For decades, RIVA Racing has built its reputation around pushing the limits of personal watercraft performance. From race-winning engine packages to carefully engineered bolt-on upgrades, the Florida-based performance powerhouse has become synonymous with extracting more speed, efficiency, and reliability from modern PWC platforms.
Now the company is turning that same expertise toward a rapidly growing segment of the watersports world: jet boats.
With the launch of the new RIVA Jetboat platform, RIVA Racing is officially expanding its performance ecosystem to support Yamaha and Sea-Doo jet boat owners with dedicated performance kits, pump upgrades, OEM components, and accessories designed specifically for jet-driven boats.
Why Jet Boats — And Why Now?
According to RIVA Racing President Dave Bamdas, the move wasn’t driven by a sudden shift in strategy so much as years of customer demand.
Jet boat owners have been knocking on RIVA’s door for performance answers for quite some time.
“Yamaha jet boats and Sea-Doo Switch both share the same engines and jet pump components as Yamaha and Sea-Doo PWC,” Bamdas explained. “For this reason we are constantly contacted by jet boat customers looking for performance solutions for their boats. They know we have the answers for PWC performance and expect us to have the answers for boats that are powered by the same engines.”
That technological overlap makes the transition into the jet boat market feel less like a pivot and more like a natural extension of RIVA’s existing expertise.
The PWC DNA Inside Modern Jet Boats
Anyone familiar with today’s jet boat market will immediately recognize the connection.
Manufacturers like Yamaha Motor Corporation and BRP—the parent company behind Sea‑Doo—have built their latest jet boat platforms around the same engines and jet pump technologies that power their personal watercraft lineups.
That means the same supercharged SVHO engines, pump architectures, and intake technologies found in high-performance PWCs are now pushing 19- to 25-foot recreational boats across lakes and coastal waters.
And for RIVA Racing, that shared engineering foundation opened the door to a new development opportunity.
“They share the same engines and jet pumps,” Bamdas said. “This allows us to use our existing product line along with some new specialized parts to come up with performance solutions and kits for the jet boats.”
But RIVA also brings another advantage to the table: access.
RIVA Racing operates as a division of RIVA Motorsports, one of the country’s largest powersports and marine dealerships. The dealership has been selling Yamaha jet boats and the Sea‑Doo Switch pontoon platform since their earliest releases—giving the performance company hands-on access to the boats themselves.
That real-world experience helps inform the development process.
Building A Complete Jet Boat Resource
Rather than offering a handful of bolt-on upgrades, the goal of the new RIVA Jetboat platform is much broader.
“The goal is to provide a complete jet boat resource for all aftermarket and OEM needs,” Bamdas said.
That includes:
- Complete performance solutions and staged performance kits
- Matched pump impellers and jet pump upgrades
- OEM replacement parts and factory accessories
- Recreational accessories currently under development
At launch, RIVA is focusing heavily on integrated performance packages designed specifically for jet boats rather than adapting PWC parts one at a time.
“Our complete performance kits, matched pump impellers and upgrades are the first unique area we are focusing on,” Bamdas explained. “We back up our parts and kits with expert technical support.”
The platform will also carry the full OEM accessory lines for Yamaha and Sea-Doo jet boats, giving owners a single destination for upgrades, maintenance parts, and customization.
Data-Driven Performance Packages
Anyone familiar with RIVA’s PWC tuning philosophy knows the company tends to avoid guesswork.
Every performance package is backed by extensive testing—often including dyno charts, real-world performance metrics, and detailed installation documentation.
The same philosophy is already showing up in RIVA Jetboat’s first product offerings.
One example is the Stage 1 performance kit developed for Yamaha’s 19-foot SVHO-powered jet boats.
Bamdas says the company is providing detailed data alongside each kit.
“Note the depth of information we provide on our jet boat kits,” he said. “Acceleration graphs, engine horsepower graphs from our dyno, educational videos, and full kit descriptions including performance data.”
The goal isn’t just to sell parts—it’s to give owners a clear understanding of how each upgrade affects performance.
Performance That Matters For Real Boaters
Unlike the hardcore racing focus that often drives PWC performance development, RIVA says most jet boat customers are looking for something a little different.
The typical buyer isn’t chasing lap times—they’re looking for a better day on the water.
“Mostly family boaters that want better performance from their boat for recreational use,” Bamdas explained.
The upgrades focus on improving several areas that affect everyday boating:
- Faster planing when the boat is heavily loaded
- Reduced cavitation when pulling towables or wake riders
- Improved mid- to high-speed turning response
- Lower pump noise inside the cockpit
“Our kits get the boat up on plane faster and reduce cavitation,” Bamdas said. “This provides a better experience when the boat is loaded with people or pulling a towable.”
That kind of practical performance gain may matter more to family boaters than raw top speed.
Yamaha First, Sea-Doo Next
Development is already underway across multiple platforms.
RIVA began with Yamaha’s 19-foot and 25-foot jet boats powered by the SVHO supercharged engine, which currently represent some of the most performance-oriented models in the segment.
Those kits are available now, with additional Yamaha models already in development.
“Our team is currently working on the remainder of the Yamaha boat line and will then move to Sea-Doo Switch,” Bamdas said.
That roadmap suggests RIVA is aiming to support the entire modern jet boat ecosystem as it continues to grow.
The Long-Term Vision
For RIVA Racing, the launch of RIVA Jetboat isn’t just a side project.
It’s the early stage of what the company hopes will become the jet boat equivalent of its PWC performance empire.
“That’s the plan,” Bamdas said. “A performance brand with a focus on improved recreational use. That includes performance and recreational accessories.”
And as new boats enter the market, RIVA plans to apply the same strategy that helped it stay ahead in the PWC world.
“We will be on the cutting edge when new boats are released to provide upgrades to our customers as soon as possible,” Bamdas added.
If the jet boat market continues its current growth trajectory, that approach could position RIVA Jetboat as a key player in shaping how these boats perform—and how their owners personalize them—in the years ahead.
