By 1977, Kawasaki's stand-up Jet Ski was helping turn a novel idea into a genuine watersport. Small, lightweight, and powered by a jet drive, it offered something entirely different from traditional recreational boating. No seat, no passengers—just you, the handlebars, and the challenge of staying upright.

The 1977 Kawasaki Jet Ski came from the early years of a Japanese brand that would become synonymous with personal watercraft. Its compact hull, simple controls, and distinctive styling reflected a machine designed for active riding, long before larger, more comfortable sit-down PWCs became the norm.

The Story Behind Our 1977 Kawasaki Jet Ski Art Print

By the late 1970s, the Jet Ski was beginning to develop a following among riders who loved the challenge of mastering a stand-up machine. It wasn't simply about getting somewhere on the water. It was about balance, control, carving turns, and learning to work with the machine rather than just sitting on it.

I've always been fascinated by the simplicity of these early Jet Skis. There's something wonderfully purposeful about a machine that strips the experience down to its essentials. I chose the 1977 model for its distinctive vintage styling and its place in the evolution of recreational watercraft, capturing the shapes, colours, and mechanical details in a clean, photorealistic composition.

For Kawasaki enthusiasts, stand-up riders, and vintage PWC collectors, this piece brings back the early days of a sport that developed a passionate following. The first wobbly attempts to stand, the inevitable spills, and the satisfaction of finally carving a smooth turn are memories that make these little machines so collectible today.

Why You’ll Love It

• Early Kawasaki Heritage: A nod to the pioneering Japanese manufacturer that helped establish stand-up personal watercraft as a recreational sport.
• Classic 1970s Design: Captures the compact hull, simple handlebars, and purposeful styling of an early Jet Ski.
• Stand-Up Riding Nostalgia: A reminder of learning to balance, carving turns, unexpected swims, and the satisfaction of mastering the machine.
• PWC History Worth Collecting: A distinctive addition to any collection dedicated to Kawasaki Jet Skis, vintage personal watercraft, and the evolution of watersports.
• Photorealistic Fine Art: Detailed rendering captures the bodywork, colours, materials, and mechanical character of the original machine.
• Modern, Minimalist Presentation: A clean solid background lets the Jet Ski's distinctive shape become the art.

Where It Belongs

At the cottage, boathouse, lake house, garage, workshop, or anywhere vintage watersports and great recreational machines deserve some wall space. Especially fitting for Kawasaki enthusiasts, stand-up Jet Ski riders, PWC collectors, and anyone who remembers when staying on the machine was half the adventure.

Paper and ink qualities

Our prints feature high resolution, detailed images which we reproduce using high quality, archival UV protected inks and our carefully selected satin photo paper. The inks promise unparalleled colour brilliance. Our paper is durable with a low glare finish that promises the best reproduction performance.

Specifications

Heavy 11 mil base  |  Neutral white  |  Millions of colours   |  Medium water resistance*  |  200 year fade resistance 

* Inks are resistant to clean water spills. Dab spills with a clean, soft, absorbent cloth immediately. Non-clear liquids will immediately and permanently stain the surface.

Actual appearance versus Website appearance

When you view our prints online, they can look different on each computer, tablet or phone you view them from. Technology differences are beyond our control, meaning we cannot absolutely guarantee what you view online and what you receive will appear exactly as you expected. 

Looking for just a frame?

Please note, our frames are custom-designed to complement our art prints and are available only as an add-on with a print purchase.

Framing Made Easy (and affordable).

We hear it all the time... people love to buy art but often decide against it because the cost of framing is an extra expensive. Not at ManMade Art. We founded our store on the principle that high-quality art should be affordable too. Making art accessible to everyone is a core philosophy that we continue to live by and those principles extend to offering you quality framing at a reasonable price. 

ManMade Art's custom-made, gallery-style frames are made in Canada and include materials 100% sourced from Canadian businesses.

Choose from Two Designer Finishes.

We make buying art simple. Some of our prints are uniquely-sized and you may it hard to challenging find a frame that fits. Ordering your items in frames solves that problem AND ensures you unwrap your order ready to hang! Choose from matte black lacquer or laminated driftwood finishes crafted from solid wood material.

Thick Acrylic Glazing.

Each order is framed behind acrylic, also known as 'plexiglass. Using acrylic ensures your order reaches you safely and unbroken. Acrylic has the same, if not higher, optical clarity as glass. And, unlike big-box store frames that typically use paper-thin acrylic, our glazing is 2mm thick—equal to the thickness of standard framing glass or roughly the thickness of two dimes. 

ManMade to Order (and hang).

Every order is installed in its frame with sturdy, rigid framing points and sealed with an acid-free backing sheet that protects your art from infiltrating dust and insects. Combined with a sawtooth hanger and silicone bumpers, your piece will hang perfectly without marking or discolouring your walls.

This size guide helps you to find out the exact outer measurements of all ManMade Art prints and frames available in our store. All dimensions are displayed in inches, Width x Height.

Prints with a White Border

These have a white margin surrounding the artwork. It is not a separate physical photo mat. The size of the white border is included in the total dimensions of the print. For example, an 11"x14" print with a white border means the entire piece of paper, including the border and artwork, measures 11"x14".

Prints Without a White Border

These are "full-bleed" prints, where the artwork extends all the way to the edges of the specified dimensions. For example, a 11"x14" print without a white border means the artwork covers the entire 11"x14" area without any margin.

Dimensions by Format

Format	Specified Size		Print Size (Trimmed)	Outer Frame Size
Rectangular	SMALL	11" x 14"	11" x 14"	12.5" x 15.5"
		14" x 11"	14" x 11"	15.5" x 12.5"
	LARGE	16" x 20"	16" x 20"	17.5" 21.5"
		20" x 16"	20" x 16"	21.5" 17.5"
Square	SMALL	12.5"x12.5"	12.5"x12.5"	14" x 14"
		16" x 16"	16" x 16"	17.5" x 17.5"
Panoramic	ONE SIZE	10" x 27.5"	10" x 27.5"	11.5" x 29"
		27.5" x 10"	27.5" x 10"	29" x 11.5"

Shipping Terms & Conditions

Order $100 or more and get free shipping to most locations in Canada

Order Processing

Please allow 1–3 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) to process, print, frame and package your order. Every print is made to order in our Ottawa studio, allowing us to maintain exceptional quality, reduce unnecessary inventory, and minimize waste. Shipping times vary by destination. Most Canadian orders arrive within 1–4 business days after shipping.

Express Canadian Shipping

Canadian orders over $100 ship free, or under $100 ship for a flat rate to the following provinces:

• Nova Scotia
• New Brunswick
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Ontario
• Manitoba
• Saskatchewan
• Alberta
• British Columbia

Standard Canada North Shipping

Canadian orders over $200 ship free, or under $200 ship for a flat rate to the following provinces and territories:

• Newfoundland & Labrador
• Nunavut
• North West Territories
• Yukon Territory

Orders to northern or remote Canadian locations can take 4-9 business days to reach their destination.

Greeting Card Shipping

Buy 5 or more greeting cards and your card-only order ships free within Canada.

Orders of fewer than 5 greeting cards are subject to a flat-rate shipping fee. Free shipping on greeting cards does not apply to Canada North orders.

Greeting cards ship free when included with a print or framed print order that qualifies for free shipping (minimum order of $100).

International Shipping

Shipping to international destinations is available upon request, with rates quoted on a case-by-case basis. Any tariffs, duties, or additional fees charged by the destination country are the responsibility of the customer and are not included in the amount shown at checkout.  Contact us if you would like a quote to reach your destination. 

Shipping Specifics 

Pre-inspection Before Shipping.

We stand by our products. Each print and frame is inspected for printing defects or damages as it is packaged for shipping. We will not ship prints or framed art we would not be proud to hang on our walls.  

Packaging Care and Materials.

Every ManMade Art order leaves our studio in packaging custom made for our products, ensuring it arrives in excellent condition. Unfortunately, accidents can happen in transit. If your order arrives damaged, we will replace it. We only ask that you provide photos of the packaging and item damages so we can assess what happened during shipping. 

Damaged in Transit.

All orders are carefully packaged in sturdy cardboard containers to protect them from the normal rigours of shipping. If your package arrives damaged, please keep the original packaging and send us photos. We'll get a replacement to you, but we can't process a replacement without seeing the damage first.

Shipping Policy and Terms.

Please double-check your shipping address and ensure it can be received at your specified address (residence or business). If, for some reason, delivery is denied to the correct address, fear not, we will help you find your order. If we give the shipper the wrong delivery address, we will pay for any extra shipping charges associated with the error. If it is hopelessly lost for reasons beyond our control, unfortunately, we'll have to share the new shipping costs based on our standard rates. Repeat free shipping is a one-time offer not available in these situations.