These small-hulled craft driven by a jet-propulsion system with a seat that you sit on like riding a horse and with an open stern that makes for easy mounting and dismounting on the water. These marine sport watercraft loved by people all over the world today were introduced by Yamaha in 1986 for the first time in the world. To this new type of watercraft that have no protruding parts on the bottom of the hull and are easily righted and ridden again should they happen to capsize, Yamaha applied its famous small-engine technology to make vehicles that are truly reliable, fun and functional. With its capability to run freely across great expanses of water, Yamaha named its revolutionary invention the WaveRunner, and it became a big hit product that let people experience a refreshingly exciting and fun form of sound marine recreation anyone can enjoy. Since their release, these WaveRunners have been refined and their popularity has spread to the point where they are now used in over 120 countries worldwide. Here is their history.