|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boat Test Videos
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Content courtesy of
The Spark was a real game changer in the sense that those who weren’t sure about getting on the water became convinced when they saw the price tag. At about $5,300, it became a no-brainer for bringing on-the-water recreation to the family. Now, add some innovative features, a few upgrades to add to the ease of use, and water, and you have the Spark Trixx. It injects adrenaline to what is considered to be an entry-level watercraft, and therein lies the irresistible ingredients.
![]() Key Features
Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.
![]() Safety FirstLanyardJust because the Spark Trixx is all about the tricks, doesn’t mean safety was left off the table. The law requires that the operator wear a safety lanyard. One end of this safety lanyard plugs into a ball and socket type arrangement at the handlebars. Without the lanyard being engaged, the watercraft will not start. The other end of the lanyard connects to the operator. In this manner, should the operator part ways with the vehicle, the engine will stop and the Spark Trixx will not run away unattended. Just swim back over and reboard. Flotation VestThe typical method of connecting the lanyard is with an eye affixed to the flotation vest. Everyone who rides a personal watercraft such as this is required to wear a flotation vest -- not those orange life jackets that come for free with your boat. The vest not only provides better flotation, it is much safer in the event of falling off the vehicle. Now to be clear, falling off one of these watercraft is not a hard thing to have happen. Especially when showboating. Heck, when Captain Steve was testing out this ride, he ended up in the water not once, but twice. It’s simply a matter of pushing the boundaries and extending yourself to see where you can go. Sometimes it’s in a kicking tailspin, other times the tailspin kicks you. It’s all part of the fun. Really -- it’s water, not concrete. ![]() Distinguishing FeaturesExoskeletonNow the Spark and the Spark Trixx share some obvious commonality. Among them is the instantly recognizable open architecture of the skeleton design. The benefits of this design are two-fold. ![]() Firstly, it makes damage repairs much easier. Smack the dock and just replace an individual piece, not the whole body. Secondly, it’s saves a ton of weight. At only 422 lbs. (192 kg), it’s among the lightest watercraft around. That alone makes it a remarkably attractive addition to a cruisers swim platform. EngineThe Spark models both utilize the 90-hp Rotax 900 ACE HO engine, and salt-water operators will love that it features a closed-loop cooling system. Much like a car’s radiator, the cooling system uses liquid coolant to maintain the temperature, but because we don’t have the benefit of air going over a radiator, we instead have a metal plate under the hull that is cooled by the water the Spark is riding in to keep the engine’s components cool. Additionally, the metal plate of the heat exchange system actually serves as a mounting point for the engine and adds additional strength to the Polytec hull. ![]() Engine access is one major difference between Sea Doo and the competition. In the entry-level models, there really is no easy access to the engine, only the checkpoints and maintenance features like oil fill and filter. Some argue that this is a deterrent, others say it keeps the uninitiated away from the mechanical components and leaves the work to the trained pros. Of course, any gear-head can get to the engine with some tools, so this makes sense. Whether it makes sense for the buyer is, of course, up to the buyer. Either way, we don’t see it as a deal breaker since there’s a one-year warranty anyway. It’s just a way to keep the wanna-be weekend mechanics off the engine. Other FeaturesEven though this is a “price-point” machine, there are still some features that are shared with the high-end models:
![]()
![]() Trixx Specific FeaturesWhile the Trixx is still a Spark, this model has some features that the base Spark does not.
![]()
![]() ![]() ![]() HandlingOnce Capt. Steve got on the water with the Spark Trixx, it was a matter of wringing it out and seeing what both he and the Trixx could do, and in no time, he had rolled it over and was dumped in the water. Such is the way when you push the vehicle and see where limitations begin and end. But it’s this sort of operation that the Trixx really brings out. Of course, we can quickly master putting the trim all the way up, standing on the foot wedges, and tail-walking across the lake, but with a little more time and practice, and yes... dunking, some interesting maneuvers start to manifest. Tail stands, power slides, 180-hops, and plenty of “yet-to-be-named” (we figure we’d name the “getting dunked overboard” the Capt. Steve) tricks are all not only possible, but easier with the Trixx. Entry Level ObservationsAs with our test of the original Spark, we knew that Capt. Steve wasn’t the target audience. So we dusted off our kid from the last test and turned him loose on the Spark Trixx. Much like before, he took to it like a duck to water, but this time, we saw him get much more aggressive and push his own envelope of handling. Such is the way with the Trixx, it challenges you to grow and try new things, mostly because it’s easy to do. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Available OptionsWhile the Sea Doo Spark Trixx is a pretty tricked out model, there are still some options that we’d consider.
![]()
![]() ObservationsBoth the lightweight and light price of the Spark makes it seen on cruisers all over the place. All you have to do is start looking, and they’ll be seen. With the added features of the Spark Trixx, we can easily see that it won’t be long before this model starts replacing the previous as the next sought after “on the water” toy of the cruising set. WarrantyFull Warranty Information on this brand coming soon! PricePricing Range: $7,299.00 Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model. |