If you plan to use your jet ski for water skiing, it is important that you choose the right one. In this article, I will review the best jet skis for water skiing, and also discuss the best types of jet skis for water skiing.
Best jet skis for water skiing
The three best jet skis for water skiing are the Sea Doo RXP-X 300, Kawasaki ultra 310x, and the Sea doo Wake Pro 230.
Sea Doo RXP-X 300
The sea doo RXP-X 300 is one of the most powerful jet skis on the market, and it is a great choice for water skiing. In fact, it is the most powerful sea-doo no the market.
It has a powerful 4-stroke engine with 300 horsepower. Aside from power, the hull has a great aerodynamic design that helps increase speed but is still stable in rough water.
Thanks to its high-tech steering and braking system, it is very easy to maneuver.
There are really only two downsides with this jet ski. The first being that it can only fit two people at a time. The second downside is that it is pretty expensive. At the time of this writing, it costs around $16,500.
Kawasaki ultra 310x
The Kawasaki ultra 310x is the most powerful jet ski model out right now. It features a 310 horsepower engine that offers more than enough power to tow a water skier. The hull is also designed to easily cut through the water and provides great stability even at high speeds.
It also has a built-in smart reverse system that easily lets you decelerate. This will help you a lot when your water skier falls down, and you need to go retrieve them.
Aside from performance, it also had some cool accessories including built-in jet ski speakers. It can also fit up to three people.
In terms of downsides, I can really only think of two. While the heavy weight of the jet ski (around 1,040 pounds) helps keep the jet ski stable in the water, it does make it a little harder to transport. Secondly, this jet ski is also pretty expensive, costing around $17k to $18k for a new model. However, there are a lot of used jet ski models on the market for much cheaper.
If you are an adult and looking for skis, you should check out my guide on the best water skis for adults.
Sea doo wake pro 230
The second sea-doo on the list is the wake pro 230, and it was specifically designed for towing in mind. It has a horsepower of 230 which is more than enough to tow a water skier. The motor even as a “Ski Mode” which is designed specifically for accelerating while you two someone. There is also a very convenient harness located behind the seat that you can attach the tow rope to which helps keep the rope away from the engine. This will make it easy for beginners to get up on water skis.
This jet ski also features an intelligent brake system which easily lets you decelerate and reverse. The large hull design provides a lot of stability during your ride, especially during high speeds.
There is also a removable board rack that you can use to store your water skis while you aren’t using them.
At the time of this article, the sea doo wake pro 230 costs around $17,499. If you want a cheaper version, you can check out the Sea Doo wake, which has 170 horsepower and only costs $12,900.
You can read more about his model in my sea doo wake pro 230 review.
Another good cheap jet ski for water skiing is the Sea-doo GTR. It only costs around $13,300 new, and still offers a lot of power with a 230 horsepower engine. It is very easy to maneuver in the water, and also has an intelligent braking system which makes it easy to change directions and speed. If you are in the market for a boat, you can also check out my article on the best pontoon boat for water skiing.
Now that you know some good jet skis for water skiing, let’s talk about what sort of jet ski is best for water skiing.
Horsepower
It is important that your jet ski has enough horsepower to reach an adequate speed and acceleration for water skiing. I recommend that you get a jet ski that has a horsepower of at least 130 HP.
While less powerful engines could work, you might have a hard time getting enough power to continually pull someone on water skis. Additionally, you might overwork and cause damage to a jet ski if it is not powerful enough to tow a water skier.
4-stroke
If you plan on using your jet ski to tow a water skier, you should make sure you have a jet ski with a 4-stroke engine. 4-Stroke engines have are bigger than 2-stroke and offer more power and stability. They last longer than 2-strokes, and it’s much easier to get repairs done to a 4-stroke engine. They are also way better for the environment.
Large size
Aside from a powerful engine, you will also want a jet ski with a large and heavy frame. This will help cut through choppy waters while pulling a water skier. A smaller, lighter jet ski might have the power to pull a water skier, but it will run into trouble when choppy waters alter its course.
Additionally, a jet ski with a larger base and weight will be able to generate more of a wake for the person waters skiing.
It is also important to have a jet ski that has enough seat room for at least two people. This is because you will need to have someone driving the jet ski, as well as someone turned the opposite direction to closely monitor the person that is water skiing. In fact, there are some states that mandate by law that you have someone facing and “spotting” the water skier at all times.
Crafty
It is also important that you get a jet ski that is crafty and easily able to maneuver through the water. While you certainly want stability, you want a jet ski that can easily turn directions. It is also important that you have a jet ski that has a brake/reverse system. This will make it much easier to retrieve your water skier from the water.
You should also check out the best ropes for water skis.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you understand the best type of jet ski for water skiing. You want to make sure you get a jet ski that is both powerful enough and stable to tow a water skier behind you. While new jet skis can get pretty expensive, you should be able to find a quality used jet ski for a good price that can tow a water skier.
Make sure you always keep an eye out on the water for other boats and jet skis when you tow a water skier.
