Jet-Ski is the brand name of personal watercraft (PWC) manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.. The name, however, has become a genericized trademark for any type of personal watercraft. Jet ski (or jetski) can also specifically refer to versions of PWCs with pivoting handlepoles known as "stand-ups".

 

Jet ski became foremost the colloquial term for stand-ups because, in 1973, Kawasaki was responsible for a limited production of stand-up models as designed by the recognized inventor of jet skis, Clayton Jacobsen II. In 1976, Kawasaki then began mass production of the JS400-A. JS400s came with 400cc two-stroke engines and hulls based upon the previous limited release models. It became the harbinger of the success Jet-Skis would see in the market up through the 1990's.

In 1986 Kawasaki broadened the world of Jet Skis by introducing a two person model with lean-in "sport" style handling and a 650cc engine, dubbed the X-2. Then in 1989, they introduced their first two passenger "sit-down" model, the Tandem Sport (TS) with a step-through seating area.

 

In 2003, Kawasaki celebrated the Jet Ski brand by releasing a special 30th anniversary edition of its current stand-up model, the SX-R, which has seen a revival of interest in stand-up jetskiing. The X-2 has also been updated, based on the SX-R platform and re-released in Japan. Kawasaki continues to produce three models of sit-downs, including many four-stroke models.

The four stroke engines have come on since the late 1990s, with the help of superchargers and the like the engines can output up to 250 horsepower as seen in the newly released Kawasaki ultra 250x.

Since jetskiing has evolved through the 90's other companies like Yamaha, Bombardier and Polaris have joined the sport to make it into a worldwide sport inboth racing and freestyle.

Freestyle jetskiing is done on stand-up jetskis but mainly on Yamaha superjets as they are lighter and smaller than that of the Kawasaki SX-R. Jetski freestyle consists of many different tricks, including big air, hood tricks and technical tricks which, just like BMX and Motocross, are judged on the quality and skill shown in routines. The freestyle world is made up of different competitions into which anyone can enter. In the United Kingdom amateurs start with the FNT (Freestyle National Tour). In 2006 Luke 'Showtime' Stocks won the professional category and Stuart Hammer won the amateur. It is held around the main British lakes and coastal bays.

 

The next step up is the British Winter Series which again consists of pro and amateur categories. After winning this title it is possible to enter the British summer series. The British series is held on the official British circuit and has produced some of the world's champions, including Lee Stone (World Professional Champion), Ant 'Barrel Roll' Burgess (World Amateur Champion) and Dan 'Aircroft' Ashcroft (European Champion).