pro cost $19,199 (not including trailer and rego), but for 2020 price rose to $20,499. The optional Bluetooth speakers fitted to the test watercraft add $1000 (previously they were an $800 option) to bring the price to $21,499.

Trailer and rego typically add between $1500 to $2000, depending on the cost and quality of the trailer, and registration for the craft and trailer (which vary in each state).

Sea-Doo warranty is two years, compared to three years across the Yamaha WaveRunner range and five years across the Kawasaki Jet Ski range. However, Sea-Doo often runs promotions that offer three-year warranty coverage, so keep an eye out for special deals.

The clever design includes side steps with a grippy surface so you don’t slip or scratch the side of your watercraft with debris from your feet or shoes.

There is also a flat seat to make it easy to slide from side to side, or to better access the rear of the craft. A built-in Garmin fish finder is fitted in place of the right side mirror.

An extended rear deck provides two locations to secure Sea-Doo accessories, such as the optional 15-litre fuel caddy and the 51-litre cooler box that comes standard.

The cooler box is genius in itself, with a ruler etched on the top of the lid to make sure fish aren’t undersize, or to brag about the catch of the day. It also has a rubber storage pocket, four rod holders, two drain plugs, and a grip mat on the lid.

The lid latches down, but be sure to secure it properly. If you fill the cooler with too much ice – and too many coldies – and hit rough water, you could end up with no beer left in the cans and have marinated fish.

Unlike the Yamaha FX series watercraft, which require the rider to awkwardly lean over the handlebars to access to the front storage area, the Sea-Doo Fish Pro’s large front storage area is more easily accessed.

The handlebars are attached to the lid of the craft; after releasing two tabs, the handlebars lift in one movement with the instrument display and nose cover to make it easy to reach in and grab a towel or a drink.

There is a webbed basket to carry light items and solid plastic storage area for heavier items, although there is a weight limit of 20kg.

There is a waterproof storage pocket for phones and other slim valuables, and a piece of foam to stop a phone from banging around. An optional USB port can be fitted to charge a phone or other devices.

The craft tested was equipped with optional Bluetooth speakers ($1000) which pair easily to a smartphone and crank out decent sound, though it’s more audible at slower speeds or when stopped. At high speed, the wind in your ears will drown out much of the audio.

Top speed for the Sea-Doo Fish Pro was clocked at 98kmh on an independent GPS, though it’s worth noting the Fish Pro speedo runs on GPS as well.

By comparison, the current Yamaha FX series speedometer runs off engine revs, while other Yamaha models and the current Kawasaki sit down range use a speed wheel in the ride plate.

The Sea-Doo has the most accurate speedometer in the watercraft market.

You may get a slightly slower or faster top speed than this depending on the current, chop, fuel load, trim, and the weight of the rider and extra equipment. Interestingly Sea-Doo claims a top speed of 100kmh for both the 155hp and 170hp versions of the Fish Pro.

If you’re buying a watercraft for top speed, this probably isn’t the one for you. Consider the performance luxury flagship models from Sea-Doo such as the RXT-X300 or GTX Limited 300. Both of these watercraft are powered by a supercharged 300hp version of the Rotax three-cylinder 1630cc engine, and are capable of top speeds of close to or in excess of 120kmh (depending on conditions).

Both of these skis have the exact same hull and deck design as the Sea-Doo Fish Pro, but you need to add the extended rear deck as an optional extra, plus all the fishing gear such as the cooler box and navigation unit.

The Fish Pro has been designed to be economical, and you can get a fair distance on its 70-litre fuel tank (same size tank as fitted to the 2020 Sea-Doo RXT-X300 and GTX Limited 300).

Fuel use varies dramatically on watercraft due to the range of speed, conditions, equipment and the weight of the rider, but after numerous ocean rides at a decent clip I found the Sea-Doo consumed about 44 to 45 litres per 100km.

By comparison, the supercharged Sea-Doo and Yamaha watercraft on similar ocean rides have returned closer to 55 litres per 100km (A non-supercharged Yamaha FX in the same conditions burns about 50 to 51L/100km).

You can burn fuel at a higher rate than these examples when towing or on wide open throttle non-stop, and be more efficient if you’re not gunning it all day.

Owners of Sea-Doo Fish Pro 155hp models told me they have achieved in excess of 170km out of a 70-litre tank (about 42L/100km) but conditions were flat and they weren’t hard on the throttle.

The Sea-Doo Fish Pro fuel gauge is reasonably accurate and the 15-litre fuel caddy is a handy idea. Just be sure to have the sales staff show you how to get the nozzle to work, because after countless attempts I am yet to master how to get fuel out of the caddy and into the fuel tank.

It’s particularly tricky in rough conditions. Consider a jiggle hose as a back up.

The Sea-Doo Fish Pro is a comfortable craft to ride and has the best ergonomics in the class if you’re after a fishing watercraft, with large foot wells, a user-friendly seat, and brilliant storage access.

With the cooler box removed, the rear deck makes for a great launching pad for kids to jump into the water.

Just make sure the engine is switched off when they’re climbing aboard, even though the extended deck does offer a little extra protection away from the jet pump. Helpfully, there is a rear boarding step that swings down.

The Sea-Doo Fish Pro has good "at rest" stability, even when leaning over the edge to bag a catch. However, the craft can become unbalanced if either of the large foot wells fill with water. This can be resolved with a quick blast of the throttle, but it is something to be mindful of.

As with most personal watercraft, the Fish Pro can feel cumbersome at slow speeds when trying to turn; some deft use of the throttle and handlebars definitely help in low-speed manouvres.

There is also a “trolling” mode to save you having to balance a finger on the throttle with precision.

The built-in Garmin map initially struggled for accuracy in some of the waterways we tested in, but soon figured out where we were. The buttons are easy to operate with gloves.

The Sea-Doo Fish Pro “ST3” hull is good in medium chop, with its deep V cutting into the waves. But in my experience it’s not as good at handling really rough ocean riding as, say, a Yamaha FX or Kawasaki Ultra.

The relatively steep sides of the Sea-Doo’s nose seem to cop a slap from large swells when cutting diagonally across waves, which is often unavoidable.

That said, no personal watercraft is ideal in the ocean, and conditions and riding techniques vary.

In the right conditions, though, the Sea-Doo Fish Pro is a blast. If you plan to use it mostly in flat water but want to handle a bit of wind chop and some medium swell, the Fish Pro is right at home.

Specifications
Model: Sea-Doo Fish Pro 170
Length: 3.734m
Beam: 1.25m
Weight: 389kg (dry, est)
Engine: 170hp 1630cc 3-cyl Rotax, non-supercharged
Top speed: 54kt (100km/h)
Fuel: 70L
Seating: 3
Warranty: Two years
Service intervals: 12 months or 50 hours, whichever comes first

Priced from: $20,499 with Garmin EchoMap Plus 62cv fish finder, fishing seat, 51L cooler box, extended rear platform with accessory attachment, angled gunwale footrests, storage bin organiser, trolling mode, 4x rod holders (does not include trailer or registration)

Price as tested: $21,499 with Bluetooth speakers (not including trailer or registration)

Supplied by: Beaches Sea-Doo and Can-Am, Sydney