Sea-Doo Switch Pontoon Boat Reviewed in 2025

The Sea-Doo Switch Pontoon: Revolutionary Jet-Powered Boating

The Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boat combines jet ski technology with pontoon comfort. This innovative watercraft features an inboard jet drive system with motorcycle-style handlebars, creating a unique hybrid that delivers pontoon stability with lively and fun handling.

Sea-Doo has expanded the Switch lineup to include specialized models like the Switch Fish for anglers, along with enhanced customization options that make each boat truly personalized. Drawing from decades of jet ski innovation, Sea-Doo has successfully translated their PWC expertise into the pontoon market.

Learning the Switch Controls

New operators should expect a learning curve with the Switch’s distinctive control system – capabilities impossible with traditional pontoon steering. The iBR water brakes are great but with advantages in handling comes the need to get used to docking and harbor maneuvers.

Form Benefits Function

Evident in the Sea Doo pontoon is the way it drives and maneuvers. Traditional pontoon boats are dogs when you turn: it can feel like driving an 18 wheeler in sand. But the Switch leans into your turns, banking smoothly on its offset pontoons (the middle one is deeper for more stability).

What anyone raves about after sitting at the helm is how it feels like a jet ski with all the benefits of a pontoon.

Yours will be the most popular boat on the lake.

The Sea Doo Switch will get plenty of attention when it’s parked, too, because it doesn’t look like the other boats on the lake. The design is squared-off yet aggressive, unlike traditional-looking bows of power boats or laid-back pontoon boats.

What about the Lego part? That’s pretty cool – many of the components of seating, tables, and even a swim platform are modular, clipping easily into points in the boat’s floor for a customizable layout.

If you want to dive right into the watersports edition of the Sea Doo Switch you may skip the Compact model and move up to its big brother, the Sport model, with a larger engine and options like a wakeboard holder, towing pylon, swim platform, and bimini for shade. Likewise, there is a “family” package for additional comfort, as well as additional sunshade and even clear weatherproof enclosure available.

Dive In

You’ll board Sea Doo’s pontoon from the bow, the location of the only gate through the clear safety perimeter.

Orient yourself: The base model comes with modular seats arranged side-by-side for a couch-like configuration, or singly like armchairs. The basic package includes three single and one corner seats.

The best part is you get to decide where they go. Just pull out the yellow handle at the bottom front of each component to unlatch it from the boat’s floor and move it to another floor tile, settling its base into the receiver tile and replacing the yellow handle to lock it down.

A pedestal table can be moved around the deck by screwing its threaded base into spaces where floor tiles meet. Or, the tabletop can snap into the upper edges of the seats for a useful bridge.

Before you take off, stow snacks, drinks, unneeded life jackets, beach towels, and other gear in easy-to-access cubbies beneath seat cushions or in bilge space below floor tiles.

If you want to tow a tube, you’ll need the $759 pedestal that fits into the $600 swim platform.

At the helm, the operator must wear the bracelet that attaches to the starting switch. Without it the engine will not start. If the operator is disabled and the bracelet comes off the ignition, the engine will stop.

Before starting the engine, the operator should use the button below the handlebars to vent the bilge of fuel fumes for several minutes.

The ignition switch is the red button on the left handlebar.

The throttle switch is accessed by the operator’s right hand, and it is manipulated (like a bicycle brake lever) by squeezing. One “click” of the lever moves the engine from reverse into drive. Squeeze harder to increase speed.

A similar lever found on the back of the handlebar on the left side and accessed by squeezing puts the engine into reverse. It also acts as a brake when the boat is moving forward.

Before taking off, check your charts. The optional Garmin GPS/chart plotter ($969) will help steer you around danger zones, but you still need to be attentive to local speed restrictions.

Four buttons arranged in a diamond shape on the left handlebar are as important as the accelerator. These buttons allow the operator to:

• adjust the bow trim, lifting it in choppy waters and lowering it for pulling tubes;
• move through engine modes for more speed, power, or fuel conservation;
• turn on cruise control, and
• run the IDF mode to clear the engine intake of clogs.

The Bottom Line

There aren’t many boats like the Sea Doo Switch that offer this much fun without breaking the bank. The base model is $21,799, including a trailer. Or, you can upgrade to 18- or 21-foot “cruise” or “sport” models with up to 170 hp and more seating, water sports, and comfort options. Expect an additional $4,000-$6,000 of packaged or a la carte options to make your chosen model complete with options like the sport package, a bimini, extra seats, and tiles that allow you to set seats up on a dock.