Sparking Lake Traffic

[Ryan]

Seadoo announces a pair of new seadoos (named: SPARK) aimed at the 90's target of a $5k model that's fun & light (400lbs) and easy to throw 180's that most of the current big models can't do easily (by design). This could be a great marketing case study for either a) a great way to increase your market potential/user-base or b) a great way to self-cannibalize a brand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5jrYu5bm6k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz0Hugb--Hg

What's your take?

I'm split:
This opens up the door to even more crouded lakes. As a smooth water snob, that's challenging.
On the otherhand,I like the idea for when I have a place on a lake as I enjoy playing with just about anything on the water.

[JMLVMI]

If I lived on a lake, I would love something like that for messing around on crowded days. Since I don't, I want a moratorium on all global non ski-boat sales from this point forward

[mikeg205]

more targets..

[scott023]

more targets..

You know it.

[H2ORidr]

I have a 2012 SeaDoo Wake 155 so full disclosure. I gotta say it looks like they could have a home run with that little bugger. I was blown away when I test drove the Wake 155 and that was why we bought one. It got us as a family out on the water and we had hours and hours of pulling time on our machine. It also sips gas. Imagine going out for a full day of fun for a family of 4 and using less than $40 worth of gas. Now granted at my 190# I can now pull our Wake 155 around quite a bit when I carve hard with a kiteboard, but that is to be expected. But with my kids on skis, wakeboards, or wakeskates I don't even know they are back there. And I even pulled a guy barefooting once. As a "starter" boat, those jetskis are quite the way to get started. Also in the winter I pop my patio door off, pull the ski off the trailer and onto a rolling rack, and I tuck it into the back corner of my basement for the winter, so storage is a snap.

Most of all I LOVE the IBR (Intelligent brake and reverse). Nothing on this earth can compare to being able to stop like a SeaDoo does on the water. Imagine screaming across the water at 55 mph, squeezing the brake and nearly going over the handlebars! Seriously, if you are not prepared, you might just have a wet problem. But that is good. How many accidents are caused on water because of not being able to stop. I put my oldest daughter to driving our Ski and in two years she is a fantastic pro. She can pull anyone up out of the water like nothing and she does not need to use the ski modes (I am a purist and I think all drivers should know how to pull without a crutch before they get to try Perfect Pass or ski modes on a boat). No way could she have learned to drive so well so quickly in a big inboard. Now she is ready to start to learn about our MC and I feel confident she is rock solid on the basics.

My problem now is that since I bought out X14, SWMBO has said the JetSki needs to go. I have managed to postpone the fight until spring. I convinced her that nobody wants to buy a boat now so if we sold it now we would take too much of a hit on it. She fell for it.

[CruisinGA]

I own 4 80's and 90's models stand up jet skis, so I get the fun they can be. I have often thought about the market potential every time I introduce someone to these old skis and they are hooked. Looks like Seadoo beat me to market
Unfortunately I don't know if 4 stroke technology can compare with the power to weight ratio of the older models, yet.

[gsxrjtt]

I like it

[Traxx822]

I have been saying these things have been getting way too big for a long time. 400#'s is perfect. With a Rotax 900 watch out. I'm super stoked someone finally realized what they were doing wrong. I loved the old yamaha Jet ski's. Like the waverunner 3 with a 700 in it. What a fun toy. It said it could hold 3 but really was more like 2 people.

We used to play this game called "the hold on game" Point of it was driver V. rider. The rider would hold on to the sholder section of the drivers life jacket and the driver the handle bars. And the driver would win if he knocked off the rider, the rider would win if he pulled the driver off (didn't matter if rider came off)

Best dam game ever. You can't play it on these new big ones. And now, it's back!!!!!!!

I would have to already have a lake house to own one of these but will be glad to snatch up a used one in a few years.

[BrooksfamX2]

They look just like the ones I had in the 90's............ don't need anymore.......

[mikeg205]

I have been saying these things have been getting way too big for a long time. 400#'s is perfect. With a Rotax 900 watch out. I'm super stoked someone finally realized what they were doing wrong. I loved the old yamaha Jet ski's. Like the waverunner 3 with a 700 in it. What a fun toy. It said it could hold 3 but really was more like 2 people.

We used to play this game called "the hold on game" Point of it was driver V. rider. The rider would hold on to the sholder section of the drivers life jacket and the driver the handle bars. And the driver would win if he knocked off the rider, the rider would win if he pulled the driver off (didn't matter if rider came off)

Best dam game ever. You can't play it on these new big ones. And now, it's back!!!!!!!

I would have to already have a lake house to own one of these but will be glad to snatch up a used one in a few years.

ski boat, pontoon, wave runners...lake house - party at trents....

[03geetee]

There is enough water for everyone, just like there is enough land, air, space....you get my drift.

I think it is awesome. I love my 2000 millennium edition Sea Doo RX. Big motor, easy to ride, not as massive as the new ones and it will approach 65+ on ideal water with the few mods it has. Point being I love boating, and all watersports and equally so enjoy a late night (pre dark) ride across the lake flying just above the water. This machine echoes that idea and I like fast and light period.

JTR

[Ryan]

I have been saying these things have been getting way too big for a long time. 400#'s is perfect. With a Rotax 900 watch out. I'm super stoked someone finally realized what they were doing wrong. I loved the old yamaha Jet ski's. Like the waverunner 3 with a 700 in it. What a fun toy. It said it could hold 3 but really was more like 2 people.

We used to play this game called "the hold on game" Point of it was driver V. rider. The rider would hold on to the sholder section of the drivers life jacket and the driver the handle bars. And the driver would win if he knocked off the rider, the rider would win if he pulled the driver off (didn't matter if rider came off)

Best dam game ever. You can't play it on these new big ones. And now, it's back!!!!!!!

I would have to already have a lake house to own one of these but will be glad to snatch up a used one in a few years.

Sounds like a fun game!

[03 35th Anniversary]

Water Roach.............

[Ryan]

I think this is a strategically brilliant pair of products and that it will do well in meeting a consumer needs (well, 'wants' anyway).

I'll look forward to the day they develop a system that either alerts the driver or reduces speed when within 100' of a boat or swimmer. I've got two family reunions next summer. My options are to buy a boat and drag it across the country, rent something or perhaps buy a boat or pwc and the quickly sell. This could be a nice option for that plan to buy in ID or MT, use for 2 wks and sell. All for a lower net cost than renting for 2 wks and have little to no reliability issues.

[medicmoose]

I love my water craft! I have a 2000 Seadoo GTX, a 2013 Waverunner FX SHO and 2 90's 750 Kawasaki stand-up skis. The Waverunner is a beast...tipping the scales around 900 lbs and has a supercharged 1800 cc engine. It's good for the big lake but I would seriously look at selling our old Seadoo for this new model! I like that they have considered a marketing strategy that looks BACK at what made them successful in the first place.

Will this make the lakes more crowded??? Yeah, there may be a few more out there but I doubt "crowded" would be the end result.

I like it...and I think it will be a step in the right direction for BRP.