Sea Doo Limiteds

Limited, by definition, means constrained, bridled... even staid. After sampling Sea.Doo's latest crop of 130hp 'Limited' series personal watercraft it's no wonder that I'm confused.

Available in XP, GSX and GTX variants, the 1998 model Sea.Doo Limiteds are anything but. With high horsepower muscled-up powerplants and other hot-up tricks, including larger diameter, high volume jet pumps, these are genuine 100kmh watercraft - unlimited performers in every sense of the word.

Of course, Limited refers to the number of the craft that will be produced by Sea.Doo's parent company, the Canadian industrial giant, Bombardier. The irony is that according to Sea.Doo's Australian connection, Heytrack Australia, there'll be little if any rationing of the craft Down Under. That's probably a good thing though - in days when responsible watercraft users are conscious that they are ever under the microscope from maritime authorities and other water users, it'd do the sport no good for them to be seen fighting over the last available XP Limited at their local Sea.Doo dealer!

The XP is the most sporting of the Limited range. An occasional two-seater, featuring Sea.Doo's patented Direct Action Suspension seat system and an innovative hourglass-shaped Semi-V Hyperbolic multi-angle deadrise hull, it's a blast - there's no other way to describe it.

Over the years, I've sampled plenty of watercraft, both stock and performance modified variants and I can safely say that this craft, out of the box, seems a match to any of them.

Much has been said about the XP's shift to a lean-in style of craft - that is, it corners like a motorcycle. As I said in my ride impression on the standard XP back in May this takes some getting used to, because this is a craft that can easily out-turn an unsuspecting operator. And the wipeouts that result are quite spectacular.

Thanks to the great low-down torque of the XP Limited 951cc 1000 Series powerplant and added thrust due to its larger 155mm diameter jet pump, this turning ability is enhanced once again. There's now little, if any, bogging in turns, so with the magnified thrust the craft will carve tighter turns faster. And hard enough to have a pilot's arms aching long before the pleasure centre's cried enough.

What the traditionally hulled lean-out GSX Limited loses to the XP Limited in turning ability it makes up for in sheer top-end speed. Thanks to a longer narrower hull profile, this two-seater sports-tourer is lightning quick and stable enough to take full advantage of its 105kmh-plus top end.

Again agility is enhanced in relation to the standard GSX thanks to the powerplant's better thrust delivery. (PWCs turn on throttle predominately - there is no rudder effect and sponsons and hull shapes are essentially the same on the standard and Limited models.) Indeed, in comparison to competitors' craft in this category, the GSX seems extremely nimble.

Jump from the XP though and you'll notice the lack of the DAS system as the rider and passenger's movements are 'fed' back into the hull on anything other than perfectly smooth water.

Great for taming the rougher stuff is the surprisingly agile GTX Limited. Sea.Doo's three-seater flagship, the big GTX offers reverse gear, plenty of storage and enough performance to grab even experienced skiers' attention.

While all the Limiteds have the get up and go to handle waterskiers, the GTX is the best suited to the role. As well as a significantly larger footprint for better directional stability when towing, the long three-person seat is configured to provide accommodation for a rearward facing observer, making these duties a piece of cake.

The pick? Well, that's easy - but my choice will mean eating a little humble pie. Back in May when I tested the standard XP I stated that I couldn't see the extra dollars and weight that the Limited imposed being worth it. Hmmm, seems I've changed my mind.

I'll take the XP Limited - for un-limited performance, and fun!

The new 1000 Series engines that power Sea.Doo's Limited range of watercraft are perhaps the ultimate development of Rotax's twin-cylinder two-stroke marine powerplant.

Originally an inline, rotary valve design of 340cc 34hp when Sea.Doo pioneered PWCs in the late '60s (but better known as a 580cc unit that produced around 55hp when the maker re-entered the market in the late 1980s), the powerplant has gone through a steady evolution that now sees it produce 130hp - and top the 160hp level in race trim.

There have also been wholesale changes along the way.

Oil injection was one of the first innovations, then as the engine progressed up the horsepower/capacity scale - 60hp/581cc, then 85hp/718cc - along came twin carbs and higher states of tune.

The 720cc 110hp 800 Series that powers much of the Sea.Doo line-up today was the first of the RAVE power-valved engines and also pioneered the 'lay-down' cylinder design and factory-fitted tuned exhausts.

The 1000 Series powerplant heralds perhaps the biggest departure from the original design, however - the adoption of reed valve induction and a water-jacketed dry-tuned exhaust.

With an increase in bore (82 to 88mm) and stroke (74 to 78.2mm) over its 800 Series predecessor, the 951cc powerplant produces an arm-wrenching 130hp.

And there's more to come. Rotax has signed an agreement to fit Orbital fuel-injection to its powerplants. In other words, the 150hp watercraft may not be far away.