Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 20, 1994 TAG: 9403220088
SECTION: BOAT SHOW PAGE: BS-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
These are members of a new generation of craft called jet boats. Small, fast, sporty and bearing a price tag of under $10,000, jet boats have zoomed onto the market with an impact that borders on a craze.
The high-performance jobs have filled the niche between personal water craft and runabouts, and they are going to fill a good bit of space at the boat show this year.
There were only two in the show last year, the Bayliner Jazz and the Sea Ray Sea Rayder.
This year sees a second wave. It is difficult to say how many brands and models will be represented in the show, because that is going to depend on how quickly dealers can get their orders filled.
At last count, there were at least 20 manufacturers making jet boats. For consumers, that means greater selection and availability.
The toughest thing about jet boats last season was finding one for sale.
Dick Arnold, the Sea Ray dealer on Smith Mountain Lake, was allotted only two, and they were gobbled up before the locals finished saying, "Gee. Would you look at that thing?"
"One guy calls me form Holland, Mich.," said Arnold. "He drives down from Michigan and gets the thing. Another guy calls from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and he drove up and got the other one."
Arnold will have a bigger supply this season, and Sea Ray will show a few new colors and standard features.
George Welch, the Bayliner dealer on Smith Mountain Lake, only could get one Jazz last year, so he isn't certain how many he could have sold with a ready supply. He'll know this year. He ordered a load of Jazz, then saw a picture of Bayliner's newest offering in the jet boat line, the Reflexx.
"I was impressed," he said.
Impressed enough to get a supply.
The Reflexx and Jazz share the same 14-foot length and 90-hp Mercury engine, but the Reflexx, with fore and aft seats, has more passenger space.
"The Jazz is kinda like a two-door sports car," said Welch. "The Reflexx is more like a sports sedan."
As for price, the Reflexx sells for about $100 more.
Valley Marine Center will have a jet boat in its line for the first time, the Sizzler by Sunbird. It features a 115-hp OMC engine and 20-gallon fuel tank.
Ren Martin, of Central Boat & Trailer Sales, plans to have one of Checkmate's new jet boats in his boat show display.
Several other dealers are scrambling to get aboard the trend.
Interest in jet boats appears to be coming from several fronts. Some are being sold to people who want the end-swapping thrills of a personal watercraft but without the motorcycle style of riding. In a jet boat, they can take a passenger or two and pretty well keep dry, even when hitting speeds of better than 40 mph.
Others consumers showing interest are newcomers to boating who view the $8,000 price tag for a jet boat, motor and trailer as a reasonable way to get into boating.
The big question: are jet boats just a fad?
Only time will answer that one.
by CNB