At that time, the snowmobile market was booming, and the Canadian manufacturer wanted to keep up with that demand rather than dig deeper into a lesser-known market.īecause of this – and the bad reputation of Sea-Doo PWCs – Bombardier decided to discontinue its Sea-Doo line after the 1970 model year.īut a decade later, encouraged by its competitors’ success, Bombardier decided to re-enter the PWC marked with the innovative 1988 Sea-Doo SP.įor your convenience, we’ve compiled the 1968 Bombardier Sea-Doo 320 specifications into these charts! 1968 Bombardier Sea-Doo 320 Dimensions 1968 Sea-Doo 320ġ968 Bombardier Sea-Doo 320 Engine Specs 1968 Sea-Doo 320īendix-Flame Arrestor type (USCG Approved)ġ968 Bombardier Sea-Doo 320 Drive System 1968 Sea-Doo 320ġ968 Bombardier Sea-Doo 320 Electrical Features 1968 Sea-Doo 320 Let’s face it, in the ‘60s, Bombardier focused on Ski-Doo snowmobiles and did not devote enough resources to properly develop the Sea-Doo. Because of the lack of sealings, saltwater damaged everything from the electrical system to the engine. Unfortunately, neither the engine nor other accessories were designed for marine environments. Why?īecause most of these early Sea-Doos were used in the ocean, and saltwater caused serious damage to their systems. This new power source was somewhat more reliable and offered 24 horsepower.īesides this new model, the Sea-Doo 320 also remained part of the 1969 lineup.Īlthough the specifications of the newest model were lucrative, the new cooling system didn’t solve all the malfunctions. The manufacturer tried to fix these issues, so the 1969 Sea-Doo 372 was powered by a 372cc water-cooled engine featuring a reverse and electric start. Improper cooling resulted in ongoing overheating issues and various other malfunctions.īecause of this, the 1968 Bombardier Sea-Doo 320 had a bad reputation for reliability. As you can imagine, this was not the best place for an air-cooled engine!Īlthough the engineers designed built-in stainless steel vents to deliver air to the engine compartment, they were ineffective. Unlike on snowmobiles, where the engine is exposed to the cold air, it sits in an enclosed hull on a jet ski. However, the biggest drawback of the 1968 Sea-Doo 320 was arguably its inefficient, 18 HP, air-cooled power source. The pull-start also didn’t do a good job on this machine, as yanking the rope while in the middle of the water was far from ideal! Standard features included a spill-proof battery, bailer, chrome bow ring and grip handles, water-cooled muffler, pull-start, and a storage compartment. It also had unpadded motorcycle-like metal handlebars, which were downright dangerous on rough waters. Unfortunately, the latter proved to be very uncomfortable due to its wide design. It was also filled with floatation material to prevent the hull from sinking.īesides its engine, the craft inherited many other parts from Ski-Doo snowmobiles, like a removable 3.75-gallon fuel tank, metal handlebars, pull-start, and bench seat. This fiberglass hull was quite large as it measured 7.5 feet in length and 5 feet in width. The engine was planted into a weird platform that looked like a flying saucer. To solve this issue, the setup was soon replaced with the more advanced clogged belt and pulleys. Unfortunately, this setup was prone to slipping or even breaking. Yes, you heard me, the Rotax engine delivered power to the 5J5 Berkeley jet pump with four belts. Just like snowmobiles, this early Sea-Doo also utilized a belt drive. With this inefficient single-cylinder engine, the top speed of the craft was only 25-30 mph under ideal conditions. As the name suggests, the machine was powered by an aluminum 318cc, air-cooled, 2-stroke Rotax engine featuring a Tillotsen carburetor.
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