Second contract signed for UK leading boat specialist and power-sport distributor

Kawasaki Watercraft UK T/as Boats.co.uk (one of the UK’s biggest boat dealerships), has strengthened its dealer network for the Kawasaki Jet-Skis® personal watercraft range (PWC) with the signing of two new main dealers.
The two new dealers are: Bates Wharf, owners of one of the longest standing boatyards and marinas on the River Thames, who will be selling the range from their Swanwick in Southampton and Chertsey sites and Ideal Boats, situated at the Pwllheli Powerboat Centre in Gwynedd, North Wales. In an exceptional start to the year for Boats.co.uk, both companies have signed contracts to become main dealers for the sale, servicing and after-sales support of all Kawasaki Jet-Ski® craft.

James Barke, Managing Director of Boats.co.uk, said: “We are really excited about our new partnerships, with Richard Bates at Bates Wharf and Neville Williams at Ideal Boats as both dealers have exceptional reputations and excellent aftercare attitudes, which can be rare in this Industry. This, coupled with the New 2022 Kawasaki Range which launches in June – means we are looking to have a cracking 2022 season.”
A family-owned business spanning over fifty years, Boats.co.uk sells on average 600 boats annually ranging from 14ft speed boats to 85ft motor yachts. As well as owning the Essex Marina on the River Crouch, in 2020, it became Kawasaki’s exclusive distributor in the UK – for its extensive fleet and trades as Kawasaki Watercraft UK.
Consisting of personal watercraft, encompassing multi-seat and ‘stand-up’ Jet-Skis® equipped with a range of supercharged or normally aspirated four-cylinder, the fleet also features four-stroke Kawasaki marine engines, offering power outputs of between 150-300ps.
In recent years, the UK has seen a surge in demand for boats and personal watercraft, with Covid preventing people from travelling abroad, increasing the desire for new water-related activities closer to home. A trend that’s expected to continue.
Managing Director of Bates Wharf, Richard Bates said: “Working with some of the best brands in the boating industry is an honour, so to become one of the few main dealers for this range of Kawasaki Jet-Skis® makes us proud. Everyone here is passionate about what we do and to add another world-class manufacturer to our offering is significant to us.”
Ideal Boats Managing Director, Neville Williams said: “We are very pleased to become Kawasaki Jet-Skis® retailers and to support the introduction of the range back into the UK. With over 30 years of marine industry experience as professional boat sellers and a previous dealer for Yamaha watercraft – we pride ourselves on unbeatable knowledge and service.”

Kawasaki is acknowledged as playing a huge part in the birth of personal watercraft, who also coined the term ‘Jet-Ski’ in 1973 and paved the way for the start of the personal watercraft market.

Kawasaki’s 2022 range of personal watercraft includes the solo ‘stand-up’ SX-R, priced from £11,199 inc. VAT; three variants of the STX160 three-seater model, priced from £11,999; and a variety of the highest-specification, triple seat Ultra Jet-Skis®, priced from £12,899 up to the flagship Ultra LX 310 supercharged model, priced from £22,999. All prices include VAT at 20%.

The two new dealers join the rest of the network which includes PC Boat Sales in Jersey, Marine Sales Scotland near Glasgow and Holshott MX in Salisbury.

Boats.co.uk appointed exclusive UK distributor for Kawasaki’s high performance, fast accelerating personal watercraft range.

Boats.co.uk, one of the UK’s biggest and most diverse boat dealerships has announced an agreement with Kawasaki to become the exclusive UK distributor of its new personal watercraft (PWC) range. After a 6 year absence from the UK market for new sales of Kawasaki’s ‘multi-seat’ and ‘stand up’ Jet-Skis®, the appointment follows Kawasaki’s plans to reinforce their position at the centre of the recreational and extreme personal watercraft scene.

Kawasaki is widely acknowledged as playing a fundamental role in the birth of personal watercraft and they coined the term ‘Jet-Ski’, which it subsequently trade-marked. In 1973, the company released the world’s first mass-production Jet Ski® watercraft, the JS400, paving the way for the beginning of the personal watercraft market.

As UK distributor, Boats.co.uk trading under the title Kawasaki Watercraft UK, will introduce Kawasaki’s impressive new 2021 Jet-Ski® fleet, comprising of multi-seat models and Kawasaki’s latest version “stand-up” Jet-Ski® the SX-R. Each new model is equipped with either a normally aspirated or supercharged four-cylinder, four-stroke specialised Kawasaki marine engine. With power outputs ranging from 150ps right up to 300ps Kawasaki have a  Jet-Ski® for every application.

The return of the Kawasaki Jet-Ski® to the UK market is seen as a well-timed move for Essex-based Boats.co.uk. With over 50 years of experience selling new and used boats, they are anticipating a healthy demand for these high-performance personal watercraft, built to the exacting standards for which Kawasaki is renowned.

As a perfect addition to the aft deck of a motor yacht, or for those wanting to take to the water for the first time on something very special, Kawasaki has the solution. In addition to this Boats.co.uk can now provide the exclusive Kawasaki Jet-Ski® handling system for use on yachts and super yachts.

Managing Director, James Barke said, “Kawasaki Jet-Skis® are the original personal watercraft and we are very proud to be representing this highly trusted brand in the UK. As in other markets, there has been an up-surge in boating here in recent months and with less people travelling due to the Covid-19 situation, we see this trend continuing. PWC’s are a relatively low-cost way of getting on the water so all the signs point to a big demand in the future.”

General Manager of Kawasaki Motors UK Howard Dale said, “We are delighted to be working with Boats.co.uk on the re-introduction of Jet Ski Watercraft into the UK. The PWC market has become very specialized, so we took the view that in order to fully exploit Kawasaki’s market potential, we needed to work with experts, and we are confident that Boats.co.uk are the right partner for us”.

Kawasaki’s 2021 new model line-up includes three models in the STX160 three-seater range, priced from £11,999; four Ultra craft from Kawasaki’s highest specification, multi-seat Jet-Ski® watercraft priced from £12,899 and the flagship of the multi-seat fleet, the Ultra 310 super charged range priced from £17,999. Kawasaki’s solo “stand up” Jet-Ski®, the formidable SX-R, is priced from £10,899. All prices are inc. VAT @ 20%.