The RXP-X is a water-based rocketship with a higher power-to-weight ratio than most supercars.
By 2024, Sea-Doo already had a personal watercraft (PWC) on the market. The RXP-X Apex 300, powered by a supercharged 1.6-liter engine that produces 300 horsepower, could cut through the water like a machete. The powersports firm has updated this vehicle by swapping out the engine, which now produces 325 horsepower and is extremely torquey with a push of the throttle.
Sea-Doo claims the RXP-X 325 is powered by the fastest-accelerating PWC engine to date, and media representative Timothy McKercher describes it as a “superbike on the water.” An outstanding power-to-weight ratio contributes to the RXP-X’s overall potential, further improving its speed and agility. The hood is composed of carbon fiber, which is both lightweight and extremely robust, while the hull is built of superlight glass fiber reinforced polypropylene. Ultimately, this means the RXP-X 325 has a power-to-weight ratio comparable to the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport.
It’s not all about speed, though. This machine is designed for buoy racing, which involves weaving between 15-20 buoys as swiftly as possible. On smooth seas, the RXP-X resembles a track lap in an F1 vehicle, yet while slashing through choppy water, it resembles a supercross motorbike. The deep V-hull cuts a clean path and the watercraft spins with a tight radius, all while protecting the rider from falling into the wash.
“It’s a surgical tool,” McKercher states. “It’s so exact. “I believe the only thing that could turn faster than this is a barrel racing horse.”
If this watercraft were a horse, it would kick you off if you rode like a beginner. However, Sea-Doo intended it to avoid that scenario as much as possible through ergonomic research, advanced hydrodynamics, rigorous testing, and teaching.
325 Horsepower Sea-Doo
Every company wants to wear the crown of the fastest and most powerful PWC. However, as BRP’s Tim McKercher told me, this has concerned the U.S. government because the PWC power wars mean that any yahoo with $20,000 in their pocket can now go speeds normally reserved for racing applications.
(Full disclosure: BRP invited me to Sanford, Florida, to test the most powerful Sea-Doo personal watercraft. BRP paid for my hotel, transport, and plenty of gator to eat.
In retrospect, this chance seemed unusual. As I already stated, I am fascinated by everything engine-related. However, one of my blind spots has been floatable vehicles. I once controlled a little tin fishing boat as a child, but it was sluggish, powered only by a trolling engine and oars. I also got to try out the Sea-Doo Switch a few years back. But that is it. Prior to taking charge of the new Sea-Doo RXP-X and the new Sea-Doo GTR-X, I had only controlled a floating vehicle.
I Like Big Power And I Cannot Lie
Tim began my journey on the Sea-Doo GTR-X. This PWC is powered by a supercharged Rotax 1630 ACE with 300 horsepower. This is the same engine described above, but with a much milder tuning. The GTR-X’s most notable feature is its hull. It’s composed of BRP’s favorite Polytec plastic composite material, but the most essential thing to remember is that the PWC has a flatter hull. I’ll explain why that matters in a moment.
I’m going to take a quick break from our speed addict narrative now. In my bio, I mention that I will swim in any body of water that I can locate. That’s no exaggeration. I enjoy swimming in mud holes more than driving a vehicle through them. Taking a bath in the Mississippi River was a dream come true, and the crystal pure lakes of Oregon are unparalleled. I can’t wait to get back out on the lake in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula later this year.
So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to spend a whole day on the lake and not be able to swim in it. Okay, I could have swum in it, but my wife prefers that I return home with all limbs intact. Those gator signs were my foes. I think I got some payback on the way to the café when I saw a gator emerge from the lake and didn’t have enough time to avoid it. The thump on the Sea-Doo’s hull indicated that the gator did not get out of the path in time, either.
When I got back on dry land, I trembled like a chihuahua. The energy continued to flood through my body. There is no can of Red Bull in the world that could have made me feel as energized and powerful as I did that day. The Sea-Doo RXP-X brought my senses to a new level of excitement. I’m afraid the only path ahead from here is to take up skydiving or wear a wingsuit. Maybe put me in a Lockheed Martin F-35 or something.
The 2024 Sea-Doo GTR-X is priced at $16,999, while the addicting 2024 Sea-Doo RXP-X costs $19,199.
I’ll do more extensive write-ups on these machines in the future, but what you should know is that riding one will introduce you to a type of joy you never thought existed. Riding one of these may rewire your brain and change the way you perceive speed. At the absolute least, get out there and explore portions of America you had no idea existed; you’ll be pleased you did.