PWC Seat Size & Rated Capacity Numbers

If you plan on buying or renting a personal watercraft (PWC), there are a few things you’ll need to know. Things like what’s the top speed? Do you need to wear anything special? And a question that is often not considered enough, what is the seat size and how many riders can you carry?

Let’s go over this last question in more detail, as it’s more involved than you might think.

The Rated Seat Capacity

Depending on the model, 1 to 4 people can ride a PWC safely.

But that is not the only part that matters, as the total of weight of riders and gear comes into effect, too.

The more weight, the fewer riders you can carry on your PWC.

As for the number of seats, these are your options:

• 1-seater PWC
• 2-seater PWCs
• 3-seater PWCs
• 4-seater PWCs

The 1-seater and 4-seater PWC are far less common, with the 3-seater being the most common. But just because your PWC is rated for 3 riders DOESN’T mean it can fit 3 grown adults!!!

Not only that, you need to adhere to the weight limit, especially even when pulling tubes! There is a lot to cover, so let’s discuss the number of riders you can fit!

The Difference Between a 2-Seater And a 3-Seater

A common thing I would get from customers when they looked at a 3-seater PWC is that they thought it was a 2-seater.

It was even worse on smaller skis like the Sea-Doo Spark, as you can see, the difference was not huge.

The honest truth is that a 3-seater is not 3 fully grown adults, but 2 adults and maybe a small child.

The seats are more spacious on larger models like the GTI, VX and larger models, but it’s still not for 3 grown burly men.

Modern PWCs can only support so much weight. The seats are not huge and not made for a lot of bodies.

It’s because of this that a 3-seater is more common, as it fits 2 normal-sized riders nicely.

Check For the Sticker On Some Models

Depending on the model, a PWC can ride 1 to 4 riders legally and safely. The rated seat capacity can vary, as covered on the sticker on newer models, shown below.

If yours is rated for 3 riders, you must not go over that.

The same goes for 2-seaters.

A good bit of manufacturers put a sticker on the newer models to let you know the maximum number of riders allowed, and going over this not only gets you in trouble with the water cops, but could put lives at risk.

Every PWCs is rated for a certain weight. They consider the average person’s weight along with gear to base these numbers on.

Going over the maximum weight makes it more likely to flip and harder to control in the water.

Tow Sports

The rated seat capacity does affect your PWC when it comes to tow sports. If your skis are rated for 3 riders, that means…

• One person driving.
• One acting as the spotter.
• One on the tube or wakeboard.

Some states allow 2 to be towed only if you have mirrors.

If you go over the max, you will get fined by the local water police. We have these rules for the “just in case” someone gets hurt, they have enough room on your PWC to get back on and to a safe area.

A 4-Seater was A thing Years Ago

For a short time, you could get a 4-seater around the early 2000s. (The Sea-Doo LRV and the Yamaha SUV were the 4 seaters of their time.)

At the start, these larger skis were a huge hit as you could take the whole family. They offer a ton of storage and had just enough power.

The reason why 4-seaters never became popular is that they are almost akin to boats in size, and people generally prefer actual boats. Additionally, 3-seaters are slightly cheaper and considered “good enough“, making them more appealing. Consequently, 3-seaters prevailed in the market as the preferred choice for consumers.

It is possible for 4-seaters to come back due to the prices of boats going up, but I won’t hold my breath anytime soon. These 4-seater needed a special trailer, and since a good bit of owners like buying two new skis, two 3-seaters is better than one 4-seater.

There are things called a Shuttlecraft that allow you to put your skis in the rear of the boat.

You don’t see these much because they’re cumbersome to use, slow, and overall just a pain.

I would rather go with the Sea-Doo Switch. I’ve learned in life that things that try to be multiple things often are the worst of the two things.