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Rare glimpse at a 1969 Seadoo

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Are those electrical connectors?


1969 Sea Doo Watercraft - $4500 (Milwaukee)
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1969 Sea Doo watercraft which has been in storage since 1990. Is a rarely seen watercraft for enthusiast who collects antique watercraft and boats. Is the precursor to the Jet Ski.It is in excellent condition as far as the body and interior, although has not been run since 1990. Was made in years 1969 to 1970, then discontinued. See history below

HISTORY

Back in 1967, Laurent Beaudoin had a vision. And that vision, was to put the famed "Ski-Doo" on the water. But, that vision wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for Clayton Jacobsen II. The inventor of the stand-up Kawasaki Jet-Ski, also invented the first PWC (Personal WaterCraft). Jacobsen was an aspiring inventor and ex-banker from Southern California. He had gotten the idea from motorcycles, thinking how cool it would be to ride one on the water. This was when Beaudoin approached him about the idea for the Sea-Doo in 1967.

Mr. Beaudoin had been trying to create the affect of snowmobiles on the water. When this came along he jumped right on it. Jacobsen's design was unique, because it used a jet pump to drive the vehicle rather than an outboard motor. Although at the time, Jacobsen was designing the stand-up rather than the sit-down. Once Sea-Doo sent him an 18-hp Rotax engine, did he start the design of the sit-down.

What differed about this engine was rather than being water-cooled like engines are now, it was air-cooled. So he had a little bit of trouble designing the hull to accommodate the needed air. After Jacobsen had completed a model for Bombardier, they bought the rights to the design and gave Jacobsen a fat check. Then Bombardier took over and rounded out the hood, and added the Sea-Doo famous yellow and black paintjob.

history5.jpg (21750 bytes)In 1969, Sea-Doo updated the original 318cc engine with a 372cc engine. The new 372 engine allowed liquid-cooling rather than air, which solved many reliability problems associated with the 318 engine. Some things that were the same on the '68-'70 models, was a bench seat which sat one person, a removeable gas tank, and steel handlebars which were taken directly from the Ski-Doo.

Although it may have looked good on paper, there were some factors which ended production in 1970 until 1988. First of course was the problem with the air-cooled engine on the 1968 model. This engine didn't perform well under the extreme conditions within the hull. The 372 engine, which introduced water-cooling didn't solve all the problems. Since most of the skis were sold on the East coast, salt water was a big problem. Marine technology hadn't caught up to the Sea-Doo in the 3 years it was around, so corrosion was a big matter. It ate up everything. The engine, pump, controls, and many other problems. Jacobsen had certain design ideas like rubber motor mounts, a rubber damper for the driveshaft coupler, and ways to waterproof the electronics - but no one would listen to him once he delivered the original prototype.

Bombardier was too worked into the snowmobile market they didn't really have time to produce the Sea-Doo effectively. The snowmobile market was just huge, with Bombardier not being able to keep up with demand. Thus, the Sea-Doo sank away until 1988. Jacobsen got his patent back in 1971 and thus, sold them to Kawasaki - a deal that led eventually to creation of the Jet Ski.
 
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I wish the pictures were larger to see the details. with all the crazy resolution cameras today, I wish CL could host larger picts. Hard to complain when its free, but I guess I just did.........
 
18HP to be "precise"...
However, the guy states that Bomby recalled them and gave all consumers their money back, yet this guy said that never used till like 2010 then used for a bit.. I honestly wonder what the recall was for? Does a monster hole get blown thru the motor and fiberglass, blowing a leg off?
Interesting tigolbiddie
 
96spxpos said:
18HP to be "precise"...
However, the guy states that Bomby recalled them and gave all consumers their money back, yet this guy said that never used till like 2010 then used for a bit.. I honestly wonder what the recall was for? Does a monster hole get blown thru the motor and fiberglass, blowing a leg off?
Interesting tigolbiddie
Click to expand...

I think it had to do with lack of venting, so it had tendency to blow up while riding.
 
Here is something to verify. My sister and B-I-L had a an early Ski doo with 25 HP.

I had an earlier Sea-doo with a single cylinder 320 18 hp air cooled engine. I swapped the engine back and forth winter and summer between the sea-doo and a ski-doo elan. That 320 rotax really made the elan fly.
The first sea-doos came out before their time so didn't catch on. The factory recalled all the twins because of a phenonomin known as the "Big Boom". Gas fumes would build up inside the hull and then when you hit the electric starter they would blow up. Usually split the hull along the seam between the top and bottom halves. At least one dealer took the ID plates off and mailed them to the factory stating the boats had been distroyed. A few of those "distroyed" boats survive today.
 
I had a chance to pick one up for 250$ once. complete but not running, then got offered a 97 gsx with trailer for 400$ and went that route instead. looking back i should have grabbed it.

Im a sucker for old primitive powersports. I have an original 1967 "snowbug" built in sudbury. basically an aluminum bath tub with 1 ski in the front, rear engine and a wide ass track. They were built in sudbury ontario for miners and trappers. Very neat. They don't go fast but sure can tow!
 
Im surprised to see all the really nice examples and all originals up for sale!!

Like others have said...they were recalled b/c of gas vapor explosions. This is the reason you ALWAYS ground the plug wires when working inside the hull, and always be careful when using battery powered drills/drivers.

I have always had a hard on for the oldies...if I had the space I prob would have 6 of them. Seen a fair amount of them locally over the years, but nothing worth fixing up. Most would be considered parts machines to build a nice one.

One of the BJPs that attends the Dells freeride has one. It isnt very pretty, but it does run. I would have got to ride it last year but the GF was super mega pissed at me that weekend and I had to head home a little early.

I did however get a picture.

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I have saved a ton of pictures over the years Ive found on these....brochures and such. Too many to post directly, so click here. in the upper right side you can change to picture view.

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/87rqymcdnfqu8/69_seadoo_pictures
 
bump for some awesomeness I found on my phone...

[video=youtube;EUqRiDAZI10]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUqRiDAZI10&list=UU6XFpHz_eLw0peW4ziQPrYA[/video]
 
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Yea, the industry had a lot to learn still back then. I wonder if this unit ever got on plane. I'd love to see it actually run on the water.
 
Old bump, sorry :(
What are these worth in the states?
I have the opportunity to make an offer on one at the moment.
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