The History of Personal Watercraft
Did you ever think about how your favorite personal watercraft came into being? The truth is that PWC are a pretty recent invention, dating back to the mid-20th century. A lot of technology and innovation has gone into their creation, and they weren’t really successful until the 1980s because there were so many setbacks. Here’s a brief history of personal watercraft that will get you up to speed.
Early Days
Norwegian-American inventor Clayton Jacobson II was the mind behind the first personal watercraft. Jacobson was a motorcycle enthusiast, but after he crashed his bike into a ditch and suffered some injuries, he wondered whether there was a safer way to get the same high-speed thrills without worrying if you fell. Then he thought that falling into the water wouldn’t be so bad, so why not just make a motorcycle that could glide across the water?
This outlandish idea turned into the first stand-up style personal watercraft, after several prototypes. However, the first PWC were heavy and clunky and difficult to maneuver. Bombardier Recreational Products became interested in Jacobson’s models and created a sit-down PWC modeled after their Ski-Doo® snowmobiles, and they christened it the Sea-Doo® and released it in 1968 to little acclaim due to its bulk.
1980s Innovation
During the 1980s, several brands became involved in the idea of making a personal watercraft. Bombardier Recreational Products re-released a new Sea-Doo®, while Kawasaki® manufactured their acclaimed JET-SKI® watercraft and Yamaha® made the WaveRunner®. During the 1990s and 2000s, all of these models became even faster, more agile and less bulky, making them incredibly popular with everyone who wants to go fast out on the water.
When you’re looking to shop boats and PWC, visit our Fenwick Island, DE, showroom to check out our wide selection of new and used personal watercraft and boats. Ask one of our friendly sales team members about our financing options if you need them. Island Watersports proudly serves our Delaware customers as well as those of you coming from Salisbury and Ocean City, Maryland.