This year marks a decade of The Watercraft Journal awarding an annual Watercraft of The Year. This award has been both envied and lauded by OE (original equipment) manufacturers over the past ten years, with placards, decals and even presenting the title in official literature and marketing. To say that earning this accolade is a “big deal” is akin to calling The Grand Canyon “a pretty big hole in the ground.”
Ranking which models get admitted as contenders for the title is rather simple: each unit is weighed against a scale evaluating excellence in four categories: Innovation, Design, Execution and Affect or “the IDEA score.” These categories evaluate a personal watercraft’s achievements in Innovation; overall Design; the final Execution of the production vehicle; and finally, the model’s lasting Affect on the marketplace and/or industry.
A couple of years ago, we noticed that our judging routinely resulted in ties. So we increased the total possible points to 80 (up from our previous 40-point scale) to widen the gap between each contender. Moreover, we make it a point to only include units that receive a mass production run. Limited run, hand-built units don’t qualify. Neither do any machines that we don’t get to personally review ourselves. How can we rate something we haven’t ridden?
Finally, we kept our pool of judges far, far tighter this year; namely this author; Greg Gaddis of Greenhulk.net, and Billy Duplessis, who fans of The Watercraft Journal IRL podcast will recognize as regular guests and co-hosts. No one single judge was able to impose any personal biases. Rather, the The Watercraft Journal’s Watercraft of The Year award focuses strictly on recognizing excellence where demonstrated.
2024 Watercraft of The Year 2nd Runner-Up: 2024 Sea-Doo GTR-X 300
Innovation: 15; Design: 16; Execution: 17; Affect: 13; Total: 61 points
Under the auspice of full admission, the 2024 Sea-Doo GTR-X 300 was exactly tied in points with its full-sized sibling, the 2024 RXT-X 325. And being tied, the decision to award the GTR-X 300 the podium position came down to it being this author’s personal favorite entry for 2024. So, if you would like to argue this executive decision, we suggest typing out a strongly worded rebuttal on your laptop computer and hitting yourself in the face with it.
The existence of the GTR-X 300 is heavily credited (although erroneously so) with a diehard Sea-Doo enthusiast who transplanted a 1630 ACE 300 powertrain into a GTR 215 over two years ago, proving that the Polytec 2 hull could handily withstand the torsional forces produced by the supercharged 3-cylinder. The Polytec 2 hull was first introduced in 2020, and features fiberglass stringers for added rigidity and strength.
The result has been a durable, lightweight and repairable alternative to Sea-Doo’s CM-Tech injection-molded fiberglass material that is also scratch resistant and frankly, rides surprisingly well in a variety of conditions. Designed for the mid-sized “Recreational” segment, the Polytec 2 GTI hull is a semi-displacement style that offers predictable tracking in moderate chop, a gentle roll-in on corners and enough looseness to remain playful.
Yet, the pairing of this hull with the race-ready 1630 ACE 300 and RXP-X top deck – giving the rider the most aggressive Ergolock-R seating arrangement available – makes for a super-sporty machine that will pull hard out of the hole, but won’t reach RXP-X 325 speeds. The hull is intentionally limited in this way. Rather, the GTR-X 300 beckons the rider to whip the tail out, powerslide on its outermost rail, and just have fun.
What draws so much praise to the GTR-X 300 is its embodiment of a bygone spirit. First of all, at 130.6-inches long and a 902-pound curb weight, the GTR-X 300 is almost identical in size and weight to the 2008-2009 RXT-X 255, which was 130.3-inches long and an estimated 890-pounds curb weight. For those who remember these once-full-sized machines, you’ll recall how much fun these were in most all conditions.
In an age of bloated, oversized runabouts burdened with too much techno-hullabaloo, the 2024 GTR-X 300 is immensely refreshing. Yes, you can get the BRP Premium Audio/Tech Package, heated hand grips and all sorts of LinQ accessories through Sea-Doo’s Parts & Accessories Department, but we implore you not to. This machine was meant to be a stripped-down, zero-frills/all-thrills throwback to better times when PWC weren’t mini-barges.
2024 Watercraft of The Year 1st Runner-Up: 2024 Yamaha FX Cruiser High Output 1.9L WaveRunner
Innovation: 18; Design: 17; Execution: 17; Affect: 13; Total: 65 points
Admittedly, this entry is one that we would’ve liked to have seen placed higher on the scoreboard. The 2024 Yamaha FX Cruiser High Output 1.9L WaveRunner introduces a redesigned powerplant to the market; a slightly larger displacement naturally-aspirated 1.9L High Output that produces 200-horsepower. The Watercraft Journal relied on Greenhulk Garage’s Greg Gaddis for greater insight into the new engine upon its reveal:
“The crankshaft, connecting rods, oil pan, pickup, oil pump, oil cooler, and PTO cover are the only components carrying over to the new engine [from the outgoing 1.8L]. Being that the connecting rods and crankshaft are carryover parts, Yamaha increased displacement by changing to 88 millimeter pistons (2 millimeters larger) that feature a flatter, more shallow dome which increase compression to 11.2:1 over the previous 11:1 ratio.”
Gaddis continued, “The 1.9L has an all new block and cylinder head casting. Drastic changes were made to the casting for revised water jacketing and coolant passages with the intent to keep the cylinder head cool while keeping block and oil temperatures higher. […] The new intake manifold features a larger plenum, longer runners, 10 percent larger throttle body, and a larger flame arrestor. The throttle body is [now] 65 millimeters.”
Regular guest host to The Watercraft Journal IRL podcast, Billy Duplessis was one of the first to get his hands on the High Output 1.9-equipped FX Cruisers and provided invaluable feedback. Duplessis emphasized that the HO was “no slouch”, reaching a GPS-confirmed 63 miles per hour while traversing the glassy trails of the Mississippi bayou. Equally, the larger 7-inch, full color touchscreen dashboard was highly visible and easy to navigate.
Welcome fixes to digital programming bugs that plagued previous years – like the wholly inaccurate fuel gauge and mileage counter that zeros out trip mileage and miles-to-empty – were gratefully resolved. In fact, apart from Yamaha continuing to use egg shell-soft automotive grade paint on its SMC-fiberglass hulls, few if any complaints were levied at the 2024 FX Cruiser. Comfortable, accommodating and quick were all common descriptors.
Unfortunately, the introduction of the 1.9 High Output was overshadowed by the lack of an updated SVHO engine – particularly in light of a radical new powerplant offered by Yamaha’s competition. Were the FX’s hull finally protected with a more durable coating, or a 300-plus-horsepower 1.9-liter SVHO unveiled, Yamaha could’ve given this year’s winner a tighter race to the top spot.
2024 Watercraft of The Year: 2024 Sea-Doo RXP-X 325
Innovation: 18; Design: 16; Execution: 17; Affect: 19; Total: 70 points
To anybody with a modicum of familiarity with the industry as a whole, this year’s selection of The Watercraft Journal’s Watercraft of The Year should come as no surprise. To put things mildly, the 2024 Sea-Doo RXP-X 325 broke people’s brains. An added 25-horsepower over the preceding model was enough to draw in the speed freaks of every ilk, but the innovations found beneath the bench seat sent the aftermarket reeling.
At the time of its unveiling, it’s important to emphasize that few understood the significance of what changes BRP had made to the supercharged ACE engine. Certainly the promise of greater horsepower was alluring (it always is) but how the new 1630 ACE 325 achieved said increased 25-ponies was far, far more compelling than the number itself.
The engine was nearly entirely new – thicker bosses cast into the cylinder block, additional piston oiling jets, stronger connecting rod hardware, wholly redesigned DLC coated pistons, larger air induction, a factory-equipped BOV and a wholly re-imagined supercharger design. In fact, it’s not a supercharger at all, states Rotax’s Project Manager Norbert Schofbanker, but a compressor.
An all-new planetary gear spools up a smaller, more aggressive impeller to 100,000 rpm – or one-and-a-quarter times faster than the previous 300 ACE engine. This brings 1630 ACE 325’s new peak redline to 8,250rpm (250rpm above the previous 300 ACE’s redline). Not only is the impeller spinning over twice as fast, but generates boost more efficiently and nearly 40% cooler than the previous model.
Backed by full-fat race equipment like forged rocker arms, rocker shaft and heavy duty springs and tapered retainers, and a BOSCH engine control module, the new RXP-X explodes with a blistering 3.4-second 0-to-60mph time – two tenths of a second faster than the previous RXP-X 300. While the consumer model still adopts USCG speed restrictions, uncorked units are currently breaching 80mph.
This model sent waves through the performance industry, putting engine tuners and builders on their ear. A race to safely “crack” the BOSCH ECU was all that filled chat groups; many found backdoor exploits, others worked hand-in-hand with Rotax to safely untether the 325’s potential. And so they have. Today, even slightly modded units are reaching Pro Open/GP speeds from less than a decade ago. And with that, the 2024 Sea-Doo RXP-X 325 earned its place as the 2024 Watercraft of The Year.
