Personal Watercraft History
The Sunshine State offers access to both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, which makes it a perfect place for coastal recreational pursuits. For many adventurous people, that means riding personal watercraft. You’ve undoubtedly seen some of those people cruising across the shimmering surface of the water and wondered whether a personal watercraft (or PWC) is a good option for you.
Maybe learning more about how these crafts came about will help guide your decision! Sky Powersports Lakeland is proud to be your local Sea-Doo® dealer. As such, we’ve provided you with the short but fascinating history of personal watercraft below.
In the Beginning
The very first item that anyone could realistically call a personal watercraft was developed in the 1950s in Europe. It was called a “waterscooter,” as it was a small craft with handlebars that the operator used to steer themselves around the water. These crafts never really made it to market due to their instability and impracticality, however.
Clayton Jacobson II, a Norwegian-American inventor and powersports fan, conceived of a marine-based craft that would allow him a similar experience to riding a motorcycle on land, but with the lessened risk of injury if he were to fall into the water.
Having suffered a motorcycle crash into a ditch, Jacobson sought to recreate the rush of high-speed vehicles in a jet-propulsion design that used an intake engine to draw in water and pump it out the rear of the craft, with the motion pushing the PWC forward. A throttle on the handlebars was used to propel the craft and the operator leaned their body from side to side in order to make turns. His personal watercraft prototypes were developed from aluminum initially and included both sit-down and stand-up models.
In 1966, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), a renowned snowmobile manufacturer, expressed interest in licensing Jacobson’s sit-down personal watercraft patent. They used their popular Ski-Doo® snowmobile as a jumping-off point, leading to the development of the first Sea-Doo® PWC, which they released in 1968. BRP advertised the yellow Sea-Doo as being a jet-powered “Aqua Scooter,” but its size was too bulky to make it lithe enough to maneuver easily through the water, so it was soon retired.
1980s Re-Release
This was, of course, not the end of the personal watercraft story or even the Sea-Doo! Personal watercraft designers went back to the drawing board and by the 1980s, there were some new and more streamlined designs available, including BRP’s re-release of the Sea-Doo PWC in 1988. This sit-down style craft had a revamped look with more agile handling and more power behind it, and it swiftly took off, cementing Sea-Doo as a frontrunner in the personal watercraft market. Other companies followed suit, releasing both sit-down and stand-up designs to suit both novice and expert riders’ needs.
Coasting Into the 21st Century
Modern-day personal watercraft have come a long way from their humble beginnings. PWC released in the 21st century are faster, quieter and more fuel-efficient than ever before, with higher speeds and more power behind them. Features include Bluetooth® sound systems, modular seating, watertight storage compartments, charging bays, sleeker hulls and so much more.
Families and powersports enthusiasts alike enjoy the thrill of coasting along the surface of the water on their personal watercraft for pleasure. Some models have even been developed for use as rescue crafts for the United States Coast Guard and other organizations, so personal watercraft can be utilized as work vehicles in addition to their recreational capabilities.
Now that you know a little more about the history of personal watercraft, including the long legacy of the Sea-Doo®, it’s time you saw some models for yourself. Come see us at our dealership in Lakeland, FL, to check out our vast selection of new and used personal watercraft for sale, including Sea-Doo® PWC. We can also assist you with financing options. Sky Powersports Lakeland proudly serves the cities of Orlando and Tampa, Florida.