Sea-Doo has partnered with global organization, 4Ocean, a company committed to ridding the world’s oceans of plastic trash. 4Ocean was founded by two surfers out of Florida who traveled to Bali and saw the impact that plastic trash had on marine life and coastal communities.
The company is a Public Benefit Corporation, which enables thing to bring in businesses to help fund their global cleanup operations. They began selling bracelets in the beginning to help fund their cleanups and to serve as a reminder of their mission. Millions of pounds of trash later, and they’re still selling bracelets. Sea-Doo signed on to deliver on the ‘One Pound Promise’. What this means is that for every product sold, order placed, client signed, or service rendered a pound of trash will be recovered.
Also with the Sea-Doo partnership, 4Ocean crews now have several Sea-Doo FishPro’s outfitted specifically for cleanup by 4Ocean in Florida. The gear includes big blue trash bins attached to the stern with the 4Ocean logo and nets for trash retrieval. FishPro’s make excellent tools for cleanup missions with their huge storage capabilities and iDF system.
The skis will give the teams access to gnarly areas on the water that can’t be reached by boat. This partnership is great for Sea-Doo and further solidifies their commitment to the environment. Check it out and get onboard with Sea-Doo and 4Ocean.
The 2022 Yamaha End of Sales Event started October 1st and ends December 31st. It’s a good time to purchase that WaveRunner you’ve been dreaming about. Prices are most likely going up for next year due ongoing supply chain issues. If you can swing it and can find a WaveRunner, take advantage of the sale. They have several offers, and the better qualified you are, the better the interest rate.
Unfortunately, the Interest rates are higher than usual during the End of Season Sales Event because of the Feds trying to fight inflation by raising the rates. We’re not trying to be downers, just making note of the current situation. There are still some decent interest rates on the WaveRunners.
An offer of 5.49% APR for 60 months is available for new 2017-2023 Yamaha WaveRunners on approved purchased using the Yamaha Credit Card. You can take advantage of 4.99% APR for 36 months on new 2017-2023 WaveRunners using the Yamaha Credit Card. The last deal is 5.99% APR for 96 months on the purchase of two Yamaha WaveRunners.
This offer is only available to well qualified tier 1 credit customers who finance through Yamaha Financial Services. All the offers require you to take delivery from retail stock by 12.31.2022. Check out the Yamaha WaveRunner site for all the details on the offers. While you’re there, build and price your new watercraft and fill out the prequalification form. See you on the water!
Sea-Doo knows how to build skis geared toward specific on the water activities, like the FishPro models and Wake models. They’ve done it again with the Explorer Pro 170. This jet ski is a compact powerhouse made to get you into extremely hard to reach areas and built for the ones like us who like to disappear into the wilderness for a few days.
It has Sea-Doo’s super stable ST3 hull, made for those long distance open-water rides when you really want to get out there. The Explorer is made for the adventurer and all his or her gear. We like the adjustable handlebars too. Set them low for when you want to sit down and cruise and raise them for when you want to stand up and ride.
Ride in comfort with the extra padding on the Explorer Touring seat, knee pads, and get some protection from the spray from the industry’s first touring windshield while looking for that little sandbar with the cool camping spot. With this PWC, you can carry all your camping gear and more with the rear deck extension if the 100 liters of built-in storage isn’t enough.
The Explorer Pro 170 comes with an excellent tech package, which includes a 7.8-inch color display, with several built-in features for connecting devices and accessing mobile apps. Optional upgrades include a Garmin Fish Finder and chart plotter and 100 watts of audio.
The Sea-Doo Explorer Pro is powered by a powerful Rotax 1630 AC-170 naturally aspirated engine. This machine can get you to those secret spots and the 2023 model is now available for pre-order. It has a base price of $16,799 plus all the extra fees and more if you opt for extra features.
This is cool. Jordan took a risk and bought a 1998 personal submarine on August 22,2022. The submarine had been housed on a yacht and in need of restoration. Jordan was willing to go the distance and get it done. He has grand plans for the submarine, like being the only vlogging channel on YouTube capturing underwater footage from a submarine. Nearly two months later and after a lot of restoration work, he’s on his way to his dream of creating new content.
The Nautical Bros team rewired, rebuilt, and redid the plumbing to get the tiny white submarine ready for the big day. Expectations were low for this run. Jordan was hoping it didn’t sink like a rock. The first run didn’t go so well, so back to the shop it went. They removed all the lead weights, added different weight, and pulled and refilled the dive tanks to get it ready for another water test.
For the final test, a safety diver was there in case something went awry in the water. The test went well, and Jordan was ecstatic. The Nautical Bros got it done and having the fully restored submarine has completely changed Jordans YouTube channel. We can’t wait to see what new and cool content he captures from his tiny white sub! Check out the water testing video for all the details.
Easily one of the best rides I had been on was exploring Pamlico Sound and Cape Hatteras. That was waaay back in 2008, so the fog of memory has glossed over the unrelenting beating we took riding from Cedar Point to Ocracoke Island. I can certainly recall encountering brutal conditions as we passed the inlet, but the sting of saltwater in my eyes and aching in my joints has all but vanished over the years.
So when the opportunity to return to North Carolina’s Intracoastal Waterway arose, I couldn’t say no. Unlike the first trip, which was planned and paid for by Kawasaki’s media group, this week would be at our own leisure. This was to be a family trip. While the wife and two youngest kids were gonna ride on Uncle Ted’s 21-foot center console, my oldest would join me on the Sea-Doo.
I had picked up a 2022 Sea-Doo GTX Limited 300 (opted in premium Sage Green Metallic – for an added $300) only two weeks earlier and frankly, had only been out on it twice before leaving; apart from the standard-equipped Tech Package, everything else about it was old hat. Four years of testing and loaners has provided me plenty of seat time with the platform and all of its ins and outs.
The GTX in its current form was first introduced as a 2018 model. It’s what BRP calls its “ST3” platform and marries several unique attributes together to make a very unusual machine. Prior to launching the new design, Sea-Doo had its Fish Pro ready to release the next model year, so certain characteristics needed to be baked into the crust; namely the utmost in watercraft stability at static and low speeds for fishing.
Equally, the ST3 needed to accommodate the Wake Pro models, so a large rear platform with an integrated LinQ accessory system and ski pylon mount was designed, as well as deep, open footwells (again for the Fish Pro). The traditional bow storage was relocated to a large 25.3-gallon center storage tub, accessible from a seated position. Lastly, as it would serve the RXT-X, the sporty ErgoLock seat from the RXP-X was adapted as well.
Introduced in 2022, the aforementioned Tech Package equips the GTX Limited 300 with a full-color 7.8-inch display, chocked full of smart phone integration. Synced via Bluetooth, USB and the BRP GO! smartphone app, riders can play music, monitor the weather, and use GPS navigation. At each flank is a 50W waterproof speaker (100W total) that integrates the BRP Bluetooth Premium Audio System to your device.
Of course, beneath the two-tone, stitched-and-piped seat is the 1630 ACE 3-cylinder four-stroke producing 300-horsepower at just over 8,000rpm – the same powerplant that powers the sporty RXT-X 300 and race-ready RXP-X 300. Finally, the GTX’s $18,299 MSRP also includes the center storage bin organizer mesh net divider, padded knee coves, and all-weather PWC cover totaling out the Limited package.
We set up camp in Cape Carteret, just inland from Emerald Isle. After visiting the historic Fort Macon pre-Civil War fort the day before, we set in at Beaufort and journeyed past the US Coast Guard Sector Field Office before carrying on beyond the inlet, tracing the shoreline of Shackleford Banks. The Beaufort Inlet feeds the Back Sound, which we discovered was an undulating labyrinth of ever-changing shoals and sandbars that change with the ebb and flow of the tide.
At no time was I more grateful for the onboard depth sounder continually chiming as the sea floor rose to meet our hull. Equipped with this in-dash feature and a far more shallow draft than the center console boat, we let the Sea-Doo lead the path forward. Channel markers are regularly relocated by the Coast Guard to give boaters the deepest route through the sound, which at times, was less than 9-feet deep.
We arrived at Cape Lookout, the outward-most tip of a J-hooked island made famous by pirates Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, Stede “Royal James” Bonnet and Anne Bonny. The cape is known mainly for its iconic black-and-white checkered lighthouse, earning it its name. We avoided some high-rising shoals and anchored over 50 yards from shore. The younger kids dug for shells as we prepared sandwiches and cooled down with some cold drinks.
I had looped the end of my Sanddocker anchor to the GTX’s bow eye and watched as the changing (and quickly receding) tide pulled the Sea-Doo opposite of where we anchored. Concerned, I hustled from shore and began dragging the ski into deeper water. The tide was quickly going out and unless we wanted to camp over night, we needed to get moving, so we collapsed the EZ-Up and began loading up the boat.
Shackleford – like many of the outer banks – are home to wild native horses. Believed to be descendants of abandoned Spanish horses left to graze and populate the Carolina coastline, these horses crossed over on long-eroded isthmuses and remain on these grassy barrier islands. Unfazed by gawking spectators, these horses saunter up to the shoreline to nibble on lush salt grass and bullrush.
From Cape Lookout, we rode the deepest part of the channel to Hawkers Island. It was here where boat traffic picked up, and together with the afternoon’s Atlantic gusts and outgoing tide, the GTX’s hull began acting up. Despite Sea-Doo’s claims, the ST3 is not a “Deep-V” hull nor a superior offshore/rough water design. In reality, it’s quite the dramatic opposite.
What deceives most of the uninitiated as it being a “Deep-V” hull is the pronounced prow. At midships, the ST3 is demonstrably flat, smoothing out to a single-digit deadrise, giving the hull it’s characteristic stability at static-to-slow speeds. The smooth bottom attributes to the ST3’s top speed numbers, but that is in purely glassy conditions.
In mild chop or even in tracking through the wakes of other watercraft, the ST3 wanders unpredictably. In larger sea state conditions and/or elevated speeds, this bow hunting can become precarious to the novice rider – as it requires a tremendous amount of rider input (steering) to keep it tracking true.
Over time, I’ve come to find the ST3 is best suited for flat-water conditions at best. Even professional racers have abandoned the hull for the more manageable T3R hull of the RXP-X. But as noted, it’s not all bad. The ST3 is tremendously stable at slow speeds and provides an impeccably dry ride.
This is due to the bow’s shape that fans into deep, concave coves. By directing its forward wake outward in an unfurling arc, it makes for a far drier ride than a true Deep-V hull, which splits and sprays its wake upward. At low speeds, the ST3’s bow creates a roiling cushion that softens its ride in No Wake Zones.
So again to recap: the Sea-Doo sprays its wake out, while others spray up. It’s that simple.
Of course, the biggest appeal of the GTX and all ST3-based Sea-Doos is the deck design. The Sea-Doo sports a low-slung, handsome shape that is angular as it is masculine. The 5-way adjustable tilt steering is seemingly perfectly placed for most riders of any height and takes the 7.8-inch digital dashboard with it as it pivots up and down for maximum visibility.
And the GTX features both Sea-Doo’s pioneering Intelligent Brake & Reverse system as well as its Intelligent Debris Free system, which electronically reverses the thrust of the impeller, surging a pulse of thrust forward to purge the intake grate of any debris clogging the intake grate – like grass or seaweed.
The handlebars aren’t set too wide, with large, easy-to-navigate buttons that remain some of the most responsive in the industry. The winged “palm rest” handgrips support the wrist to reduce the fatigue felt by riders after a long day on the water. Navigating the pages of the Sea-Doo’s split screen dashboard is limited while at speed, but other functions like changing dashboard background colors and tracking fuel consumption and trip hours is a snap.
Unfortunately, the premier functions found only with the Tech Package and available through the BRP GO! app are excruciatingly frustrating – particularly for those less tech savvy. The process of syncing one’s smartphone to the GTX requires logging a new profile into the dashboard. Then, it must be synced via Bluetooth through your phone’s Bluetooth settings page. Once completed, the Sea-Doo will pair with your phone.
Yet, that is solely for using the sound system separate of the Tech Package, which will not allow you to control tracks and volume through the handlebar toggles. If you choose to control your playlist through the dash and handlebar controls, the phone must be continually tethered through an approved USB cord (that is, if you have an Apple iPhone) with the BRP GO! app left “open”.
It will automatically sign out if the phone goes into “Driving” mode or if the cord wiggles enough to break the link. Moreover, the BRP GO! app requires a solid data signal or too, will automatically sign out; and needless to say, in many locations outside of highly populated areas, such a usable signal of any magnitude is nowhere to be found. This lack of signal also will keep you from accessing your music library if its stored on the cloud, so make sure you’ve got a song list downloaded to your phone if you simply cannot enjoy the outdoors without added stimulation.
The glove box is another pinch point. The glove box cannot accommodate most modern full-sized phones – particularly larger Androids. With the BRP GO! app requiring the phone to be plugged in to the USB port at all times, the watertight door cannot be latched, as the phone must sit atop it. This leaves your phone subject to getting wet as the glove box door doesn’t close fully with the phone outside of its waterproof pocket.
All of that not withstanding, the shining jewel of the GTX is its overall comfort. The narrowed Ergolock seat, deep saddle and low-backed bolsters are comfortable, even for a taller rider. Passengers are entreated with similar cushioning and large handrails at the rear passenger’s sides. Sadly, without a glove box of any usable size, drinks or sunscreen must be kept within the center storage bin, which cannot be accessed easily while underway.
After idling through Taylor Creek, which separates Carrot Island from Beaufort, we pulled the boat and GTX up the ramp and enjoyed the evening after a full day on the water. The next morning, we put in closer to home base and sped southwest toward Hammocks Beach and Bogue Inlet. There we played on the beach and listened to the marine base fire off artillery rounds (no joke) in the distance.
With some time to spend and plenty of super unleaded in the 18.5-gallon fuel tank, I with my 12-year-old behind me, sped off to play in the incoming Atlantic surf. We rapped the throttle and launched gleefully over the white caps. Jumping surf is a dangerous game that is discouraged by BRP per the owner’s manual, and for good cause. While we didn’t press our luck too far, we did dislodge a GoPro camera from its mount (we found it bobbing on its bright orange float seconds later thankfully).
During this little jaunt in the surf, we did note one more peccadillo with the GTX Limited: the Sage Metallic paint is striking in person (particularly when the sun hits it just right); but boy, is it wholly invisible out on the open ocean. Were it not for my bright red Slippery Array Neo life vest and matching UV-blocking jersey, we would be lost to anyone searching for us.
The rest of the morning was spent tracing the shoreline, carefully navigating around shallows and sandbars, and pinning the supercharged Rotax when I encountered a rare patch of glass. On our journey back to the ramp, we happened upon a pair of dolphin – a mother and a calf – swimming up the Intracoastal. It was my daughters’ first time seeing dolphins in the wild, so we stopped the engines and let the current take us with it, hoping for a closer look.
As noon bled into afternoon, we returned back to the launch ramp and drove back to camp. The Sea-Doo served us well and provided plenty of smiles, but as far as a serviceable review, I found myself struggling with a near 50/50 split of praises and criticisms:
Given the hours our loaner carried, many of its panels (as well as the speakers), had begun to loosen and audibly chattered even on mildly bumpy water. Equally, even though our time on the rough, open seas were minimal at best, I found salt deposits inside of the center storage, glove box and engine compartment.
The glove box, the need for the smartphone to be plugged in for the app to function, and the interface itself is egregious, enough for me to suggest totally avoiding the frustration altogether. Too often we become so attached to new conveniences that we wonder how we could ever have lived before without them. In this case, if you can purchase a Sea-Doo without these contrivances, do it.
Most importantly, the ST3 hull is problematic. It wanders – oftentimes erratically – in chop, teeters to one side or another when not at plane (below 35mph), and has been shown to wholly ignore steering input in tight corners – sometimes putting its pilot in precarious situations. It’s really something I cannot in good conscience omit from this review.
All that being said, there is a great deal to praise the 2022 Sea-Doo GTX Limited 300 for, and hope that we’ve adequately listed those attributes here as well. Although it’s meant to offer the consumer the utmost in luxury and premier features, the GTX Limited 300 falls just a tad short, delivering more sizzle than steak. While other models offer similar comfort with greater performance, superior rough water tracking and more storage, none do all simultaneously. And that is why the GTX Limited 300 is the top tier machine of BRP’s watercraft lineup.
You can purchase Kool PWC accessories from Greenhulk Performance. The Kool PWC racks are designed for easy installation and do not require drilling into your beloved watercraft. They come with all the necessary straps for installation. You can install them within minutes and head straight to your favorite body of water to get your ride on without breaking a sweat.
The racks are made of high-quality marine grade stainless steel and powder coated in flat black. They are made to last and able to withstand the harshest environments. Greenhulk carries a great selection of the Kool PWC Racks. A few Sea-Doo LinQ Racks are on offer.
They have a nice LinQ 6-rod holder Jet Ski Fishing Rack with Gas Plates for Rotopax Fuel Tanks. That’s a great accessory for the fisherman who wants to take an extended trip. Extra fuel can make the difference from going way offshore in search of Mahi and getting back after realizing those Mahi were further out than you recall. Another LinQ Rack can carry fuel or a 35 Quart cooler.
The other Kool PWC Racks are a universal fit. You can purchase racks for 2-6 fishing rod holders with gas plates or gas brackets, racks for coolers, racks made to hold your Spearfishing gun, and a rack for trolling. A Kool PWC Fuel Rack that holds two 5-Gallson Sure Can Tanks is also available. If you only need a fuel can, the Kool PWC Sure Can 5 Gallon gas can is available. If you’re in the market for some Kool accessories for your jet ski, check out Greenhulk Performance!
More than fifty riders across three race classes went head-to-head in St. Petersburg, Florida, the final stop on the five-circuit SBT P1 AquaX National Championship. Riders vied for national titles and the chance to qualify for the Bahamas World Championship in November.
Jay Finlinson – 300 AM Enduro class (Yamaha GP1800 SVHO)
Jay is a 17-year-old Yamaha GP1800 SVHO rider and high school senior who lives on Lake Wawasee in Northern Indiana. Jay stared racing at just 12 years old, and is now sponsored by Ignite Racing Fuel, Sur-Trac Trailers, and Brian Baldwin.
Living on a lake allows Jay to get out on the water around four times per week, and he sticks to a 5-day split workout with cardio and training on his stand-up ski. Jay’s father plays a big role in his racing – providing support from many angles.
According to a P1 AquaX press release, Jay competed in the 200 AM class in the 2021 USA National Championship on a ski Brian Baldwin loaned to him and raced in Michigan City and St. Pete. Jay had never driven a supercharged ski until Michigan City and he describes it as “fast, really fast.”
At the age of 14, Jay won an IJSBA world title in 2019 in the AM 1100 Stock class and, finished third in the Pro-Am Ski Stock class at the IJSBA World Finals in 2021. He has also taken national championship titles in ProWaterCross.
He has traveled a lot over the last few years with racing: “Obviously the big one is driving to Lake Havasu. Most of the time I ride with my Dad in the truck and trailer, but sometimes I fly so that I don’t miss as much school.
It’s awesome visiting so many states and the AquaX World Championship in the Bahamas is going to be really cool. I never thought I would ever get to race there.”
The Great Lakes Watercross Midwest Nationals took place on Morse Lake on September 10th and 11th in Indiana. Great Lakes Watercross is the premier closed course buoy racing and freestyle tour for personal watercraft racers. All races are sanctioned by the IJSBA. The Midwest Nationals was the last chance to qualify for IJSBA World Finals, so this event was a big deal.
Spectators lined up along the shores to watch the action go down. Eighty-two contestants were in attendance for the 13 classes of PWC racing and freestyle comps. Racers came traveled form eleven states including as far away from Florida. The local riders did well and many of them were making their racing debut.
Local racers snagged the number one spot in four classes, had six second place finishes, and fiver third place finishes. MotoOption, Jettribe, and Blowsion provided prizes and premier sponsor, Indiana Insurance Solutions gave away hot dogs and chips at their tent.
Everyone enjoyed a five bi-plane flyover and freestyle exhibition on Saturday. Also, a favorite at the event, was watching the Junior Racers, ages 9-15 going to town on the water. It was the first race for a few of them and they did well. In the Rec Lites Class and the Junior Ski Lites Class. They had a successful end to the Great Lakes Watercross season. We look forward to what next season brings.
More than fifty riders across three race classes went head-to-head in St. Petersburg Florida, the final stop on the five-circuit SBT P1 AquaX National Championship. Riders vied for national titles and the chance to qualify for the Bahamas World Championship in November.
Sam Nehme – 200 AM Enduro class (Yamaha GP1800 SVHO)
17-year-old high school senior Sam Nehme from South Florida has been racing nearly his entire life, and is now sponsored by Broward Motorsports, Yamaha, Judge Motorsports, Cabrera Motorsports, Shoei, Jettrim, Jetpilot, Worx Racing and Wamiltons Customs.
Sam’s father (also named Sam) is the President of Broward Motorsports, a multi-location motorsports dealership in Florida. Sam plans to work at the family dealership after graduating. Sam keeps race-ready with a strict exercise regimen and regular weekend practice on his ski.
This is Sam’s first full season of AquaX racing because he was not old enough to compete in the AM 200 class. Sam did race the Ski class in AquaX previously.
According to a P1 AquaX press release, Sam has won a number of titles in both the Ski and Sport classes and for 2022 he dominated the 200 AM class, finishing more than fifty points ahead of Kevin Sullivan in second place.
When asked why he thinks he’s been so successful this season, Sam replies: “I’ve been in good shape and I’m riding a very fast and reliable ski that hasn’t let me down. It takes the combination of a great team in your pits, a fast and reliable ski and also conditioning your body to perform at maximum capacity for each 30-minute moto.”
Like all the P1 AquaX riders, Sam travels from April through to September to compete in the National Championship and then, having qualified for the AquaX Bahamas World Championship, he will be heading to Nassau in early November to race in the 300 AM class.
“I’m very excited to be competing in that class for the first time and it will be a great stepping stone for me to jump into the Pro class next season,” comments Sam.
Maaan, I really wanted to love all three of Kawasaki’s new 310-horsepower JetSkis but the 2022 Ultra 310LX-S just feels like a missed opportunity. It’s the middle child stuck somewhere between the fully-loaded, hyper luxury, equipped-to-the-eyeballs 310LX and the stripped-down-to-the-skivvies, nothing but haulin’ ass 310X (which I absolutely loved by the way. Go check out that review if you haven’t seen it already).
Sadly, the LX-S is just kinda lost in between. Sure, it’s the only model sporting Kawasaki’s iconic Ebony and Lime Green color combo, so folks are gonna flock to it. But those are the diehard Kawi guys, and they’re gonna get it because well, it’s Kawi Green. But to the layman who is just shopping around, the LX-S has little that shouts “Look at me!” any more than say the 310X or LX.
Instead, it comes equipped with three features that are – for the sake of being a little too harsh – what I would view as the least appealing of all of the LX’s luxury options, namely the reverse-facing camera, Ultra Deck extension and LED running lights.
Heck, if Kawasaki offered a mid-tier JetSki borrowing everything else from the LX – specifically the four-speaker Jetsounds 4s sound system, 3-way adjustable seat and double USB-ports in the glove box – I’d consider that a superior package than the LX-S.
That and the name itself is confusing. Adding an additional letter on top of the LX denotes some level of superiority over the top tier JetSki – but it isn’t. Instead, it’s well below it. So the LX-S is both confusing in its intended target buyer as well as what its intended for.
So who is Kawasaki aiming the LX-S at? Initially, I thought I had that figured out. Oh, I get it, it’s a towing JetSki. The reverse camera, the extended deck, the rope storage and tow eye in back… yeah, that makes sense. But then the more I thought about it, the more I was on the fence.
See, Sea-Doo’s supercharged Wake Pro pumps out 230-horsepower, which is well below that of the Kawasaki’s Godzilla-level 310 output. While 230 is enough to pull even a heavier adult rider up and out of the water on a wakeboard, the Ultra’s 310 is enough to yank their arms out of their sockets if you happen to hit the throttle too hard.
While the LX-S comes with Launch Control – what they call Kawasaki Launch Control Mode (KLCM) – it’s not designed for tempered launches with a skier or tube full of kids behind you. Instead, it’s the kind of launch control you use when you’re lined up against your buddies in a head’s up drag race. Oh trust me, it works, and can be set for a single use or multiple launches, but again, you wouldn’t want your kids on a tow rope behind you when you did it.
The Ultra Deck is a nice addition to the ski…especially, if you’re hauling a big ol’ tube to your destination of choice as it adds gobs of space to the rear swim platform. It’s plenty big enough for a rear passenger to strap into a wakeboard – so again, the LX-S felt like the perfect answer to the Wake Pro.
The rear folding swim step is lengthened for easy boarding, and a trio of hand grips act as a functional ladder for deep water reboarding. And yes, the Ultra Deck also has integrated tracks for a variety of hard-mounted accessories (none of which I got the chance to play with, so I really can’t comment on how easy they are to install or remove –sorry!).
Again, the reverse-facing camera too was one of those things that made me think the LX-S was made for tow sports. Accessible through the new 7-inch wide TFT digital dashboard that’s controlled using a jog-dial control knob, the driver can look through the screen (that self-adjusts for brightness) at the raft or skier towed behind them.
While that legally doesn’t absolve the driver from having a second person to act as a “flag man” it does allow the driver a better view behind them. Plus, the camera allows you to zoom in two more times, although the fish eye-style lens can be a little distorting.
And yes, the new TFT dash is pretty trick and offers three different display modes, black or white backgrounds, a GPS-based speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, drive mode, boost pressure, clock, power mode, compass, trim, cruise and launch control, and three engine mode settings.
These are selected by the Mode button on the left-hand side of the handlebars, you choose between Full, Middle, and Low (which is basically like using the SLO – Smart Learning Operation – key). Every time you fire up the engine, you start in Middle (or Mpo) mode, which is roughly 80-percent of the Ultra’s full power.
In Middle mode, you’ll reach the Ultra’s top speed, just nowhere as quickly as you would with the ski set on Full mode (Fpo). Low mode cuts the power down to 60-percent of the Ultra’s total potency, and basically rides like if it didn’t have a supercharger at all – which may be the right setting for towing a raft or skier after all.
Kawasaki also includes a one-touch 5mph Mode activated by a button on the right-hand side of the bars when idling, and is deactivated when squeeze on the throttle. But as I think of it, I’m sorta burying the most important addition here: the new Kawi’s got brakes.
Dubbed “Kawasaki Smart Reverse with Deceleration” (KSRD), Kawi married the throttle trigger to the brake button, so it’s one piece. When you squeeze the throttle, the brake button pushes back towards you. When you hit the brake, the trigger extends forward.
This means that the new reverse fully overrides the throttle, slowing you down by deploying the reverse gate until the Ultra comes to a standstill. When you let go of the brake, the drive mode indicator on the dash flashes to “N” for neutral. If you press the brake, it’ll switch to Reverse; and obviously, if you squeeze the throttle, the dashboard will flash to Forward.
In my view, Kawasaki did a good job coming up with something different for system that had been done twice before. All three manufacturers have their own take on brake and reverse systems, and while the Kawasaki’s is definitely the most unique, it’s not hard to get use to.
To that point, if you’re thinking I’m all down on the LX-S let me tell you, they did a LOT right with the redesign: The 5-way adjustable handlebars are back, but are redesigned with better ergonomics, pistol grip-style handgrips, improved control modules with redesigned buttons with sealed membranes, and a softer throttle spring for less hand fatigue.
Gone is the super-wide saddle too. Instead, Kawi leaned hard into making the rider as comfortable as possible with a new seat narrowed 3.15-inches at the knees. Pinching the seat at the knees means you’re not riding so spread out. Equally, Kawi revised its urethane foam padding giving you deeper hip support and improved jolt and vibration absorption too.
Since Kawasaki added the new jog dial, gone is the traditional glovebox – instead, now you’ve got two of ’em. Each of the ski’s side fairings swing up on gull wing-style hinges opening up a horseshoe-shaped 10.6-gallons of storage, with the right-side featuring a half-gallon-sized watertight box for your phone or wallet (there’s also an optional USB port accessory to keep your phone charged).
Beneath the hood is the 32.8-gallon bow storage. There’s also a molded-in pocket at the rear that adds another 2.8-liters (0.7 gallons) of “wet” storage – ideal for a tow line. And for those keeping track, that’s a total of 44.5-gallons of storage, which is a heck of lot less than the previous generation’s 60-gallons.
Yeah, you can cram a bunch of stuff in the bow, but the opening is so stinking small I fought to shove my camera bag in there. Seriously, did nobody during the testing phase bring a backpack with them? REALLY? Guys, c’mon. Open the dang thing up again.
The Ultra’s fuel capacity bumped up half a gallon to a total of 21.1 gallons. The redesign also includes new built-in cleats, splash deflectors, and enlarged rear view mirrors. There’s also some pretty deep cup holders up by the dash ensuring that you won’t lose your bottled water except in seriously rough conditions.
There’s s’more doodads and doohickeys in the LX-S that your dealer can walk you through that frankly, most people won’t ever use or even know they have. Instead, I want to touch on two of the biggest changes to the new Ultras that nobody really talks about:
First, Kawasaki went full fly-by-wire, meaning that the supercharged 1,498cc inline four-cylinder DOHC powerplant has got a newfangled throttle control and engine management system. This allows for multiple acceleration maps, smart engine monitoring and lightning-fast throttle response.
Now in its fifth year, the current iteration of the Kawasaki 1.5-liter sports redesigned forged pistons, dramatically improved engine oiling, redundant cooling circuits, and increased heat mitigation. Squeezing the 8.2:1 compression slugs is a bonkers Eaton Twin Vortices Series (TVS) supercharger cramming a ridiculous 16.8 psi (at peak RPM) down its throat.
All of that adds up to a true 310-horsepower twisting out a class leading 1,890lbs. of thrust from its 160mm axial-flow, single stage jet pump. And if none of that made any sense to you, just know that’s a metric ton of bad ass at your fingertip.
Next, while Kawasaki did reinforce the bow of the Ultra’s 22.5-degree deadrise to stiffen it up, the rest of the true Deep-V hull hasn’t been changed. It’s still the same layered fiberglass covered in durable gel coat hull that’s been dominating offshore racing for 15 years now.
Instead, the entire deck was totally redesigned – and more importantly, lowered. The new overall deck height was dropped by 1.38-inches; equally, the footwells were widened and dropped several inches, putting the rider deeper inside the hull.
This means that your body weight is closer to the waterline, allowing you to ride smoother and more predictably in whatever conditions you encounter. More importantly, this single change has unlocked the Ultra’s ability to corner sharper and at faster speeds than ever before. Hairpins, S-turns, sweeps…the Ultra 310 can knock ’em out and do so in white-capped, wind-blown chop – something nobody else can claim.
By the numbers, the LX-S didn’t stack up against its lighter kin, the 310X. The LX-S adds nearly 35-pounds to its stripped-down sibling (1,065 vs. 1,031.9-pounds). Acceleration suffered as a result, putting it nearly a whole second behind the 310X’s 5-to-65mph time of 4.77-seconds (5.65-seconds).
Top speed numbers weren’t headline news either at 66.4 miles per hour, but these were recorded at 1,044 feet above sea level with a 240-pound rider, and in mid-90 degree air on Lake Mead, Nevada. Better conditions, less fuel and a lighter rider would certainly fare better results.
Again, the LX-S is fun – and I mean a lot of fun – but that’s because of the hull, the improved ergonomics and engine management updates – all stuff found on the $17,999 Ultra 310X. The LX-S and its $18,499 MSRP still struggles to know what it wants to be.
Is it a high performance towing rig? Is it a hardcore offshore competitor? It’s not quite luxurious but it’s not exactly a stripped-down race ski either. Without a clear identity or a targeted audience, it’s hard to know how to market the LX-S besides a middle tier trim package between two extremes.
The 310LX? I get. The 310X? I totally get. But the LX-S? Hmm…I dunno. It’s just kinda there.
Personally, I don’t think that does Kawasaki any favors in today’s market. Consumers want to be told exactly what they’re getting, what it’s meant for and what to expect. In such a high demand market, skis need to say exactly what it is and what it does to stand out among the crowd. Heck, they need to scream it. And the Kawasaki Ultra 310LX-S just doesn’t say anything, and that’s a shame because it’s a really good JetSki.
