1998-2003 Sea-Doo Speedster 1600 Specs and Review [Video]

The Sea-Doo Speedster 1600 was the more advanced successor of the proven ’94-‘97 14-foot Speedster. She was built on a 16-foot platform and utilized either a twin Rotax 787 or a single Mercury M2 V6 240 jet engine package, depending on the year.

Sea-Doo also marketed the 1600 with closed-bow architecture under the name of Speedster SK.

Sea-Doo Speedster 1600 Review

Hull and Capacities

Sea-Doo launched its first high-performance 14-foot runabout in 1994 under the name of Speedster.  

This model was phased out in 1998 by the larger and more advanced Speedster 1600.

As the name suggests, the successor was built on a 16-foot deep-V hull with a 20-degree transom deadrise.

To be more precise, the boat measured 16.5 inches in length, 7 feet 7 inches in width, and had a draft of 12 inches.

This means that the 1600 was 2 feet longer and 6 inches wider than her 14-foot siblings.

As one might expect, the weight of the boat was also significantly increased.

Depending on the engine option, the claimed weight of the Sportster 1600 was 1,650-1,710 pounds dry and about 2,000 pounds with liquids and some basic gear.

This converted to an estimated trailering weight of 2,400-2,500 pounds with a matching single-axle trailer.

Sporty and stylish, the racing-inspired top deck of the 1600 was designed from scratch.

Unlike the predecessor’s fairly open asymmetrical deck layout, the new architecture featured a more enclosed cockpit protected by two side consoles.

This area was fitted with four highly bolstered bucket seats in two rows fitted with padded armrests.

Nestled in the tight bow area, they were completed with an aft-facing bucket seat.

The eye-catching design was enhanced with two tinted low-profile windshields on the consoles.

They looked cool but unlike their wraparound relatives, they provided minimal wind protection.

The stern architecture of the 14-footer forerunners was carried over but the swim platform was slightly enlarged.

The swim platform came standard with a retractable reboarding step, a ski hook, and three grab handles.

Towards the aft, the engine bay was covered with a storage tray and a stylish hood that matched the design of the rear seats.

Beyond its sizeable rear trunk, other storage options included a front storage compartment, floor ski locker, cup holders, and two console storages sealed by the windshields.

Labeled as left/right front storages, these lockable compartments housed removable baskets and two watertight cylindrical containers for the fire extinguisher and some personal gear.

Standard deck features included an audio system, push-down ski post, built-in cooler, padded grab handles, navigation and deck lights, plus mooring cleats.

Simple yet practical, the helm was designed with a padded armrest, switch panel, padded steering wheel, dashboard, mirror, shift/throttle levers, and a 12V accessory jack.

Instrumentation included a large speedometer, fuel gauge, low oil pivot lamp, and two small tachometers.

Regarding capacities, the 1600 could carry 5 passengers, 40 gallons of gas, and plenty of gear up to a weight limit of 850 pounds.

Engines and Performance

Sea-Doo marketed the Speedster 1600 in ’98 and ’99 with a twin Rotax 787 engine package replaced by a Mercury V6 240 jet engine in 2000.

Let’s drill into the details and talk about these power options in detail.

Derived from Sea-Doo’s PWC industry, Rotax 787s were 2-stroke carbureted, 782cc, oil-injected, twin-cylinder marine engines.

Even though their claimed performance was 201hp at 6850 RPM, they were advertised as a 220hp engine package.

Just like the engines, the twin jet propulsion system of the 1600 also shared some DNA with Sea-Doo PWCs.

This axial-flow, single-stage Bombardier Formula jet pump utilized a reverse system and the Sea-Doo exclusive “weedless intake system.”

In a nutshell, the latter was an electronically foldable intake grate designed to clear out weeds and debris from the intake.

Even though this press-button system was a revolutionary idea, it was less efficient and practical than Yamaha’s pump clean-out ports.

Thanks to her advanced twin propulsion system, the Speedster 1600 was highly maneuverable and topped out in the low 50 mph range.

She was also very agile and promised an unbeatable, adrenaline-filled boating experience.

For the Millennium, Sea-Doo upgraded the twin-Rotax 787s with a single Mercury M2 Jet Drive engine.

Featuring an outboard powerhead, this 2-stroke, 2500cc, V6, EFI power mill delivered 240hp out of the box.

Just like the engine, the matching Mercury jet pump was also specifically engineered for Sea-Doo jet boats by Mercury Marine.

Despite its higher hp rating and more torque, the top speed with this engine remained in the mid-50s.

At best cruising speed, it burned around 11 gph, giving an estimated fuel range of 100-110 miles.

Problems

Despite her popularity, the Sea-Doo Speedster 1600 had some design flaws.

In addition to limited free deck space and a poor rough water performance, the boat lacked many convenience features like a wrap-around windshield and carpets.

But these problems were dwarfed by the high engine maintenance requirements and overwhelming running costs.

The twin Rotax 787s especially required a lot of care due to their sensitive oil injection system, carburetors, and carbon ring seals.

Compared to this dual-engine package, the Mercury M2 V6 ensured significantly higher reliability.

Beyond its less complicated single architecture, the Mercury M2 was designed with a relatively reliable 2500cc outboard powerhead.

In return, its EFI fuel injection system was much harder to troubleshoot and fix.

Beyond their high maintenance, these engines also built a reputation on poor fuel economy.

 

Specs Charts

For your convenience, we’ve listed the key specs of the Sea-Doo Speedster 1600:

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length	16’ 6”
Beam	7’ 7”
Overall Length on Trailer	20’ 6”
Overall Height	53”
Overall Height on Trailer	70”
Draft	12”
Dead Rise	20°
Dry Weight (’98 – ‘99)	1650 lb.
Dry Weight (’00 – ‘03)	1710 lb.
Load limit	5 passengers or 850 lb.
Oil Injection Reservoir	2.3 gal.
Fuel Capacity	40 gal.
Hull Material	Composite (fiberglass)

Engines and Pumps

Year	‘98-‘99	’00-‘03’
Number of Engines	2	1
Type	Rotax 787	Mercury M2
Carburetion	Carbureted	Fuel-Injected (EFI)
Induction type	Rotary Valve	Reed valve
Exhaust system	Water cooled/water injected	Water Cooled
Lubrication	Oil Injection	Oil Injection
Engine Stroke	2-stroke	2-stroke
Number of Cylinders	2	V6
Displacement	782cc (each engine)	2500cc
Performance (combined)	201hp @ 6850 RPM	240hpo @ 6500 RPM
Pump	Bombardier Formula	Mercury Sport Jet
Pump Type	Axial flow, Single stage	Axial flow, Mixed stage

These specifications are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Takeaways

The 16-foot Sea-Doo Speedster 1600 was a worthy successor to her smaller forerunners.

Compared to her 14-foot ancestor, the all-new Speedster 1600 was not only larger but also enjoyed more powerful engine packages.

In the late ‘90s, she was marketed with twin Rotax 787 (220hp) engines replaced by a single Mercury M2 V6 (240hp) in 2000.

The latter remained unchanged until 2003 when the 1600 was discontinued to make room for more advanced 4-stroke models.

Compared to other jet boats, this model enjoyed a much more aggressive design and greater performance.

Besides her outstanding hole-shot acceleration, she topped out in the mid-50s.

In the turns, this tiny 16-footer proved to be extremely agile and was a lot of fun to drive.

Thanks to this unique attitude, the 1600 was often referred to as a jet ski-boat hybrid.

Due to the greatest regret of many fans, 2-stroke jet boats haven’t been manufactured since the mid-2000s.

Because of this, vintage 2-stroke Sea-Doos are becoming more and more popular, and the Speedster 1600 is no exception.

If you are considering buying one of these amazing vessels, think twice before you make the final decision.

Note that these models are powered by aged oil-injected 2-stroke engines that require a lot of wrenching.

The single-engine Speedster is especially hard to troubleshoot and fix due to its EFI fuel injection system.

In contrast, the twin-engine model features Mikuni carburetors, which also need periodic maintenance and care.

On top of that, most service shops and dealerships don’t work on these 2-stroke jet boats.

As a final word, unless you have strong mechanical skills, you may want to invest in a newer 4-stroke model like a Speesdter 150 or Speedster 200.