Being the curious sort (and perhaps a slightly competitive sort), as I settle into my first full calendar year as Editor of The Watercraft Journal, I took a peek back at our website and social media statistics from 2023, to make sure I set ambitious goals to keep WCJ moving forward and in an upward trajectory.
While numbers and stats are a great thing, I also wanted to take note of what’s important to y’all – our readers. Editor-In-Chief Kevin Shaw had mentioned to me a few times when I took this position that PWC racing articles are not the top draw for our readership – a fact that shocked me, but a fact that once again this year, held true.
In the list of most-read WCJ stories of 2023, articles about the competitive racing side of the PWC world did not break the top 25 – despite some amazing photo galleries, some high-interest rule changes and some dramatic tour shakeups.
Annual brand name lineups again held the lion’s share of our readers’ interest, with an inventory clearout from always-popular RIVA Motorsports grabbing a spot in the top five, along with an article that has what is possibly the longest headline in the history of headlines.
While the “top five” (actually six – but I’m counting #2 and #3 as one entry!) list does not show it, recreational PWC rides and adventures continued to be a popular article topic in 2023, with high hits on articles about PWC group and solo trips and discussions of “best places to ride,” especially those with videos and photos. Another PWC sector that seems to be gaining ground in WCJ reader popularity is PWC Fishing – a topic we will continue to pursue in 2024!
Now, without further ado – the top WCJ stories of 2023!
Sliding into the last spot on our list, the Aug. 15 video Introducing The 2024 Yamaha WaveRunner Lineup highlighted the company’s many upgrades and innovations. Some of the upgrades brought Yamaha closer to fulfilling its public commitment to becoming 100% carbon neutral by 2035.
The new 4-stroke re-established Yamaha as the leader of engine displacement: a 1,898cc (1.9L) four-cylinder, 16-valve High Output marine engine – producing 200-horsepower – replaced the previous 180-horsepower Yamaha 1.8L High Output motor in all VX, GP and FX previously equipped with such. Also, all WaveRunners equipped with the new 1.9L receive a new overlapping impeller and redesigned intake grate for better hookup and acceleration – be it VX, GP or FX. This “top loader” design features a deeper chip for increased bite and a more aggressive scoop grate to force more water faster into the 155mm axial jet pump.
Of note, Yamaha rebranded the entire GP series for the 2023 lineup, rechristening the GP1800R SVHO the GP SVHO, and GP1800R HO the GP HO.
The article also noted that Yamaha upped its coloration in a big way for 2023. Besides the lowly SuperJet, which remains in its “blank slate” white livery; all other models are splashed in vibrant hues and busy graphics meant to catch the eye and draw attention. Even the Parts & Accessories group gets in the action by offering three CNC-mat colorations for the RecDeck (and attachments) as a choice of black or white housing for the floating detachable EX speakers.
Ranking just above the Yamaha 2023 Lineup in our article rankings, was our May 31 article on Long Distance PWC Trips: Why Our Kit Won’t Work on Sea-Doos & How to Pack Extra Fuel for Long Trips.
Despite the lengthy headline, the article offered streamlined information on the installation of the The Watercraft Journal “Long Hauler” Auxiliary Fuel System Kit, designed to work with all modern 4-stroke runabouts – except for any post-2011 Sea-Doos. As the article states, Sea-Doo accounts for over 50-percent of all new units sold year-to-year, which means you’d think The Watercraft Journal would make every effort to accommodate these owners…but doing so is far more complicated than many would think.
The article explained how our system works without any cutting or drilling, and how easily it can be installed and removed; as well as why updates to Sea-Doo’s fuel system from the factory in 2012 made using our kit nigh impossible without major modifications or unsafe fuel plumbing – especially for the layman enthusiast to perform.
Showing that everyone loves a good deal, coming in just ahead of the Fuel System treatise was our May 29 blast about the Riva Motorsports and Marine’s Clearing Out the Inventory Sale, with new 2022 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 with iBR and Bluetooth Audio-Premium System for as little as 20% down with a payment of $358 a month, or a 2022 Spark Trixx 2-Up for $191 a month with a 20% down payment. The 2022 Sea-Doo Fish Pro Sport 170’s were in stock and available at $324 a month for 60 months.
Coming in at #3 and #2, respectively, in our statistics for 2023, WCJ’s August 1 announcement that Sea-Doo would be announcing their 2024 Lineup on Aug. 2, and our August 21 Gallery: Introducing The 2024 Sea-Doo Lineup are combined to take the #2 spot in this Top Five list. On Aug. 2, Sea-Doo announced that they would reveal the 2024 lineup on August 20 from Atlanta, Georgia, including brand new Sea-Doo watercraft, pontoon boats, apparel and accessories.
The company expected more than 2,500 dealers from around the world to show up for the event, and within a few weeks, WCJ detailed the lineup and features, including the fact that Sea-Doo expanded its performance segment offerings with one returning and one new entry: the long-awaited GTR-X 300 and the GTR 230. These two machines ride on the lightweight PolyTec 2.0 hulls that have proven to hold up to brutal offshore conditions as well as daring aftermarket tuners who’ve put plenty of supercharged power through their GTRs.
Additionally, Sea-Doo also pulled back the curtain on the totally redesigned Spark and Spark Trixx entry models. Marking the Rec Lite segment’s 10th anniversary, the newly minted 2024 Spark is sleeker, more refined, more ergonomic and accessory-friendly than previous versions and promises to welcome in a new crop of PWC owners – and more importantly, PWC enthusiasts – to the hobby. Sea-Doo also introduced its top-of-the-line Switch Cruise Limited.
Claiming honors as the top-read WCJ story of 2023, WCJ’s April 28 article discussed whether PWC-Powered Boating is Back as Galar Boats Looks to Build Dealer Network.
Prior to the global shutdown in 2020, Canadian jetboat manufacturer Sealver Waveboat made a big splash in the US market by introducing its line of personal watercraft-powered boats. Unfortunately, severe quality control issues, surmounting manufacturing costs and in large part, the pandemic all crippled the company’s ability to satisfy demand.
But public demand didn’t go away, so the team who brought these boats to the American market doubled down in a big way: they brought the whole operation to the US and rebranded and reorganized as Galar Marine, By being manufactured in the States, the team is able to control every aspect; from molds to interiors to paint and decal applications, and company representatives stated that there were already some major innovation in the works that would open up their lineup to a broader audience of jet skier
So there you have our top 2023 stories. Let us know what interests you in 2024! I am always happy to hear article suggestions, topic ideas, coverage requests, and I am always looking for press releases from companies, race organizations, recreational groups and others regarding topics of interest to our readers. You can always reach me at [email protected]
Here’s to a 2024 filled with even more exciting PWC news and information!
