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about to buy two sparks is this a good deal and other questions

9117 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Cormacs
Ok new to the forum and new to jet skis. I just closed in on a deal at a dealership for 2 sparks. A 2015 3up ho with ibr no other options and a 2015 2up ho no ibr and no other options. Load rite galvanized trailer. Out the door price of $16021.00. To me this seems like a killer deal when I was looking at Yamaha I would have been close to that with one and a trailer.

I'm in the process of getting my boater safety card. What basics should I know or watch for first time out in the water as this is all new to me?

Next question. I have read Pennsylvania has the law about towing needing 3 person ski. So I would like to tow but I'm a bigger guy 225 lbs spotter would be another big guy around the same weight. My son being towed is just over 100 lbs.. is this possible with a 3 up? I know the weight ratings are quite low for us bigger americans.

Thanks for any insight and sugestions..
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That sounds like a good deal for two skis and a trailer. How many hours are on the skis? Are they in good shape otherwise?

Just make sure all the recalls have been done on the 2014. Especially the handlebars.

Don't know about PA law so can't help you with the towing thing. You may have some low speed stability issues putting 3 people with that much total weight on a Spark.

As far as tips: just keep alert and have fun out there. Falling off the ski sometimes is part of the fun.
I also suggest for people to rent skis, and become familiar with everything before you go out and purchase them.... Spending almost 20k with minimal knowledge about something, is interesting.


Hopefully you enjoy the new skis
I am completely new to jetskis as well. Been boating for years, but never had skis of my own.

I just purchased two 3up sparks (no ibr, no convenience package) and a double loadrite trailer for $16,100, so I would say you are getting a decent deal. Since you are getting a 2up and not two 3ups, you can try to get them to drop it down a couple hundred more.

Dont forget, you will have to buy registration stickers ($20), PFDs ($35-$125), and fire extinguisher ($25). Possibly you can get them to throw that into the deal?

When you get your skis and trailer, I would recommend practicing driving. Go to a big open lot, practice turning, backing up, etc. You dont want to get to the boat launch on the first day and look like an idiot. You'll get the hang of it quickly with a little practice. Remember, small adjustments with the steering wheel. Always be mindful to take wider than normal turns.

Once you get the skis in the water, follow the break in procedure that seadoo recommends. 5 hours of 50%-75% throttle max during this period to break in the engine. Never go full throttle in the first few hours. Once you get to hours 3-5 then you can give full throttle, but do not accelerate from a dead stop to full speed rapidly. Gradually increase to full throttle and maintain full speed for 10 seconds max, then throttle down. During break in you never want to keep the ski maxed out for long periods of time.

Once you complete the 5 hour break in, you are good to go! Make sure you change oil and filter at recommended hourage, other than that, its pretty simple.

In regards to towing, it is technically illegal to tow on a 2up ski. It has to be 3up. I think if you have two full adults on the ski, towing your son, you should be ok. Give it a shot and see how it works. I would not recommend towing until after the recommended break in. You do not want to add stress to the ski/engine during break in.

Lastly, enjoy your new skis!

I love mine, and do not regret my purchase one bit! You will love yours as well!
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I am completely new to jetskis as well. Been boating for years, but never had skis of my own.

I just purchased two 3up sparks (no ibr, no convenience package) and a double loadrite trailer for $16,100, so I would say you are getting a decent deal. Since you are getting a 2up and not two 3ups, you can try to get them to drop it down a couple hundred more.

Dont forget, you will have to buy registration stickers ($20), PFDs ($35-$125), and fire extinguisher ($25). Possibly you can get them to throw that into the deal?

When you get your skis and trailer, I would recommend practicing driving. Go to a big open lot, practice turning, backing up, etc. You dont want to get to the boat launch on the first day and look like an idiot. You'll get the hang of it quickly with a little practice. Remember, small adjustments with the steering wheel. Always be mindful to take wider than normal turns.

Once you get the skis in the water, follow the break in procedure that seadoo recommends. 5 hours of 50%-75% throttle max during this period to break in the engine. Never go full throttle in the first few hours. Once you get to hours 3-5 then you can give full throttle, but do not accelerate from a dead stop to full speed rapidly. Gradually increase to full throttle and maintain full speed for 10 seconds max, then throttle down. During break in you never want to keep the ski maxed out for long periods of time.

Once you complete the 5 hour break in, you are good to go! Make sure you change oil and filter at recommended hourage, other than that, its pretty simple.

In regards to towing, it is technically illegal to tow on a 2up ski. It has to be 3up. I think if you have two full adults on the ski, towing your son, you should be ok. Give it a shot and see how it works. I would not recommend towing until after the recommended break in. You do not want to add stress to the ski/engine during break in.

Lastly, enjoy your new skis!

I love mine, and do not regret my purchase one bit! You will love yours as well!
Good info for someone new.


Just do your research, even try and have someone on the lake show you the ins and outs. Not sure how big of a body of water you're going to be on, but there's signs and procedures you will need to know.
Good videos for beginners to watch:

Trailering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXtHWIdt7yI


After ride care:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw_oibaLV34#t=17
I personally just rinse the entire ski with freshwater and wipe dry. I do not use detergent. I also do not flush the bilge/engine area as the video shows. When I pull the ski out of the water first thing I do is loosen the drain plug and see if any water somes out. In my case, I have not had a single drop come out yet. With that, I know the inside engine area is completely dry, therefore there is no reason to rinse the internals of the ski. I also always flush the ski after every use, regardless of whether I was riding in fresh or saltwater. ALWAYS flush after saltwater use.
And if buying covers, I would recommend buying aftermarket covers to save you $$$. OEM cover is too expensive for my taste. I purchased two of these covers the other day and they fit perfectly. Excellent quality, waterproof, and fit great. They are trailerable as well. They fit either 2up or 3up skis.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151739145217?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
I suggest to buy the OEM cover

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
I suggest to buy the OEM cover

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

So do I. The oem is custom fitted with holes for the rear strap so your hold down straps can go over the cover and connect to the spark. The oem covers has holes for the fenders so you can cover it at a dock and still have the fenders in place. The oem cover has zippered access panels so you can use the speed ties with the cover on. It may not be worth the extra $100 for some. But it definitely has an extra $100 worth of features if you use them which I do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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