COVID-19 has had a major impact on the United States which has left us to shelter in our homes and help slow the spread of this virus. While the virus may seem to be slowing down, Broward Motorsports has announced that they have moved the date of their Rec Ride from May 31st to July 12th, 2020. While everyone at BMS was excited for this trip, BMS wants to ensure that while everyone has a great time, everyone needs to stay safe.
BMS believes that by July 12th, everyone who has signed up for the ride will be able to enjoy the ride together. Riders will be able to launch from three different boat launches in Key Largo, Florida. This way, the boat launches will not be too crowded, and you can launch at the closest one to you. BMS asks that you arrive 1.5 to 2 hours before 10am to make sure that you can launch and be ready to go by 10:00am. After everyone has launched and it ready to go, you will travel through the Florida Keys with your final destination being Alligator Reef Lighthouse. Here you will be able to explore this beautiful area and have the chance to snorkel!
If this is your first group ride or need a refresher on what to bring, BMS has outlined a list on one of their recent Facebook post, check it out here. While many of you may be upset or dying to get out of your house, BMS wants to make sure that everyone will be safe. They look forward to seeing everyone on July 12Th!
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has impacted all of us in different ways. While many of us have lost close one to the virus, we should be thankful for all of the First Responders and medical staff who have put themselves on the line to help combat this virus. Cycle Springs has been in business for many years and one of the reasons is that they give back to their community.
Cycle Springs has just announced that if you are a First Responder or retired/active Military, you are eligible for the Military and First Responder Discount! Cycle Springs wants to show their appreciation to all of the men and women who are in the Military or are a First Responder by offering discounts of up to $1,500 off, 10% off MSRP and $250 off with a 2-year Warranty! These huge warranties won’t last as discounts on Suzuki’s run until 8/31/2020, Polaris until 4/30/2020, Kymco until 12/31/2020 and Kawasaki until 6/30/2020.
The weather is starting to get warmer with weather approaching and if you are in the market for a new watercraft, Cycle Springs is here for you. They have an excellent staff who is knowledgeable about all of the products they offer, and they would love to support all of the First Responders and Military personnel. Give them a call today at 727-771-1234 and see how they can help serve you.
Mark your calendars; Sea-Doo riders! Sea-Doo has all of your PWC needs covered with Memorial Day around the corner and the big Sea-Doo Memorial Day Sales Event. When it comes to watercraft and accessories or a new PWC, check out the sales event. Sea-Doo shops will be looking to move some product with COVID-19 putting a major damper on in person shopping and availability of new product. Expect big slashes in prices!
The Memorial Day Sales event runs from May 14th to May 31st, so you have time to hit up your local Sea-Doo dealer to score a new ride or some sweet accessories. Sea-Doo’s Memorial Day Exclusive Offer consists of no payments for 90 days on 2020 models and prior years. Also, receive $150 off when buying $750 or more in Sea-Doo accessories and/or apparel.
Maybe you’re dreaming of the 2020 Fish Pro. Now is the time to purchase one of those powerful well-equipped machines to take you to your favorite out of the way fishing hole. You could always refresh your old Sea-Doo with a new stereo or maybe your old life jacket is outdated, and you could use a refresher for yourself while you’re “just looking.”
Check out your local Sea-Doo dealer for savings specific to your area.
That being said, we’re not the only ones heaping praise on the all-new runabout; recently Sea-Doo was awarded recognition for the GTI as being part of the “2020 Top Products” list by Boating Industry. No doubt, it’s a big honor for the freshman watercraft, and we’re excited to see who else recommends this machine. Here’s Sea-Doo’s official press release:
Sea-Doo has landed on yet another top products list, this time for the incredible innovation with the all new GTI SE. Boating Industry’s seventh annual 2020 Top Products list brings 50 of the recreational marine industry’s best new and innovative products and services in the market. BRP is no stranger to innovation and with the new features and design of the GTI SE, they secured a spot on this stacked list.
Sea-Doo’s redesigned GTI SE has taken over the recreational personal watercraft segment with its sleek design and incredible innovation. This 3-seater, do-it-all machine is packed with value from front to back. With the introduction of the Polytec Gen 2 hull, the GTI is now more durable, lighter, and even more stable than previous models. Features were brought down from Sea-Doo’s high-end models such as premium audio system, built in LinQ accessibility with a large back deck, and Ergo Lock seating, giving the consumer even more value and options to extend their day out on the water.
This is only the beginning! Keep an eye out for the Sea-Doo GTI SE on many more “top product” and innovation awards this year.
Many of you regular readers of The Watercraft Journal know that we also publish a bi-monthly YouTube show wherein we video record reviews of the latest personal watercraft as well as the occasional spotlight on a particular lake, river or riding location. Part of that process is capturing live footage with action cameras, often mounted all over the PWC we’re riding. Thus far, we’ve only lost one GoPro camera to the bottom of our local lake – but with Super Rack LLC’s new mounting bracket, that could’ve been saved!
Known for their stellar PWC racks and storage systems, Super Rack LLC’s new GoPro Bracket is designed to fit all current (2018-up) ST3-based Sea-Doo 3-seaters (GTX, RXT-X, Wake Pro 230 and Fish Pro). Made from 100-percent marine-grade aluminum, the bracket installs easily to the front “hood” cover using the same factory screws – requiring no new hardware. According to Super Rack, the “GoPro mount is included, all you need is your camera; there is no need to buy any extra parts or accessories.”
After two-plus-months of mandatory shut down for fear of spreading a relatively unknown virus to the most susceptible members of society, we’re finally seeing large swathes of the nation retract its more confining restrictions. While federal restrictions have been lifted, states’ governors are left to decide the best course of action for their respective citizens. Florida’s Ron DeSantis recently announced a grueling 60 day extension of the state’s Phase 1 precautions.
While potentially destructive economic results may result from this, others are desperately pushing to “return to normal” by continuing to produce goods and offer services. One such is RIVA Racing. As folks are constrained to their homes, RIVA’s been seeing massive spikes in web traffic and even phone inquiries to its tech and service lines, but many are afraid that orders simply won’t be fulfilled. Not so! In a recent phone call with RIVA President, Dave Bamdas, he assured, “RIVA Racing is open for business! Our team is filling orders, answering emails and calls and are ready to help you have the best season possible.”
Whether you’re looking to swap out broken or faded plastics with factory-correct replacements, increase your PWC’s handling prowess or acceleration, or itching to pick up a few more miles-per-hour, RIVA Racing’s team is ready to discuss your performance goals! RIVA’s staff of performance experts is there to support you with professional advice on your PWC project. And don’t think that their R&D team have taking this time off, either. Massive gains have been achieved on their private test lake, and RIVA Racing will be rolling out some awesome new products for Yamaha and Sea-Doo runabouts in the coming weeks and months!
Yamaha Motor Australia believes in looking out for its customers and in its latest press release; the company lives up to its reputation by offering three months extended warranty. By doing this, Yamaha Motor Australia is alleviating some of the pressure put on folks who are living in these uncertain times.
The initiative has been put forth to ensure that customers who are unable to use their Yamaha products during the lockdown. This way they aren’t left disadvantaged by not being able to use their Yamaha brand vehicles and their warranties aren’t going to waste.
The Three-Month Warranty Extension applies to all motorcycle, outboards, and WaveRunner products. The warranty also applies to groups between April 1 and June 30, 2020, which includes existing warranty holders, warranties that expire during that period, and new models purchased between those dates. The extension does not apply to ATV’s or ROV’s.
“We are all in this together,” says YMA Chief Operating Officer and Director Brad Ryan. “And we are constantly looking to introduce initiatives that offer both our dealers and customers more confidence in these uncertain times.”
Sea-Doo knew it had something special on its hands when it first developed a runabout specifically for tow sports way back in 2005. Fitted with a semi-collapsible ski pylon and rail-mounted board rack, the “Wake Series” began as a trim option on the GTX line. Fifteen years later, the two Wake series offerings are their own Sea-Doo models delivering three times the fun per hour all while maintaining the same spirit and formula as its first ancestor.
Every year, we at The Watercraft Journal are lucky enough to be provided a long term test unit to use as we wish, and rack up as many miles as we can muster over that season. While we’ve had our share of race-ready supercharged machines over the years, when it came time to select one unit from the entire 2019 lineup, we opted for the top-of-the-line Wake Pro 230 without a moment’s hesitation.
Why, you may ask? Because few watercraft available from Sea-Doo allow so much versatility, range of use, and just plain enjoyment as the ever-popular Wake series. And yes, it’s true! Sea-Doo’s Wake models (whether its the full-sized ST3-based Wake Pro 230 like we selected, or the smaller, naturally-aspirated Wake 155) continue today as some of the most popular, highest selling models sold by Sea-Doo – and all for the very same reasons we mentioned.
The 2019 Wake Pro 230 we received shares the same Teal Blue Metallic and Lava Red livery as the 2018 model, where it debuted on the then all-new ST3 platform. Made entirely from Sea-Doo’s proprietary CM-Tech material, sheets of fiberglass are pressurized in a closed mold into a pre-formed shape – a process that leaves the inside of the hull and deck with a smooth, almost chalky surface, ideal for service technicians and home mechanics tired of the scratches that raw chopped fiberglass can leave on their hands and arms.
The hull design itself is a bit of an amalgam. The knife-like vertical bow borrows heavily from the RXP-X 300, featuring an aggressive 23-degree deadrise flanked by smooth-sided convex coves. This allows the craft to split a path through waves and rollers, but also has a tendency to hunt like a forward-mounted rudder, as well as pitch over to the inside of a slow turn. When throttled out, the heavy lean can overpower the tail’s flattened running surface and cause a temporary loss of traction, breaking free and even spinning out – similar to smaller, more playful units like a Spark or GTI.
Wide-set, hard-edged chines at the hull’s outermost edges give the ST3 its remarkable stability, particularly while stationary or operating at slow speeds. This permits passengers to move around freely without feeling uneasy or imbalanced. Adding to the Wake’s increased balance is the lowered Ergolock seating – the bench and footwells have been sunk deeper into the hull, optimizing the craft’s center of gravity. Additionally, the Wake Pro’s voluminous footwells mean standing up and moving positions isn’t the cramped exercise it might’ve been on previous models.
Extra ease of motion for the passengers is provided through a redesigned folding swim step, and inset re-boarding hand grips molded into the new LinQ accessory platform integrated into the deck. All ST3-based Sea-Doos, including the Wake Pro 230, feature this modular system that permits the attachment of a LinQ accessory: be it a 4.2-gallon cooler, a 4-gallon fuel caddy, a watertight dry bag, or even the gargantuan 13.5-gallon cooler previously exclusive to the Fish Pro. Either way, the Wake Pro is incredibly versatile when it comes to accessorizing to fit your needs.
Of course, a major feature of the LinQ platform is also standard equipment: the inclusion of the retracting ski pylon. Extending to 3-times its height, the BRP Retractable Ski Pylon is ideal for towing low-drag wake skaters, wake boarders and lightweight water skiers. A reinforced tow eye is also integrated into the rear of the hull if you so choose to tow a raft or heavier skier behind the Wake Pro. Equally, the Wake Pro 230 includes an easily removable, padded wake board rack that snaps in place alongside the passenger side bond rail.
For the operator, the Wake Pro 230 provides some unique features not found on any other brand. Most notable is the Wake Pro’s digitally-controlled Ski Mode. Providing the pilot a sequence of launch settings to select from, Ski Mode throttles the Sea-Doo’s rate of acceleration from incredibly mild to surprisingly aggressive. Toggling through the Ski mode pre-sets is done easily using the handlebar-mounted thumb pads. The 7.6-inch wide digital display telegraphs the Ski Mode settings, VTS trim attitude, fuel and other vitals in big, bold typeface that’s easy to read at most any speed.
With the 2018 redesign also came the phasing out of conventional Cruise Control. Rather, Sea-Doo’s Intelligent Throttle Control (iTC) software employs a clever Speed Mode, as indicated by a small tachometer icon on the left-hand side thumb pad. Speed Mode serves two functions: when in Neutral or Forward without the throttle engaged, Speed Mode works as “Slow Speed Mode” providing several No Wake Zone idle speeds. While under throttle, Speed Mode locks in a designated top speed that cannot be surpassed, but allows the pilot to ease off the throttle without cancelling the preset, providing a tertiary purpose of eliminating the need for a “Learner” lanyard.
Seeing as our Wake Pro 230 was on the new ST3 platform, it also meant that we enjoyed the easy access center storage system. Rather than having to double over the handlebars, two durable plastic latches unhinged the top deck and center console to reveal a massive center bin and filler neck. While this arrangement (paired with the tiny glove box and integrated waterproof phone case) reduces the full-sized runabout’s total storage down to a meager 27-gallons; when upgraded with the optional storage divider and cargo bag, bringing along extra sunscreen or a pair of flip flops became far less unruly.
Over the course of the year, we racked up just over 30 hours of riding time, which we know to many might not sound like much time at all, but considering how many makes and models we test throughout the year, it was significant. Mainly stored outside, our 2019 Wake Pro 230 never failed or disappointed. Although, without the use of a UV-protective cover, the black plastic surrounding the gauge cluster and handlebars began to discolor. We tried several restorative products to bring the plastic’s luster back but never found one that lasted more than a few days.
With 230 supercharged-and-intercooled horsepower on tap from its Rotax 1500 HO ACE, we maxed out at 65 miles per hour – a respectable speed for a family-focused runabout tipping the scales at 815-pounds. As our Wake Pro 230 came equipped with the aforementioned onboard stereo, our unit carries an MSRP of $15,599 – not exactly an impulse purchase by most family’s budget.
Interestingly, with Sea-Doo standardizing the attachment point for the retractable ski pylon across all ST3 and GTI runabouts in 2020, and the pylon and the removable board rack being made available through Sea-Doo’s Parts & Accessories division, there’s very little left to distinguish the Wake Pro 230 from an equally-powered GTX, save for maybe the Ski Mode program, which also can be upgraded to any iControl-powered unit.
While there’s zero threat of the Wake Pro 230 going away, it would be nice to see some added features like larger rear view mirrors and footwell drains, as both items offer specific benefits to those using their Wake Pro for tow sports as it was intended. In either way, the 2019 Sea-Doo Wake Pro 230 was a definite crowd-pleaser, never let us down over the course of the year, and fetched plenty of looks while towing it to and from the launch ramp, which is always nice.
As part of BRP’s Together We Ride project, the company announced April 29th that it is offering a three-month warranty extension in order to make things more bearable during these trying times. This move will cover all of its powersports lines for customers worldwide. The extension will apply to those whose warranties expire between March 15 and June 30,2020.
The warranty extension is another way for BRP to continue to show its passion and willingness to go the extra mile to ensure customers are satisfied. It is through this warranty extension, that owners of BRP products will fully benefit from their warranty.
The warranty extensions apply to all customers globally, all BRP powersports product lines, all BRP registered powersports vehicles, regular, extended, or B.E.S.T warranties, and warranties slated to expire between March 15 and June 30. Those who qualify don’t need to take any action to be included in the program. Those warranties will automatically be extended.
″In the current context, people already have a lot of other things on their mind. We didn’t want their warranties running out to be one of them, especially with reduced service department capacity. We wanted to make sure we make things as easy as we can by being the first OEM in North America to offer a 90-day warranty extension on all our powersports products,” said Delton Bohlman, Vice-President, Global Customer Services Parts & Accessories at BRP. “Together, We Ride is not just a catchphrase for us: we are all in this together and we need to do our part to help each other get through it.”
For many, all that matters is horsepower. Unfortunately, while horsepower numbers can definitely be alluring, understanding how hull design plays into the application of horsepower is all the more important. Sea-Doo’s offers its stellar 1630 ACE 300 engine in two platforms: the ST3 (RXT-X, GTX) and the T3 (RXP-X). These two platforms not only differ in hull shape and intended design, but vary vastly in accessories, features and overall use. And since so many are unfamiliar with these key differences, The Watercraft Journal partnered up again with Sea-Doo Media Relations guru Tim McKercher to spell these differences out in detail.
So let’s start with what these two machines have in common: 300 horsepower. That’s right, both the top-of-the-performance-line RXT-X 300 and buoy-course-killing RXP-X 300 share the same supercharged-and-intercooled 1630 ACE 300. Building upon the previous Rotax 1503, the ACE 300 is a 1,630cc 3-cylinder four-stroke producing a true 300 brake horsepower. The sleeveless block features plasma coated-cylinders that not only cut engine weight, but improve surface durability and heat transference, all while minimizing friction. Redesigned pistons are 20 grams lighter than previous Rotax 1503’s and feature longer, coated skirts.
While the new 1630.5cc features the same 100mm bore of the 1503, it has an increased 69.2mm stroke (over the previous 63.4mm), providing 9-percent more displacement, and subsequently, 15-percent more power. And thus, Sea-Doo had itself a winning engine package. But what to put it into? First on that list was its racy two-seater musclecraft, the RXP-X. Redesigned for 2012, the RXP-X rode on a hull that dimensionally matched the GTI, as the two shared the same deck. Below the bondline, the RXP-X hull featured a prominent keel and soft (or rounded) outer chines that permit the craft to roll heavily into a corner. The keel is flanked by two lifting strakes for less friction.
The natural tendency for the RXP-X is to snap off lightning quick hairpin turns, similar to how McKercher in the video attached below, compares to a sportbike. The RXP-X’s intended design is for super-aggressive buoy course racing, so few are surprised at how responsive it is to steering input while at speed. While some might call it “unforgiving” the performance enthusiast will cheer it on. It all depends on your riding style. Conversely, the larger, full-sized 3-seater RXT-X 300 rides on Sea-Doo’s ST3 hull, introduced for 2018. The hull itself is a modified-V shape, featuring a sharper keel at the bow, gradually softening as it flows aft.
Directly in opposition of the RXP-X, the ST3 hull has prominently sharp chines, giving the craft far superior stability at lower speeds but slightly less intuitive handling when under throttle. The sides flanking the dihedral keel are surprisingly smooth, giving the ST3 a larger wetted surface than the T3 hull or the previous S3 hull shape. While this ought to produce more drag, the ST3 is also marked with a quartet of lifting strakes reducing drag and helping the craft rise to plane far quicker than previous full-sized Sea-Doo runabouts. This design has helped give the RXT-X 300 one of the fastest idle-to-60mph speeds in the industry (we know because we proved it here and here).
All that being said, the RXT-X 300 (and other ST3-based runabouts) offer a king’s ransom of features and accessories not available on the purpose-built RXP-X 300; namely, Sea-Doo’s center storage system, the absolutely killer BRP Premium Audio System, and the LinQ accessory platform, permitting the attachment of the Retractable Ski Pylon, LinQ cooler, fuel caddy or extra storage bag. Equally, all ST3-based machines offer tilt steering, deep footwells, and a huge swim platform to enjoy. So while engine performance and top speed are near equal between the two machines, how the RXP-X 300 and RXT-X 300 employ that power is very, very different.
The initiative has been put forth to ensure that customers who are unable to use their Yamaha products during the lockdown. This way they aren’t left disadvantaged by not being able to use their Yamaha brand vehicles and their warranties aren’t going to waste.
