Things are starting to look a little brighter across the pond in Australia as many of the states begin to relax some of the Covid-19 restrictions and the Queensland Personal Watercraft Club has released a tentative race schedule for 2021.
According to the latest reports by The Guardian, the number of reported coronavirus cases has been dropping throughout Australia. Each state is still on alert and monitoring the new strains of the virus so we will have to keep an eye on the race calendar for any changes.
The Guardian also reports that in Queensland, outdoor events can have up to 100 people gather in public outdoor spaces so there is hope that the current schedule of race events will still hold true. Certain events and businesses can of course deviate from this number if they have a Covid-safe plan in place.
The Round 1 Redcliffe event will kick off the series on February 13 followed by Round 2 the following month. The schedule has been posted on the Eight 1 Racing Page so you can check out their Facebook updates or directly at QPWC for all of the latest details.
Let’s just begin with this: None of us guessed this one right. And frankly, there’s gonna be some seriously obnoxious gloating online. Nevertheless, it was an inevitability that once Yamaha released a redesigned and slightly upgraded GP1800R SVHO WaveRunner for 2021 only weeks before a near-completely overhauled RXP-X 300 was revealed by Sea-Doo that the two would collide in a showdown. As such, heads up drag races have sprung up across the globe and few of them bothered to conduct them with any sort of scientific prowess. Just a vocal countdown or a nod of the head, and off they went.
For us at The Watercraft Journal and Jerry Gaddis of Greenhulk.net, such a showdown is wholly valueless. For years, our two media outlets have attempted to perform the most accurate measurements of speed with entirely repeatable results. No black magic. No voodoo (save for whatever evil spirits haunt the bayous of Morgan City at night). Recently, Jerry’s son, Greg has taken the reins over for the official YouTube channel, Greenhulk Garage, and has definitely picked up the pace when it comes to video production. (If you haven’t yet, make sure to subscribe.)
Greg Gaddis was instrumental in our previous acceleration shootout between the 2021 GP1800R SVHO and the 2020 GP1800R SVHO. A little over a week ago, the Gaddis’ long overdue 2021 RXP-X 300 finally reached their local dealer and Greg wasted little time breaking in the purple Sea-Doo. For those unaware, Sea-Doo restricts the full output of the 300 ACE engine until the craft has surpassed 5 operation hours. Then Sport mode, Launch Control and other X-series features can be used to their fullest, as well as the craft reaching its top speed – albeit limited via speed limit controller.
By the numbers, the two models would seem rather well-matched. Weighing in at 772-pounds, the SVHO-propelled GP1800R fetches an MSRP of $14,749, touts a 18.5-gallon fuel cell, 28.4-gallons of storage, and comes equipped with a folding rear swim step, adjustable tilt steering, and a full-color digital dashboard, not to mention RiDE, No Wake Mode, Cruise Control, digital Launch Control and even a new Auto Trim cornering assist.
Opposedly, the RXP-X 300 tips the scales at 780-pounds, a scant 8-pounds heavier than the Yamaha. Wielding a $16,899 MSRP when equipped with BRP’s Premium Audio Package ($800) and the Midnight Purple livery ($300), the ‘Doo is significantly pricier. Fuel capacity is equal at 18.5-gallons, and the Sea-Doo’s 40.6-gallons worth of storage dwarfs that of the WaveRunner. Added features include a new Ergolock R single-place adjustable saddle, iBR, Launch Control, iTC modes, and angled foot wedges.
Of course, the biggest gap between the two is horsepower, right? Interestingly, RIVA Racing’s own Jesus Garcia shed some insight. “Horsepower [outputs] between [the] Sea-Doo 300 ACE and Yamaha SVHO engines are very similar. [The] SVHO engines deliver 250 horsepower at 7,300rpm, boosting around 7 psi; but before the speed limiter starts to work, RPM goes up to 7,700 and boost is around 10psi, which makes the engine deliver around 285 horsepower.”
“[The] same thing happens with Sea-Doo. While the break in period is active, boost and speed is limited. Once you put the hours on it, the engine will produce between 7,500 and 7,800 rpm (depending on which model) and around 10 psi, which makes around 290 horsepower. Removing the [Yamaha’s] speed limiter will make [SVHO] produce approximately 10 psi [at] around 7,800 rpm, [which] is going to be around 290 horsepower (it still has a boost limiter).
“On the other hand, once you remove the speed limiter [the] Sea-Doo will produce 8,000rpm and around 13 psi (there is no boost limit) [making] around 300 horsepower in ideal conditions.” Jesus concludes, “[The] difference in speed is not coming from [the] horsepower difference between the two boats; it’s coming from the difference in hull design, tunnel, pump, etc. That’s why also the handling, the feeling when you go through rough water, the cornering, etc. are so different between them.”
Above left: The 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 blisters the water with a 5-to-60mph of 3.60-seconds, and that’s also with a full tank of gas and the added weight of the BRP Premium Audio System. Above right: Believe it or not, the slower 5-to-60 time was recorded with the use of Launch Control. Greg was able to repeatedly outpace the Launch Control using the VTS manually.
As demonstrated previously, all acceleration tests are conducted at sea level (this day it was 67º degrees with 80% humidity, and 5mph winds). Both skis had their fuel tanks topped off to prove that one wasn’t favored over another (at 6-pounds per gallon, 18.5-gallons calculates to 111-pounds). More importantly, as tracking a true zero-to-60 is impossible with a watercraft, Greg set the Vbox accelerometer to begin recording at 5mph. He also recorded a peak top speed before each machine’s speed limiter kicked in.
To say the results were surprising is quite the understatement. In every test, the RXP-X 300 was substantially quicker – and faster overall. For both watercraft, Greg’s deft toggling of the electric trim was able to out perform the factory preset Launch Control settings, netting superior results each time. Greg noted, “Interestingly enough, the Sea-Doo was very inconsistent with the Launch Control and was almost half a second slower numerous times.”
Above left: Coming in .25-seconds behind the Sea-Doo was the 2021 Yamaha GP1800R SVHO. Weighing nearly 50-pounds less than the as-equipped RXP-X, the GP1800R lost precious seconds as it cavitated out of the hole, fighting to bite the water. Above right: Even with Launch Control engaged, the GP1800R couldn’t close the gap, in fact, Greg actually recorded slower numbers with the feature engaged.
Nevertheless, Greg recorded a staggering 72.0mph on the RXP-X before the GPS-monitored dashboard manually eased back the throttle and slowed the craft down to 69mph. For those taking note, Sea-Doo advertises a mid-3-second 0-to-60 time, and per Greg’s findings, 3.60-seconds proves there’s no baloney in the advertised claim. As Jerry observed, “[There’s] zero cavitation; it just rockets out of the hole.”
Conversely, the GP1800R struggled to bite down out of the gate. Even with the larger 160mm pump and transom plate, the SVHO couldn’t reel in the RXP-X’s lead of two tenths of a second. Greg recorded a peak top speed of 70.6mph before being throttled down; and like the Sea-Doo, he managed better results without the Launch Control than with it engaged – although we have both with and without recorded here.
In drag racing parlance, a tenth of a second is equal to a car length, which is considerable. Ultimately, the Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 out-accelerates the GP1800R SVHO, and that’s pretty impressive given the improvements Yamaha has made over the years with this model (as The Watercraft Journal’s test proved weeks ago). This of course, doesn’t calculate in any other attribute such as cornering, rough water tracking or handling – just flat water acceleration. Now, we’ll leave it to the message boards to hash it out.
Young phenom, freestyle racer Coy Curtis, shows us what’s up in this latest Instagram video posted by Hydro-Turf. Curtis throws down some huge moves, flowing from one to the next while throwing his Rickter Ninja X like it’s nothing. The young gun has been riding since he was four years old and he’s now eleven and throwing down like he’s the Mark Gomez. This kid has a big future and he’s one of Hydro-Turf’s team riders. Curtis rides the Rickter Ninja X, specially designed for kids up to 120 pounds.
The ski is outfitted with Hydro-Turf’s white cut waffle, which keeps him locked in so he can go big without losing his footing. A 9mm Hydro-Turf plush pad underneath keeps him safe and comfortable for when he lands those big tricks. It’s the softest underpad they make, and it has excellent compression recovery for extreme riders. It’s perfect for a rider like Coy Curtis who goes hard and takes riding to the next level by launching and landing huge hucks and flips.
Follow Coy Curtis HERE on Instagram so you can keep up with all of his cool outings. His content is full of adventure and good times. Also, make sure you keep up with at Hydro-Turf. They are always doing fun stuff and showing off new product. Get your own product from Hydro-Turf so you can stay locked in when you’re pulling big moves or for when you’re out cruising and want to open it up a little.
Pack a lunch and get ready to ride through the Florida Keys. The group will spend an hour or two exploring and snorkeling at the historical “Alligator Reef Lighthouse.”
The area is amazing, and the snorkeling is fantastic, with all the colorful tropical fish swimming around the rocks.
From there, everyone will cruise to Islamorada Sandbar to eat lunch, relax, and hangout. This will also be a fuel stop if needed and then everyone will head back to their respective launch locations at around 5:30 pm.
When initially departing, you have three boat launch locations to choose to from. These are located at the Caribbean Yacht Club, Yacht Club Drive Marina, and John Pennekamp State Park, all located in Key Largo, FL. The groups will get underway at 10:00 AM and everyone is asked to arrive at least 1.5 hours prior to launch time.
Pack a lunch, anchor, snorkeling gear, sun block, and plenty of fluids to keep you hydrated.
Special instructions consist of listening for the air horns to let you know when it’s time to launch and don’t pass the lead skis. There will be a lot of out of riders from out of town on this ride, so it is important to stay together.
Florida PWC Riders are the ride group and Yamaha WaveRunners are sponsoring the ride. Let’s hope pandemic times allow for the group to go without any issues. Everyone needs to get out and play with a fun group of riders. Check out the Facebook event page for the full press release. Have fun riding with Broward Motorsports and the Florida PWC Riders.
Hang in there everyone, Spring will be around the corner before you know it. Speaking of warmer weather, now can be a great time to think about getting your watercraft ready for the ride season.
With riding also comes some time to relax on the water and what better way to kick back on your PWC than with the Bopenski Kickback Chair.
To get you in the mood for Spring, Bopenski has released this teaser video. Take a look at how quick and easy it is to set the chair up. This is the same quality chair that Bopenski has been selling for years.
The chair is completely portable and when you are ready to kickback, setting up the chair can be done in one minute without any tools. Relax with two cupholders and a storage pocket included. This chair is the ultimate way to take a break from riding or to simply spend some quality time with your loved ones.
The KickBack Chair is constructed from high quality anodized aluminum and stainless steel parts. It is built to last in fresh and salt water and has a capacity of up to 225 lbs. It is compatible with most 3-seater makes and models that have a tow-eye or pylon so join the thousands of others who have already transformed their watercraft with this versatile accessory.
For more information and to get the latest promotions, head on over to Bopenski today.
Unlimited PWC has been hitting some home runs with its recent offerings including apparel and accessories such as traction mat kits for the latest watercraft.
Based in Japan, this performance and accessories company has been offering watercraft upgrades for many years and it just got better with their latest performance parts and apparel catalogs for 2021 with included English catalog versions.
With items for all major watercraft including Sea-Doo, Yamaha, and Kawasaki, you are sure to find something unique for your own personal watercraft.
Check out their latest line of steering systems which include their racing handlebar series, steering mounts, throttle levers, and performance grips. Their handlebar system is built using high quality materials which balances performance and vibration resistance with strength and high rigidity. From recreational riders to aggressive racers, these systems are sure to please all.
Want to renew the look of your watercraft? Pick up one of their decal kits or traction mats. Change up the appearance and get some new level grip and safety at the same time.
They even have rear exit exhaust systems for those of you that want to increase performance or gain some new sound notes when riding.
The range of offerings is too long to list out here so be sure to download their new catalog and add something new to your watercraft this year.
As personal watercraft have continued to march towards further digital innovation, the aftermarket has had to adapt and evolve to meet the pace. Advanced fly-by-wire engine management systems, complex fuel and ignition timing curves and ever-increasing demands for greater horsepower have separated the men from the boys, and few outlets have risen to the challenge quite like RIVA Racing.
Today, RIVA Racing offers performance enthusiasts and professional racers the single-most comprehensive catalog of engine management software, tuning capabilities and efficiency-increasing hard parts regardless of brand or model year. This herculean effort did not materialize out of the ether either. In a recent interview with RIVA’s President and CEO, Dave Bamdas, he placed the credit in large part on Jesus Garcia.
“Jesus has played a leading role in adapting the MaptunerX engine management system to the personal watercraft application,” Bamdas explained. “Prior to bringing Garcia into RIVA’s Performance Development Department in 2016, our customers had very few options in the way of ECU (engine control unit) tuning. In just a few short years, Jesus has developed an ECU tuning system that can be done at home and in a matter of minutes.”
Per Bamdas’ account, engine tuning options were incredibly limited: either shipping off the watercraft’s existing ECU module to permanently modify and reprogram the existing software or completely replace the existing ECU (and often a portion of the wiring harness) altogether with an incredibly expensive aftermarket ViPec or MoTec control module.
With Garcia’s development of the Maptuner/PWC functionality, it has not only revolutionized the watercraft performance industry, but established RIVA Racing (and Garcia, consequently) as a leader in the PWC performance industry. “His contributions have been nothing short of groundbreaking,” Bamdas continued. “Without Garcia, I don’t think we’d be seeing the level of performance parts sales and racing that we do today.”
Winning Combination! Head Tuner Jesus Garcia (right), Racer Brian Baldwin (center), and RIVA Owner Dave Bamdas (left) celebrate another World Championship.
In addition to leading RIVA’s Engine Management Development, Garcia’s position as Head Tuner in charge of RIVA’s Watercraft Racing Team has earned international acclaim. Responsible for building and tuning the championship-winning machines of RIVA’s top racers (including Brian Baldwin, Erminio Iantosca and Erick Lagopoulos), Garcia’s role in the racing program has resulted in both national and international championships.
In the process of working closely with the RIVA race team and interfacing V-Tech engine management software into a palatable consumer-friendly upgraded ECU tuner (not to mention logging volumes of engine tunes using RIVA’s state-of-the-art engine dynometer facility), Garcia began honing pre-established packages offered as “Performance Kits” offering consumers proven combinations to achieve specific performance goals.
“As it stands today, the RIVA Performance Kit product line is really his creation,” Bamdas admitted. “RIVA Racing has always prided itself on offering our customers the best in handling, steering and acceleration-enhancing products; it was Garcia who paired these parts with an applicable engine tune to maximize the total efficacy of the other components. And with each ‘stage’ that the customer climbs, a new engine tune can be downloaded to their MaptunerX. The engine map literally grows with any new added part.”
A final bit that often goes unnoticed is Garcia’s role in developing specifically-pitched jet pump impellers, each paired to match the engine maps that he writes. “He works closely with RIVA Racing development partner Solas Science & Engineering Co. to design and test the highly successful line of RIVA/Solas jet pump impellers,” Bamdas detailed. “Ensuring each ECU tune is paired with an impeller that can process the added rpm is essential. Garcia’s skill in this regard is unrivaled.”
The impact that this single person has made on an entire industry cannot be understated. The mechanical abilities, intuitive understanding of these machines along with the development skills that Jesus Garcia wields have made an indelible mark on the personal watercraft industry and competitive watercraft racing.
The Watercraft Journal proudly excels at being the only personal watercraft magazine to drop daily articles, bringing you the news, updates, watercraft and accessory features that you crave. While we cannot possibly and logistically provide the full, detailed review of every watercraft immediately after the reveal, we do eventually write the in-depth review on all major new units that we get our hands on.
Additionally, we bring you a wide array of photos and videos highlighting all specifications, features, and accessories of the respective units. Having said that, it generally takes us some time to publish some of the reviews since we have so much news to cover throughout the year and it takes significant effort to perform the reviews, capture and edit the footage, and write up the details.
Since it’s so important to make sure that the buyer has all the necessary information he or she needs to make a purchase decision, Sea-Doo has also just released a video series review detailing each category of their watercraft lineup.
This year, they have entrusted some of their finest Sea-Doo Ambassadors to give you a walkaround and show you the features, specs, and accessories of the different Sea-Doo categories. This includes the entry-level Spark and GTI lineup, the purpose-built Wake and Fish Pro series, race-ready GTR, RXP-X, and RXT-X line, as well as the luxury GTX line.
Each video is posted below. If you need any further information be sure to visit Sea-Doo.com and as always stay tuned for our individual reviews if we have not already published it.
Check out this rad video with Mark from GC Jetski Fishing. He is on New Zealand’s west coast and taking us offshore and to the deep blue Pacific Ocean. He loads up his Yamaha WaveRunner FX Cruiser HO, which is powerful enough to take on the rolling swell and wind. The WaveRunner is outfitted for fishing with a rack on the back that holds a cooler, four rods, and a net. Mark gets underway with four heavy-duty bait casting saltwater fishing rods, tackle, and safety gear.
After crossing the Waikato River bar, the hunt was on for big fish that were in the water’s due west. He caught up with a pod of dolphins in about 40 meters of water and rode with them for a while then jetted away from the dolphins after receiving intel about some albacore tuna a little further out. Trolling and jigging from the ski, he hooked into some tuna and kingfish at the 55-meter mark. The snapper were out in full force as well and he easily caught his limit of ten. They were good sized too. It is so cool to watch him reel in those big fish from his jet ski alone in the open water. We can only imagine how it feels to be out there in deep blue among the fishes.
On the way in, Marlin were breaking the surface and a nearby pod of dolphins was also getting in on the action. The dolphins cruised alongside of the ski for a while and this made for the perfect end of a beautiful day on the water for GC Jetski Fishing.
Admittedly, this article is going to come off as pretty silly for most of our more “technically minded” readers. Yet, for those new to personal watercraft or are a little more timid to break out the tools and start wrenching on their brand new Yamaha WaveRunner themselves, we hope to take a little of the fear away and instill you with a bit of confidence. But first, what are we talking about?
Yamaha, unlike any other OE manufacturer, is the only brand to feature what is called a “visibility spout.” This spout shoots a pressurized stream of water vertically from a flush-mounted nozzle in the swim platform, creating a 10-foot-high rooster tail while the WaveRunner is under throttle. It’s purpose is similar to a buggy whip antenna on a four-wheeler or quad, helping nearby boaters identify the presence of the personal watercraft from a distance.
First developed for the original WaveRunner 500 in 1986, the visibility spout has remained a legacy feature for 35 years. Unfortunately, the visibility spout has also become a bit of a nuisance to enthusiasts who ride in large groups, as the spray can inadvertently cascade down into the faces of persons behind you. Equally, riding with extra fuel or a cargo rack means that the spout will blast the underside of the rack the entire day.
Thankfully, disengaging the visibility spout requires almost zero mechanical ability a few tools and a couple of minutes of your time. It begins by removing the quick release linkage attached to the reverse bucket. It’s a spring-loaded sleeve that simply slides back, releasing the ball socket mounted to the bucket. Pull that back and move the reverse cable off to the side.
Next, drop the bucket down to access the jet pump cavity. Here you’ll see a black rubber hose that connects to the jet pump up to a black plastic nozzle that mounts flush to your swim platform. With a flat-head screwdriver or a 5/16’s nut driver, simply back off the worm gear-style hose clamp until its loose. Then you can wiggle the hose free.
If your goal was to just disengage the visibility spout, you’ve done it. The stream of water will now just shoot out of the back of the jet pump. But we like being a little more thorough than that, so remove the bottom end of the hose attaching to the pump. The aluminum nipple on the pump can be plugged with a rubber cap and a hose clamp, but you’re not going to hurt anything by leaving it open. Now just move the reverse bucket back up and reattach the quick release linkage and you’re done.
But, what if you wanted to have a little fun? What if we told you that you could convert your visibility spout into a high speed squirt gun? It’s pretty easy! With the reverse bucket still down and disconnected, unscrew the white plastic retainer holding the flush-mounted nozzle to the swim platform. The two come apart easily.
Next, feed in a length of half-inch inner-diameter rubber or flexible plastic hose. We went with 8-feet of clear vinyl hose from our neighborhood hardware store. While we were at it, we also picked up a brass barbed-end male hose fitting and a regular old garden hose adjustable spray nozzle. The hose slips right over the aluminum nipple jutting out of the jet pump. Tightened that down with a hose clamp.
Next, with your hose coming up through the swim platform, install the brass barbed fitted and screw on your adjustable spray nozzle. Our nozzle hooked nicely on to the handgrips for the rear passenger.
On the water, our nozzle setup works pretty good. Obviously, at idle the pump isn’t generating the pressure necessary to shoot a decent stream, so you’re going to need to give it some throttle to really work. (Goosing the RiDE reverse throttle at a standstill works rather well.) Now around 15-to-20mph, we found we could send off a nice spray. At 30mph and above, the wind simply was turning our spray into more of a shower. Still, it’s enough to wash down your friends, so it’s a fun modification that is entirely reversible and can be installed in minutes.
Things are starting to look a little brighter across the pond in Australia as many of the states begin to relax some of the Covid-19 restrictions and the Queensland Personal Watercraft Club has released a tentative race schedule for 2021.
Great news! 
