The History of the Personal Watercraft

For decades now, personal watercraft or PWC have been exceedingly popular with thrill-seekers everywhere. But where did these aquatic motorcycles even come from? When did they become popular? This quick history will answer those questions for you.

Invention

Norwegian-American inventor Clayton Jacobson II came up with the idea of a personal watercraft after he crashed his motorcycle into a ditch. He had the thought: “What if you could ride a motorcycle on the water, where falling wouldn’t matter so much?” And then he used this to begin designing prototypes for a simple personal watercraft. Bombardier Recreational Products expressed interest in the designs and released their Sea-Doo® PWC in the late 1960s, but the bulk and heft of this machine made it impractical to ride, so it came back off the market.

1980s Developments

Manufacturers came back to the idea of the personal watercraft in the 1980s, when more land-based powersports vehicles like ATVs became available. Brands like Kawasaki®, Yamaha® and Sea-Doo® all released popular models of PWC during this decade and the craze really took off during the end of the 1980s as more and more adventurous riders purchased PWC to cruise on the water.

Today

These days, you can find PWC by many different manufacturers in both sit-down and stand-up styles, for single and multiple riders. There are lots of great advances that make today’s PWC safer, more stable and easier to ride. You’ll also find fun features like charging bays and Bluetooth™ capabilities!

When you’re ready to shop for a new or used PWC, visit our dealership in Beaumont, TX. Cowboy Powersports serves the cities of Lake Charles and Pasadena, TX.