Sea-Doo RXP-X

Sea-Doo is another name for excitement. Every new model brings extra style and performance. Considering their compact size, more leading edge technology and innovation is packed into these pocket rockets, than any other watercraft. There's few other motor sports that give such a rush, so accessible to all. Plus when you've had enough adrenalin blast for the day, take the family out for the rides of their life. Or give a girlfriend a thrill too.

The first one we've pushed into the water is the new Sea-Doo RXP-X. It's the company's top-of-the-line two-seater watercraft and one of the two most powerful PWCs available, two-seater or otherwise.

It's safe to say Sea-Doo puts everything into the RXP-X that high-end buyers would expect, with Major Grunt topping the list.

Sea-Doo borrowed the Rotax engine from the 215hp RXT, formerly its most powerful model, then gave it a larger supercharger and external intercooler, which boosted output to a startling 255hp. You think ATVs and motorcycles are fast? Ride this thing - 255hp is enough to suck your brains out your ears.

We looked for the RXP-X's closest competitors in the performance two-seater class but right now there aren't any. Honda's Aquatrax R-12X ($18,990) has 165hp, so that's way off the mark. Kawasaki's new 260X ($22,499) and 260LX ($22,999) have slightly more power, but they're both three-seaters. Yamaha's new two-seater, the FZR ($20,955), is powered by a supercharged, 1.8-litre four-stroke engine, which looks impressive on paper but develops only 210hp.

All that leaves the $19,995 Sea-Doo RXP-X gloating smugly at the top of the horsepower totem. No-one can touch it. Well, no-one but MV Agusta, which claims to be working on a barking mad, 308hp V8 model. HSR-Benelli says it's building a 342hp, 2.2lt machine, but presumably for the exclusive use of Greek shipping tycoons who no longer find solace in Ferarris, Lambos and northern Italian women.

WHAT'S IT LIKE?
The RXP-X looks well built and is nicely finished. We liked the paintwork, the engine is very quiet, and the swoopy Hyper Silver bodywork makes it look fast even on a trailer. There's plenty of dry storage space too - always handy on a PWC - and well shaped mirrors give you a clear shot of rear-view action when you're towing a couple of kids on a ski biscuit.

The ergos are a good fit. The seat is comfortable and well shaped and that helps you stay you in position when you're cranking a high-speed turn. The handlebars are adjustable, so you won't have to go for an aftermarket job, like the UMI, if you want to race.

There's no padding around the steering column though, and that could prove painful if you slide forward quickly and ram your gum-nuts into it.

The footwells have plenty of room and are nicely angled, so you can lean into them when you're turning hard, and while the deck mats have plenty of grip, it'd be nice if they ran a little farther forward.

This machine has push-button electric trim control via a toggle switch on the left switchblock, and it couldn't be simpler to operate. The 20-function instruments - speedo, tacho, hour meter and so on - are comprehensive and easy to read at any speed, and to make things really simple, the start button is also the stop button. The throttle is a small billet aluminium trigger, and it has a light but progressive action and plenty of feel. You won't suffer thumb pump aboard an RXP-X.

HOW HI-TECH IS IT?
In terms of technology it's up there with the best and that's because half the people who work at BRP must be electronics engineers.

Among the features offered on this machine are the already mentioned electric Variable Trim Control, enabling you to set the trim to suit a variety of surface conditions. Push the button up to raise the nose, push it down to lower it. A monkey could do it - in fact I think one of our monkeys did do it.

The cooling system is a ‘closed loop' design so there's no saltwater in the engine's cooling system. The only raw water-cooled part is the exhaust, and that's flushed through a simple hose fitting.

A rev limiter works well to prevent over-rev should the rear end break loose, not that that's likely to happen because this thing corners faster than a ferret in a tunnel.

As anyone with any PWC experience will know, they're difficult to control at low speed in a power-off situation, because without power they can't be steered. Sea-Doo overcomes this problem with its OPAS system (Off Power Assisted Steering). OPAS uses spring-loaded side rudders at the rear of the machine that retract when beaching, docking or trailering, but deploy when the throttle is released or the motor turned off. When deployed they make manoeuvring at low speed safer, but you still don't have the measure of control you have with even a little power on.

The RXP-X has a reverse bucket and that also aids low-speed manoeuvring, and helps you avoid looking like a goon if you misjudge your approach to a wharf or your mate's expensive cruiser.

IS IT FAST ENOUGH?
According to Sea-Doo - and our seat-of-the-pants freak-ometer - the RXP-X gets to 80kmh in 2.9 seconds. That's faster than a Ferrari. Faster than electricity in a powerline. Faster than a single mother of six on her way to Centrelink. Yeah, it's quick. Power off the bottom is impressive, so is the midrange, but it's the uninterrupted, slightly insane rush to 100kmh that really takes your breath away.

This Sea-Doo gets up on the plane quickly and there it feels strong enough to break through the earth's gravitational field and head for the outer planets. The speed sensation is heightened by the eerily quiet engine and a total lack of vibration - and on calm water the impression is that you're not on water at all, but flying at low altitude.

A high-performance intake grate, better known as a scoop grate, loads the jet pump and makes sure it gets water when it would otherwise be close to cavitating. Shane Hardiman, a former PWC endurance racer, thought the scoop grate was actually too aggressive. Said Shane: “If a racer wants to chase extra speed by raising the rev limit, he'd have to go for a less aggressive scoop grate. Basically, there'd be too much water in the pump housing at high speed, the impeller wouldn't keep up and he'd get hydraulic lock-up.”

Another of our testers, Pete Middleton, also raced PWCs, so he knows what fast feels like. Pete said the RXP-X isn't fast enough to race - what the hell do those guys do to their 'skis? - but it's sure as hell fast enough for any recreational jet jock, or any family man who wants a little more towing or wave jumping power than his ho-hum 'ski can currently churn out.

Maybe that's not so surprising. What we have here is a 3m-long PWC that weighs 360kg and has 255hp to play with. That's a pretty impressive power-to-weight ratio. If you've ridden a seriously fast ATV or motorcycle you'll love the merciless grunt the RXP-X delivers.

This is effortless power that launches the RXP-X out of the hole and has no trouble hauling a 100kg skier out of the water. It's not what we'd call a dry ride in choppy water, but if you drop the speed a tad and adjust the trim accordingly, the spray level definitely goes down.

We loved the acceleration on offer here, but as much as we relished that, we also liked the big Sea-Doo's stability.

With all the useful technology Sea-Doo's RXP-X offers, it feels safe whether you're an expert or a beginner - and if you're an expert, this thing will really rock your jocks.