Jet Stars!

While loading our craft onto their respective trailers at the end of a very pleasant day of riding, an older gent who was also loading up after chasing slippery silver suckers approached us.

"You blokes were zooming around us and we hardly noticed you," he said. "These things are a lot quieter than some of the things we see around here. What's been done to them?"

I was bowled over by the comment because it was indicative of the quantum leap that has been achieved in recent years in the Personal Watercraft (PWC) industry. Absolutely nothing had been "done to them" - they were all showroom standard.

The gentleman's comments were certainly a pleasant change from what you normally hear when PWCs, or "jetskis" as they are more commonly known, are mentioned - namely sneers, derogatory comments and the words "noisy" and "dangerous". It's similar to what I've become used to hearing as an avid motorcyclist, and these are the two-wheeled version of watercraft.

Being bikes of the water is what attracts many people to PWCs; but on the other hand, with the variety of craft now available, families are also seeing the value and enjoyment that PWCs can offer.

To put that theory to the test, Trailer Boat sourced a range of three-seater family craft from the major distributors - Bombardier Sea-Doo, Kawasaki, Polaris and Yamaha - for a day of fun and frivolity on Lake Macquarie, about two hours north of Sydney.

Lake Macquarie is Australia's largest saltwater lake, some five times larger than Sydney Harbour, so there are plenty of places to enjoy what these craft have to offer. Plus it offers easy access to the surf.

LET ME AT 'EM
When I arrived at Blacksmith's boat ramp in the Swansea channel at around 7am, the craft and the reps were all waiting at the rendezvous keener than an 18-year-old at Kings Cross to get underway.

Barry, the photographer, wasted no time in pulling out the camera gear, but I'm sure he won't get too close in future as he was roosted quite a few times copping a deluge as the eager reps put on a show with their respective craft. There was plenty to keep me occupied as well - if only I could get the guys to give me a ride!

It wasn't feasible to have the snapper shorebound all day so we called Hirecraft Marine in Toronto. Quicker than you could say "Sea-Doo" we had a pristine new Sea Ray 200 Select Bowrider at our disposal as the camera boat. Thanks to Damien at Hirecraft, the photographer's job was made so much easier - although at times he was hanging on harder than we were!

All the PWCs offer more performance than a porn star, and with at least 140hp on tap with a boat that weighs between 300 and 400kg they can certainly put out a decent wake with an impressive power-to-weight ratio.

It didn't matter what craft I was on; opening the taps had them powering over the water at a fantastic rate at well over 80kmh showing - and at that speed, without sunnies, I must've looked like a dog hanging out the back of a ute with my gums flapping and my eyelids peeled back over my head!

It's not just a matter of having fun in a straight line, though, as PWCs possess more agility than a gymnast and will soon expose whether or not you're fit enough to hang on. Especially if you're a passenger and the driver has a bit of a sadistic streak.

Going solo to test them, I was asking for trouble jamming the bars into tight turns travelling at high speed. (Well, it was a test!) Something has to give, and it was me - the craft competently digs in and turns, and on occasion I was spat out like a watermelon pip!

It's a relatively soft landing - unlike a bike - but when you do go into the drink the safety lanyard goes with you, immediately cutting the ignition so the PWC comes quickly to a halt nearby.

An added feature common to some models is a spring-loaded hinge at the stern (an option on others) which makes it a real doddle to remount - but even without the feature they're not too hard to clamber aboard after getting spat off.

SURF'S UP
Before heading to the surf we took the opportunity to test the crafts' waterskiing capabilities, and we couldn't have picked a better crash-test dummy.

Aaron - who had come along from Hirecraft Marine to pilot the Sea Ray - was quick to volunteer his services, and weighing in at around 98kg he was the perfect specimen to see how capable these craft are at pulling a skier out of the water. Aaron's no slouch either - he's able to barefoot and is a competent wakeboarder.

Admittedly, being a journalistic sceptic I thought the craft may struggle with his weight to pull him out during a deep-water start. But a space shuttle couldn't have done it any better.

I think it even surprised Aaron on the first attempt because the Kawasaki nearly ripped his arms off! He even managed to barefoot behind the Sea-Doo, so full points for the company's claims. With the power delivery of all the craft, I wouldn't be surprised if two skiers could get up from the deep.

Soon enough, we headed out to the surf - but I must state that the manufacturers' warranties will not cover any hull cracking due to wave jumping. Some things are too good to resist, though, and it didn't worry any of the reps present - in fact, it was a chore to keep up with them!

PWCs give an entirely new meaning to surfing, and with 16km of beach there was no way we were going to upset anyone.

It's a fantastic buzz with such power and weight charging along the face of the wave - then once in the shore-break, you can spin around and head out through the breakers. There was a fair-sized swell running so there were naturally some antics performed by everyone. It can be a bit heart-in-mouth, but if you just gas it through the face you'll get airborne.

On the other hand, if you attack the wave face at an angle all sorts of interesting scenarios materialise. It's much more comfortable to land stern first - a rider slapping the entire hull on the water all day will need a chiropractor's assistance before too long!

This is where the deep footwells of the craft come in handy, as in the surf and at speed on the flat, judicial movement of your feet also helps in steering and manoeuvring.

BIG HEAD, BIG PROBLEMS
A bit of over-confidence can backfire as you learn. Believe me, you'll get caught out - sooner rather than later. Plus, if you hit a wave a bit off kilter and the craft starts to tilt when it's airborne, the best option is to bail out.

The larger craft like the Yamaha and the Sea-Doo seem to handle the heavier going better. In all honesty, with the amount of power and speed they have, I'd be more comfortable on a PWC than a conventional hull going through a bar that's breaking big - they just rip through and there's virtually no chance of sinking.

All of the craft offer more get-up-and-go than a truck-load of triathlon competitors - but at the same time, they can tootle around like Morris Minors if you so desire. It is all up to you.

The final choice is harder to pick than a runny nose, and I found no definitive "winner" - I'd be quite happy with any of them in the shed. But if money were no object, it'd have to be the Sea-Doo - it comes with all the bells and whistles. But being a tightarse on a limited budget, I'd have to pick out the Polaris.

Having said that, Polaris will have its four-stroke arriving in April - so we may just have to do this all again!

When arranging the test, our initial thought was that the distributors would baulk at putting their craft head-to-head with the opposition. But how wrong we were ... everyone jumped at the opportunity.

I still don't know whether it was the chance to compare craft or an excuse to get out of the office for a day that sealed the deal, but whatever it was that got the various manufacturers' craft out on the water, the result was fantastic.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and Trailer Boat would like to thank everyone for their involvement - from Grant at Boaties, Gosford who supplied the Polaris to Hirecraft Marine for its Sea Ray, the support given was invaluable.

This new generation of PWCs have finally dispelled the unwelcome hangover of the crafts' "unsociability". Now being marketed as a more family-orientated pastime with the variety of craft available, lack of intrusive noise and the bang-for-buck ratio, PWC boating is an avenue of waterborne that everyone should at least consider.

MEET THE FAMILY
We had four main craft, although Sea-Doo brought along two versions of the same model and Yamaha brought along a two-stroke two-seater that wasn't part of the test.

All the craft have various waterproof storage bins and gloveboxes, reversing capabilities, electric trim mirrors and multi-function instrumentation that includes speedo, rev counter, fuel gauge, hour meter and clocks, warning lights and other diagnostic features that are too numerous to list here.

Also, they all have their own patented anti-theft security devices, engine safety cut-outs if they're capsized and noise-suppression systems ensuring they are now, truthfully, no louder than your average outboard.

All craft are operated by a thumb or finger lever for the throttle. For the most part, you need to be on the power to have any control of steering - for the inexperienced it will take a bit of getting used to - but that is changing now most companies offering off-power enhanced steering systems.

BOMBARDIER SEA-DOO GTX 4-TEC SUPERCHARGED
Supercharged? You'd better believe it. Just for a bit of extra interest we paced each craft against the Sea Ray camera boat on full-noise, and it was only the Sea-Doo that kept up with the $70,000 craft - although the rest, led by the Kwaka, weren't very far behind.

The GTX 4-TEC is one weapon of the water. It holds its line exceptionally well in fast, tight turns but is also ready for hooning. The GTX is a very confidence-inspiring craft considering its supercharged status.

To allow younger or less-experienced people to sample it, the Sea-Doo Learning Key lets you operate the craft with limited top speed and revs. For an extra $2000 the 4-TEC Limited Supercharged features include a GPS, depth gauge, sandbag anchor, mooring ropes, cell-phone case plus a heap of other extras.

KAWASAKI STX 15F
The Kwaka is right up there in the performance stakes and has a turn of acceleration similar to the Polaris and Sea-Doo. With an engine sourced from the company's 1200cc ZX12R motorcycle - arguably the world's fastest production bike - its got power to burn.

While it is fast, it also loves to be thrown around and taken for a surf. Kawasaki is quick to point out that the warranty doesn't cover hull cracking as a result of wave jumping, but that seems inconsequential as the craft cops a better beating than the pilot!

POLARIS MSX140
Featuring a child handhold on the handlebars so the lil' tackers can sit in front of the driver, this craft brought Polaris to the forefront of the PWC industry with its completely new design - so much so that it was awarded the 2003 Watercraft of the Year by Watercraft magazine in the cut-throat American market.

There's something about two-stroke performance that grabs me, and being the only two-stroke among this bunch it wasn't found lacking. Being the lightest of the bunch no doubt helped in the performance stakes too, and - to me - it has unique styling.

Being a two-stroke, the MSX140 has direct injection that cuts down on emissions by over 50 per cent. I also liked the deep footwells, although some may complain that they hold a bit of water - simply flush it out by giving it the berries!

If you're into stunts, this is the craft to do them on. It will turn on a five-cent piece, slides easily and, if you're not hanging on firmly, will toss you quicker than a two-up school on ANZAC Day.

It may give away over 40hp to the Sea-Doo, but that's really only noticeable in a straight line, as the two-stroke is responsive off the mark. It handles the surf and rough stuff with ease and if your back pocket rules then this offers the best value for money. Polaris will introduce its four-stroke to the Australian market in April.

YAMAHA FX140
Yamaha boasts that the FX140 is the world's first four-stroke PWC and that it possesses a direct link to motorcycling, confirming that PWCs are indeed the bikes of the water.

The FX140 uses the same engine that powers the Yamaha R1 sportsbike, so it also possesses plenty of horsepower that just builds and builds as the revs rise. The difference, of course, is that on the water you can hold the craft pinned for a lot longer with a lot more confidence than with its road-going cousin - coz there are corners only when you want them and no cars!

The FX140 gives away some 500cc to the Kawasaki and the supercharged Sea-Doo, and it is only in direct comparison that any noticeable difference is apparent.

One thing in its favour is its wave-smashing ability. In open chop and swell - like the Sea-Doo - it really flattens out the ride. It also features adjustable handlebars, sports the largest-capacity fuel tank and has a very comfortable touring seat for longer trips. Yamaha is also about to release its 160hp FX160 four-stroke PWC.

LOOKING BACK

PWCs have been around for over 30 years, with the first craft seeing the light of day back in 1968. This was from Bombardier, the makers of the Ski-Doo ski-mobiles and All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).

Behind the invention was a man named Jacobs whose original idea was to create a motorised waterski that was manoeuvrable, relatively small and had heaps of power. It was the first ever sit-down craft, but it didn't set the world on fire - two years later, Bombardier ceased production.

At the time, Jacobs had also designed a stand-up craft, but when Bombardier lost interest he packed up his kit and went to Kawasaki with the design. And so the "jetski" was born - the first commercially successful craft.

Yamaha introduced its Wave Runner in 1987; Bombardier Sea-Doo re-entered the market in 1988, and this was followed by Polaris in 1993.

Originally all solo, the multi-seat craft have been around since the early '90s. This has been a major reason for their ongoing popularity, as a new breed of buyers with disposable incomes and families have discovered their attraction.

One stigma that has dogged the craft since day dot is the noise of the vehicles - but in recent years that too has changed, and it will no doubt see a resurgence in their popularity.

No longer are they the buzzy, noisy things that got people's goat - however, the hangover does remain.

The improvements in engine technology have seen a gigantic leap in user friendliness in recent years as the manufacturers have introduced a variety of innovations.

Four-strokes are becoming more popular but that's not taking anything away from the two-strokes, as they have also gone through a metamorphosis in technology.

Direct fuel injection has, according to the manufacturers, reduced emissions in two-strokes by up to 80 per cent and also made them much more economical.

Plus they have introduced noise-reduction systems to limit the aural intrusion to non users. Now from a distance they are no more audible than an outboard.

With PWCs there is a time and a place for everything - just like any other form of motorised marine fun.

It's a pity the craft have had the negative accusations and animosity when in reality it is the minority of people that have given PWCs a bad name. Put simply, they are bloody awesome fun. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to have as much fun sitting down.

In NSW they have come under the gaze of politicians because of the actions of a minority, and you'll need a separate PWC licence on top of your boating licence. For fees and examination criteria, contact your local boating authority.

Manufacturers are doing their best to promote sensible riding, but it's up to individual users to be responsible when out on the water. Remember, the waterways are there to share!