Sea-Doo Spark as a Dink?

[giant]

In N.S.W. Australia no jet skis between sunset and sunrise and as mentioned no jet skis in Sydney Harbour.

Jet skis owners have made a real nuisance of themselves in many peoples opinion with noise and obnoxious behavior.

New Zealand has no limits as far as I know and you don't even need a license there to operate a boat or jet ski, at least that was the case when I lived there 10 years ago.

They also go through huge amounts of fuel and have limited carrying capacity as stated.
I would love to have one for fishing and speedy access to areas but they seem pretty high maintenance and the limits in NSW regarding use after sunset and before sunrise would severely limit fishing.

Here in Australia the Government is always busy making new rules to protect its citizens from themselves... we call it the "Nanny State".

[Fence Man]

Like everyone else has said, they aren't the handiest. I haven't had a Spark, but I've owned 4 Sea Doo brand skis. We had to quit that business after my normally reserved wife took her third trip to the hospital. We would use one as a "dinghy" on our old houseboat, and while it beats swimming, it was hardly convenient. Also, it would make a 60' displacement hull lean, so I would imagine that would be amplified in your situation. We liked them for shallow water exploring more than anything, but such a maintenance headache. Even more so after the whole neighborhood takes a spin. Not being able to go in the dark, or haul an injured sailor to the dock would have to be taken into consideration as well.

[thruska]

I ws docked in a transient at a marina on ICW in Southport nc. Noticed s Seadoo being towed by about a 35 footer. I diembarked to chech it out. As i got closer a noticed considerable damage to the bow of the seadoo and the stern of the sailboat. I assumed it was not a good idea.

[SofiaB]

Originally Posted by TheWingman

We are cruising full time on the pacific coast of Mexico with the same boat you have. I would not want to hang that much weight off the transom. I have a Achilles LSI dinghy and a 15hp motor that total less than 200lbs with gear and fuel and I wouldn't want to go too much heavier. BTW...The Bavaria has been fantastic for cruising and is super reliable & comfortable. Good luck.

Wingman, will look at that setup. Woukd love to see photos if yiu have davits. Agree totally about the Bavaria Vision 46: stable and comfortable and only start thinking about reefing when it hits 25. From a 33 that spunout at 18 cofidence level with ease of sailing single handed is off the charts.

[JKP]

An acquaintance we know has his 54' Sea Ray docked at BMC in Baltimore. He paid to have the hydraulic transom lift for the PWC and also has his dinghy stored behind it. His transom sits maybe a half inch lower in the water than his neighbor with pretty much the same boat that only carries a dinghy.

[Mossy Man]

You would be considered a bogan in Aust if you used one of those as a tender. Don't know the actual model but you would not be able to use it in Sydney harbour. Anything resembling a jet ski is relegated to Botany Bay or Port Hacking.

[masonc]

Originally Posted by ranchero76

That's interesting. Any example of country that not allowing jetski?

Anguilla does not allow jetskis anywhere. It was a subject of contentious debate some years ago and the decision to keep the ban wad upheld.

[South Pacific]

If you want a tender with performance why not try one of these Zego Sports Boats Much more stability than a PWC, and outboard powered for easy maintenance.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Can you kick back in it with a case of beer & fish? How's it for floating picnics with a date? And have you ever rowed, or sailed one?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Can you kick back in it with a case of beer & fish? How's it for floating picnics with a date? And have you ever rowed, or sailed one?

No to all of these, but they are really good at annoying folks!

Great idea for a tender (not!).

JIm

[South Pacific]

Kick back with a case of beer and fish? Looking at the photos on the site that looks highly likely.
A picnic with a date? Doesn't look like it's designed for that, but you never know with young lust?..
Rowing and sailing? I believe the post started about using a PWC as a tender, and it would probably row as well or better than a PWC (or most inflatables for that matter), but I will stick to my hard dink and a good pair or oars.

[Dockhead]

I am going to incur the disgust of many of my friends here and reveal the awful, guilty truth that I LIKE jetskis.

I actually own one -- a monster 265 horsepower supercharged Kawasaki left to me by a dead friend. It has less than 10 hours on it -- I have only ridden it once. It's at my lake house.

I think having a jet ski (or better, pair of them) on board would be absolutely fantastic. You can cover enormous distances on them and have all kinds of fun exploring. They are at least 10x more comfortable to ride, than sitting in a dinghy.

But I think you need a boat at least 90' long to carry something like that comfortably.
.
As others have said, a jet ski would make a terrible tender.

Also, a word of advice to the OP: Don't buy a dinghy, which you can only carry in davits. You don't want the dink in davits on a long passage or bad weather.

I switched from an Avon 340 with wheel-steered 25 horsepower Mariner, to an Avon 310 Lite folding RIB with 8 hp tiller steered, and am SO glad that I did so, even with a 54' sailboat. The big Avon 340 was a superior dinghy of course, a proper little motor boat, but the advantages in seaworthiness and carrying capacity, not to mention comfort from the console steering, were definitely NOT worth the problems carrying it in davits all the time.

The folding RIB is terrific -- far easier to get up in the davits since it weighs less than half, far easier to keep there, and folds up easily for storage on the foredeck, for passages. With smaller tubes and tiller steering -- far less usable in open sea conditions -- but that's a small price to pay, in my view.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by South Pacific

Kick back with a case of beer and fish? Looking at the photos on the site that looks highly likely.
A picnic with a date? Doesn't look like it's designed for that, but you never know with young lust?..
Rowing and sailing? I believe the post started about using a PWC as a tender, and it would probably row as well or better than a PWC (or most inflatables for that matter), but I will stick to my hard dink and a good pair or oars <-- Amen to that.

A tender generally serves as your; pickup truck/farm truck, station wagon/SUV, corvette, tow truck, ambulance, safari vehicle (diving), learner boat, & take the family to church on Sunday “wheels”.
In addition to roles that have no equal on land. Especially as on most boats there’s but one dink. And even on boats with a “spare”, the spare is quite often more of a swim toy than a true tender.

Picture a dinghy where you can throw in a beach chair or two, your fishing gear, beer, snacks, & an anchor. And once the hook’s down, you put your feet up, pull your woven straw hat down, & enjoy living.With actually catching fish being a nicety, not the main mission.

Okay, so I'm incorrigable, but... The best “floating picnic” I ever saw was a couple curled up together on the leeward hull side of a primo, clear finished, strip plank dory. So that since that boat had zero ribs or stringers, it was perfect for them to curl up in, & watch/listen to the open air concert on stage (ashore) 20m away.With them sipping red wine, & feeding each other brie, sliced gourmet sausage, & fresh fruit. Never once getting wet, nor fretting about the dink tipping over (I doubt it could do so). After which they had a languid row home, silently at high speed, thanks to the design.

I still want a boat like that one Ditto such an evening. BTW, That concert was sold out months in advance, for mucho $ per head. Though the (gratis) cheap seats afloat were packed, albeit with room for more of us yet. I enjoyed that show a lot!As did my date(s).

PS: Try moving aboard, or ashore using a PWC to ferry everything back & forth. After having done such in a 10’ Boston Whaler, I can’t imagine doing it via jetski. Of course the same’s true for rowing out a 2nd anchor, chain, & rode to windward in 40kts, & 1.5m seas.…

[SV Bacchus]

The ban on jet ski usage from sunset to sunup is due to lack of navigation lights. At least I've been told that is the reason for no night use in Florida.