Barn Find Gold: How I Scored the Perfect 1999 Sea-Doo GSX Ltd 951 in Immaculate Condition

So, as far as barn finds go...

...the 1999 Sea-Doo GSX Ltd 951 is about as close to perfection as you can get. If we’re being really technical, it’s not a literal barn find—the owner kept it in a garage—but you get what I mean.

When I say barn find, I mean near-perfect cosmetic and mechanical condition, very low operational hours, few owners, all original paperwork, and the OEM cover. And, well, this example had all of those. If there was one area for improvement (if I was playing top trumps), Steve—the guy I bought the GSX from—was the second owner, not the original. However, I gave him a pass because he was best friends with the original owner.

I often get asked how I found the GSX, and it’s actually a story that spans over two years. Steve originally listed the GSX on Facebook Marketplace to test the waters on its value about two years before I finally convinced him to sell it to me.

The first time he listed it, I saw the ad within an hour of it being posted, and I honestly thought I had hit the PWC barn find lottery. You could immediately tell this was a fantastic example of both machine and owner. The Facebook description was filled with every bit of information you could ever ask for, and it was clear that Steve was proud of the machine and didn’t really want to sell it. (More on why he eventually sold it to me later in the blog.)

Anyway, within one day of the listing going live, Steve and I had exchanged lots of messages, including him sending me 23 additional photos and a very detailed walkaround video (see below). As soon as I saw the walkthrough, I knew I had to have it. If I was ever going to find the perfect GSX, this was it.

The thing is, after all our discussions—and despite me explaining my passion and what I do with Classic Jetskis—it actually worked against me. Steve eventually got cold feet and likely remembered just how good a machine he had, so the sale the first time around fell through.

However, being a man of his word, he gave me his phone number and promised me that if he ever decided to sell for good, I would get first refusal, as he wanted it to go to a good home.

About 14 months later, on a Sunday afternoon, Steve messaged me and said he had finally come to terms with letting the machine go. He explained that it had been ridden once since we last spoke—ironically, at the small jetski lake I frequently rode back then, historically known as Mad Mike’s and now called the West Country Water Park. The fact that we both rode there was just another reason affirming to Steve that there was a subconscious connection between us.

Steve had been dealing with a bad back for several years, which, combined with not wanting to travel over an hour every time he wanted to ride (Mad Mike’s was his closest lake), made him realize it was time to let the GSX go to someone who would ride and enjoy it. After all, machines that sit for extended periods—while great for keeping the hours down—increase the chances of mechanical issues from not being in regular operation.

Steve, being the legend he is, had the GSX serviced before reaching out to me, including providing all the paperwork for proof. As far as owners go, Steve is a top guy. I still message him to this day, exchanging photos of the GSX, and he has since become a CJ subscriber. He now lives vicariously through my videos, watching his GSX be loved and ridden, which, for me, is a nice way to keep him a part of this machine’s story.

He tells me how much happiness it brings him to see the machine being used and enjoyed while still being protected as a classic. Quick segue: the way I keep all my machines at relatively low hours is by owning eight of them and aiming to buy more. This way, I can rotate their usage and reduce the amount of ride time on any one machine. So far, it’s working. I only put 5–7 hours on each machine per season. While that’s low, spreading 1–2 hours of riding across all machines over several weekends helps me keep the hours down while still keeping each machine mechanically operational.

Owning the 1999 Sea-Doo GSX Ltd 951 has been a dream come true—not just because of the machine’s immaculate condition, but also because of the journey and connections tied to it. From Steve’s dedication to preserving its legacy, to the joy it brings both of us seeing it back in action, this ski is more than just a rare find; it’s a story, a passion, and a piece of history. As I continue to ride and care for it, I’m reminded that these machines aren’t just about the thrill of the water—they’re about the people, the memories, and the effort that go into Keeping The Classics Alive for generations to come.

‘Keeping these classics alive’!

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