While the exisitng Sea-Doo GTX 4-TEC was impressive enough to garner last year's "Watercraft of the Year" award, Sea-Doo is betting that a more powerful version of otherwise essentially the same craft will entice a whole new collection of enthusiasts to just 'doo it. The bait?

A supercharger, a forced air alternative to turbocharging that promises to eliminate the so-called "lag" inherent to turbocharged engines, and an addition that catapults Sea-Doo into the industry lead with an incredible 185 horsepower. Let's cut to the chase: does it work? Well, yes. The supercharged 4-TEC engine does indeed feel incredibly crisp off the bottom end... With the supercharger in place, an already impressive boat has come alive. you can see it partially in the numbers - the SC posted a 2.49-second time from 0-30 MPH, and a 62.32 MPH top speed - but's it's more readily apparent from the perspective of the craft's seat. There is always a reserve of power at your fingertips, power to pull you through a turn, power to pull a skier, power to jump quickly away from th pack.

Watercraft World Magazine - March 2003 - Modern Muscle

(The GTX 4-TEC) Supercharger delivers an instant performance gain with no loss in tractability. GTX hull delivers the softest roughwater ride in the three-seater class.

The wide seat makes this boat a great candidate for long-range cruising. Enormous 50-gallon bow stowage compartmet swallows all your camping gear. Digital antitheft and speed-limiting systems come standard. Blow on a fire and it gets hotter. Blow into an engine and it makes more power. A supercharger blows air into an engine, and aboard the 2003 Sea-Doo GTX 4-TEC Supercharged, it boosts power output from 155 to 185 hp and significantly enhances the waterbikes's performance. The advantage of a supercharger over a turbocharger, is that there's virtually no lag in power delivery when you squeeze the throttle. A turbo compressor, which is driven by exhaust gas, takes an instant to "spool up" to speed and make power. The turbo also requires more plumbing and creates more heat tha the supercharger... On the water, you can feel the difference between the two systems. The turbocharged Honda lags a bit off the line... In contrast, the GTX 4-TEC supercharger builds power gradually. 

Boating - February 2003