Love the sporty handling of a personal watercraft, but need the passenger capacity of a pontoon boat? Sea-Doo’s all-new Switch, a sporty jet boat, aims to deliver the best of both worlds.
Coming to dealer showrooms in January, the Switch isn’t a single model, but an all-new family of jet-powered pontoon boats offered in lengths from 13 to 21 feet. Available in a choice of three different trim levels and with multiple engine options, all utilize Sea-Doo’s internal jet pump propulsion system with no exposed propeller for greater safety.
The Switch also comes with a boatload of unique features, including seats that you can pick up and move around wherever you please. An innovative flat deck formed from multiple tiles with integrated receptacles in them allows Switch owners to configure the boat quickly and easily for morning fishing, afternoon wakeboarding or evening family cruises by moving the seat around, adding additional seats as needed, or shifting table locations to wherever they suit best. While the dash console and driver’s seat are fixed in position, everything else can be changed on the fly, allowing more than 100 different configurations in all.
Designed with first-time boat buyers in mind, Switch uses bicycle-like handlebar steering with the throttle in one hand and the brake in the other. Brakes? Yes indeed, a convenient reverse-thrust lever lets you hit the brakes if you come into the dock too fast, stopping the boat in its tracks. That spiffy feature, along with clear plastic side panels for exceptional visibility, makes it a cinch for first-timers or teens to dock the boat like a pro every time out.
And what if the driver still muffs it up? No sweat, since the Switch comes with a tough, synthetic hull made from a material called Polytec that is said to resist scratches and dings better than either fibreglass or aluminum.
All Switch models feature three driving modes (Eco, Standard, and Sport), cruise control, a digital dashboard display panel, a retractable boarding ladder, and a ski tow. Available options include a full camper top, a portable JL Audio sound system with four speakers, a cooler that mounts to the swim platform, extra seats, and a variety of accessories like storage bags and cup holders that clip onto the boat’s extruded gunnel top.
“We know that younger buyers love our Sea-Doos, but we understand that a PWC may no longer be the right choice when they have a growing family, or when they want to just share their adventures with other people,” says Annick Lauzon, Sea-Doo’s director of global marketing. “These buyers want the same ease of use and the same enjoyable experience and fun on the water, but with more space and seating capacity, and Switch provides that.”
Suggested boat, motor, and trailer package prices for the new Sea-Doo Switch range from around $22,500 to about $46,000 depending on engine choice, trim level, and options.
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