2020 Sea-Doo Fish Pro 170 — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $11,000–$15,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.
Kestrel Take
The ski that created the fishing-PWC category — a stable GTX-based hull with a cooler, rod holders, and a naturally aspirated 170hp Rotax (no supercharger to service). Genuinely useful for nearshore fishing. Salt use is inherent, so flushing history and corrosion are the key checks.
What we checked
Not checked against public records
Personal watercraft fall to the Consumer Product Safety Commission rather than NHTSA. Its recall feed rarely names a specific model year, so we have not wired it in — matching on the brand alone would attach other people’s machines to this page. What follows is our own write-up, and it has not been reconciled against an official record. Treat it as a starting point, not a verdict.
Known Issues for the 2020 Sea-Doo Fish Pro 170
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
A fishing ski lives in salt water, so diligent flushing is essential and its absence is common. Inspect closely for corrosion of the engine, exhaust, and fasteners.
Repair cost (estimate): $300-$2,500
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Verify the cooler, rod holders, and any electronics/fish finder work.
Repair cost (estimate): $100-$600
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Shallow-water fishing risks sand ingestion and pump wear.
Repair cost (estimate): $150-$600
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Verify the brake/reverse and dash.
Repair cost (estimate): $300-$1,200
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Heavy salt corrosion from poor flushing
- ✗Sand-damaged pump
- ✗iBR faults
- ✗Missing fishing accessories
Good Signs
- ✓Diligent salt flushing documented
- ✓Clean pump and hull
- ✓Naturally aspirated — no supercharger
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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