Are you ready? Here come the Black Friday sales! While the country is gearing up for Thanksgiving (or if you’re putting up Christmas decorations a month early, you heathen), most of the world is preparing for the madness of Black Friday.
Huge discounts will be offered on existing merchandise taking up inventory all in an effort to clear the shelves to make room for next year’s products. Regardless of what you’re looking to buy, now is the time to whip out the ol’ checkbook and get writing.
And getting in on this action is industry giant Hydro-Turf. They just recently announced their own Black Friday sale – a whopping 25-percent off of all website orders – from Black Friday, November 29th until Cyber Monday, December 2nd – when you use the discount code blackfriday at checkout.
No doubt there’s a new traction mat, seat cover, handlepole cover or even a T-shirt that you’ve been eyeing for a while now. Well, this is your time to act! Personally, we’ve used our massive Hydro-Turf Hydration rolling gear bag religiously since first picking it up nearly 6-plus-years ago.
Summer has come early for personal watercraft buyers in Australia. Sea-Doo and Kawasaki have 2020 models in showrooms while the Yamaha WaveRunner range has made it to warehouses and is awaiting imminent delivery to dealers.
The early arrival gives buyers a choice between a 2020 model or picking up a sharp deal on a 2019 edition. In most cases the model year changeovers are simply a case of new color schemes. However, some examples are all-new models or have had minor but worthwhile changes.
2020 Sea-Doos
The most affordable jet ski on the Australian market, the Sea-Doo Spark, remains unchanged for 2020 except for a minor color makeover and currency-driven price rises.
The Spark two-seater increases by $300 from $7699 to $7999. The Spark Trixx three-seater is up by $1300 from $11,099 to $12,399 but now includes a detachable Bluetooth sound system as standard.
The Sea-Doo Fish Pro keeps the same color scheme as 2019 but gets a power bump from 155 to 170 horsepower. Prices rise by $1300 from $19,199 to $20,499 and the cost of the optional Bluetooth sound system has gone up from $800 to $1000.
The high performance Sea-Doo RXT-X300 gets a bigger fuel tank (from 60 to 70 litres, the same as the Fish Pro) and is available in green (instead of yellow), while the red and black combination carries over from 2019. Price is up by $2300 on the RXT-X300 but now includes the Bluetooth audio system as standard.
The GTR 230 mid-range model gains a 1630cc supercharged engine and is distinguished by a bold black and yellow color scheme for Australia. Price rises from $17,799 to $18,599.
2020 Yamaha WaveRunners
The 2020 Yamaha WaveRunner range is effectively a new range of colors. Prices rise by between $300 and $500 due to the Australian dollar hitting a 10-year low against the US dollar.
The three EX models get new color combinations, starting with the budget-priced EX ($8499, the same price as before).
The FX HO is now white and green and the price has risen to $20,499 while the FX HO Cruiser (with stepped seating and two tie-down cleats) is now silver and blue and costs $21,499, both up $500.
The FX SVHO in “stealth” black with grey highlights costs from $24,799, while the FX SVHO Cruiser (with stepped seating and two tie-down cleats) is now silver and red and costs $25,799, both up $500.
The new flagship FX SVHO Limited finished in black with blue highlights comes with staged seating and four tie-down cleats instead of two: $25,999.
Unlike the US version, the FX SVHO Limited does not come with accessories such as the towing tube, tube inflator and built-in USB port in Australia. For now, the USB port is available as a dealer fit accessory.
The newly named GP1800R SVHO – in its loud yellow color scheme – has risen from $21,999 to $22,499.
2020 Kawasaki JetSkis
The new Kawasaki STX160 is not a direct competitor to the sub-$10,000 Sea-Doo Spark and Yamaha EX but this is Kawasaki’s most affordable offering for now. The starting point for the Kawasaki JetSki range will increase from $12,999 to $14,999 for the STX160X and $16,799 for the STX160LX.
The STX hull, sponsons and non-supercharged 1498cc four-cylinder engine are carried over from before but the top deck is completely new, with more storage, a new dash, and a better riding position. The flagship Kawasaki 310 Ultras get new color schemes for 2020 but have begun arriving in stock.
Buyers on a budget who want a brand new personal watercraft are set for some serious bargains in Australia. While the comparatively high prices might still make eyes water in North America – where personal watercraft are a fraction of overseas prices – these deals are as good as it gets Down Under. Here’s a rundown on what each brand is offering.
2019 Sea-Doo Runout Deals
Save $1250 and get a three-year warranty on all 2019 Spark and Spark Trixx models and save $1500 and get three-year warranty on 2019 GTI90 and GTI130 models. The 2019 GTR230 gets a three year warranty and a massive $2500 off while the 2019 versions of the flagship RXT-X300 and RXP-X300 get $2500 but stick with the standard two-year warranty. Meanwhile the 2019 GTX230 has a $1000 bonus and three-year warranty while the 2019 versions of the GTX LTD 300 have $500 and stick with the standard two-year warranty.
2019 Yamaha WaveRunner Runout deals
Yamaha is offering up to $2000 off selected models in its 2019 range or pay the full RRP and take advantage of a super-low 1 per cent finance rate. The $2000 discount applies to 2019 examples of the GP1800R, FX Cruiser SVHO, and FX SVHO.
A $1750 discount applies to 2019 examples of the FX Cruiser HO and FX HO.
A $1500 discount applies to 2019 examples of VX Cruiser HO and VXR.
A $1000 discount applies to 2019 examples of VX Cruiser, VX Deluxe and VX.
Meanwhile, there is $500 off all 2019 EX models, the entry point to the WaveRunner range.
2019 Kawasaki Runout deals
Kawasaki had previously offered $2000 off 2019 model year examples of the flagship 310 Ultra LX and $1000 off its SX-R stand-up models as part of its “Super Stand-Up Deal” promotion. If you’re lucky you may find a dealer who might be able to still honor these deals. However, as of this month Kawasaki has since switched to a $750 gift card offer on its supercharged models and a $300 gift card offer on its non-supercharged models.
In October, The Watercraft Journal posted a news story about the P1 AquaX World Championships being held on Nassau’s Paradise Island for the first time. Paradise Island is a pristine area to rest and relax given the beautiful beaches and resorts. While there were some members of the resorts resting, many people were their November 8-10th for the P1 AquaX World Championships. It had been a great season of racing so far and fans from all over were boarding their planes to arrive on time. What more could anyone ask for, world class racing from some of the best racers in the industry in a beautiful setting? I mean come on.
It was a great weekend for Yamaha as the top three finishers overall were all on board a Yamaha WaveRunners. Over the weekend, Eric Francis on board his Yamaha FX SVHO, was able to finish 1-1-1 and prevail as the world champion for 2019.
Following behind him was IJSBA Pro Stock World Champion Brian Baldwin on board his Yamaha GP1800R. In third place was decorated racer Chris MacClugage on board his Yamaha FX SVHO. Another reason it was a great weekend for Yamaha was that the top 14 racers were riding either a FX SVHO or GP1800R rider.
Going into the final race of the season, Francis knew that he needed to finish in the top 4 in order to be crowned the champion. He got into third place and stayed there throughout the race until the very end. Just before the end of the race, he was able to use his skills and get into first place. He was the first racer to cross the finish line and earn the World Champion Title. Congratulations to all of the racers as this year was full of exciting events and a special congratulations to Eric Francis!
What do you think of when thinking about a national champion PWC racer. Grit, determination and reliability are three key things that may come to mind. You may also think of Erminio Iantosca. Iantosca has had a very successful career racing on board his Sea-Doo RXP-X racing PWC. By partnering up with some of the biggest industry leading in performance PWC products, he continues to produce reliable results as he seems to always find a way to get on the podium.
While there are many factors that go into being a successful racer, having the right equipment is a sure way to make a difference. In a video released by RIVA Racing, Iantosca explains the benefits he gets from using Hydro-Turf. Hydro-Turf is one of the industry leaders in aftermarket seat covers, traction mats and side-wall lifters. By choosing to use a Hydro-Turf seat cover, it allows Iantosca to stay in his seat while racing or riding around.
By staying glued to your seat, a rider is able to race aggressively while being safe. As with the side-wall lifters, it allows Iantosca to lock his feet in the side-walls when the conditions are rough or going into a corner. PWC’s are very similar to a motorcycle where riders need to lean into turns so that they can maintain their speed. By adding the side-wall lifters, Iantosca knows that he can go into a turn at high speeds without falling off.
At the end of the day, companies want to provide a product that enhances the riders ability while also being safe. Hydro-Turf has been in the PWC market for many years and their product continues to get better every year. If you are looking to take your riding level to the next level, use a product that Erminio Iantosca uses. No matter what brand or model of PWC you own, Hydro-Turf has the products for you!
Sam Nehme is the founder and owner of Broward Motorsports Racing. They have multiple dealership locations throughout the state of Florida and have also built a very successful racing team. Sam Nehme recently posted on Facebook saying, “I am very proud and honored to post that team Broward Motorsports has won the P1 AquaX World Championship which was held in the Bahamas as well as the 2019 Team of the year Award!”
Winning the P1 Aqua X World Championship is like winning the Superbowl or the World Series. It means that their success did not come over night. They started with their leader Sam Nehme who was able to build a championship caliber team and it has paid off. Nehme knew that if he wanted success, he was going to have to bring some big names onto his team. He did just that, with names such as Eric Francis, Chris MacClugage, Sophie Francis, Troy Synder, Dennis Mack and Chris Saxon. While many of you have heard of these names, they all had a tremendous season of racing and continued to produce consistence results through the whole season.
While you can argue the success that Broward Motorsports Racing had this year was due to their racing on the water, it could not have been done without the help of everyone involved. The people on land, setting everything up and making sure each event ran smoothly played a huge part in their success. A special shout out is much needed for everyone off the behind the scenes, Daniel Steele, Cody Tetreault, Rick MacClugage, Ken Waddle, David, Cabrera and Tim Judge. With the countless hours of work put in by these individuals, they truly did play a part in their teams’ success. This is also one of the many reasons their team won the 2019 Team of the Year Award.
While Broward Motorsports Racing was able to earn the most prized award in PWC racing, you better believe that they will be coming back stronger next year. Their team will take a little time off to enjoy some time with their families but will get back to training and racing soon! Watch out, now that they have been a champion, they are going to be looking for a repeat!
A new world record has just been broken which is the longest ocean journey by personal watercraft. Officially the record of “longest open ocean journey by aquabike-unsupported” remained a distance of 3,074 km since 2014. Now that record has been shattered by Lucas del Paso Canovas.
We are told the new distance is now 3,602 km or just over 2,238 miles which was achieved on a 15-day journey from Sagres, Portugal to Sapri, Italy. Lucas piloted his Yamaha VX to this new world record as part of a project called Blue 4 Green.
The project as well as money raised with the journey goes toward planting trees to minimize the Carbon Dioxide footprint. During his trip, Lucas even picked up waste that he spotted in the water. For more details on this amazing journey, check out the full press release:
Salou (11/4/19) – Lucas DPC, a tax lawyer and entrepreneur, native of Salou, received at 34 years of age the recognition that accredits him in possession of the Guinness Record referenced above, after jet skiing with his Yamaha VX the coast that joins Sagres (Portugal) with Sapri (Italy). Del Paso departed on September 18, 2019 and arrived on October 2 of the same year sailing the coast of five countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Monaco, Italy).
The magnificent mark that he has surpassed was established by the Finnish Risto Piispa, who in August 2014 drove his Sea Doo RXT 260 hp from Helsinki to Ceuta covering 3,074 km in 40 days and beating, in turn, the mark of Portuguese Frederico Rezende who in 2013 connected Lisbon with Madeira on a 963.04 km route setting the first World Record in the category.
Thus, Lucas raised the bar in 528 km and lowered the time in 25 days thanks to his tenacity, perseverance, driving technique and good state of the sea
The journey began in the most southwestern point of Europe, Sagres, an area of pleasant memory for the pilot who, in 2005, camped on a beach for 40 days with María, her sister, to start surfing, meeting the Mealha brothers, Marta and Joao, hosts of the start of the project. The route took him from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, crossing the dangerous Strait of Gibraltar where he was intercepted up to 3 times by Civil Guard vessels from the maritime and fiscal-border departments
Northbound through the Mediterranean, after the warm reception at the Club Nautic Salou upon arrival home, the toughest stages began, crossing the Costa Brava, the Gulf of Lyon and the Bay of Genoa, points where winds and currents converge creating adverse situations for navigation. Amazed by the landscapes of the Italian coast, the end of the route was established in Sapri (Salerno), as a tribute to his favorite pizzeria in Salou, which bears the same name.
Days of up to 10 hours of navigation, 98 km the shortest and 352 km the longest, Riding the jet ski every day for 15 days in a row, collecting the plastics and waste that he saw daily during his route to recycle them once on mainland. By motorhome, Carlos Pérez Gómez (logistics) and Abel Rincón (media coverage) accompanied him, providing him with house and support at the beginning and end of each leg.
His love of the sea and the desire to do something extraordinary have been the engines that have driven the day-to-day life of the pilot in pursuit of the achievement of the Record, which he reached in Rome, the Eternal City. During La Travesía Del Paso has sighted dolphins, killer whales, flamingos and other species, has enjoyed the sun and calm sea for a few days and has suffered with dense fog and rough sea in others. Sailing at a minimum of 400 meters from the coast and a maximum of 10 km. Wind of face, stern and side, deep and full of energy caves, fishermen, large merchant ships, ports of all types and conditions, the best, he highlights, hospitality received from beginning to end by people who did not have to, it’s about the camaraderie of the navigator, wherever he goes.
Although there have been setbacks (theft of the booties on day 3, loss of mobile, GPS and other equipment) special mention requires the breakdown of the power cable of the starter motor relay that left the jet ski at the mercy of the elements, only 100 km from Rome, with the raging sea. Among the strengths of Lucas does not appear the mechanics and such a test was required if he wanted to enter the land of Gladiators. Against his own prognosis, he managed to repair the fault (investing 3 hours for this, rowing included) by entering the Eternal City at 17.50 local time.
Regarding the jet ski used on the road, it is one of the most basic models of the Yamaha factory, resistant and outfitted according to its range. The capacity of the fuel tank is 70 liters that grant an autonomy of about 3 hours of navigation. The dry weight of the boat is 350 kg. The good existing port infrastructure along the entire coastline has allowed Lucas to reach each refueling without any more problems than finding the person in charge of the gasoline supply.
Regarding the financing of the project, La Travesía has had the contribution made by the following sponsors: Jet Ski Tours Salou & Cambrils that has provided the jet ski in addition to financial support. ExpoCamping lent the motorhome that has provided roof and wheels in the adventure. Nascor Energías SL, Bercose SL, Sevitel SL, International People Solutions, Salou City Council, Estación Náutica Costa Dorada that with their contributions have defrayed the expense in gasoline, tolls and food during the route. Yamaha Spain donated gloves, glasses and a neoprene jacket as a show of support. Paleobull has contributed its tasty and nutritious energy bars and other quality products contributing to the pilot’s good shape and finally NutraDrinks brought his excellent revitalizing drinks.
The message that Lucas del Paso Cánovas wants to deliver by achieving this goal is the following:
Each of us has an unexplored potential that is inherent in their individuality. We can all do something extraordinary, it only requires energy, movement, clarity and start-up. If your mind thinks it, it´s because it can somehow be done. It must be done. In addition, any step we take must be beneficial or at least neutral for the environment. The good obtained must be superior to the evil attached. As far as we know, we have only one life. This one. Our obligation lies in developing our capacities to the fullest to, together, leave a better world than the one we found at birth.
Lucas del Paso Cánovas has a law degree from the Complutense University of Madrid promotion 2007. Tax lawyer and advisor, he parked the practice of law in 2012 in search of exploring other life options. He has worked in the US, Brazil, Australia and Spain. In 2014 he partnered with Emmanuel Cruz Lagunas and constituted Jet Ski Tours SL, a company dedicated to the realization of jet ski excursions on the Costa Dorada and which is based in the Nautical Clubs of Cambrils and Salou.
With the posting of official results from the Pro Watercross World Championships, the 2019 Pro Watercross season has come to a close after a long weekend filled with wire-to-wire racing, a good deal of trash-talking, a heck of a lot of hard-fought battles on the water, and even more scheduling and procedural stir-ups.
Sugden Park in Naples, Florida, serves as the host for the season-closing championship event for Pro Watercross and is a racer-favorite race venue. For several years, Pro Watercross has attempted to merge other sports into the World Championship weekend, most significantly stand-up paddleboading and motosurf. Those auxiliary sports were absent this year – an absence that was met with approval from several watercross racers who spoke with The Watercraft Journal over the weekend.
The 100-percent focus on watercross racing for the event led, in part, to a fairly significant change in the layout of the race course this year. Expanding the course, and adding in double splits, the course took up a majority of the lake. This course, with a split at each end, gave racers not only a highly-technical course, but a good long back stretch to open up the engines, making motos challenging to both a rider’s talent, and a boat’s power, handling and tuning.
“When I got to the Pro Watercross site, I couldn’t believe how amazing the course looked. It was fast, technical and a decision-making course with there being two splits,” explained Matthew Richuk, 2019 Pro Watercross Pro-Am Ski Stock World Champion. “My weekend racing was great but it was unfortunate that I got heat dehydration during the break. Thankfully I was able to recover and finish my motos. It was very nice to see my family come down all the way from Canada to watch my brother and I. One thing that I still cannot believe is all the talent and great attitudes the kids have. I can not wait to see what they are going to bring for the future.”
The weekend was not without struggles to go along with victories for Ryan Rasmussen, also. Like Richuk, Rasmussen, who also left Naples with championship hardware, faced some medical complications, but pushed through for the win anyway. Rasmussen, like quite a few of the Pro Watercross racers, makes a bit of a road-trip to get to Naples. For Rasmussen, it is a long haul from Lake Michigan to Lake Avalon – but one that he looks forward to each year.
“I’m so excited to get to Naples every year, I make the 21-hour commute only stopping for fuel. No sleep. When I got there this year I was pleasantly impressed with the larger, double split course that was designed for us to race on!” Rasmussen told The Watercraft Journal. “My races started on Friday and just as I was pulling my water scooter onto the stand, I twisted my right knee. I went out for practice on my Yamaha GP 1800 and just couldn’t ride it to my potential. So I decided to drop the two classes on that boat. I did race my Yamaha EX with my knee all braced up on Friday and Sunday.
“The EX is a not as demanding on the body and I wanted to try to get a championship one way or another. I was able to grab a second overall Friday in IROC GP and I won the championship in veterans IROC on Sunday! I want to add that AJ really stepped up his game with the awards this year for the championship. They’re awesome and I’m happy to have brought two home to Illinois! Now it’s time to rest and recover. Next season will be here before we know it!”
Medical issues seemed to be the keyword of the weekend, and Jim Bennett, who left Naples with two championship titles, showed up in Naples with “pre-existing conditions” to overcome on his road to the title.
“A huge thank you to Rich Maley, Tattoo Rich Racing, and Dean Charrier, Dean’s Team for the work they put in my boat. I was not sure if we were racing due to my upcoming shoulder surgery until several weeks before the World Championships,” Bennett told The Watercraft Journal. “They started building the boat about a week and a half before the race and absolutely nailed it. It was fast and set up perfect for me. Robert with Pro Watercross designed an awesome track with double splits which made for great racing and opportunities to pass. God truly blessed us, winning all three motos in both the Veteran and Amateur Stock Runabout classes.”
Another large change this year from previous Pro Watercross championships was the schedule. In years past, races were split with two Amateur motos and one Pro moto on Saturday, and a swap on Sunday. This year, all three motos in the Pro classes were packed into Saturday, with Amateur classes running all three motos on Sunday.
The Watercraft Journal reached out to Pro Watercross President and CEO, AJ Handler, for comment on the scheduling change, as well as the company’s change to a non-profit organization, and for more details on the 2020 schedule, which, according to comments made during the awards banquet, is set and would be released soon, but Handler could not be reached for comment.
For results from the Pro Watercross World Championships, visit HERE. The full Waters Edge Photography gallery from Naples will be posted at HERE by this weekend, if not sooner!
In the course of a single year, the Yamaha FX SVHO WaveRunner has become the most successful full-sized 3-seater runabout in professional racing. Since its 2019 redesign, the FX SVHO and smaller GP1800R were the ONLY two machines ridden by competitors in the Pro Stock class at this year’s IJSBA World Finals. That fact alone is absolutely astounding.
Whether cutting hairpin turns around a buoy or slamming through open ocean waves, more of the world’s top athletes have chosen the FX SVHO WaveRunner than any other watercraft. And while certainly most of us will never find ourselves competing for a National Championship, it’s incredible to know that this one Yamaha can take whatever you or I could throw at it.
So in light of this killer resume, what could Yamaha do to make the 2020 FX SVHO any better? They painted the whole damn thing black. From head-to-toe, the 2020 FX SVHO is soaked in a two-tone combination of mirror-like camera obscura gloss and textured flat black, making this WaveRunner worthy of recently acquired nickname, “Darth Vader.”
Although half expecting to hear the famous mechanical breathing of the Star Wars baddie hissing from beneath its stealth bomber appearance, little else has been changed from last year’s model. Alas, one key update went almost entirely unsung: Yamaha did upgrade its jet pump to incorporate a new replaceable stainless steel wear ring all into a single, larger 160-millimeter housing.
Additionally, the new 2020 SVHO pump is a true 160mm. According to Jerry Gaddis at Greenhulk.net, “Previous SVHO pumps used a 155mm stator and a 160mm impeller and liner. Having a true 160mm stator will greatly improve cavitation problems that we have previously seen and it will also improve rough water hookup.”
The supercharged-and-intercooled 1,812cc Super Vortex High Output engine remains the same for 2020, still delivering reliable fly-by-wire performance from the industry’s largest-displacement 4-cylinder four-stroke that has earned so many accolades over the past year.
For 2020, Yamaha’s Accessory Group worked together with EcoXgear to completely redesign their Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth Speakers, upping the wattage to 60-watts (double from last year’s 30-watts) and are available with a suggested retail price of $399.
But if you’re really looking for face-melting, in-concert level sound, Yamaha does offer an exclusive JL Audio System. Our test unit for today came to us boasting a 600-watts, 4-channel amp ready to blast our tunes (fed via your BlueTooth device) through two pressure-washer safe, waterproof footwell speakers.
Priced at $1,800, this dealer-installed option is best paired with the available 8-inch subwoofer kit, which goes for an additional grand. It’s also important to note that when the dealer installs your subwoofer it’s gonna eat up all the room that was the FX’s huge watertight glove box.
Instead, you get a preformed molded pocket big enough to hold maybe a wallet or a set of keys, and includes a 12-volt outlet. So there’s a bit of a trade there. But, and I want to emphasize this as clear as possible, the JL Audio System exclusive for the Yamaha FX is without a doubt, the clearest, most powerful, brain-melting sound system available on the market today.
When optioned without the subwoofer, the standard FX SVHO touts an impressive 44-gallons of combined total storage, divvied up between the massive stepped bin in the bow (molded to accept a huge soft-sided cooler available through Yamaha Parts & Accessories), a watertight tub under the passenger’s seat, the wet storage cubby on the stern, and the aforementioned padded glovebox, which frankly, is a little hard to live without.
Upon ignition, the 4.3-inch Yamaha Connext dashboard flickers to life, providing the rider full control at a press or swipe of the finger – it is a touchscreen after all. Whether you’re looking for fuel consumption rates, miles to empty, or want to change the default language ,the gauges’ background color or insert the 4-digit security PIN number, it’s all there in seconds.
Controls for the electric trim are responsive and articulate the jet nozzle of FX’s redesigned pump to adjust the watercraft’s attitude to meet water conditions and speeds. On the opposite side are both Yamaha’s No Wake Mode and Cruise Assist, a welcomed feature despite being a non-Cruiser model. Both No Wake mode and Cruise Assist allow the rider to manually toggle the speed up or down using the right-hand arrows.
No Wake Mode’s default speed is 5 miles per hour, with an adjustment of 1 mile per hour either up or down. For Cruise Assist, you’re given up to 5 miles per hour of advancement or deceleration, before requiring to be reset to a different speed.
Two overlooked additions are the Reverse Assist and Thrust Directional Enhancer features; using the same right-hand toggles, Reserve Assist gives the rider a little extra oomph while backing up, ideal for when you’re backing off of the trailer bunks. The Thrust Directional Enhancer (or TDE) uses the trim arrows while set at neutral to give the rider the tiniest bit of forward or reverse thrust (without using the RiDE throttle levers) for maneuvering around a crowded dock or other tight confines.
Other features include CNC-cut two-tone Hydro-Turf mats that line the expanded rear swim platform and folding step, as well as cover the low-slung footwells with the industry’s only footwell drains. Note that the drains work via vacuum produced by the FX traveling forward and gravity, meaning they only drain when either underway or while out of the water.
Upon acceleration, the FX SVHO sprints out of the gate, reaching plane in seconds. It doesn’t launch violently or porpoise like other craft either; it’s power-to-weigh ratio is greatly helped by the Yamaha’s 818-pound dry weight. Made from proprietary nano clay and glass micro bubble materials, the NanoXcel2 process results in a durable, lightweight hull and deck that is also paintable and repairable.
The FX’s hull borrows much from the smaller GP1800R, relying heavily on lifting strakes and rounded chines to give the WaveRunner its natural, predictive tracking through all sorts of water conditions, as well as its smooth, instinctual inside-lean when thrown into a corner.
Stability at speed is key here, and the FX has it in spades. When under throttle, rider input is measured in millimeters, not inches. The FX doesn’t require big swings of the handlebars to snap a turn, or constant side-to-side steering to correct its path through chop. It’s as easy and point-and-shoot.
With its 18-and-a-half gallon fuel cell nearly topped off, we logged a respectable GPS top speed of 68.2mph at 840-feet above sea level under steely-gray 55-degree skies. Certainly, a lighter rider and lower elevation will garner superior results.
This adds up to the 2020 FX SVHO being without a doubt, the most aggressive, most spirited full-sized 3-seater runabout that Yamaha has offered; it’s recent racing pedigree is proof of this. And while the blacked-out livery is just…friggin’ awesome, it’s also almost indistinguishable from the rest of the water from a 100-feet away, so well, there’s that.
The NanoXcel2 hull and deck material is thinner than the slightly heavier NanoXcel (one) material used on the non-supercharged FX HO and HO Cruiser. That means its less absorbent to the bumps and bangs of riding full throttle over rough water. This should go without saying, but here I am, having to say it. While the FX SVHO can streak across the water, you’re gonna feel it a lot more than a thicker, heavier ski. That’s just how things work.
With an MSRP of $15,699, it’s one of Yamaha’s more premier WaveRunners, so I strongly recommend optioning for the versatile RAM mounts so you can switch between an optional cup holder or GPS mount – that is, if you don’t go for the massive JL Audio package and want new EcoXgear speakers that fit in the cup holders. Again, Yamaha leaves it all up to you.
In a rare instance of showing overt personal bias, the 2020 FX SVHO is just one of my plain favorite watercraft. It’s comfortable to ride casually, and can get up and scream when you clamp the throttle. It tracks straight, it goes where you point it and can out-handle machines making much more horsepower and with less seating. And dang, does it look mean just sitting there. I mean, c’mon! Just LOOK AT IT!
The war for sound system supremacy is reaching a fevered pitch as all three major OE manufacturers are offering big wattage warfare from the dealer’s showroom. Kawasaki was famously first with its Jetsounds system made standard on the Ultra 310LX and now the STX-170LX. Sea-Doo’s BRP Premium Sound package is a modular affair applicable to all ST3 machines (standard on the GTX Limited 230 and 300), as well as the newly redesigned GTI platform as an option. For Yamaha, the offerings were slightly different.
Last year, in partnership with EcoXgear, Yamaha Parts & Accessories Catalog listed small, modular wireless speakers that operated solely via Bluetooth, were attached to the ski via Ram mounts, and could float. Unfortunately, the overall output was less than impressive and many folks opted out. Few knew that Yamaha had a “nuclear option” – the JL Audio SlamPak System.
First introduced for Yamaha FX WaveRunners, a new revised package is now ready for the smaller VX runabout as well. Priced at $1,679.99, Broward Motorsports (BMS Racing) not only has the package in stock, but also offers exclusive pricing programs letting you stretch out the purchase over several months, with monthly payments starting at $156mo. See below for the full rundown:
Designed for Yamaha VX WaveRunners, this all-new system delivers a powerful audio option never before seen on PWC’s. This JL Audio SlamPak is sure to transform your WaveRunner into a serious music machine, adding even more enjoyment to every minute you spend on the water.
A pair of waterproof VeX speaker pods house high-performance 6.5” marine-grade coaxial speakers that deliver loud, clean audio in real-world marine environments. Compact, 500 W, 4-channel amplifier powers the entire system. MBT-CRX Bluetooth controller/receiver connects to your Bluetooth device and accesses your playlist wirelessly.
Exceeds industry standards for corrosion resistance and UV-exposure. Also includes a plug-and-play harness with Deutsch connectors, marine-grade circuit breaker and cables, stainless steel mounting brackets, all hardware, and installation instructions. Dealer installation recommended.
It was a great weekend for 
Thus, Lucas raised the bar in 528 km and lowered the time in 25 days thanks to his tenacity, perseverance, driving technique and good state of the sea
