Connecticut resident Chris Kyttle is getting quite a bit of internet fame with a video he shared earlier this week. He wrote, “My buddy threw an 1100 in his Jet Mate this weekend. Little test run before taking it 60 miles to Atlantic City…” Let’s let that sink in for second, shall we? Classified as a “passenger boat,” the Kawasaki Jet Mate was originally powered by a 650cc two-stroke – the very same plant powering the brand’s 650SX JetSki.
First introduced in 1989, the unique, flat-bottom design featured an open cabin that sat three, with two passengers sharing a rear bench and the pilot occupying a captain’s chair controlling the boat via an articulated joystick. Kawasaki integrated molded-in side ladders for easy re-entry. Under ideal conditions, the Jet Mate was estimated at a top speed of roughly 30 miles per hour.
Because of its low draft and quickness, several Jet Mates found use as patrol and rescue boats, but never high-end performance machines. In addition to the big Kawasaki triple, the Jet Mate was fitted with a 650 pump with a “huge ocean pro nozzle” with a SX-R prop, according to Kyttle. Although some re-shaping went into the hull prior to the build, Kyttle joked, “[It takes a] lot of leaning to make it turn.”
Whether the modded Jet Mate has made the trek to Atlantic City yet remains to be answered, but we look forward to seeing some future video with this machine ejecting riders in the surf.
This jetmate DID make it to atlantic city and back!