▁the ▁market ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁Bomb ard ier ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁Bomb ard ier ' s ▁original ▁designs ▁were ▁not ▁very ▁popular ▁and ▁Bomb ard ier ▁left ▁the ▁business ▁before ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁Stand - up ▁P W C s ▁were ▁first ▁produced ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁company ▁K aw as aki ▁( under ▁the ▁Jet ▁Ski ▁brand ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁and ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁US ▁market ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁These ▁were ▁mass - produ ced ▁boats ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁only ▁one ▁r ider . ▁While ▁they ▁are ▁still ▁produced ▁today , ▁the ▁more ▁popular ▁design , ▁is ▁the ▁sit ▁down ▁variety ▁of ▁P W C . ▁These ▁sit ▁down ▁run about s ▁have ▁been ▁produced ▁by ▁K aw as aki ▁( J et ski ), ▁Bomb ard ier ▁( Se a - D oo ), ▁Yam aha ▁( W ave Runner ), ▁H onda ▁( A qua Tra x ), ▁Pol aris ▁( Se alion ) ▁and ▁Ar ctic ▁Cat ▁( T ig ers h ark ). ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁major ▁manufact ur ers ▁of ▁P W C s ▁were ▁K aw as aki , ▁Bomb ard ier ▁and ▁Yam aha . ▁Both ▁Yam aha ▁and ▁K aw as aki ▁continue ▁to ▁sell ▁stand - up ▁models ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁small ▁percentage ▁of ▁the ▁overall ▁market . ▁ ▁Sports ▁▁ ▁P W C ▁racing ▁compet