Sea-Doo Switch Pontoon - Review 2023

Why It’s Fun to Drive

The Sea Doo Switch retains the inboard jet engine and handlebars, building a pontoon body around a jet ski nerve system. The result delivers the comfort and stability of a pontoon boat with the maneuverability of a jet ski. Sea Doo has been a force in the jet ski market for a while, and they’ve taken that approach and applied it to pontoons.

One small challenge for those unused to jet skiing is getting used to the handlebar grip throttle (right side) and reverse (left side). While these controls allow you to brake and turn on a dime, they take time to master. Be sure to practice before venturing out. And always use the bilge fan to expel gasoline fumes before starting the engine.

Form Benefits Function

Traditional pontoon boats are dogs when you turn: it can feel like driving an 18 wheeler in sand. But the Switch leans into your turns, banking smoothly on its offset pontoons (the middle one is deeper, facilitating the deep turns). Not only is this fun for the driver, but imagine the mini-G forces experienced by passengers tubing in your wake! Yours will be the most popular boat on the lake.

The Sea Doo Switch will get plenty of attention when it’s parked, too, because it doesn’t look like the other boats on the lake. The design is squared-off yet aggressive, unlike traditional-looking bows of power boats or laid-back pontoon boats.

What about the Lego part? That’s pretty cool – many of the components of seating, tables, and even a swim platform are modular, clipping easily into points in the boat’s floor for a customizable layout.

If you want to dive right into the watersports edition of the Sea Doo Switch you may skip the Compact model and move up to its big brother, the Sport model, with a larger engine and options like a wakeboard holder, towing pylon, swim platform, and bimini for shade. Likewise, there is a “family” package for additional comfort, as well as additional sunshade and even clear weatherproof enclosure available.

Dive In

You’ll board the Sea Doo Switch from the bow, the location of the only gate through the clear safety perimeter.

Orient yourself: The base model comes with modular seats arranged side-by-side for a couch-like configuration, or singly like armchairs. The basic package includes three single and one corner seats.

The best part is you get to decide where they go. Just pull out the yellow handle at the bottom front of each component to unlatch it from the boat’s floor and move it to another floor tile, settling its base into the receiver tile and replacing the yellow handle to lock it down.

A pedestal table can be moved around the deck by screwing its threaded base into spaces where floor tiles meet. Or, the tabletop can snap into the upper edges of the seats for a useful bridge.

Before you take off, stow snacks, drinks, unneeded life jackets, beach towels, and other gear in easy-to-access cubbies beneath seat cushions or in bilge space below floor tiles.

If you want to tow a tube, you’ll need the $759 pedestal that fits into the $600 swim platform.

At the helm, the operator must wear the bracelet that attaches to the starting switch. Without it the engine will not start. If the operator is disabled and the bracelet comes off the ignition, the engine will stop.

Before starting the engine, the operator should use the button below the handlebars to vent the bilge of fuel fumes for several minutes.

The ignition switch is the red button on the left handlebar.

The throttle switch is accessed by the operator’s right hand, and it is manipulated (like a bicycle brake lever) by squeezing. One “click” of the lever moves the engine from reverse into drive. Squeeze harder to increase speed.

A similar lever found on the back of the handlebar on the left side and accessed by squeezing puts the engine into reverse. It also acts as a brake when the boat is moving forward.

Before taking off, check your charts. The optional Garmin GPS/chart plotter ($969) will help steer you around danger zones, but you still need to be attentive to local speed restrictions.

Four buttons arranged in a diamond shape on the left handlebar are as important as the accelerator. These buttons allow the operator to:

• adjust the bow trim, lifting it in choppy waters and lowering it for pulling tubes;
• move through engine modes for more speed, power, or fuel conservation;
• turn on cruise control, and
• run the IDF mode to clear the engine intake of clogs.

The Bottom Line

There aren’t many boats like the Sea Doo Switch that offer this much fun without breaking the bank. The base model is $21,799, including a trailer. Or, you can upgrade to 18- or 21-foot “cruise” or “sport” models with up to 170 hp and more seating, water sports, and comfort options. Expect an additional $4,000-$6,000 of packaged or a la carte options to make your chosen model complete with options like the sport package, a bimini, extra seats, and tiles that allow you to set seats up on a dock.