A trend toward the day tripper – February 12, 2007

When Yamaha first introduced the “cruiser” seat on the FX line several years back, many industry observers dismissed it as simply a minor add-on, an addition that certainly didn’t warrant the buzz the manufacturer seemed bent on giving it.
As the years have passed, however, more and more enthusiasts have began to voice the opinion that the company is indeed on to something, as are its rivals, who continue to push the limits of comfort and ergonomics on their flagship vehicles.
Whether used for actual long-distance touring, or simply for the plushest time around the local lake, the newest, full-featured three-passenger models are at the cutting edge of watercraft design.
We recently looked into the ever-growing trend that is PWC touring, and how it has affected models on your showroom floor.
So-Called ‘Tourers’
Touring might have caught on as a catch-all term, but most manufacturers quickly point out that the true long-distance adventurer is still the exception to the rule. Most so-called “tourers” are actually more like day trippers, looking to take themselves, perhaps a passenger and all the gear they desire, on an extended journey, but not make like Magellan anytime soon.
“We did not and do not envision major long-distance touring use,” said Honda’s Jon Row, “even though some people probably have great adventures doing it and the reliability is certainly there. It’s just not practical for most users.”
Instead, many manufacturers appear to see the touring aspect as more of an extension of a growing trend toward overall comfort. Most models marketed for the pursuit sport large, soft-running hull designs, with plush seating and an emphasis on both driver and passenger ergonomics. Storage and fuel capacities also are above the norm, as are often the amount of extra features bundled into the package. Overall, however, comfort is key.
“Folks don’t just stay in their cove, or their part of the lake,” explained Kawasaki Jet Ski Product Manager Croft Long. “They want to explore and see it all. We positioned our new Ultra series to be more comfortable for longer riding times, whether just taking another lap around the lake, or navigating the Mississippi. It doesn’t beat up the rider physically, and that adds to rider confidence and lets them ride longer.”
“It’s a marked transition from the days when families would gather on the waterfront and take turns riding by themselves over a handful of hours,” agreed Yamaha’s Mark Speaks. “We saw the touring trend developing more than a decade ago, and today comfort remains at the top of the list of most desired product features.”
Back In The Saddle
One key to that comfort is the craft’s saddle. Those who do tour extensively offer high praise for Yamaha’s touring seat, noting it offers that much-neglected lower-back support during longer periods in a seated position. Yamaha’s more rigid interior foam offers arguably the greatest measure of support. Sea-Doo, which adopted a similar style for ’07, also features back-hugging bolsters, but their smaller size, and softer foam, allows them to be compressed underneath the driver or passenger should all aboard not stack up comfortably within the pre-set contours.
Nonetheless, not all manufacturers have jumped on the contoured, back-supporting bolsters idea shared by Yamaha and Sea-Doo. Kawasaki and Honda continue to offer more traditional sloped designs, which might not offer the support of the bolstered models, but allow driver and passenger to move more freely around on the seat. For Kawasaki, the goal is to provide the softness of ride within the hull, not with padding. “Our focus on comfort doesn’t mean adding a fat padded seat on a hull that slaps the water,” said Long.
Yet another area where these models have gone beyond is in terms of stowage. Most touring models — including the Yamaha FX Cruiser, Sea-Doo GTX Limited and Honda GPScape — already have excellent stowage capacity, typically split between an expansive front bin and a small glovebox in the console. Kawasaki, however, significantly upped the ante in 2007, offering more than 50 gallons of stowage on the Ultra LX and 250X. The company also supersized fuel capacity, placing a more than 20-gallon tank within the hulls. “Riders want to be able to ride as long as they want to, not feeling limited by the machine,” Long said of the company’s rationale. “Our Ultras have industry-leading fuel capacity to keep the ride going if the rider chooses. Our class-leading storage capacity lets the riders bring an extra cooler, sweatshirt or beach ball.”
Have It All
Sea-Doo, meanwhile, includes everything but the kitchen sink on the pricey GTX Limited, adding items like removable dry bags, safety kits, docking lines, sandbag anchors and even waterproof cell phone cases to the list of standards. The GTX Limited features a depth finder among items contained in the info display; Yamaha just recently added the industry’s first fuel-flow meter.
A global positioning system (GPS), however, could be the most functional accessory for the touring rider. While no manufacturer suggests a user rely on them as their sole source of navigation far from shore, the practical attributes of a GPS are many. Sea-Doo includes a Garmin handheld unit on the Limited. Honda, meanwhile, has integrated a simpler, but some say more functional GPS system directly into the craft’s display.
“GPS has a lot of great uses,” said Row, “including marking and determining mileages. Some origination points can look similar and confusing from afar, especially in heavily wooded or featureless shorelines. With GPScape you can more easily know where you are, where the launch was (is), how you’re doing on fuel, etc.” psb