Combining the first on-water brake in the history of boating, with the first full suspension system on a PW, Spicer test rides the Sea-Doo GTX Ltd iS.

The GTX Ltd iS is an entirely new breed of watercraft that is packed with technology and throws down the gauntlet at the future of PW technology. On first impression, its front grills confront you, practically snarling as you approach it.  Its exterior looks muscular and tank-like, clad in a shimmering silver and brown camouflage. Clearly,  it has come from the Sea-Doo gene pool, but this particular offspring is bigger and meaner than anything before.

CONTROL CENTRE
Slipping down into its comfortable touring seat, a tingle of anticipation runs up my spine. The feeling of being in the driving seat is exciting in itself. There are so many buttons surrounding me that I half expect rocket-propelled grenades to pivot out on mechanical arms if I press the wrong one. The console is striking, with both digital and analogue displays constantly feeding you information. The display console also shifts simultaneously with the adjustable handlebars, so when you change the height of the bars for standing or sitting, you can always view the control hub. But perhaps the most noticeable feature is that the whole top deck is supported by suspension that travels into the (separate) hull beneath.

But this is a stonkingly big craft. Measuring 3.53 metres compared to the (previous generation) GTX Ltd 215’s 3.31 metres, it is longer. And weighing 430kg, compared to the GTX Ltd 215’s 364kg, it is 66kg heavier. Although, that is not to say that it is a bad thing, as the GTX Ltd iS has a bigger engine, two separate hull pieces and all of the suspension technology packed in there. So it had to expand, and that it has. It’s like the old GTX has been on a course of freakishly strong steroids, eaten buckets of raw meat, and drunk nothing but Guinness.

INTELLIGENT THROTTLE

Starting it up the beast purrs into life and, like a well-behaved dog, stays perfectly still on the spot. Sea-Doo’s new ‘intelligent throttle control’ (ITC) system makes the GTX Ltd iS start in neutral, with the pump facing down, so that when you push the start button the engine starts but the craft doesn’t move forwards in tickover. It is a fantastic safety feature that makes for calm manoeuvring  and docking, instead of worrying about butting the harbour and having to faff with a clunky reverse lever (more on that later).

POWER HOUSE
Touching the throttle lever shifts the GTX Ltd iS into drive mode, and it starts ticking over as usual. Leaving the marina, I thumb the slow speed button and it moves forwards without the need to hold the throttle. This can be set at any speed between 0 and 7 mph and is a sensible feature for low-speed zones. Once I am a safe distance from the wooden pier, I mash the throttle and it surges up onto the plane and into the mid-range in seconds. Bam! It’s really got some balls – you can feel the supercharger working from the first pull and right the way through the rev range. It’s seriously fast, whipping up to 50mph in around three seconds.

INTELLIGENT SUSPENSION

With the wind whistling past my lugholes, I take a quick glance in the wing mirror to check that I’m clear on both sides, then increase the power and swing the bars from left to right to get a proper feel for it. Thanks to the suspension, it’s one hell of a smooth ride that takes the impact away from porpoising and flying off waves. Sea-Doo has tried suspension before with the HX and XP but only using sprung seats. Never anything like this . . .

The GTX Ltd iS is divided into two separate pieces that move independently of each other: the upper deck, which incorporates the handlebars, seat, footwells and bow - and below that, the hull. Between the sections are two aluminium arms, which support the top section. Towards the front of the craft, beneath the bow, there are rubber concertinas on either side where the aluminium arm joins to the upper deck. These allow for six inches of travel, which is soaked up by a shock absorber (pressurized with gas) and a spring. Then through the magic of iControl, it monitors the rider’s weight and the conditions of the sea, and a hydraulic pump and motor force oil into a piston beneath the spring to establish the height of the upper deck.

Switching the iS from automatic to manual is a simple push button operation, which iControl acknowledges by shifting a digital bar up or down in the display panel. I adjust it to the softest setting, and jump my weight up and down to feel the full effects. There is more travel at the bow than the stern, but a pillion passenger would definitely appreciate the suspension. Admittedly, the suspension system does take some rider interaction away because you lose some of the feel for the sea, but it’s a small compromise for less aches and pains and more time on the water.

BRAKING POINT

Trimming the bow up to negotiate the increasing waves, the GTX Ltd iS handles them no problem whatsoever. Looking at the speedo, which accurately monitors speed using GPS, I’m hurtling along at 64mph. The 1,494cc engine is responsive and growls at every lick of the throttle. And the throttle is light to the touch because there is no cable and, therefore, relieves arm pump. The throttle operates through iControl, which senses your every touch of the lever. The ITC also allows for more precise engine calibration, and as a result, improves fuel economy and should reduce the overall operating cost.

Charging along at pace, with my chops wobbling like crazy, picking up speed, going faster and faster, and then . . . I hit the brakes. The craft slows dramatically - although not immediately – white wash is hurled all around me and the bow drops off the plane. I am wet, and thoroughly impressed. The system works by pulling on the brake lever (on the lefthand bar) which causes the engine to back off for a moment, before directing an electric motor to drop the reverse bucket, and then reapplying the throttle to create reverse thrust, which slows the PW radically. To stop you from being catapulted over the bow, the engine is limited to 3,500rpm when the brake is applied. According to Sea-Doo, your stopping distance from 55 mph will be reduced by 33 per cent to 50 per cent, compared to a GTX without a braking system.

REVERSE
At this point I realised that I had gone further than I thought and, like a true professional, was well and truly lost. Facing back into the bay, I searched for the harbour I had launched from. Coming in closer I was convinced that I had found it and pulled into a beach where there was a collection of Sea-Doos. And their slack-jawed American owners. Apparently, this wasn’t the right beach . . . “Jeez Louise! What the hell kind of craft is that?!” exclaimed one portly American gentlemen. Erm. Bugger... Oh, this ol’ thing. It’s not a brand new pre-production Sea-Doo with a strict embargo or anything like that, oh no. You haven’t seen anything special here chaps, go back to your fishing.

Needing to get out of there in a hurry, I engaged the brake lever again, which switches the PW into reverse mode. Then throttling on causes it to reverse – it’s as simple as that. There’s no need to take your hands off the handlebars to fumble awkwardly with a reverse lever, instead you just hold the brake lever and accelerate as you would normally. I am a big fan of the ‘intelligent brake/reverse’ system. It is a fantastic feature that simplifies low-speed manoeuvring and gives you added control.

CRUISE CONTROL

On my way back to the actual Sea-Doo launch spot, I decide to try out the ‘cruise control’ function. By pressing the “cruise” button on the right handlebar for a couple of seconds it allows you to select and maintain a constant speed, which can be adjusted in 1mph increments. Then once you release the throttle beyond the set point, the cruise is deactivated. The cruise control allows the rider to focus on the riding experience rather than trying to maintain a constant speed, which helps minimise speed fluctuations when towing a wakeboarder or skier, and also makes it easier to respect speed limits.

HULL

The GTX Ltd iS also has a newly designed ‘S3’ hull, which stands for stepped, stable and strong. It is a much deeper V than any Sea-Doo hull I have ridden before, which works in conjunction with the suspension, and really contributes to its handling in rough water. It has fantastic grip in lumpy water and gives a solid controlled ride. Cornering is ace, as it banks steeply through each turn in a similar fashion to the Kawasaki 250X. The hull also has a step cut into the hull, just aft of the intake, which creates a low-pressure area to help reduce drag. It’s a cracking hull. My only criticism it that where its deep V has been designed for banking into turns, it makes it slightly unstable while stationary – particularly if you board from the side. But what’s a bit of wobble for the sake of motorbike-style cornering.

CRUISING FEATURES

The GTX Ltd iS also has some extra features that are not found on the RXT iS. These include two retractable mooring lines (front and rear), which look the business and are very effective for securing it. There is also a removable dry bag, a safety kit, a sand bag anchor, a glove box organizer, a cargo hook, an inbuilt depth finder, and a cover. On the downside, the storage capacity has decreased from the regular GTX 215 from 130-litres on to just 62-litres for the new GTX iS. The new model has a larger glove box but the bow storage is much smaller, which is a disappointment for a boat designed for touring.

CONCLUSION

This is a cruising machine with muscle craft gusto. Packing a whopping 255hp engine with a supercharger means that it has the grunt and top-end to match the best and, combined with the suspension, means you can ride for longer. Before suspension, water conditions controlled your ride to a degree. Not any more. With the GTX Ltd iS there is less slap and more tickle. Prices are expected to be in the region of £13,400 after the change in VAT, which is relatively pricey but I believe that the features packed into this watercraft justify the cost. It is a premium cruising craft that is technically polished and brutally fast. It’s like the Governor of California came out of a hypnotic trance, and terminated the population of San Francisco, while a red light burned brightly in his eye. The old GTX said, “I’ll be back”. And it is.