Do you want to fish where the fish are? Or, in this case, fish where crocodiles are swimming?
This modified Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy Crocodile Edition could be for you.
As you might expect, it is not an official Sea-Doo accessory (and we came up with the ‘Crocodile Edition’ name).
Even the metal fabricator behind the elaborate conversion has warned: Don’t try this at home.
But just when you thought you had seen it all, someone has taken Jet Ski riding to a new extreme.
A keen fisherman in the Northern Territory – part of the crocodile-infested Australian tropics – approached a local metal fabricator after having a few scares while fishing from a Jet Ski on the Daly River, a top fishing spot about 220km (140 miles) south-west of Darwin.
For now, the metal fabricator says he has no plans to offer the crocodile cage as an off-the-shelf item – and, understandably, the firm offers no guarantee of protection from crocodile attacks on Jet Skis equipped with the cage.
However, it has clearly been made to a high quality standard – and it is fitted using existing holes in the Sea-Doo Fish Pro platform.
In an interview with Watercraft Zone, the fabricator Custom Concepts said fishing off a Jet Ski in the Northern Territory’s Daly River “is not something we would personally do.”
The comment was in reference to a number of crocodile attacks on fishermen in small boats.
As locals tell it, crocodiles lie in wait and learn the pattern of behaviour of fishermen in small tin boats (that is, sitting idle waiting for the fish to bite).
The crocodiles patiently form a plan of attack: sneak up and then launch at the boat to cause the fishermen to lose their footing.
While these types of attacks are rare, they do happen.
Given there is even less protection on a Jet Ski from the apex predator, this Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy owner thought he would give himself a better chance of survival by getting a cage fabricated and fitted.
“There is a small group of guys up here who apparently fish all the scary places on Jet Skis, but one of them was starting to feel more nervous after seeing more and more crocodiles getting close,” the fabricator told Watercraft Zone.
“We probably will do a few more (of these cages) if we get asked, but it will be on a one-on-one basis, ensuring that each customer understands we are not recommending this as a protection device – and nor do we recommend that anyone should go to the places that these guys go to on a Jet Ski.”
The fabricator – whose business Custom Concepts primarily focuses on high-end, heavy-duty canopy fit-outs for off-road vehicles – is understandably proud of the handiwork.
Although there is no RRP, it is estimated the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy ‘crocodile cage’ cost more than $4000 by the time it was measured, fabricated, and fitted.
“We put a lot of effort into making this look as nice as possible,” the fabricator told Watercraft Zone. “The customer’s main request was to have some added protection without it looking like a big ugly cage.
“The time it took to get it perfect was immense, but we made sure no additional holes were made in the Sea-Doo.”
As it turns out, this Sea-Doo owner is not alone.
The Northern Territory is one of the most remote parts of Australia and, although it’s not lawless, a lot of decision-making is left to the locals in a sparse population that covers a vast area.
For example, the Northern Territory is the only Australian jurisdiction that does not require a Jet Ski licence or for a Jet Ski to be registered.
The theory being that no-one would be crazy enough to ride a Jet Ski in such crocodile-infested waters.
Looks like someone guessed wrong.
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