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New to floaty toys

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sampuppy1

sampuppy1

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So I'm buying my first floaty toy this week. A very well cared for and responsibly ridden 2003 GTX 3up. 369 hours. I know the owner personally.

I'm 25 and never piloted any watercraft so this is going to be a learning experience for sure. I'm a driver by career and a mechanic on the side. But being on the water I have never actually been on a pwc. So..... School me! I live near dozens of small lakes. And being in Michigan I have access to many large lakes which I probably won't touch for the first couple years I own the thing until I get comfortable with operating it.

Here's some pics!

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I want to know anything about these from tips for beginner riders so I don't kill myself or anyone else, to proper maintenance and winterization, exterior maintenance and care, etc.

I do almost all my own work on my personal vehicles. I've built engines and transmissions. Only things I haven't done are things that haven't broke. I've been a heavy truck mechanic by trade for a few years until I realized I like wrenching recreationally as opposed to daily. So I took up driving. I'm a gear head. And I don't have enough free time to enjoy a full size boat for what they cost. This little pwc is small, cheaper on fuel, and can go just about anywhere in short order since I have five decent lakes within 15 minutes and dozens within an hour from my house.
 
Thanks in advance! I'm big into forums and love chatting with other enthusiasts. I lurked around here for about an hour and liked what I saw. Hell I'm convinced I can probably use this bastard to do some Sunday bass fishing every once in a great while Hahahaha!
 
The best advice I can give you is to take a Safe Boating Class. Given by the Coast Guard Auxiliary or the Power Squadron. The course will teach you the basics of safe boating, and it takes just a few hours, it's mandatory in some states, it should be required in all states.

Lou
 
Absolutely. You really should take a boat course. You will learn some very important and potentially life saving information.
 
I'm required to take a boater safety course in Michigan. I'm a firefighter so I have to stay on top of that kinda stuff as I know all the local cops as well as working closely with the DNR here. I will not operate it without taking the course. It can be done online.
 
I would suggest practicing slow speed maneuvering away from hard objects until you get the feel for the machine. How the reverse, throttle and steering work at slow speed takes a bit of practice.
 
sampuppy1 said:
Yeah I subbed that yesterday. And laughed at the misfortunes I'm bound to experience.
Click to expand...

cool, I believe you are on the right track then.

One thing i'll point out, these things are pretty darn easy to learn the basic's on, and of course the added advantage that falling off one at normal speeds usually isn't painful, just embarrassing (IMO falling off is a right of passage, not an embarrassment)

I'll stress again: The nice part the learning curve for PWC's that might be associated with learning motorcycle riding doesn't come with as many injured body parts or dent's, you just climb back on and try again.

IMO it take about 45 minutes to get to a reasonable comfort level where you feel like you won't run into a seawall or bouy, (it can take that long to train your brain to hit the gas to avoid obstacles vs letting off the gas, which is a natural instinct) then about 5 hours to get to the next level where you feel like you can turn/adjust speed/direction w/o feeling like your going to toss yourself off.

Have fun !!!
 
Since you are new to Sea doo PWC don't be afraid to spend a little extra on a premium membership on this forum and read thru the shop manual or print one off and put it in your "reading room". I am new to Sea doo too, altho my wife and I have had PWC for 20 years. You will get satisfaction, as I have, by doing as much of your own maintenance and fixing as you can, plus you'll save money for gas and parts. Our dealer is $90.00 per hour. We have RXT's and your hull looks similar to ours and they are stable and a good ride. Now we wish we would have splurged for Sea doo's before 'cause or other PWC's beat the dog wee wee out of us. Thanks for the pics of your ride, it does look like the previous owner took good care. Everyone should take a boating course and here it isn't mandatory so a person with more money than brains can get a 80 mph 300 RXP and get on it with no instruction and scare the rest of us silly. Or let the kids ride unsupervised with the same effect. There is also a fishing thread on this site and you have every thing you need on your GTX to make it happen. Have a great summer!
 
Spimothy Leary said:
cool, I believe you are on the right track then.

One thing i'll point out, these things are pretty darn easy to learn the basic's on, and of course the added advantage that falling off one at normal speeds usually isn't painful, just embarrassing (IMO falling off is a right of passage, not an embarrassment)

I'll stress again: The nice part the learning curve for PWC's that might be associated with learning motorcycle riding doesn't come with as many injured body parts or dent's, you just climb back on and try again.

IMO it take about 45 minutes to get to a reasonable comfort level where you feel like you won't run into a seawall or bouy, (it can take that long to train your brain to hit the gas to avoid obstacles vs letting off the gas, which is a natural instinct) then about 5 hours to get to the next level where you feel like you can turn/adjust speed/direction w/o feeling like your going to toss yourself off.

Have fun !!!
Click to expand...
I'm a truck driver (asphalt construction) and when in doubt throttle out is a regular reaction for the industry. I find myself laying into it to escape situations more than I do standing on the brakes and clutch (although I have had to do that a few times resulting in a 30k lb dump truck sliding sideways)

I usually find ways to laugh at my misfortunes. It makes life much more enjoyable. Being a firefighter as well I always look forward to getting the worst case scenarios out of the way as quick as possible. (first fatal car wreck, interior fire attack, being on fire, etc.) although being tossed off a ski seems like it would be a much more laughable experience. High speeds of course are never anything to play with. Surface tension at 60mph or choppy water is quite comparable to concrete from what I've heard. I don't plan to be hauling the mail on the thing for awhile. I'm young and like to have fun but I'd like to live to see another 25 years.

I'm a driver by blood. I love driving, I'm extremely analytical and attentive. I even have my regular drives analyzed to the point I can hit green lights no matter what time of day. It's one of my passions. I learn fast. My three day CDL training ended up only taking a day and a half. I respect what I drive and what it's capable of doing and not doing. I can put my dump truck places people question fitting mid-sized cars just because they don't familiarize themselves with their wheel base and dimensions (the folks that take three point turns out of parking spots in parking lots because the five feet of space they have looks too close for comfort)

I'm hoping I can pick up piloting this bad boy fairly quick.

tom scheidecker said:
Since you are new to Sea doo PWC don't be afraid to spend a little extra on a premium membership on this forum and read thru the shop manual or print one off and put it in your "reading room". I am new to Sea doo too, altho my wife and I have had PWC for 20 years. You will get satisfaction, as I have, by doing as much of your own maintenance and fixing as you can, plus you'll save money for gas and parts. Our dealer is $90.00 per hour. We have RXT's and your hull looks similar to ours and they are stable and a good ride. Now we wish we would have splurged for Sea doo's before 'cause or other PWC's beat the dog wee wee out of us. Thanks for the pics of your ride, it does look like the previous owner took good care. Everyone should take a boating course and here it isn't mandatory so a person with more money than brains can get a 80 mph 300 RXP and get on it with no instruction and scare the rest of us silly. Or let the kids ride unsupervised with the same effect. There is also a fishing thread on this site and you have every thing you need on your GTX to make it happen. Have a great summer!
Click to expand...

I have two vehicles at a quarter of a million miles. They didn't get that far without a strong sense of what proper maintenance is. My truck has 266k miles. I've ripped apart damn near every part of the thing at some time or another. Everything is synthetic fluid wise. Filters are top shelf. Any parts I buy are top of the line. It's no looker right now but the greasy side is top notch. Greased every other oil change. I know every sound it makes, all the idiot lights are pulled. I'm connected to it like its a part of me. Washed weekly when driven and started weekly when it sits.

My car is new to me. We got introduced with a transmission rebuild. My first. And I must say that I'm very pleased with the results. It's prettier than the truck. And I tend to keep it as such. Washed weekly as well. I even wax it since the rust isn't as bad. Synthetic everything that I've changed so far. So rest assured that maintenance wise this GTX is in good hands. I'll be looking for care and maintenance threads here for sure.

I saw the fishing section! I'll be in there. I love fishing but haven't had the ability to spend much time doing it. I plan to use this sucker for all its potential. I like that I can tow with it as well as go out on my own and enjoy some time by myself. I'm really excited to get into the pwc life. I'm a huge outdoorsman.





Thanks for the warm welcome folks. I think I'll thoroughly enjoy my ski as well as my stay here. Y'all seem like a great group of folks.
 
This having a job thing is really getting in my way of obtaining this new toy. Haven't even made it to the bank yet to sign the paperwork to get the cash to buy the sucker. Got the cash for a trailer. But haven't been able to go get that yet either.
 
And just like that.
220.jpg

Most of that paper just got traded for this
221.jpg
the rest is for a trailer, boater safety stuff, life jackets, etc.
 
Just out of curiosity, you bought the ski privately? That is, not from a dealer , who issues the certificate in your second photo?
 
So I've been working through the study guide online for the boater safety course for Michigan. Took me a solid week since I've been learning a bunch and going back for things I didn't quite remember. Finally finished the thing and registered to take the test....... Surprise! You need to go through the entire blasted study guide to get to the exam! The only difference (which really burns my ass since I spent....correction; wasted; a whole week already) is that the course is timed. Meaning you have to stay on each page for a specified time before you can move to the next page. Meaning folks that like to be prepared such as myself and went through the online guide first.... Now have to waste three plus more hours waiting for a timer to count down so you can click your way past all the crap you literally just went through, so you can get to the actual exam. I'm not enthused.
 
Yeah, that's pretty standard stuff though. It sucks, but it is what it is.

I had to take an online course to avoid points on my license for driving my 2011 Mustang GT a little too quick. It was timed as well. So I was running two separate browser instances. A few beers and two movies later, I was done. :thumbsup:
 
Had I known the course was like that I wouldn't have messed with the damn study guide. I got the jet ski drying out in the driveway. I've been poking around it a bit here today. Gonna go tow it around a little and get used to the trailer in a bit. Might even go to the lake.
 
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