One reference, read once
What one reference says Sea-Doo did
A year-by-year Sea-Doo line from 1968 to 2027, restated from a single enthusiast reference and graded accordingly. The engine and hull tables and the nine service notes are the part worth your time: they decide what is in your ski and what it costs to fix.
Where this comes from
Sea-Doo Model Reference, JetSkiPlus . Read once on 2026-09-08. This is not a manufacturer document and nothing in it has been checked against one.
20 years in this span have no entry
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2023
Two different kinds of hole, and they should not be read the same way. 1970 to 1988 is Bombardier out of the personal watercraft business entirely after the 372 recall, an eighteen-year absence covered on the origins page, so there was nothing to record. 2023 is a hole in the source: it appears in that page's own year navigation with no section written under it, so a 2023 Sea-Doo is simply not covered here and has to be looked up somewhere else.
Year by year
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1968
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Sea-Doo 320
Designed by Clayton Jacobson II, built by Bombardier. Berkeley jet pump driven by four belts. A 7.5 ft fibreglass hull with flotation foam, and a lot of shared Ski-Doo parts: removable tank, metal bars, pull start, bench seat. Roughly 25 to 30 mph. The air-cooled engine sat in a closed hull and overheated chronically, which is the fault that defines it.
JetSkiPlus claims: the first mass-produced personal watercraft, before Kawasaki's stand-up
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1969
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Sea-Doo 372
Redesigned hull and keel and a larger pump. Hot-start explosions triggered a recall that reglassed hulls, sealed vents, moved the recoil starter under the seat, waterproofed the rectifier, deleted the bilge blower and reverse and redesigned the ignition switch. Production ended late in the year and the remaining units were ordered destroyed.
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1989
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SP
A new hull and top cap, with the engine, electrics and propulsion reachable from under the seat. This is where the modern line starts.
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1990
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GT
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SP
The GT is the first three-passenger Sea-Doo and the first with reverse, on a new smooth-bottom hull. Single carburettor on the yellow 587.
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1991
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XP
Twin carburettor, mirrors set into the hood.
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GT
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SP
The XP arrives as the fast one. The SP gains a grab handle.
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1992
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XP
Manual trim added.
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GTS
The GT renamed, with strakes.
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SP
The yellow 587 is phased out for the white one.
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1993
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XP
Single carburettor, bronze pump, electric trim, rounded styling.
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SPX
The previous year's XP sold on as its own model. That pattern repeats every year to 1998, which matters when identifying one.
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SPI
An SP with a stainless impeller and a new exhaust.
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GTX
The luxury three-seater, dual carburettor, fuel gauge.
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GTS
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SP
The 657 joins the white 587, and the range roughly doubles.
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1994
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XP
On the 657X, worth 5 hp over the 657.
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XPI
657X with twin carburettors.
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SPX
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SPI
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SP
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GTS
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GTX
Gains the 657, mirrors and full instrumentation.
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1995
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XP 800
The X4 hull arrives here with adjustable trim tabs, and the 800 brings RAVE valves. This is the combination people still hunt for.
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HX
Single seat with a suspended seat, built against the WaveBlaster.
The 717 at 85 hp and the 787 at 110 hp both arrive. The GTX moves to the 657X.
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1996
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GSX
Electric trim.
DESS security arrives on the GTX, XP and GSX, and with it the dealer-only lanyard. New ignition and electrical system, LCD information gauge. The GTX hull and top cap are redesigned around the 800 with a two-piece seat. The 657 is dropped.
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1997
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GSX Limited
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GS
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GSI
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XP
The hull switches from leaning out to leaning in: engine forward, suspended motorcycle-style seat off the HX, about 90 lb heavier. Slower off the line, faster at the top. Whether this was an improvement is still argued about.
The white 951 debuts at 135 hp and has a reputation for reliability trouble. The 587 is dropped. The 1996 GTI is relabelled GTS and a new GTI becomes the mid-tier three-seater on the GTX hull.
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1998
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GTX RFI
The 800 RFI, the first fuel injection on a Sea-Doo.
The 951 is revised and painted silver. The XP, GSX and GTX take it with a Limited badge. The SPX is lightened into the quickest X4 hull there was. The HX is dropped.
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1999
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GSX RFI
The last year of the X4 hull and of the SPX. Otherwise colours and graphics.
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2000
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RX
A larger, heavier two-seat platform, offered carburetted and direct injected. It becomes the basis of the 2004 RXP.
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LRV
Four seats, the largest personal watercraft in production, built against the Yamaha SUV. Discontinued after four years.
The 947 DI arrives at 135 hp with better emissions and economy. The SPX goes and the X4 hull with it. Limited is dropped from the 947 models.
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2001
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RXX
A limited-production race RX on the carburetted 947 with performance parts, reported as the fastest stock Sea-Doo to that point.
A holding year: no engine or major feature changes. A new GTS appears as a de-featured GTI.
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2002
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GTX 4-TEC
1494cc three-cylinder, naturally aspirated, closed-loop cooling, 785 lb. New engine management with a separate ECU alongside the MPEM.
JetSkiPlus claims: the first four-stroke Sea-Doo
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GTI LE
Off-power assisted steering arrives on the GTI LE, GTX 4-TEC and GTX DI. A new hull and top cap for those three, with stadium rear seating and sealed front storage.
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2003
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GTX 4-TEC SC
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GTX Limited SC
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GTI LE RFI
Supercharging arrives at 185 hp, both models over 750 lb. The XP and LRV move to the 951 DI.
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2004
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RXP
790 lb dry, just under 70 mph, on a faster-spinning supercharger. This is the first year of the ceramic clutch washer problem, so read the service note before buying one.
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WAKE
A GTX 4-TEC with a retractable tow pylon and removable board racks.
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GTI RFI
Four of eight models are now four-stroke.
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2005
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RXT
The three-seat RXP at 869 lb. Gives up very little top end and is much better in rough water.
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3D
Five riding positions: kart, knee, stand-up, stand-up with a fixed handle, and motorcycle. The premium version gets the 800 RFI.
The XP is discontinued after fourteen years. The GTX Limited SC goes to 215 hp.
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2006
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GTI
The first Sea-Doo hull that is not fibreglass, and a serious change in how they are built.
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GTI SE
Adds a speedometer, mirrors and a boarding ladder.
The LCD gauge is now married to the ECU, so a replacement needs a dealer or the ski will not start. The 3D swaps the 800 RFI for the 947 DI.
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2007
The MPEM is eliminated and its functions move into the ECU, which changes diagnosis and parts lookup from here on. The RXP and RXT get a redesigned top cap with wider, repositioned bars. The GTX Supercharged is dropped, and so is the 3D, ending the two-stroke line.
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2008
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RXP-X
0 to 50 mph in 2.9 seconds. X racing bars, seat and traction mats.
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RXT-X
The first trim system fitted to a three-seat model.
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GTX 215
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GTI SE 130
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WAKE 215
Gains 200 lb of removable water ballast.
The 1503 at 255 hp: better supercharger, better external intercooler, new fuel management. The ceramic clutch washers become metal, which ends the engine-destroying failure but not the wear item.
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2009
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RXT iS
Suspension, plus fly-by-wire throttle, electronic brakes and high-performance trim on a CAN bus. Powerful and expensive to fix.
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GTX Limited iS
A two-part top cap and a lot of electronics arrive together. The WAKE 155 moves to the composite hull and loses its standard ballast tanks.
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2010
The RXT-X, RXT iS and GTX iS go to 260 hp and the electronics spread across the GTX and RXT ranges plus the Wake 215. The RXP-X stays without them.
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2011
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GTI SE 155
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GTI SE 130
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GTI Limited
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GTI 130
Only the RXP-X 255 and the GTS Pro are still without the electronics package.
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2012
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RXP-X
The T3 hull, with the locking ergonomics, angled footwells, adjustable sponsons, a boost gauge and five-position trim tabs.
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GTR 215
A lighter, cheaper muscle craft on the GTI composite platform.
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GTX S 155
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GTX iS 215
The electronics package is standard across the range. Fifteen models, up from fourteen.
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2013
A holding year. The RXT iS 260 is dropped and the range goes back to fourteen models.
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2014
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Spark
Resets the bottom of the range.
The composite-hull models gain about 35 lb, from 755 to 790 lb dry, almost all of it in the bare hull. Expect slower acceleration and a lower top end on them, with the GTR 215 worst affected.
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2015
Essentially colours. The one change that matters is DESS moving to radio frequency, which fixes the intermittent-contact problem the contact version had.
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2016
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RXP-X 300
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RXT-X 300
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GTX Limited 300
The 1630 arrives: longer stroke, more displacement, higher boost, a larger maintenance-free intercooler, larger injectors, forged pistons and an extra heat exchanger. It needs 91 octane. Second-generation electronic braking is 20 percent faster.
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2017
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Wake Pro 230
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GTR-X 230
The cheapest X model.
The 1500 HO ACE 230 replaces the 215. The GTS and GTI move to the Polytec hull and the 900 ACE HO, losing about 150 lb and dropping from 130 to 90 hp, which costs about 6 mph at the top and nothing at all to 30 mph. The whole line moves to a bolted hull and deck with a gasket, so the top deck comes off.
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2018
ST3 hull
Closed-mould construction with a multi-layer thermo-film skin rather than gel coat, which is tougher. Deep-V, 1.2 in wider, fixed trim tabs and new sponsons. Fitted to the GTX, Wake Pro and RXT ranges.
The 1503 260 is deleted. Storage, a clear glovebox lid with a USB charger, a wider boarding step and external drain and flush fittings arrive with the new hull.
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2019
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Fish Pro
A new category on the ST3 hull: an 18.5 gallon tank, a fitted sounder and transducer, rod holders, a detachable cooler with a cutting-board lid and a rear platform extended by nearly a foot.
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GTI 130 Pro
A rental unit: detunable to 99 hp, heavy-duty driveline, uprated electrics.
A quick-attach accessory system arrives that fits many 2011 and newer skis. New instrumentation on the GTX, RXP, RXT and Fish Pro with an owner-resettable service reminder and live fault codes. The 900 ACE gets new injectors, and a new jet pump seal design appears that retrofits to older models.
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2020
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GTI
Polypropylene with fibres, lighter and more scratch resistant than fibreglass. An inch wider, with everything lowered for a lower centre of gravity.
The 170 hp 1630 ACE replaces the 155 hp 1503 in the GTI SE, GTX and Wake. A new display, and a speed regulator and slow mode as standard on the GTI SE, GTR and Wake.
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2021
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RXP-X 300
An all-new deep-V hull with a mid-hull shark gill and X-sponsons, new ride plate, intake grate and polished stainless impeller. 67 lb lighter, 10 percent better power to weight.
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GTX Pro 130
Rental specification on a fibreglass ST3 with heavy-duty wear parts.
A debris-free pump arrives that backflushes from a handlebar button, standard on the Fish Pro 170 and GTX Limited 300 and optional on the GTX 170 and 230.
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2022
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FishPro Scout 130
On the GTI SE 130 platform, for the occasional angler.
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FishPro Trophy 170
More fishing equipment and better in rough water.
Otherwise colours and accessories.
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2024
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GTR-X 300
300 hp on the nimble Polytec hull, with the racing seat and footwell wedges and launch control. Roughly 4 seconds to 60 mph.
1630 ACE 325
The most powerful Sea-Doo engine to that point: forged rocker arms, coated pistons, iridium plugs and a supercharger spinning to 100,000 rpm.
Hydraulic steering dampers and carbon-fibre hoods appear on the top models. The FishPro range gains a detachable chartplotter.
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2025
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FishPro Apex 300
A one-year limited edition. The largest screen in the range, a modular 360 degree swivel pedestal seat, an extended rear deck with a cooler and a livewell, two batteries and integrated anchoring.
325 hp, the hydraulic steering damper, pop-up docking cleats and the large touchscreen spread to the GTX Limited, Explorer Pro and RXT-X. Livewells, GPS module positions, battery brackets and hull fittings are all revised.
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2026
XCU engine control module
The electrical system moves onto a new module with new harnesses, a new security system and tighter audio and navigation integration. Dealer diagnostics move to a new generation of tool at the same time.
The 1603 Rotax family gets redesigned long blocks, cylinder heads, connecting rods and intake, plus new impellers and wear rings. Larger touchscreens and new handlebar controls spread across the range.
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2027
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RXP-X Senna 350
1,991 units worldwide, for Ayrton Senna's third championship year, carrying a "1 of 1991" plaque rather than individual numbering.
1630 ACE 350
Replaces the 325: a 75.5mm compressor wheel up from 72.5, a rev limit of 8,500 up from 8,250, and a stronger connecting rod and rod bolts. 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds against 3.4.
A redesigned stator with repitched vanes cuts cavitation and adds thrust, a new ride plate lifts the bow and a new intake grate improves pump ingestion. The 350 goes in the GTX Limited, RXT-X, RXP-X and RXP-X Senna, and the GTX Limited loses the debris-free pump in the swap. The GTR-X stays at 300. The FishPro Scout is discontinued.
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Engines
Which engine is in a given craft, and for how long it was built. This is the table most people actually came for, and it is only as good as the one source behind it.
| Engine | Displacement | Output | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotax 320 | 318cc single, air-cooled | About 18 hp | 1968 | Tillotson carburettor, belt-driven Berkeley pump. Air-cooled inside a closed hull, which is why it overheated. |
| Rotax 372 | 368cc twin, water-cooled | Not stated | 1969 | Recalled after hot-start explosions. Production stopped late in the year. |
| 587 yellow | 587cc | Not stated | 1989 to 1991 | Single carburettor, twin on the XP. |
| 587 white | 587cc | Not stated | 1992 to 1996 | Rotax redesign of the yellow engine. Dropped after 1997. |
| 657 | 657cc | Not stated | 1993 to 1995 | Bronze pump on the XP. |
| 657X | 657cc | 5 hp over the 657 | 1994 to 1996 | Timing and carburettor changes. |
| 717, sold as the 720 | 717cc | 85 hp | 1995 to 2003 | Rotary valve. |
| 787, sold as the 800 | 787cc | 110 hp | 1995 to 2005 | RAVE valves, dual carburettor, tuned water-injected pipe. |
| 800 RFI | 787cc | 110 hp | 1998 to 2005 | The first fuel-injected Sea-Doo. |
| 951, the white 947 | 951cc | 135 hp | 1997 | One year only. Reliability problems. |
| 947 silver | 951cc | 135 hp | 1998 to 2006 | The revised engine, painted silver to tell it from the white one. |
| 947 DI | 951cc | 135 hp | 2000 to 2007 | Direct injection. |
| 1494 4-TEC | 1494cc three-cylinder | 130 or 155 hp | 2002 to 2015 | The first four-stroke Sea-Doo. Closed-loop cooling. |
| 1494 4-TEC supercharged | 1494cc | 185 hp | 2003 | |
| 1494 4-TEC supercharged | 1494cc | 215 hp | 2004 to 2016 | Faster-spinning supercharger. This is the family with the ceramic washer problem. |
| 1503 4-TEC | 1503cc | 255 hp | 2008 to 2009 | Upgraded supercharger and an external intercooler. |
| 1503 4-TEC | 1503cc | 260 hp | 2010 to 2017 | Deleted for 2018. |
| 900 ACE and ACE HO | 899cc | 60 or 90 hp | 2014 onward | Spark first, then the GTS and GTI from 2017. |
| 1500 HO ACE 230 | 1494cc | 230 hp | 2017 onward | Replaced the 215. |
| 1630 ACE 300 | 1630cc | 300 hp | 2016 onward | Requires 91 octane as a minimum. |
| 1630 ACE 130 and 170 | 1630cc | 130 or 170 hp | 2020 onward | The 170 replaced the 155 hp 1503. |
| 1630 ACE 325 | 1630cc | 325 hp | 2024 to 2026 | Forged rocker arms, coated pistons, supercharger to 100,000 rpm. |
| 1630 ACE 350 | 1630cc | 350 hp | 2027 onward | 75.5mm compressor wheel, 8,500 rpm limit, stronger rod and rod bolts. |
Hulls
| Hull | Years | Used on | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| X4 | 1995 to 1999 | XP, SPX | Race-derived, leans out. Still the one people want. |
| Lean-in XP | 1997 to 2004 | XP | Engine moved forward, suspended motorcycle-style seat, about 90 lb heavier. |
| GTI composite | 2006 to 2016 | The GTI family | The first Sea-Doo hull that was not fibreglass. |
| T3 | 2012 onward | RXP-X | Ergolock, angled footwells, adjustable sponsons. |
| Polytec | 2017 to 2019 | Spark, GTS, GTI | Roughly 150 lb lighter. |
| ST3 | 2018 onward | GTX, RXT, Wake Pro, FishPro | Closed-mould construction with a thermo-film skin rather than gel coat. Deep-V, 1.2 in wider. |
| Polytec 2.0 | 2020 onward | The GTI family, Wake 170 | An inch wider, lower centre of gravity. |
| RXP-X deep-V | 2021 onward | RXP-X 300 | Shark gill, X-sponsons, 67 lb lighter. |
Things that decide a repair bill
Each of these is one source's account and none has been verified against a service manual. They are worth reading anyway, because knowing to check costs nothing and every one of them can be confirmed against the craft in front of you.
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Ceramic supercharger clutch washers destroy engines
2004 to 2007 supercharged 4-TEC
The clutch washers are ceramic and they shatter in service above about 35,000 rpm, sending fragments through the engine. Metal replacements are the fix and BRP changed the design for 2008. If you are buying one of these and nobody can tell you whether it has been done, assume it has not.
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The washers still wear after the redesign
2008 onward supercharged
Metal washers do not shatter but they do wear out. The source gives an inspection interval of 75 to 135 hours depending on how hard the ski is ridden, which is short enough that it belongs in a maintenance plan rather than in a list of things to get to eventually.
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DESS lanyards need a dealer
1996 onward
The security system means a replacement lanyard has to be programmed with BRP's dealer tool. A lost key is a dealer visit, not a spare in a drawer, and that is worth knowing before you buy a ski with one key.
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The gauge is married to the engine control unit
2006 onward
From the new GTI platform the LCD gauge is paired to the ECU. A gauge off another ski will not simply fit: it has to be married by a dealer or the engine will not start. Budget for that before buying a used cluster.
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The MPEM is gone
2007 onward
Its functions moved into the ECU. That changes both diagnosis and parts lookup for anything from 2007, and it means guides written for earlier skis will send you looking for a module that is not there.
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The suspension and iControl skis are expensive to repair
2009 onward iS and iControl models
A two-part top cap and a CAN bus full of electronics. The source puts the iBR and VTS unit at around $900 against roughly $300 for the older VTS alone. None of that makes them bad skis; it makes a cheap one a different proposition from a cheap carburetted one.
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91 octane minimum
2016 onward 1630 ACE
Not a recommendation. The engine was specified around it, so running lower octane is a decision about the engine rather than about the fuel bill.
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The jet pump seal redesign fits older skis
2019 onward, and retrofittable
The new seal design is available as a kit for earlier models. That is the rare case where a later part is a straightforward improvement to an older ski rather than a compatibility problem.
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2026 breaks diagnostic and harness compatibility
2026 onward
The electrical system moves to a new engine control module with new harnesses and a new security system, and BRP's dealer diagnostics move to a new generation of tool. Anything crossing that line, harnesses, security parts, diagnostic access, needs checking rather than assuming.
- One source, and not a manufacturer
- Every other reference on this site that carries this much detail is either a manufacturer document or two sources agreeing. This is neither. It is detailed, internally consistent and written by somebody who plainly knows the machines, and it is still one page by one author with no second opinion behind any figure in it.
- The service notes are the reason this is here
- Nine of the entries below decide a repair bill rather than a purchase: the ceramic supercharger washers that destroy 2004 to 2007 engines, the gauge that is married to the ECU from 2006, the DESS lanyard that needs a dealer, the 2026 move to a new engine control module. Those are worth having even at one source, because knowing to check is most of the value and none of them cost anything to verify against your own ski.
- What has been left out
- The source carries model-year pricing, colour names and the author's own riding opinions. None of that is restated here. Pricing goes stale, colours are not a part number, and the opinions are the part of that page that is genuinely its author's work rather than a fact anyone may restate.
2 claims on this page are JetSkiPlus's own, marked as such wherever they appear. Other timelines · Model reference, where fitment lives · Where the sport came from
40 of 60 years · 79 models · 20 gaps