Kawasaki Heavy Industries

Japan Est. 1896

Kawasaki builds everything from trains to helicopters to motorcycles. The Jet Ski was a sideline that became a cultural phenomenon. Kawasaki licensed Clayton Jacobson II's personal watercraft design in 1971 and released the JS400 in 1973. The Jet Ski name became so ubiquitous that Kawasaki has spent decades trying to protect a trademark that the public treats as a generic term.

Heritage

Kawasaki's marine division builds ships, submarines, and offshore structures. The Jet Ski is the consumer product that made the company's name synonymous with a category. It's the Post-It Note of watercraft.

Vessels (1)

Kawasaki Jet Ski (JS400)

The Jet Ski didn't exist before 1973, and by 1990 every lake in America had one screaming across it. Kawasaki's JS400 was the first commercially successful personal watercraft — a stand-up vessel powered by a motorcycle engine driving a jet pump. The concept came from Clayton Jacobson II, an Australian banker who wanted a powered surfboard. Kawasaki licensed his design and created a product category that generated billions in revenue, ruined the tranquility of every lake and beach, spawned an entire subculture of freestyle riding, and became the go-to villain for everyone who thinks water should be quiet. 'Jet Ski' became the generic name for all personal watercraft the way 'Xerox' became the word for copying. Kawasaki trademarked it and everyone ignored the trademark.

1973-present · personal-watercraft