Jet Ski is the brand name of a

personal watercraft A personal watercraft (PWC), also called water scooter or jet ski, is a recreational watercraft that a rider sits or stands on, not within, as in a boat. PWCs have two style categories, first and most popular being a runabout or "sit down" whe ...

(PWC) manufactured by Kawasaki, a Japanese company. The term is often used generically to refer to any type of personal watercraft used mainly for recreation, and it is also used as a verb to describe the use of any type of PWC. A runabout style PWC typically carries 3 people seated in a configuration like a typical bicycle or motorcycle.

Kawasaki Jet Ski

"Jet Ski" is a

proper noun A proper noun is a noun that identifies a single entity and is used to refer to that entity (''Africa'', ''Jupiter'', ''Sarah'', ''Microsoft)'' as distinguished from a common noun, which is a noun that refers to a class of entities (''continent, ...

and registered trademark of Kawasaki. The stand-up Kawasaki Jet Ski was the first commercially successful personal watercraft in America, having been released in 1972 (after reaching a license agreement with the inventor of the

Sea-Doo Sea-Doo is a Canadian brand of personal watercraft (PWC) and boats manufactured by Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). All Sea-Doo models are driven by an impeller-driven waterjet. All Sea-Doo PWC models are currently produced at BRP's plants ...

Clayton Jacobson II Clayton Jacobson II (October 12, 1933 – August 18, 2022) was an American inventor who was credited with inventing the jet ski. Biography Early life Jacobson was born in Multnomah County Hospital, Portland, Oregon, on October 12, 1933, to Cl ...

when his license agreement with Bombardier expired). The Kawasaki Jet Ski was the only commercially successful PWC for almost 16 years, from the introduction of the WSAA in October 1972 through the re-introduction of the sit-down, runabout style Bombardier Sea-Doo in 1988. With the introduction of the Jet Ski, Kawasaki, in cooperation with aftermarket companies and enthusiasts, helped in creating the United States Jet Ski Boating Association (USJSBA). In 1982 the name was changed to the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA). At the start, only JS440 stand-ups were raced. After Kawasaki introduced the runabout style X2 in 1986, it gained its own class, later to be renamed the "Sport Class".

Stand-up model history

1972–1976

Kawasaki introduces the first production stand-up PWC in October 1972. The WSAA and follow-on WSAB were powered by modified 400cc 2-stroke twin cylinder engines. The WSAA was designed with a flat hull and the WSAB came with a convex v-hull design. The design concepts distinctive of these original craft were a fully enclosed

impeller An impeller or impellor is a rotor used to increase the pressure and flow of a fluid. It is the opposite of a turbine, which extracts energy from, and reduces the pressure of, a flowing fluid. In pumps An impeller is a rotating component ...

for safety and self-righting, self-circling features. Without a

lanyard A lanyard is a cord, length of webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, and activation and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lower ...

the self circling allowed the rider to swim back to the idling craft after falling off. Kawasaki called them "Water Jet" and "Power Skis" before they settled on the name "Jet Ski".

1976–1982

The 1976 JS400 was popular among thrill-seeking recreational riders and racers. The 1977 JS440 offered more power and performance. It was one of Kawasaki's longest-selling models. In 1982, Kawasaki responded to market demand for more performance with the JS550. The 550 featured a newly designed high-capacity mixed flow pump driven by a more powerful 531cc engine. The 550 introduced an automatic rev limiter to prevent engine damage when the pump cavitates. The JS550 introduced underwater exhaust for quieter operation to the stand-up Kawasaki.

1982–1986

Kawasaki continued to improve the JS550 well into the 1990s. In 1986, Kawasaki added the JS300 to their model line-up, a single cylinder 294cc two-stroke engine featuring automatic fuel /oil mixing. They also added the 650 X2, their first "sit-down" Jet Ski, and originator of the Sport Class for PWC racing.

1987–1992

Kawasaki introduces the completely redesigned JS650SX. It featured an even higher capacity axial flow pump and a powerful 635cc two-stroke twin engine in a modified V-hull design for increased maneuverability and stability. In 1992, the company introduced a stand-up JS750-A. The engine was a twin-cylinder 743cc two-stroke with reed valves and automatic oil injection. The redesigned hull was lighter weight and more maneuverable.

1995

The 750 SXI (JS750-B) is introduced, and became the first stand-up Jet Ski with dual carburetors.

2003

Kawasaki introduces the SX-R 800 (JS800A), which increased displacement to 781cc, in the form of an in-line twin 2-stroke engine generating 80hp. The SX-R also moved to a fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) hull and top deck.

2011

Due to US

EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...

restrictions, Kawasaki releases their final two-stroke stand-up, and the last year of the JS800 SX-R, to recognize the 37-year history of the stand-up JetSki. The model designation was JS800ABF, with an MSRP of $7899.00.

2017

On October 6, 2016 Kawasaki reintroduced the stand-up Jet Ski. The 8 ft. 9 in., 550+ lb. SX-R 1500 shared little with its predecessors. Powered by a 160HP inline 4-cylinder four-stroke engine, the SX-R was described by one author as "on steroids" and having "lost some of the playfulness of early standup models". It holds 6.1 gallons of fuel, measures 104.5" long, 30.1" wide and 33.1" high.

Models

Kawasaki produced various models of the Jet Ski starting in 1972, beginning with the JS400 and leading up to the current JS1500.

Year and Model

(“1995 Kawasaki Prices & Values”) * 1980: JS400 * 1981: JS440 * 1982: JS440, JS550 * 1983: JS440, JS550 * 1984: JS440, JS550 * 1985: JS440, JS550 * 1986: JS300 B-1, JS440A10, JS550 * 1987: JS300-A1 300SX, JS300-B2, JS440-A11, JS550-A6, JS 650-A1 650SX * 1988: JS300-A2 300SX, JS300-B3, JS440-A12, JS550-A7, JS650-A2 650SX * 1989: JS300-A3 300SX. JS440-A13, JS550-A8, JS 650-A3 650SX * 1990: JS300-A4 300SX, JS440-A14, JS500-B1 550SX, JS650-A4SX * 1991: JS300-A5 300SX, JS 440-A15, JS550-C1 550SX, JS 650-B1 650SX * 1992: JS440-A16, JS550-C2 550SX, JS650-B2 650SX, JS750-A1 750SX * 1993: JS550-C3 550SX, JS650-B3 650SX, JS 750-A2 750SX * 1994: JS550-C4 550SX, JS750-A3 750SX * 1995: JS550-C5 550SX, JS750-A4 750SX, JS750 B-1 750SXI * 1996: JS750-B2 750SXI * 1997: Focused on sit-down Jet Ski * 1998: JS750-C1 SXI PRO * 1999: JS750-C2 SXI PRO * 2000: JS 750 SXI PRO * 2001: JS750 SXI PRO * 2002: JS750 SXI PRO * 2003: JS800 SXR * 2004: JS800 SXR * 2005: JS800 SXR * 2006: JS800 SXR * 2007: JS800 SXR * 2008: JS800 SXR * 2009: JS800 SXR * 2010: JS800 SXR * 2011: JS800 SXR * 2012-2016: N/A due to EPA laws and regulations * 2017: SX-R * 2018: SX-R * 2019: SX-R * 2020: SX-R * 2021: SX-R * 2022: SX-R “1995 Kawasaki Prices & Values.” NADAguides, https://www.nadaguides.com/Boats/1995/Kawasaki. Accessed 31 May 2022.

Other stand-up manufacturers

In 1990 Yamaha introduced the Super Jet. It was designed in consultation with Clayton Jacobson II. 2020 marks the last model year offered with a 2 stroke, 2021 models feature a 4 stroke engine. In 1994-1995 Yamaha introduced the FX-1, which had a limited production of 1500 units. In 2004 Bombardier introduced the

3D. Unfortunately it had an ill-fated life and was only sold as 2005-2007 model years. Various manufacturers produce a range of aftermarket competition hulls for stand-up PWCs.

References

External links

* {{Extreme sports Jet ski Vehicles introduced in 1972 Brands that became generic Personal water craft brands