Sea-Doo Onboard

Sea-Doo Onboard

Category Archives: She-Doo

Blog focuses on a first-time boat buyer with growing family. Highlighting fun with family and friends and all of the decisions that need to be made when buying a boat.

BRP TO #SPARKSOMEFUN IN 33 MARKETS WITH NEW SEA-DOO SPARK WATERCRAFT TEST RIDE TOUR

02 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in Events, Sea-Doo Lifestyle, She-Doo, Technologies, Where to Ride

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personal watercraft, ride before you buy, sea-doo test ride, sparksomefun seadoo tour, test ride a Sea-Doo, try a sea-doo, try a seadoo

Spark Family_22984_MY14

BRP will be showing consumers first hand how to make their dream of owning a Sea-Doo watercraft come true with the Sea-Doo #SPARKSOMEFUN Test Ride Tour. The 2014 #SPARKSOMEFUN Tour will be visiting 33 popular family boating destinations across North America offering consumers the chance to experience how accessible, and fun, the award-winning Sea-Doo Spark watercraft truly is.

The Sea-Doo #SPARKSOMEFUN Test Ride Tour provides current and potential watercraft riders the opportunity to try before they buy. The Sea-Doo events team will assist consumers in finding the right Sea-Doo product to fill their watersports/boating needs. Guests are offered an on-water experience aboard various configurations of the new Sea-Doo Spark, including models equipped with iBR, the only watercraft braking system. BRP is committed to re-spark the sport of personal watercraft by offering the biggest manufacturer on-water demo effort in the marine industry. In the coming months, BRP is looking to introduce the boating lifestyle to over 4000 people during the 33, three-day weekend events.

BRP’s Sea-Doo Spark is a paradigm-shifting product as the most accessible watercraft on the market, making the dream of being on the water possible for more families. The Sea-Doo Spark’s nimble, compact design features an all-new Exoskel architecture utilizing a new lightweight, durable, 100% recyclable Polytec material. The Spark offers six steps of customization; a choice between 2up or 3up platforms, choice between the most fuel-efficient watercraft engine available1, the Rotax 900 ACE2 or Rotax 900 HO ACE delivering a top speed of 40 and close to 50 mph respectfully3, option to add BRP’s intelligent Brake & Reverse (iBR)4, optional convenience package, choice of five colors, and ability to further personalize, including 20 Attitude Graphics Kits. The Sea-Doo Spark is a compact platform with a price close to 40% lower than the closest competitive model5 and at half the weight, making it easy to store and tow, and a blast to ride.

The Sea-Doo #SPARKSOMEFUN Test Ride events will be free to the boating public6 and are managed by the Sea-Doo events team – comprised of industry and product experts – and partnering authorized Sea-Doo watercraft dealers. Each Sea-Doo #SPARKSOMEFUN Tour stop is designed for both experienced and first time boating families to live the Sea-Doo lifestyle in a casual, fun filled atmosphere. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience first hand the fun the Sea-Doo Spark delivers starting at $4999 in United States. They will also be able to try the full-sized Sea-Doo GTI back-to-back to help them decide on the right Sea-Doo model to fit their watersports needs.

2014 Sea-Doo #SPARKSOMEFUN Test Ride Tour schedule

March 29  

  • Melbourne, Fla,, Eau Gallie Causeway Boat Launch Park

April 4-6 

  • Deerfield Beach, Fla., Quiet Waters Park

April 11-13  

  • St. Petersburg, Fla., Lake Seminole Park

April 25-27

  • Miami, Fla., Marine Stadium Rowing Club
  • Conroe, Texas, FM 830 Boat Ramp – Lake Conroe

May 2-4 

  • Lake Hartwell, SC, Lake Hartwell State Recreation Area
  • Ft. Walton Beach., Fla., Ross Marler Park
  • Austin, Texas, 360 Loop Launch Ramp

May 9-11

  • Acworth, GA, Cauble Park – Acworth beach
  • Shreveport, LA, Cypress Lake/Black Bayou Recreation Area
  • Phoenix, Ariz., Pleasant Harbour Marina – Lake Pleasant

May 16-18

  • Knoxville, Tenn., Concord Park (Sat & Sun)
  • Grapevine, Texas, Oak Grove Park
  • Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach Marine Stadium

May 30-June 1

  • Nashville, Tenn., Nashville Shores Waterpark – Percy Priest Lake
  • Osage Beach, MO, Dog Days Grill and Marina, Lake of the Ozarks
  • Castaic, Calif., Castaic Lake State Recreation Area

June 6-8

  • Newport News, Va., Huntington Park
  • St. Louis, Miss., George Winter Park
  • San Francisco, Calif., Coyote Point Regional Park – San Mateo

June 13-15

  • Jersey Shore, NJ, Multiple Stops
  • Minneapolis, Minn., TBD
  • Sacramento, Calif., Granite Bay – Folsom Lake

June 20-22

  • Riverhead, NY, Mariners Cove East Hampton Long Island
  • Lake Geneva, WI, TBD

June 27-29

  • Clayton, NY, TBD
  • Grand Rapids, MI, Kent County Park
  • Portland, OR, Henry Hagg County Park

July 11-13

  • Montreal, QC, TBD
  • Cleveland, OH, Whiskey Island Marina – Wendy Park Beach
  • Seattle, WA, TBD

July 18-20

  • Spokane, WA, Lake Coeur d’Aline
  • Quebec City, QC, TBD

We encourage everyone to visit www.TryaSeaDoo.com for detailed event information and to confirm a specific time slot on the day of your choice.

For a look at the new Sea-Doo watercraft, visit www.sea-doo.com

1Based on BRP internal testing. Testing of competitive models done under identical conditions. 2Featured exclusively on the Sea-Doo Spark 2up without Intelligent Brake and Reverse (iBR). 3Actual top speed may vary depending on loading and other conditions. 4iBR is not available on the Spark 2up with the Rotax 900 ACE engine. 5Source: Manufacturer’s website. Prices vary according to product specification. 6All Sea-Doo Test Ride Tour participants must possess a valid driver’s license and must be over the age of 18 and in some states/provinces may be required to possess a safe boaters certificate/card/license. All product comparisons, industry and market claims refer to new sit down PWC with 4-stroke engines. Watercraft performance may vary depending on, among other things, general conditions, ambient temperature, and altitude, riding ability and rider/passenger weight. Testing of competitive models done under identical conditions. Because of our ongoing commitment to product quality and innovation, BRP reserves the right at any time to discontinue or change specifications, price, design, features, models or equipment without incurring any obligation.

#SPARKSOMEFUN Activities for Thursday, 3/21

20 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in Events, Sea-Doo Lifestyle, She-Doo

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2014 Sea-Doo Spark, 9th street beach miami, 9th street Boucher Brothers beach, deadmau5 and sea-doo, deadmau5 concert tickets, sand art, Sea-Doo, SPARKSOMEFUN, sparksomefun miami

#SPARKSOMEFUN Miami is getting busy as we head into the deadmau5 concert weekend!

  • Want to win tickets to the deadmau5 concert on Sunday? Stop by the GREG MIKE mural in Wynwood (Kryogenefix Building) today from 2-6 pm and YOU could win tickets on the spot! Www.sparksomefun.com

GREGMIKE wall for post

  • We are headed to the beach on Thursday!  Check out the #SPARKSOMEFUN activities today from 10-2 at the 9th Street Boucher Brothers Beach.  We’ll be building some fun sand art and giving away tickets to see deadmau5 this Sunday at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach!

Fiats 1

  • Check out our Spark Mobiles cruising all over Miami – these are specially wrapped Fiats towing colorful Sea-Doo Spark watercraft.  They will be stopping randomly hand out tickets…keep an eye on our social networks for locations!

Visit www.sparksomefun.com for more information.

MUST HAVE OF THE WEEK: Sea-Doo Breeze Dress

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in MUST HAVE OF THE WEEK, She-Doo

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comfortable summer dress, on water style, sea- doo women's dress, Sea-Doo style, Sea-Doo watercraft, seadoo dress, women's sea-coo clothing

MUST HAVE OF THE WEEK:  Enjoy the lazy summer days in a comfortable and colorful Sea-Doo Breeze dress. The dress includes frill accents around the neckline and arms and an insert mesh on the back yoke for comfort. The Breeze Dress comes in two color options: Charcoal Grey and Pink. Item# 286358-XS-S-M-L-XL-2XL  MSRP: US $29.99 CAN $32.99

Breeze dress

The Breeze dress can be purchased at your local dealer or through the Sea-Doo website: http://store.sea-doo.com/product/0/286358/_/Breeze_Dress

Sea-Doo Holiday Gifts for Her

01 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in MUST HAVE OF THE WEEK, Sea-Doo Lifestyle, She-Doo

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Sea-Doo cap, sea-doo duffle bag, Sea-Doo gifts for her, Sea-Doo ladies boardshorts, Sea-Doo pfd, Sea-Doo pro rashguard, Sea-Doo rashguard

The ladies on your list enjoy Sea-Doo gear just as much as the guys! Here are our hot holiday picks for that special lady in your life!

Check out all of the gifts that our elves picked out for her here. 

Duffle bag

Sea-Doo Duffle Bag: Everything fits into our   Sea-Doo Duffle bag.  Pack it for a day on the water or a weekend getaway. It’s made of durable polyester and includes a segmented mesh inner pocket, a cooler side pocket and a waterproof compartment. The Duffle bag has a comfy shoulder protector and is roomy measuring in at 24” x 12” x 12” (60 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm). Buy now!

signature Tee

Sea-Doo Signature Tee: Comfortable and stretch, the Sea-Doo Signature Tee is a must-have for anyone on your list.  It is made of a stretchable fabric and has sleeve ties to adjust the sleeve length. The shirt comes in two colors, pink or white. Pairing the pink shirt with our Technical Riding Boardshorts make a perfect outfit for a day on the water or playing in the sun. Buy now!

technical board shorts ladies

Technical Riding Boardshorts: Constructed of 4-way lightweight quick-dry fabric, our Technical Riding Boardshorts are both comfortable and practical. They include a lightweight stretch neoprene removable lining.  These shorts dry quickly when headed inside and are comfortable enough to wear all day. Buy now!

seadoo cap

Sea-Doo Cap: Our Sea-Doo cap offers stylish protection from the sun and wind.  Available in blue or white the cap stretches for comfort due to elastic in the back of the cap. Buy now!

freewave pfd ladies

Ladies’ Freewave PFD: Ladies love our fitted technical Freewave PFD. The design provides a full range of motion, comfort and warmth.  The outer shell is made from ultra-durable neoprene and includes soft, beveled PVC foam inserts. The closure includes two woven straps with quick release buckles and a heavy-duty front zipper.  There are strategically placed mesh drain panels so the PFD dries quickly. Of course, any Sea-Doo PFD is not complete without a D-ring attachment for your floating Sea-Doo lanyard!  Our PFDs are made to fit snugly, so please ensure you consult our sizing chart before you order a PFD for that special someone. Buy now!

ladies rashguard

Ladies’ Rashguard: Stylish. Comfortable. Protection. The Ladies’ Rashguard provides SPF 50 UV protection and fits perfectly under our Freewave PFD. The rashguard is available in festive holiday colors: white, red or green (shown to the side). Buy now!

ladies pro rashguard

Ladies’ Pro Rashguard: If long sleeves is more her (or your) style try our Ladies’ Pro Rashguard.  With the same SPF 50 UV protection this Rashguard offers full protection with long sleeves.  The Pro Rashguard is available in white as shown. Buy now!

Order now and take advantage of our holiday special with free shipping on orders of $100 or more! The promotion starts on Dec. 11 and runs through Dec. 15.  The code for the holiday promotion is HOLIDAY2013

Congratulations Sarah on winning the #FINDYOURSPARK Instagram Contest

13 Sunday Oct 2013

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in Events, Sea-Doo Lifestyle, She-Doo

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2014 Sea-Doo Spark, Ariz, arizona, contest winner, FINDYOURSPARK, ijsba world finals, Instagram, Lake Havasu City, Lake Havasu City Arizona, Sea-Doo Spark, sea-doo spark instagram contest, United States

photo

 

Congratulations Sarah!  Sarah attended the IJSBA World Finals in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and was the lucky winner, selected randomly, from a pool of contestants.  To enter the contest participants snapped a selfie with their favorite Sea-Doo Spark, uploaded the photo to Instagram and tagged it with #findyourspark and tagged @brpseadoo.

Congratulations Sarah!  Have fun on your new Sea-Doo Spark!

SHE-DOO on Buying Boat Insurance

17 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in She-Doo

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bayliner boats, boat brands, boat insurance, boat prices, boats, fast boats, fishing boats, Jet boat, jet boats, jet ski, jetski, motorboating, performance boats, power boats, sea doo dealers, Sea-Doo boats, seadoo boats, speed boats, sport boats, types of boats, wakeboarding boats

Insurance…a wise and necessary investment.  As I continue on my path to boat ownership, I want to ensure that my  Sea-Doo boat will be covered in the case of an accident so I started my research and learned some very interesting facts!

Boat insurance is very similar to home or car insurance.  A boat policy will cover the boat for liability if someone is injured, coverage for damage that my boat inflicts on others (docks, boats, etc.) or coverage for physical damage for my boat if I were to hit something or run aground.  If I want more comprehensive coverage I would need to purchase an additional policy (theft, fire, flood, etc.).

One of the first things I learned is that there are two different types of policies: Agreed Value and Market Value.

-Agreed Value: the insurer and insuree agree on the value of the boat upfront, sort of like the sticker price on a car.  If something happens to the boat, then you would be reimbursed for the agreed value.

-Market Value: market value is for the actual market value of the boat.  If I purchase market value, the insurance company will depreciate the boat as time passes.

I chose to quote Agreed Value, since the boat will be brand new and I will be financing the boat. I also opted to include my trailer and marine electronics in my policy. This raised the rate a bit, but gives me much greater peace of mind knowing that my investment will be fully protected.

We went over the discounts available and I receive a few such as boaters license discount, original owner and I intend to pay in full.  I checked with my home insurance company and they offer a recreational vehicle option, but found a more competitive rate with another insurer.  Most companies will offer discounts when bundling insurance, but my insurance company’s discount did not mirror the rates I received with another company.

I found some excellent on-line resources that helped to educate me on the process including:

Discoverboating.com

Boatingmag.com

Sportfishingmag.com

Many companies offer marine insurance. My recommendation is to check with your home owner’s or auto insurance provider first as well as doing some competitive analysis.  Some of the most well-know carriers include: Progressive, Boat US, Allstate, Geico and State Farm.

Any insurance words of wisdom?  Any pitfalls or good things that you have experienced?  All advise welcome!

SHE DOO is actually Mrs. JA and she is indeed a full-time, working mom of three and is quickly being immersed into the boating life. She will be taking an everyday consumer approach to the entire boat buying process. SHE DOO will be a ongoing segment at OnBoard taking you with her along the journey as she progresses through the process of looking for the right boat, purchasing the right boat, learning the proper boating procedures and operations, real life experiences on the water with her family and everything else there is to know about making the most out of the boating experience and the Sea-Doo LIFE. Her immediate thoughts are how to entertain her 17, 15 and 10 year olds and friends as she sees them being on the water as a much better alternative than them being on the streets.

 

 

SHE-DOO ON BOAT STORAGE: To Store or not to Store…That is the Question

26 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in She-Doo

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bayliner boats, boat brands, boat dealers, boat prices, buying a boat, buying a Sea-Doo boat, first time boat owner, fishing boats, jet boats, jet ski, jet skis, motorboating, performance boats, power boats, sea doo dealers, Sea-Doo boats, seadoo boats, She-Doo, speed boat, sport boats, storing my boat

As we inch closer to our boat purchase, I am in full-blown preparation mode for my new Sea-Doo boat!

We have decided on the model that we wish to purchase…it is the Sea-Doo Challenger 230 SE.  This is the top of the line Sea-Doo Challenger model that offers some additional perks such as a bow and cockpit cover, stainless steel cup holders, 4-speaker stereo system, ECO mode and more.

Our decision is also based on available space.  My family is only 5 people, but three of those 5 people are over 6 foot tall.  Add in a few teenage friends and the extra space in this boat will go to great use!  The storage is also a huge plus for me.  Most of our trips will be day trips on the river where we will head to Sebastian Inlet or up and down the Florida waterways, so I plan to pack food, clothes, etc., enough for all of us!

Now that we have the boat decision made, we have to figure out the other decisions, the first one is storage.

We have a few options to store our boat…at our house, an on-water slip in a local marina or in rack storage.  I have already ruled out an on-water slip.  This is a big investment for us and I do not want the salt water prevalent in all of our bodies of water in Florida to do any damage to the hull of the boat.  I also am concerned that water-born creatures will attempt to call my new Sea-Doo home and I have heard horror stories of miniscule animals damaging boats stored in the water. That leaves us with storing the boat at home, on the side of the house and towing it each time we want to use it, or in a local dry-dock storage facility.

I called a few local storage facilities that use high and dry fork lifts to pull the boat out of the water and store in their multi-level storage facility.  The beauty to this type of storage would be that we would just have to call ahead or show up at the dock and the boat would be waiting for us to load up and go. The closest facility is a family owned and operated full-service marina, so we wouldn’t have to worry about fueling or cleaning the boat afterwards. They are already set up to help us with everything we need to prepare for a day on the water and to get the boat ready for storage post boating.  The quotes I received came in around $250 per month for a 23-foot boat.  This price is much more affordable than I would have imagined.  This is very high on my consideration list as I see it as the easiest way for me to get out on the water, quickly and with little advance preparation.

The other option is to store the boat at our house.  We can store it on the side of the house, but we do not have a covered storage area appropriate for the boat.  We live in a mature housing development and there is no possibility for adding space to the house or adding on a garage to store the boat.  This option presents us with the least expensive option, but also a bit more work. We would tow the boat to our intended launch ramp, launch at the dock, clean it post boating near the ramp and then bring it back home.  For this option we will need to ensure we have adequate experience towing a boat (I don’t, but my husband does) and will have to allow advance time for boat preparation to get out on the water.  Less expensive yes….however, also more work.

The storage debate is still being waged in our household…I am advocating for the dry storage and my husband is advocating for the beside-the-house storage—I will let you know who wins this one!

Where do you store your boat? Are you a fan of one or the other options?  If you were in my shoes, what would you do? Would love to hear your ideas. Also, please let me know if there are other storage solutions that I have not researched.

SHE DOO is actually Mrs. JA and she is indeed a full-time, working mom of three and is quickly being immersed into the boating life. She will be taking an everyday consumer approach to the entire boat buying process. SHE DOO will be a ongoing segment at OnBoard taking you with her along the journey as she progresses through the process of looking for the right boat, purchasing the right boat, learning the proper boating procedures and operations, real life experiences on the water with her family and everything else there is to know about making the most out of the boating experience and the Sea-Doo LIFE. Her immediate thoughts are how to entertain her 17, 15 and 10 year olds and friends as she sees them being on the water as a much better alternative than them being on the streets.

SHE DOO TEST RIDE: On the Water in a Sea-Doo 210 SP

24 Thursday May 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in She-Doo

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bayliner boats, boat brands, boat dealers, family boating, fast boats, fishing boats, jet boats, jet ski, jet skis, performance boats, personal watecraft, power boats, sea doo dealers, Sea-Doo boats, sea-doo demo, sea-doo life, sea-doo test ride tour, seadoo boats, seadoo dealers, seadoo demo, seadoo life, speed boats, transat seats, try a sea-doo, try a seadoo, types of boats

As we get closer to our boat decision, we decided to take advantage of the Sea-Doo Life Test Ride Tour as the first stop was in our local area.  The tour gave us the opportunity to get out on the water in one of the Sea-Doo boats, a 210 SP.

The 210 SP has a lot of cool features in 21-foot package.   I especially liked the layout of the cockpit, the double bucket seats are nice and I plan to claim one of them if this is the model we decide on!  I can already hear the calls of “shotgun” and arguments of who gets the second best seat on the boat-maybe I will have my name embroidered on this second cockpit seat!

We took the whole family along for the test ride as we would be enjoying our time on the water with everyone and always will have friends or family in tow.  The 210 SP has seating for eight adults—my boys are already approaching adult size so we all five fit nicely into the 210 SP with room to spare for friends and family.

The maneuverability of this boat is outstanding! I have heard many people discussing the benefits of stern drives vs. jet drives and, as a new boater, I find the jet drive very simple to maneuver and operate.

The iTC controls (intelligent Throttle Controls) are great features.  One of my favorites is Eco Mode.  The cost of a day on the water is important to me and this feature will help us save gas and ensure the boat is operating at the most efficient speed for our touring.  Most of our rides will be on the Indian River and there are hundreds of islands to explore and great on-water restaurant destinations to visit.  One of our primary destinations, the Sebastian River Inlet, is about 45 minutes away by car.  On busy summer weekends hundreds of boats will stop on the sandbar and enjoy a big boat party—really looking forward to being able to join them!  My plan is to chill in the Transat seats and enjoy the view!

Docking mode is another HUGE feature.  One of my biggest concerns is learning how to dock and trailer the boat. My husband has many years of on-water experience, but the rest of us are still novices!  Just the stress of trying to load or dock at a busy ramp/marina gives me angst.  This feature makes it so that, even I, could dock or load the boat by lowering the power delivery system.  Even if I made a minor mistake (accelerated too quickly or whatever) Docking Mode makes it so that the power is limited to 3500 RPM for easier handling.

My kids were very concerned about the ability to tow them on wake boards and in an inner tube.  The SP has an Arch Tower with a bimini top that keeps the wake riders up on the water.  The prop-less drive will help me relax (in those cool Transat seats) while the kids jump off the boat or get back on after towing. We also have a few low bridges to maneuver on our way out to the River; the ability to easily lower the tower will be a huge feature.

The closed loop cooling system is also a strong selling point to me.  All Sea-Doo boats have this feature and will help me protect my investment by not cooling the engine by outside water.  Our rivers all run into the ocean and the salt water damages EVERYTHING around here.  I feel confident that a Sea-Doo boat will help me alleviate the potential salt-water damage.

Overall, taking the Sea-Doo SP 210 out for a spin helped me get the true feel of the boat and the features that are important or will become important to me, and my family, to help us enjoy our time on the water.   The Test Ride Tour is continuing in many markets throughout the US through the beginning of August.  Check out the dates and markets by visiting www.seadoodemo.com.

The Sea-Doo 210 SP ready to take us on our Test Ride!

Taking baby steps but each one gets us closer to being able to spend all of the time we want out on the water…..

 

SHE DOO is actually Mrs. JA and she is indeed a full-time, working mom of three and is quickly being immersed into the boating life. She will be taking an everyday consumer approach to the entire boat buying process. SHE DOO will be a ongoing segment at OnBoard taking you with her along the journey as she progresses through the process of looking for the right boat, purchasing the right boat, learning the proper boating procedures and operations, real life experiences on the water with her family and everything else there is to know about making the most out of the boating experience and the Sea-Doo LIFE. Her immediate thoughts are how to entertain her 17, 15 and 10 year olds and friends as she sees them being on the water as a much better alternative than them being on the streets.

 

 

 

 

SHE DOO GOES TO SCHOOL: All about Boater Safety and Education

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in She-Doo

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boat brands, boater safety, boating in Florida, boating safety for teens, fas boats, jet boats, jet ski, jetski, learning about boater safety, performance boats, personal watercraft, sea doo dealers, Sea-Doo boats, Sea-Doo WAKE 155 safety, Sea-Doo watercraft, seadooo boats, speed boats, sport boats, teenagers and boats, types of boats

In my quest to embrace the boating lifestyle and become an official boating family, I decided that we would be proactive and obtain our boater safety cards and start to prepare for the eventual purchase of a new Sea-Doo boat or watercraft.  Plus, my 15 and 17-year-old sons are thoroughly enjoying our friends’ new Sea-Doo WAKE 155 watercraft (as often as they can) and I want to ensure that they are aware of the marine environment and are safe, responsible, and aware boaters.

In the state of Florida you can legally ride a Sea-Doo personal watercraft at 14 (check you local laws as every district varies)….something that they regularly remind me when requiring them to take a boater safety course!  I don’t know if you remember yourself as a teenager, but I am sure you remember that you knew everything (as they think they do)!  As a parent, I will also, eventually, allow them to take the boat out on their own and I want to ensure that they posses the proper skills and boating etiquette and regulations knowledge.

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SHE-DOO GOES SHOPPING: The excitement of the Miami International Boat Show

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in She-Doo

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boating, buying a boat in Florida, buying a boat in miami, family, how do I decide what boat to buy?, Jet boat, lifestyle, miami boat show, on the water, outboard boat, pwc, Sea-Doo, Sea-Doo boats, stern drive

It was a beautiful, sunny Miami day on Thursday when I headed to the Miami International Boat Show.  The Miami Boat Show is held at three separate locations: the Miami Beach Convention Center, the Sea Isle Marina (huge yachts on the water) and Strictly Sail which is held at Miamarina Bayside.

Yes, this is a personal submarine.

As I was walking down aisle after aisle of the boat show I quickly realized that I am a true beginner when it comes to having a deep understanding of recreational boating or the pieces involved in choosing and buying a boat.  There were many aisles of boats, watercraft, parts, outboards, propellers, life rafts, anchors, decking, navigational equipment, and even a personal submarine…it was truly overwhelming, but also exciting!

I have been researching purchasing a runabout style boat for my family of five and all the friends that go along with that, and wanted to ensure that I am making the right type of engine decision…the jet boats interest me for their ease of entry into the market, safety aspects, and the advanced technologies that make for a simple, fun day of the water. My first stop was to talk to popular boat companies representing outboard boats and stern drive boats.  Each of the manufacturers that I visited extolled the virtues of their respective technology, but each also had some positive things to say about jet technology.  In some areas, jet technology just couldn’t be beat: safety (no props—huge with kids jumping off of and getting in and out of the boat), space (the engine in the stern drives takes up a ton of useable open space) and performance.  Other areas were about the same (gas usage) and towing features.  After speaking with comparable manufacturers I was further convinced that a water jet propelled boat will fit my family’s needs and lifestyle the best.

Next, I compared the two leading water jet propelled boat brands and inquired about the differences between their boats and Sea-Doo boats.  The only real difference the sales person of the other brand could explain was that their boats were traditional and that they were happy to give up a good amount of cockpit space to offer a transom lounge area. . . I thought to myself, I will probably spend more time in the boat than on the back, so this was a minor aspect to weigh. The also mentioned their strength in salt water usage.  This was not a strong point of distinction to me.  Sea-Doo has a closed loop cooling system that uses coolant, as opposed to salt or fresh water, to protect the engine from corrosion from salt water. The Sea-Doo sales person told it to me this way, “Would you put salt water into the radiator of you car? Why do it in a boat when you have the option of getting a boat with closed loop cooling with antifreeze running through its engine’s veins?” That made a lot of sense.

After spending a few hours in competitive research mode, I decided to spend some time looking more closely at the Sea-Doo models.  Sea-Doo had five boats at the show: a 150 Speedster, a 180 SP, a 210 Challenger S, a 230 Challenger and a 230 WAKE.

I loved the color of the 150 Speedster, the Lucky Green popped! However, the speedster looks fun but with a family of five, one of us would be stuck on the beach. My teenage sons would love it for this reason — they would want to take it out without mom, dad and their little sister — but that is not why we want to purchase a family boat!

The colors, graphics and lines of the 230 WAKE are intriguing.  I liked the features of the 230 WAKE: lights, additional speakers, arch tower, LCD touch screen, and I liked the overall size of the 230 WAKE.  This one is still on my ‘potential’ list.  My kids love to be towed and would like the wake-specific features, so this one is ranked high on my list.

The Challenger family is where my heart is and I am conflicted over the 210 Challenger SE and the 230 Challenger SE.  The 180 Challenger is a good family starter boat and would have been a good choice had we ventured into boating when the kids were younger.  At this point my teenage sons are 6’ and 6’3” respectively, add a few friends and my daughter and her friends and you can easily see why a few more feet quickly becomes attractive! Each has similar features but also slight differences.

Sea-Doo 210 Challenger SE


210 Challenger SE:  This boat is very roomy inside for being 21-feet on the outside and has tons of storage. One of the highlight features is the Transat seats on the swim platform.  We live in Florida and plan to spend a lot of time on lakes and the inter-coastal waterways. There are a lot of sandbars where everyone hangs out—on a busy weekend you will find 50 boats lined up on a sand bar with everyone enjoying the water.  I plan to spend a lot of time lounging in these Transat seats at the sand bar and feel like this feature was made especially for me! I like the extra speakers and accessibility from the swim deck storage on the back of the boat as well.

Sea-Doo 230 Challenger

 

230 Challenger SE:  This one is probably number one on my list. I like the size of the boat. It’s listed as a 23-foot boat but closer to 24-feet; I like the roominess and the size of the open bow.  The bow is one of the reasons that it is so high on my list….I envision arguments about who gets to sit in the bow as a regular occurrence. Just like they argue over the front seat of the car, the larger bow space on this model should help overcome these objections!   I like the swim platform and the swim platform mat, which makes for safer and more comfortable entry and exit of the boat.  I like the twin engines, removable cooler, storage…I just have to convince my family that this is the one.

After spending time at the boat show, I am encouraged and have a clearer vision of the boats that we are interested in.  Next step will be family discussions to determine which one is THE ONE.  Wish me luck.

SHE DOO is actually Mrs. Julie A and she is indeed a full-time, working mom of three and is quickly being immersed into the boating life. She will be taking an everyday consumer approach to the entire boat buying process. SHE DOO will be a ongoing segment at OnBoard taking you with her along the journey as she progresses through the process of looking for the right boat, purchasing the right boat, learning the proper boating procedures and operations, real life experiences on the water with her family and everything else there is to know about making the most out of the boating experience and the Sea-Doo LIFE. Her immediate thoughts are how to entertain her 16, 15 and 10 year olds and friends as she sees them being on the water as a much better alternative than them being on the streets.

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