Sea-Doo’s Switch is the most customizable and adaptable pontoon on the market today.
By: Walt Jennings
Sea Doo’s new ‘Switch’ model is like nothing you have ever seen or been on before, and when I first saw one, I looked and thought – well I’m not sure what I thought as it looked kind of like a pontoon, but it was short and there were no obvious pontoons. The Switch’s vibrant colours were what first caught my eye, a vibrant lime green colour that shouted “wow,” and the Switch’s shape was, well it was a totally new, innovative, and revolutionary new pontoon shape.
I was on the water in a bay near my house again last week and we saw one of the Sea-Doo Switch’s go by, and my three passengers looked and said: “what’s that”. The Switch turns heads wherever it goes. Available in three different lengths (13, 19, and 21 feet), three different colours, and different models, this new line of Sea Doo Switch models are not your typical pontoon boats, nor do they look anything like a big Sea Doo personal watercraft. The Switch is a total deviation from decades of traditional marine design, as Sea-Doo has developed a boat that removes many of the age-old barriers to traditional boat ownership while bringing a new level of fun to the water.
On all three of the Switch models, the basic 13-foot Switch as well as the fuller featured Switch Sport and Switch Cruise, can carry up to ten passengers and are powered by Sea Doo’s proven Rotax 1630 ACE jet impeller driven engine. The 13-foot Switch that we looked at had top speed of 32 mph with its standard 130 hp engine. A larger 170 hp Rotax engine is an available option in this basic 13-foot Switch and would be recommended if you normally boat with a full load of ten passengers, or want to pull a skier or wakeboarder.
With PWC-like handlebar steering and a tri-pontoon hull (the middle pontoon is deeper than the two side pontoons) manufactured of a hard Polytec material (a glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene material) like their personal watercrafts, all of the new Sea Doo Switch models react to steering changes much like a traditional mono hull Sea Doo personal watercraft. Slowing and braking is also much like a traditional Sea Doo personal watercraft as the Switch uses Sea Doo’s iBR intelligent braking and reverse feature that also makes docking the Switch much easier.
For boaters used to a traditional steering wheel and binnacle, there is a very short adjustment period to acclimate to the handlebar controls, but the setup is extremely intuitive and within minutes, any captain will find him or herself spinning circles inside their own boat length. The obvious benefit here is the increased control in tight quarters, which is sure to relieve docking anxiety for new and seasoned boaters alike. Add the braking functionality, and this is arguably the most maneuverable and easy-to-operate vessel on the water, making it an ideal choice for new boaters.
The ability to change the deck layout at any time to maximize the moment is one of the Switch’s most unique features. With one easy lever, users can quickly and easily reconfigure the deck furniture to facilitate whatever activity is taking place. Whether facing the seats aft to watch a tuber, turning them out for fishing, or creating lounges to bask in the sun, the flexibility allows the Switch to continually adapt to whatever the day calls for.
For more information of the Sea-Doo Switch models, please visit www.sea-doo.com
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