It’s very likely that we’ll be seeing electric personal watercraft enter the mainstream market in the next 2-3 years, and leading that charge is Canadian powersports brand Taiga Motors. Last year, Taiga shook the PWC industry with the reveal of its Orca prototype. Slightly larger than a Sea-Doo Spark, Taiga’s Orca is poised to be world’s first production emissions-free watercraft.
Available in 3 tiers of performance – Sport, Performance and Carbon – the three Orca models range in top speed, battery life and weight, and of course, asking price. Yet, the freshest bit of news is Taiga’s recent partnership with ABB, a company who develops high speed charging stations. As The WatercraftJournal discussed in a recent YouTube Live session, the biggest hurdle for electric PWC is not so much getting the ski to work itself, but building an infrastructure to keep them charged.
In a recent press release, Taiga announced its partnership with ABB and its cooperation in building wallbox charging stations for the brand’s electric powersport vehicles. Here’s the full release:
Global e-mobility leader ABB has partnered with Taiga Motors, maker of electric powersports vehicles, to expand sustainability to off-road vehicles across North America and Europe. ABB will offer its safe, reliable and compact Terra AC wallbox and Terra DC wallbox charging stations.
The global powersports market delivered record-breaking sales this year and is expected to continue growing rapidly with a compound annual growth rate at over 6% between 2020 and 2026 according to Global Market Insights1. But this growth may take an environmental toll because snowmobiles are one of the few vehicles that do not require a catalytic converter, a device that reduces the amount of harmful pollutants from a vehicle. The absence of this converter leads to disproportionate emission levels to the point where electrifying one snowmobile can have the same environmental impact as electrifying more than forty cars.
Canada-based Taiga Motors is heralding a new era of electrification for off-road vehicles with the world’s first production electric snowmobiles and personal watercrafts. By eliminating noise pollution and reducing the vehicles’ environmental impact, this partnership leads the way to a sustainable future at a time when countries have increased regulations at national parks, lakes and trails worldwide.
ABB will enable Taiga Motors to bring reliable and effective charging solutions to its customers. For recreational vehicles, the two key factors are ensuring power and performance, which are both fulfilled by Taiga Motors’ electric offerings that feature more torque and faster acceleration.
ABB lays the foundations for a future of safe, smart, and sustainable mobility, accessible by everyone, everywhere by providing charging solutions that meet the needs of the next generation of electric vehicles. Its e-mobility solutions form an important part of ABB Electrifications ‘Mission to Zero’ initiative, which supports carbon reduction with solutions which use less and cleaner energy.
This partnership will encourage adoption of EVs across North America and Europe by making it easier for recreational riders and fleet operators to charge their off-road vehicles at marinas, ski resorts, popular trails, and even remote riding areas such as the mountainous backcountry. ABB’s charging stations, designed to work in harsh weather conditions, are a perfect fit as these vehicles will be operated in some of the most extreme environments.
Since entering the EV charging space nearly a decade ago, ABB has driven sustainable transportation forward having sold more than 17,000 DC fast chargers in over 80 countries across the world. With its entry into the electric off-road vehicles charging, ABB remains committed to driving innovation in the sector.
“We are excited to play an integral role in making the rollout of the world’s first off-road vehicles a success while reinforcing our commitment to sustainability,” said Frank Muehlon, Head of ABB’s global business for E-mobility Infrastructure Solutions.
“We envision a future where riders can explore the great outdoors without transporting fuel. Renewable powered batteries can be placed in remote areas to provide off-grid charging, so adventurers can simply plug in and go further than ever before,” said Samuel Bruneau, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Taiga Motors.
Taiga Motors will begin delivery of its electric snowmobiles for fleets this winter season and will increase next fall. Deliveries of its Orca electric personal watercrafts will begin next year during spring. This partnership will support the transition to more sustainable outdoor adventures by providing a turnkey solution to customers.
Frankly, 2020 has been tough on watercraft racers. With venues shutting its doors, promoters struggling to find ways to appease local governments and travel restrictions, attendance at what few events that occurred was thin – and that’s not including the events that didn’t happen at all. So it’s very welcome news to learn that the Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 will return for 17th year this coming February, in 2021.
In a recent press release, event founder and former offshore champion racer, Mike Follmer announced that Yamaha has renewed its title sponsorship of world’s longest-running PWC endurance race for 2021 as well. Prior to his retirement, Follmer was the longest continually-signed factory-sponsored racer for Yamaha bringing home a steady string of Region 1 podium finishes, as well as being instrumental in helping develop countless aftermarket performance parts with RIVA Racing and R&D Racing.
Here’s the entire press release from Mike Follmer: Fountain Valley, Calif; Kennesaw, GA – Yamaha Watercraft renewing its Title sponsorship of the 2021 Yamaha Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Endurance Race presented by Hot Products /Jettrim /RIVA Motorsports, the longest-running PWC endurance race in the world. Now in its 17th year in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., the internationally attended 300-mile race is considered one of the sport’s premier events and a favorite for Yamaha high-performance watercraft owners.
“The Yamaha Mark Hahn 300 is a world class event sanctioned by the IJSBA. This format of professional and novice racers can both compete side by side to test their skills,” said Andrew Cullen, Sr. manager, digital marketing and communications, Yamaha’s Watercraft Group. “The race demands a combination of high performance, durability, reliability and fuel efficiency – all attributes the Yamaha brand is known for and we look forward to seeing several different models of ours in the competition.”
Slated for Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, and held annually at the Crazy Horse Campgrounds, in Lake Havasu City AZ, the Yamaha Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 was created by former Yamaha Factory Rider Mike Follmer, in memory of his friend fellow endurance racer Mark Hahn, who was instrumental in promoting endurance PWC racing across the country before his untimely death in 2004.
The “team” format allows two riders for runabout, or sit-down, teams and up to three riders for a stand-up watercraft. Solo riders are also welcome to “Ironman” the race on either style of watercraft, which is the ultimate test of endurance and stamina.
Entry forms, race information, updates and results will be posted on the Mark Hahn web site: ijsba.com www.markhahn300.com
According to a recent Yamaha newsletter, “For 65 years, Yamaha Motor products have exceeded customers’ expectations with innovative technology, forward thinking engineering and thoughtful designs.”
Here, we learn about some of the many ways that Yamaha WaveRunner products allow customers to do more, experience more, and connect with each other on the water in new ways; it’s Yamaha’s pursuit of perfection.
It all begins with a passion for innovation at Yamaha. Power and soul are inspirations behind the Yamaha name badge and through this drive to innovate, Yamaha creates exceptional value and experiences that enrich the lives of customers. This is how they revolutionize fun on the water.
Innovation is born when we break through challenge barriers and Yamaha is no stranger to challenges. After all, Genichi Kawakami, the founder of Yamaha Motor Co., defined a spirit of challenge 60 years ago when he said “It isn’t a product if it isn’t world class.” This statement set forth a clear standard for Yamaha engineering and manufacturing.
Yamaha’s originality in innovation is also derived from a company mission to be kando. From the early days to the present, Yamaha definitely delivers on their desire to bring joy and unexpected exhilaration to customers around the world.
To read more about Yamaha’s rich history and innovative technologies, check out their story.
Listen, everyone could use an extra helping of cheer these days, so we’re gonna give you a “pass” if you’ve decided to start celebrating Christmas well over a month early (just don’t make a habit of it). Thankfully, if listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” on an endless loop sounds closer to Guantanamo Bay-level torture, there’s other ways to get into the Christmas spirit: like saving big on your favorite stuff.
The Bopenski Kickback PWC Chair has been on The Watercraft Journal’s Top 10 Christmas Gift guide a few times already, and frankly, will likely return again this year. It’s really that good. Thousands of Kickback chairs have been sold since it’s initial release, and through some of the biggest names and distributors in the industry. If you love to “kick back” while out on the water, the Kickback PWC chair is the ticket.
Now Bopenski has a special Christmas discount code that will shave off a nice chunk of change when you purchase from their store. They announced, “We have created a discount coupon that works only on our site (www.bopenski.com) for a $20 savings – the coupon is “BELIEVE” and it will be good through December 15th.” Again, that’s a little over a month away, so you better get off your duff and place an order soon!
Yamaha has a couple of new storage options for the Yamaha EX Series. On offer are the Genuine Yamaha EX Stern Storage Bag and the Genuine Yamaha EX Hatch Bag. Both bags are compatible with the all EX and EXR WaveRunners. They are designed to seamlessly integrate with your ski while providing easy access to on the water essentials and your extra stuff. The stern storage bag offers 15 meters of storage capacity and has open access to your ski’s towing point so you can still wakeboard or pull a tube.
The hatch storage bag enables easy access to your phone with its transparent built-in phone sleeve. It sits forward the steering housing, making it easy to view the screen, while cruising. The bag also has a large compartment behind the phone sleeve. The compartment has room for plenty of essential items. The bag is comprised of durable water-resistant material.
Both bags are super easy to install and only take minutes. No tools are required to install the stern storage bag. You will have to drill a few holes to in order to secure the hatch storage bag using the included fasteners. The Yamaha EX Stern Storage Bag retails for $129.99 and the Yamaha EX Hatch Mounted Storage Bag retails for $54.99. See them both online or shop your local Yamaha WaveRunner dealer for bags and the all new 2021 Yamaha WaveRunners.
I’ve been intrigued with the idea of going as far as possible on a personal watercraft with the least amount of stops – be it for fuel, food or otherwise – for a good while now. This pet notion had me considering quite a few different routes on which to take. Candidates usually included some variety of water conditions, scenery and other topographical challenges – but clicking off as many miles in a single day was always the core goal.
Simultaneously, I’ve been tinkering with different forms of auxiliary fueling systems that would extend my day’s travel. Not since the days of Steve Friebe’s gorgeous hand-fabricated stainless fuel tanks back in the late 2000’s had I seen a self-siphoning kit that piggy-backed on the factory fuel system without any cutting or permanent modification. Unlike Friebe’s system, which occupied the front storage bin, I began developing a one-size-fits-all rack system as well as fool-proofing the plumbing.
As the auxiliary fuel system works off of the factory fuel tank’s ventilation system, it would work with all 4-stroke Kawasaki JetSkis and Yamaha WaveRunners; Sea-Doo was a different animal. Sea-Doo ventilated its fuel tanks via a vent line to an outside breather until 2012, when Sea-Doo switched to a “closed circuit” system, meaning a ventilated gas cap – leaving me no vent line to interrupt.
This means that the auxiliary fuel system would not work on 2012-up Sea-Doos without radically replacing several key components – and I wasn’t going to ask people to do that. Again, this kit was designed for a quick-and-easy installation and removal; I wanted a 60-year-old woman to be able to install this by herself on her trailer – and asking her to remove the factory belly tank to change out the sender/pickup was out of the question.
Satisfied with my working prototype, it was time to put it to the test. First, I chose Kawasaki’s 2020 STX 160LX. The Recreation segment runabout has the largest fuel capacity of its competitors. Equally, being naturally-aspirated offered me the greatest potential for distance, a major factor for today’s long distance cruisers. For a test flight, I opted to pin the throttle to its stops one cool July morning and sprint east, up Old Hickory Lake all the way until Cordell Hull Dam and back.
The dash went without a hitch, totaling an impressive 192-miles roundtrip. And yes, that was accomplished using just the fuel I took with me – excluding the twin Rotopax jerry cans I carried for emergencies. With over 20-and-a-half gallons in the Kawasaki’s belly and another 13-and-change on the transom, I managed a respectable 59.2mph. While this proved the system worked, the relay race to the dam and back didn’t scratch my desire for a truly memorable one-day distance record.
I mapped a pretty basic route from the base of Old Hickory Lock & Dam in Hendersonville, Tennessee (not too far from my home) running the Cumberland River – past Nashville’s riverfront – up into Lake Barkley, Kentucky. From there, I’d pass through the canal splitting the Land Between the Lakes taking me into the Tennessee River. From there, I’d run south to Paris Landing in Buchanan, TN, some 220-miles away. From there, I’d turn right around and head home. Easy, right?
Rising well before dawn, I drove to the narrow launch downstream of Old Hickory Lock & Dam. Cicadas buzzed, whirling the cool morning air. Completely isolated from any signs of life, I loaded up the Kawasaki with some final provisions, pushed the Ebony Black-and-Metallic Green JetSki from the silty shoreline and pinned its 1,498cc four-cylinder to its throttle stop. Early morning gnats clouded the air just above the water, so I donned a fabric Hoorag to protect at least half of my face from spatter.
At wide-open-throttle, the heavily-laden Kawasaki couldn’t push beyond 58mph, which was expected. As the rear tank began to drain – reading its integrated fuel gauge required twisting around for a rearward glance from time to time – the JetSki leveled to its natural plane and picked up speed, which also was expected. I sped past the historic General Jackson paddle wheel-driven riverboat and rounded the corner, bringing downtown Nashville into view.
Besides a few early morning joggers, the waterfront was wholly void of life. Certainly, the sight of me streaking past aboard a bright green JetSki at nearly 60mph was something to behold – and hopefully served as some watercooler fodder for those commuters who passed on bridges overhead. Beyond that, the Cumberland River Valley is absolutely stunning; alternating from rolling farmland to high-reaching cliffs and dense timberline. It’s Southern splendor at its best.
Prior to arriving at Cheatham Dam, I had passed a couple of tugs pushing flat-bottomed barges heavy with dredged river rock. The wake they kicked up was substantial, and playfully launching over their swells was out of the question given my auxiliary system. Instead, I smartly read the pattern and sluiced through the waves, reducing my airtime as much as possible.
Locking through Cheatham took a scant 15-20 minutes, something which I had not expected. The lockmaster happily waved me in and chatted me up as I tied to the buoys. “How far you headed?” he bellowed over the railing. Replying “Paris!” he leaned further over the railing to draw closer. “You serious?” he yelled back. Nodding in the affirmative, he laughed and bid me good luck. When I assured him that I’d be back in a couple of hours after lunch he simply stared back incredulously.
West of Cheatham Dam was pretty much unbroken smooth sailing all the way into Barkley Lake, about an hour and a half down river. As I said before, I kept the Kawasaki pinned to its throttle stop the whole time – both because of time and to measure the ski’s fuel consumption.
Thus far, I managed a maximum top speed of a hair under 60 miles per hour – although the speedometer in the Kawasaki’s dashboard would have us believe we’re running 65. (The paddlewheel gauges were never all that accurate.) I also kept the Cruise Control off since I ran into so many more barges, and smartly throttling past them to maintain speed and not launch myself over the bars takes a little more finesse.
By this time, I was calculating about 5-and-a-half miles per gallon at wide-open-throttle, which was on par with what I planned for. Doing a little mental arithmetic I started thinking I could push past the fuel stop I had planned at the Green Turtle Bay resort and all the way to Paris Landing – some 30 miles south, and what I would discover, much too far for my ski to make with what fuel I had.
Interestingly, at this portion of the Tennessee River it flows north emptying into the Ohio River. With increasing winds churning the water into 2-to-3 foot chop; charging against the current; and my scant fuel supply, the Kawasaki’s alarm bells quickly began to chime. Convinced of my mental arithmetic, I fool-heartedly emptied my emergency Rotopax cans into the auxiliary tank and resumed the charge south. Again, the alarms rang, but with nearly 7-gallons in the rear tank.
Here I discovered a major issue with my fuel system: if the ski’s fuel cell is empty (full of air) it won’t produce the vacuum to siphon the gasoline from the auxiliary tank. Had I poured the fuel into the fuel cell, it wouldn’t have been a problem; but with the fuel cell nearly dry, it couldn’t generate the vacuum necessary. I was in trouble now, I thought. Frustratingly, I had missed my last chance for gas some time ago, so now desperate, I idled towards a cove of waterfront homes hoping for sanctuary.
“You’re outta gas?” a friendly face queried, looking over my rear tank setup. “Well, if you can make it another 300-feet, you’ll run into Leonard’s. He’s got gas, but it ain’t cheap.” Well, “Leonard’s” was the Lynnhurst Family Resort, a waterfront cabin experience, where families could engage in boating and kayaking on the river. Nearly bone-dry, the Kawasaki swallowed an impressive near-40 gallons of fuel (setting me back $146), but gratefully, I was back in business.
Both the Kawasaki and myself properly refreshed, the sprint to Paris Landing took little time. Marking my location, I turned around quickly and reversed my course. Considering that a gallon of gas weighs 6-pounds, I had roughly 140-pounds of extra weight on the back of my ski. And without trim control to force the nose down, I finding that the only way to keep the Kawasaki from porpoising is to stand up and lean as far forward over the bars as I can.
But this doesn’t do any bit of good now because Hurricane Hanna had worked its way up from the Gulf of Mexico and was starting to make its way – now as a tropical storm – into Tennessee. Gray skies and high winds whipping the trees were churning the Tennessee River into a choppy nightmare. It took about 40 minutes of brutal riding to reach the opening of Barkley Canal and all of my patience, but with the river narrowing and the high hills blocking the storm, the way back should be pretty smooth sailing from here on out.
Learning from my severely over-confident calculations earlier I made it a plan to splash a few gallons into the rear tank at Clarksville Marina. The belly tank was about three-quarters full, but an extra 12-13 gallons provided me all of the fuel I need to make it home (even with a little extra fuel to spare, just to be safe. I promise I learned my lesson). At the opening of the Clarksville Marina is Freedom Point in Liberty Park, and is a really standout point of interest on the riverfront, somewhere I plan to visit again soon.
By this time, I noticed a whole lot more barge traffic in the afternoon than in the morning – including waiting nearly 45 minutes for one to vacate the Cheatham Dam & Lock. I took the time to stretch my legs, reapply some sunscreen, and choke down my third energy bar with the aid of a luke warm bottled water. When I asked the lock master regarding the increased traffic, he said that the barges were scrambling to find mooring before the storm hit – which made sense.
Then again, that also meant having to weave around these big ol’ things without scrubbing too much speed. If you’ve ever tried to pass a tug pushing a couple of barges down a narrow river, you’ll know what kind of wakes I’m talking about. You can quickly find yourself airborne or complete submerged in a matter of seconds. Thankfully, even as I maneuvered the Kawasaki around them, I could weave through the steep rollers with reasonable ease.
Above me the skies continued to gray and the tops of the trees began to bow under the wind. The storm was coming and I had about an hour left to make it home. I wasted no time blowing past downtown a second time, leaving many fishermen befuddled at what they saw – and likely a little irritated. The final stretch of the Cumberland serpentines through a deep channel littered with homes, parkland and farms before exposing the broad face of the Old Hickory Lock & Dam.
In all, the final tally was 443-miles with a moving average of 47.6mph (including slowing down to pass barges and locking through dams), and a maximum speed of 60.1mph. Equally, I burned through just over 60-gallons of fuel, given my calculated average of 5.5 miles-per-gallon. Needless to say, without my poor calculations, I could’ve saved myself the extra 3-miles and made it a nice, even 440. Maybe next time.
Production of the survival thriller, Jetski, is underway in Malta. The film is directed by James Nunn, known for his 2012 British thriller, TowerBlock. Jetski follows a group of spring-breakers who are having a good time partying in Mexico. Things go awry when they steal a couple of jet skis and take them out and wind up having a head-on collision. The group ends up stranded miles from the coast, finding themselves in the midst of underwater predators. We know how this is going to go!
The film, written by Nick Satrese, will be shopped to buyers at the American Film Market, which runs from November 9-13. Shooting began on location in Malta on October 14 under strict COVID-safe guidelines.
Producer Andrew Prendergast said, “We are thrilled to be producing Jetski on the beautiful island of Malta with such a talented cast and crew in these difficult times. Jetski is a nail-biting ride that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats until the very last minute.”
Executive producer Al Munteanu for SquareOne Entertainment will distribute the film in Germany and Austria added, “A famished shark, college kids — what more do you need? However, finding real freshness in this genre is the holy grail and we believe with its unexpected twists and turns, Jetski has the DNA to become the next guilty pleasure that speaks to everyone’s desire not to get devoured.”
We are looking forward to grabbing some popcorn and a soda while watching the kids try to escape the toothy men in the grey suits.
Increase the speed of your Yamaha GP 1800 with a Tuning kit from Broward Motorsports. Their Stage 1 Kit is no frills, reflash without the performance parts and gain 9 mph over your top speed. This kit will cost you $599.99 or $55 a month if you are approved through Affirm.
Just to highlight a couple of components and their benefits, the BMS GP 1800 Stage 2 Kit offers better handling and more speed with the addition of a Solas impeller. The impeller will dramatically decrease cavitation, enabling your watercraft to cut through chop much easier as it processes the water more efficiently than a stock impeller.
The WORX Yamaha Engine Cooling Kit provides your ski with extra cooling by making room for installation of an additional water line from the jet unit directly into the engine block. This will significantly lower the engine temperature and increase engine reliability and performance.
The 2018 GP1800 Stage 2 Kit retails for $3,626.93 or $328 a month if you qualify with Affirm. Check out the Broward Motorsports Racing website for complete details on the BMS GP 1800 Stage 1 and Stage 2 Kits.
In a recent announcement from the President and CEO of Kawasaki Motors Corp, there will be some internal restructuring at Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) next year.
KHI has announced that they will spin off their engine and motorcycle division brands as part of a restructuring plan that will also see the rolling stock section of their manufacturing business and ship & offshore portions get slated for change.
The engine and motorcycle divisions will effectively become separate companies from KHI starting on October 1, 2021. Based on this new business direction, Kawasaki has commented that these changes will enhance the ability of their powersports sectors to innovate with technology and safety.
As for what this will mean for innovation to the JetSki lineup, we have no specific details and will have to wait and see what changes may lie ahead. To read full details on this announcement, the KHI press release is below.
A message from the President and CEO of Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC):
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our business in both Powersports and Engine divisions has seen considerable success. New and reignited interest in our industry has been met by tremendous efforts from Kawasaki team members and our dealer network to meet the needs of our customers in a new environment where health and safety are the first priority.
Today, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., KMC’s parent company and 100 percent shareholder, announced a restructuring plan to spin off the Motorcycle & Engine business and the Rolling Stock business into separate companies on October 1, 2021. The Ship & Offshore Structure business will also be integrated into the Energy System & Plant Engineering business. These changes are part of achieving Kawasaki’s new business direction and will further enhance Kawasaki’s ability to continue to innovate with technology and safety for the powersports industry.
As for operations in the United States, KMC will see no changes. All KMC’s tasks and missions will remain the same and KHI’s restructuring plan will only further enhance KMC’s ability to serve KMC’s customers by furthering KMC’s ability to be quick and efficient when studying the industry and the future of powersports. The Kawasaki brand in North America is strong and getting stronger even under the COVID-19 situation and we at KMC will continue our great mission of delivering Kawasaki products and satisfaction to our customers
What happens when a leading watercraft manufacturer teams up with one of the largest watersport products brands in the industry? Well we are about to find out for 2021.
Jobe Sports; the leading watersports brand, has just announced their collaboration with Yamaha. Next year Yamaha will be releasing a totally new range of softgoods products which will be a great addition to your Waverunner gear.
Check out this press release for more details: For 2021, Yamaha will release a brand new product range of softgoods in collaboration with the biggest watersports brand: Jobe Sports.
This brand new 2021 range comes with all the latest tech and is the perfect match with every piece of Yamaha Marine gear out there.
Yamaha has worked extensively with the team from Jobe Sports and handpicked the best products for their PWC range and ensure that the quality is up to the highest standards!
The result: A comfortable range of the best softgoods out there which is the must have addition to your Yamaha PWC!
Want to find out more about this new Yamaha Licensed collection and all the tech that comes with it? Be sure to visit your local Yamaha dealer now and get all the details!
