Jet ski buying and insuring

bolster4103 · 06-04-2014 3:39pm #1

Hi Im looking to buy a jet ski for the first time. Ive been looking at areas like Donedeal and Gumtree. I can see many some skis in my budget (up to 3000). My question is would it be safe enough to buy a good name brand in that price i.e. Yamaha and Kawasaki.

Im not looking for a ridiculous HP ski or the best one on the market just something simple that will take me up and down the coast line at a decent speed. I know there are not the most economical of vessels are laws are trying to push them out but I'm still interested.

But one thing I need is insurance. Just incase anything does happen I have a little bit of a fall back. I am not a 17year kid old who will be going up and down the coastline 20meters away. I'm in my 20s and understand the responsibilities and dangers of owning the vessel as I come from a family of fishers.

I am currently living in county meath but I travel around Ireland and couldn't think of anything better than taking a Jetski along for the ride.

Apologies if i have posted this in the wrong area I am not a regularly user of the site. Thanks for everyones help in advance

fergal.b · 06-04-2014 5:35pm

Hi bolster4103 and welcome. Try and get involved in one of the clubs below and if possible buy one off them so you will know what you are getting or let them point you in the right direction, Jetski engines only have a life span of about ten years as they are run on full rev's most of the time and can only be rebuilt a few times at great expense "I hate working on them"

If you can save up and buy a new one or even better a speedboat

Longwood, Co. Meath
Contact: Sean Stagg
Tel: 086-8319055
Email: southmeathjetskiclub@gmail.com

http://www.extremesports.ie/jetskiing

http://afloat.ie/resources/irish-sailing-clubs/lough-derg-jetski-club

We also have a good few jet skiers in our powerboat club that should be able to help you out. https://www.facebook.com/groups/133673356708207/

.

Sh1tbag OToole · 06-04-2014 10:18pm

Are jetski engines very short lived compared to your average petrol engine or even an outboard? The ones I saw for sale never had more than a couple hundred hours on them and even over 100 was rare. Dont think I'll be getting one though

mandrake04 · 06-04-2014 11:29pm

bolster4103 wrote: »

Im not looking for a ridiculous HP ski or the best one on the market just something simple that will take me up and down the coast line at a decent speed.

When it comes to Ski's you can get bored of simple, once you get into it you are always looking to upsize it's the nature of the hobby.

I always tell people to try and start middle of the road and work up after that.

Although for that money you could probably buy a brand new Seadoo Spark, not sure if they are available in Ireland but they are about $6K Aus here. They only got 90 ponies but are very light. I was on one a few weeks ago it handles like a sports bike, I think better suited to inside rather than open water.

Slig · 08-04-2014 8:00am

Allianz insure pleasure craft, not sure about skis though. If you are buying one bring someone along that knows what they are looking at. A friend of mine bought one last year in very good condition and has since spend more time finding and fixing holes, taking the engine apart and rewiring than actually using it.
Jet skis are a blast in the sea and even fun on inland waters (does get boring though, and lots of agro from other boaters)but its always concerned me that if the engine fails there is no backup

miss no stars · 08-04-2014 8:34pm

Slig wrote: »

Allianz insure pleasure craft, not sure about skis though. If you are buying one bring someone along that knows what they are looking at. A friend of mine bought one last year in very good condition and has since spend more time finding and fixing holes, taking the engine apart and rewiring than actually using it.
Jet skis are a blast in the sea and even fun on inland waters (does get boring though, and lots of agro from other boaters)but its always concerned me that if the engine fails there is no backup

It's a classic case of a significant minority ruining things for the majority. I've seen jetskis behaving recklessly to the point of putting other people on the water in real danger on a number of occasions. I've also seen plenty behaving perfectly reasonably and responsibly. As long as you stay away from others vessels and don't go throwing wakes at them there's no need for agro on anybody's behalf. When some water users start putting others in danger, people have every right to be angry. Oh and observe colregs and speed limits and everyone should get along fine. (e.g. there's a 5 knot speed limit in Howth harbour that a lot of jetskis ignore - the limit is there for a reason. There's also a rule that vessels under power should pass port to port i.e. drive on the right hand side of the road). Once you're being responsible and safe there's nothing to complain about.

Apart from the whine. The incessant whine from the engine and pounding of waves on an otherwise peaceful afternoon :P But that comes with the territory of everyone trying to enjoy their weekend. Get the loungers all set up on the patio, sunhat on, book out, iced drink at the ready, suncream on and just as you sit down one neighbour decides to start chainsawing a tree apart and the neighbour on the other side is cutting their hedges. It's bloody annoying but they're not doing anything wrong, so any agro you get about jetski noise is the same as if you were the neighbour cutting the hedges..

The advice to join a club is very good advice though. People who go to the trouble of setting up clubs and developing a sport/hobby/activity will want to ensure its survival so will generally give good advice and will be responsible about how their activity interacts with everyone else's activities on the water. Not to mention being an excellent source of technical information.

Hope it goes well for you.

Jet ski buying and insuring

Comments