2023 Sea-Doo Switch 13 Sport

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Sea-Doo’s Switch series boats take aim squarely at the pontoon market, but the diminutive Switch 13 Sport retains a lot in common with the personal watercraft for which its maker is renowned. At barely 13 feet in length, it’s only slightly longer than Sea-Doo’s flagship GTX three-seater PWC. Grab the handlebar-style controls and punch the trigger throttle as you crank into a turn, and it displays much of a PWC’s excitement and quick-reflex maneuverability. Approach a dock or launch ramp and Sea-Doo’s Intelligent Brake and Reverse (iBR) system provides intuitive, low-speed maneuverability and control not found on pontoons. Truly, you’ll load this boat on a trailer or place it into its slip with precision and ease. 

Though the 13 Sport might be relatively pint-size in terms of a pontoon, it ticks off most of the requisite boxes. Wide-open, flat deck space offers seating for five and retains a roomy, open feel. This perception benefits further from another unique feature: the visual trick provided by clear vinyl fence panels. Most pontoon boats utilize standard-issue aluminum perimeter paneling. That same clear vinyl also increases visibility for the captain, providing a clear view when approaching the dock or looking out for obstacles in the surrounding water. Below, the hull offers a pontoon’s exceptional stability but replaces aluminum logs with a trio of hulls made from lightweight, fiberglass-reinforced polyethylene. The larger center hull is shaped like a PWC hull and rides lower in the water to enhance the craft’s agile personality.

If there’s a trademark feature of the Sea-Doo Switch, it is the reconfigurable floor plan. Nearly all seating and components can be released from the deck in Lego-like fashion and repositioned elsewhere around the boat in seconds. The approach allows the owner to change the boat’s focus, going for social-cruise seating one day and a cleared-out fishing floor plan the next. A variety of accessories, like coolers and storage caddies, can also be attached with ease. 

Don’t expect a similarly powered PWC’s speed numbers, but the 13 Sport still managed a respectable 38.7 mph with a 170 hp Rotax. Opt for the engine’s Sport mode, however, and the additional low-end punch aids the 13 Sport’s watersports focus—and makes those hard-cranking turns all the more aggressive.

High Points

• Sport package adds 7-inch Garmin MFD, padded lounge with backrests, and more.
• Storage under seats, plus in-sole storage. 
• Standards include a pump-cleaning system, painted trailer and Bimini top.

How We Tested

• Engine: 170 hp Rotax 1630 ACE
• Pump/Impeller: 160 mm high-pressure/stainless steel
• Fuel Load: 18 gal. Crew Weight: 310 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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Source: https://www.boatingmag.com/boats/2023-sea-doo-switch-13-sport-pbbg/