We can’t believe November is here and with that means the holiday season is fast approaching. That means many of us will start to think about shopping for gifts to give family and friends. Those of you with young children will appreciate this cool item we found at N&C Jetski.
It is a ‘kiddie’ Yamaha Waverunner rocker complete with GP1800R graphics. Those of you readers with a keen eye will note that this particular graphics package sports the 2019 model with the Azure Blue and White trim.
This is definitely a unique item. The balance rocker features a high quality wood construction with safe bumps to help aid the rocker staying in the upright position. We can imagine the little ones having just as much fun on this as you adults when riding your WaveRunners. They can even ride it on those cold holiday days since we can guarantee the kids will stay dry.
The company supplying these rockers is based in the United Kingdom so most of you will be paying international shipping charges if you wish to buy this. The current listing price is about 112 Euros which translates roughly to $125.
Add in any foreign transaction fees or shipping charges and we imagine it could be quite a hike in the checkout cart but we would also argue that the look on your child’s face on Christmas morning will be priceless.
The genuine Yamaha rocker is currently listed as in stock but check the website link above for the most recent information.
If you are like many residents of large metropolitan areas such as New York City, a 90-minute work commute is a daily occurrence that adds up quickly to years of your life spent traveling to work.
If you are like David Pike of Jersey City though, you find ways around or in this case through your water obstacles via a Sea-Doo. We recently told you about David’s shortcut in which he uses his Sea-Doo GTI watercraft to cut his daily commute time down to 15-minutes.
Sea-Doo got wind of the story and actually caught up with David recently to put together this short video clip. Obviously, this commute hardly puts the term work commute into perspective except maybe on those rainy or windy days where you are getting blasted in the face with sea chop.
Admittedly, David informed viewers that he would still rather make the Sea-Doo journey in the rain. We would agree that it’s a small price to pay when you are saving at least an hour’s worth of time. It also beats cramming into buses and subway trains with fellow commuters.
Although David has been riding his Sea-Doo all summer, he plans to finally prepare for the cold weather by winterizing his ski and putting it away for the season.
For the time-being, it’s back to the old public transportation for David’s journey to his job in Brooklyn. At least we can expect the smells of fresh brewed pumpkin spice or peppermint mocha to be a nice touch inside those subway cars while David waits for warmer weather again.
It’s not often that a manufacturer gathers a plethora of their most iconic models both past and present to put on display. That is exactly what BRP has done in an exclusive three-day exhibition where they featured more than fifty vehicles of the past five decades.
The exhibition even showcased some futuristic models and prototype units that never made it past the design phase and into consumer hands. The impressive display which spanned across the Sea-Doo as well as Ski-Doo lines, shows that true innovative creativity has and still exists today at BRP. Check out the press info below for more details on this cool display.
Valcourt, Quebec, October 24, 2019 – BRP celebrates 50 years of design and innovation with a three-day exhibition featuring more than 50 vehicles from the past five decades, as well as some futuristic models. Inaugurated in the early stages of industrial design in Quebec, the design studio at BRP has always brought innovation and creativity to customers, with a forward-thinking approach to shape the future.
BRP continues to be recognized for its unique design in the powersports industry: the ″Innovation, Functionality and Emotion″ exhibition is a true testament to this ingenuity.
″Reviewing previous sketches and prototypes to build this exhibition was an experience that moved me in many ways. From my father, who was the first head of design at BRP, to the number of unexpected models we created that may or may not have hit the market, what struck me the most is the talent that joined our studio over these past five decades and how much inventiveness there still is today,″ shared Denys Lapointe, Senior Vice President, Design, Innovation and Creative Services at BRP. ″We contributed to BRP’s success in the past and will continue to shape the future by exploring new ways to move people.”
With more than 112 international awards under our belt and talented people coming from around the world, our creative team continues to invent the future. A month after showcasing six e-concepts during BRP’s dealer meeting in September, the team continues to explore mobility within our current product lines and beyond, while staying true to BRP’s unique DNA.
BRP has an impressive track record in innovation and has created three product categories over the years: the first Ski-Doo snowmobile, the first Sea-Doo personal watercraft whose re-launch a few years later was a global success, and the introduction of a new architecture for three-wheeled vehicles.
To take a look at the different vehicles on display here
A friend returning from a deployment in Afghanistan got me hooked on using hygienic flushable wipes – not just in the bathroom but for all-around use, citing the abhorrent living conditions he and the rest of his detachment found on that side of the world. Since then, I’ve always maintained a pack of baby wipes either in my truck or in the bathroom. So when Grease Monkey asked if I’d be interested in trying out their Heavy-Duty Cleaning Wipes, I told them that I was the right guy.
The Grease Monkey wipes come presoaked in a heavy duty solution for cleaning your hands when there’s no access to soap and water. Although available in a bottle or a larger container full of Grease Monkey’s pre-moistened, disposable cleaning wipes, we were sent a couple of boxes of individually-packaged wipes meant for on-the-spot use or multi-purpose applications. Intended to remove grease, grime, oil and dirt from skin and other surfaces, the Grease Monkey wipes are advertised to be hard on dirt but gentle on skin, so that’s a plus.
As regular readers and subscribers to our YouTube channel know, we do quite a bit of hands-on work here at The Watercraft Journal, and never shy away from getting our hands dirty. Always interested in finding a new hand cleaner that’s tough on the different kinds of chemicals we encounter (be it grease, grime, oil, lubricants, adhesives, ink, etc.); we were interested to see how Grease Monkey’s citrus formula-infused wipes fared – especially as their wipes require no soap or water.
This weekend I decided it was time to service our worn-and-weary two-bunk PWC trailer’s wheels, hubs and bearings. After a few hours’ labor, it was time to clean up and see if Grease Monkey’s Heavy-Duty Cleaning Wipes could meet the challenge. Removing the wetted towelette from the pack with slippery hands was challenge Number 1. The towel is made with thick, perforated material, not a soft, cottony-feeling towel. This made the Heavy-Duty Cleaning Wipes durable enough to not tear or fray.
The gentle cleanser required quite a bit of scrubbing to clean up dirtier areas, like my fingertips, knuckles and palm. Admittedly, even a second towelette wasn’t enough to get the axle bearing grease that had embedded into the skin. While excellent at knocking off the surface grime, getting my hands clean enough to be comfortable to eat with required some deep-cleaning hand soap and hot water. Not exactly the stuff the marketers would like me advertising – but there is good news.
While the Grease Monkey Heavy-Duty Cleaning Wipes are fine for quick clean-ups, say after changing a tire on the side of the road, or wiping down after a quick oil change; they’re not the end-of-the-day hand cleaner that experienced mechanics will go to. And that’s OK. The pre-packaged wipes are great to carry on you for multi-use applications; while out biking or boating, fishing, hunting, camping, and ideal for the glove box or center console of your car or truck.
Some would come to understand that the reveal of Sea-Doo’s Fish Pro for 2019 sent ripples through the personal watercraft industry. The modular design of Sea-Doo’s new LinQ system integrated into a removable engine access panel, as well as the universality of the wiring harness allowed a standard then-155 horsepower GTX to be wholly outfitted with a trove of accessories creating the angling-inspired machine.
This of course, sent several current Sea-Doo owners into a tizzy; “could these accessories and add-ons be retrofitted to fit my machine?” Thankfully, yes was the answer. Earlier this year, The Watercraft Journal revealed how to (somewhat) easily install the larger 18.5-gallon fuel cell from the Fish Pro in a 2018 RXT-X 300 with very little in the way of cutting or even turning wrenches. Equally, another major accessory is just as transferable: the GPS.
The Fish Pro made waves with the addition of its Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 62cv Fish Finder, and as soon as people saw it they wanted it for their other ST3-based Sea-Doos. We turned to Adam Buckler from the Carolina Ski Riders in South Carolina, who recently made the upgrade to his RXT-X (as well as a RXT 230) to provide The Watercraft Journal a quick tutorial on how to install the factory mount, wiring and install the GPS on any ST3 hulled Sea-Doo (including the RXT, RXT-X, GTX and the Wake Pro).
Adam explains, “The kit I purchased was from Ryan’s Mobile Marine in Little River South Carolina. He has assembled these kits ready to ship for purchase. They run about $160 each. The kit consists of the mount, bolts, and harness. You will have to purchase a separate pig tail for the power supply if you have factory audio to not have to splice into factory wiring. The pigtail is approximately $25. This is a simple installation that takes about 1 hour.”
Above: The first step is to open the front storage compartment and remove the two 8mm bolts on the left and right side inside the storage bin.
Above left: You then slide the front cover forward and remove. Above right: You will then see the factory wiring that you will run the supplied harness to.
Above: The second step is to remove the mirror glass from the throttle side of the ski. It is held on with adhesive and you have to pry it off with a small screwdriver or a flat scraper, it will most likely break but will not need it.
Above left: Once the mirror glass is removed. You need to remove the black gloss cover that sits on top of the mirror mount. Above center: This is done by removing a 8mm bolt on the bottom side of the mirror. Above right: The plastic cover is also held in by retaining clips so you will need to slide the cover toward the front of the ski to remove.
Above: The third step is to install the mount that will hold the GPS unit by installing the supplied two 10mm bolts supplied in the kit on the top of the mount.
Above: Now that you have the mount in place you need to install the harness through the mount and into the factory wiring of the ski under the front panel you removed earlier.
Above: You can use the supplied end with the harness if you chose to go with the 6″ screen Garmin offered with the Fish Pro. If you want to switch to the 7″ touchscreen model as Adam did you have to splice the new 2-wire connector to the end of the Garmin harness; be sure to run the wire as shown then splice it together or the plug will not fit through where you have to feed it.
Above left: If you have the BRP audio system installed you will need the pigtail power supply. Above center: If you have the BRP audio system you will need to unplug the harness that comes from the speaker on the left side of the ski or the iBR handle side and plug the splitter in. Above right: You will then plug the Garmin harness into one end and the factory speaker harness into the other end of the splitter and tuck back away with the rest of the factory wiring.
Above: If you DO NOT have the factory BRP audio system you will not need the splitter. You will have that same plug in the same location but it will be empty. You simply plug the Garmin harness into that.
Above left: The last step is to install the gloss black cover that goes over the mount. You start by sliding the retaining clips into the installed mounts. The cover then clips into place on the top over the mount you installed. Above right: You then install the one 8mm bolt on the bottom of the mount that you removed earlier to secure the gloss black cover.
Above: You are now ready to install the Garmin you purchased. You use the supplied mount with the Garmin unit and secure via mounts from both sides and screwing the harness you installed into the Garmin holder.
Above left: You now snap the Garmin unit into place and begin mapping your next adventure. Above right: You can now reinstall your front panel by sliding back into place and reinstalling the two 8mm bolts to secure front panel.
The dust has settled (so to speak) and IJSBA has released the much-awaited full results from the World Finals in Lake Havasu City, AZ. With champions crowned, podium finishers announced, and titles claimed for another 12 months, there can be little doubt that high winds weren’t all that was shaking things up at the 2019 Thai Airways IJSBA World Finals.
Those high winds, however, played a significant role in the 2019 World Finals. When Thursday dawned over the wreckage left by overnight sustained winds of 30+ mph, and 50-60 mph gusts, IJSBA officials surveyed the shredded tents in the pits and vendor row, the toppled signs, and – most importantly – a course that resided now, for the most part, along the shoreline of Lake Havasu below Crazy Horse Campground.
The decision was a tough one, undoubtedly, but was one based on safety, consultation with local officials, and logistics, and Thursday became one of the extremely rare – if not only – time in the history of the Havasu World Finals, that a full day of racing was cancelled. IJSBA staff, crew and officials pulled off an amazing feat, packing that day’s motos into the next few days of racing.
Although there were certainly disappointments and inconveniences – racers that planned to race on Thursday, and could not stay to race on Friday, for example – this writer was impressed with IJSBAs efforts to overcome Mother Nature’s interruption, and with the cooperation and understanding of the race community as a whole.
It was the shake-ups on the (quickly re-constructed) racecourse, however, that made the 2019 World Finals one to remember. Even more than 2018, this year’s championship week seemed to be a pivotal year, as new faces, new machines, new technologies and new talent claimed the checkered flag time and again.
That doesn’t mean that the master and legends, the prior champions and names we all know, yielded easily, nor did they walk away without their fair share of championship titles. Baldwin, Stone, Maurin, Burbayea, Ruis… the masters are still at the top of their game – and the top of the podium. But it is the proliferation of lesser-known names and younger faces that made its mark on this year’s Havasu memories.
Cramer, Wildebouer, Harris, Chambers, Finlinson Jukish – these are the names – the faces and talents – that will move this sport into the next decade, and many of them have one thing in common – a cowbell wielded by one of the sport’s biggest personalities, Nedra Atwood. As the guiding force behind the Junior Stars program, Atwood had much to be proud of at this year’s World Finals.
“Never before in the history of the World Finals have so many Juniors become World Champions in classes outside of the Junior class,” she told The Watercraft Journal earlier this week. “Out of the 13 eligible classes, seven were won by Juniors from four different countries. History was also made in Freestyle with Gabe Jukish, at age 13, becoming the youngest Amateur Freestyle World Champion ever. The work ethic of these kids is only surpassed by the camaraderie they had with each other. This year saw an extraordinary group of kids who are truly Junior Stars! It has been an honor and a privilege to me personally to have been given the gift of living in their lifetime and witnessing these amazing accomplishments.”
And beyond that camaraderie that the juniors share among themselves, there is an overwhelming and humbling amount of support for these young athletes from the long-time participants of the sport – from the pit crews to the old timers to the reigning champions. A Facebook post by multi-time world champion freestyler Mark Gomez highlighted this exemplary attitude toward the new generation of competitors and athletes.
“I had a few people asking about the helmet this year … Most important is watching our [Junior] freestyle class grow and to set the best example by holding ourselves accountable regarding safety. It’s not mandatory, but this year with influence from my boys, I’m going to be rocking the lid for competitions…” Gomez posted a few days after the championship races ended (and a few days after his Havasu wedding – congrats, Mark and Kaley!)
The lure of Havasu has not just attracted new junior racers, though, and there racers of all ages nosing up to the band for their first time at Havasu.
“Tuesday Morning, after multiple days of test and tune it was race time! Competitors from numerous countries filled the lines making for very competitive racing. For my first time being at World Finals I was excited for the competition,” said Graham Hunt. “The water was cold which was great for the machines, also perfectly blue. The Havasu back drop is unlike any other race site I have raced at and having seen the sunrise and sunset most days I really enjoyed it.
“We had some fun having a day to mess around with winds gusting at 60mph and racing canceled Thursday, which turned into me and Brian Baldwin doing our own special weather report at Crazy Horse Campground (was as comedically ridiculous as it sounds)!
“Races were very aggressive with everyone eager to become a world champion. We had some bumping and trading of gelcoat for sure during motos. I was pleased coming away with a third overall despite some mechanical gremlins and a hole in my boat from a reckless Thai rider.
“The town, accommodations, food, and locals were awesome everyone seemed to be excited to have IJSBA world final racers in town. My team, myself and my girlfriend had a great time and can’t wait to return for 2020 World Finals!” Graham added.
Bret Underwood, also competing this year for the first time at Havasu, is also already looking forward to the 2020 IJSBA World Finals:
“World Finals this year was a really impactful life experience for me. Even though it was my first one I feel like I got years worth of success and heartbreak all in one week,” he told The Watercraft Journal. “From walking away from the competition, to engine troubles, to competing on a level I never had before, to getting T-boned on my new Pro Force 2.0, it was definitely an experience that I could never forget.”
For complete results from the 2019 IJSBA World Finals, visit HERE.Photos from the 2019 IJSBA World Finals by Waters Edge Photography will be available HERE.
Touring Brian Baldwin’s Champion Powersports watercraft performance tuning and repair shop in Denver, North Carolina is a lot like looking inside of Brian’s brain. Among the countless trophies, placards and number plates lining the walls are vintage racing posters, helmets, banners and memorabilia dating back well beyond his nearly 25-years of racing.
Littering the floor are ancient 550 two-stroke engines, disassembled Rotax 3-cylinders and various Yamaha 4-strokes in different stages of repair. Customer’s Sea-Doos and WaveRunners fill trailers and carts waiting to be trouble-shot, as Brian’s own 9-second, blown Camaro sits on a two-post lift; evidence of his commitment to all things high performance.
Today, the 8-time World Champion promised me a few hours with his very special 2019 Yamaha FX SVHO WaveRunner. Built to meet the exacting scrutiny that comes with competing in P1 AquaX’s Pro Stock class, Brian’s Yamaha carried him to his 10th National Championship this year – as well becoming the reigning AquaX world champion and the highest ranked rider in the world.
He continued, “I was still racing the GP1800 when we got our hands on this new FX, and we developed a lot of parts for Yamaha and RIVA. It won four-out-of-five rounds on the Pro Watercross Tour this summer, and at the P1 [AquaX] if it wasn’t the winner it was on the podium every single round.”
As a RIVA Racing Team Rider, Brian was also instrumental in helping test and develop the many aftermarket parts used both on his #502 race boat, as well as those sold to the public through RIVA.
“A lot of R&D work when into developing the parts on this FX, and I think two of the biggest things were the sponsons and the ride plate. Working with RIVA and Yamaha…y’know, you try one thing, and you’re like, “Yeah, it’s OK,” and you try another thing, and you’re like, “It’s pretty good.” And y’know, when we finally nailed it it was a solid hit. It was absolutely amazing.
“So what we found with the stock FX ride plate was that it liked to push the nose too much. It really put a lot of downforce on the front of the ski, and the RIVA rideplate really gets the ski more on the back-part of the hull, and gives it a lot more top speed as well. [As] for the sponsons, the back of the FX felt kinda loose. We tried the GP sponsons and they felt better but just not the right fit for the FX. [RIVA] worked on the backing plate and the blade and really solved the looseness.
“[Using] the ride plate and sponsons together on the track makes this big ol’ ski feel like a little bitty ski. During a lot of races this year I didn’t get the holeshot, but with the handling package you could literally ride the thing wide open and slice and dice through the pack.”
Despite Brian’s naturally effervescent way, he was also a bit reticent, wanting to keep many of his secrets close to the vest. While I couldn’t peek under the seat, Brian was willing to share a little of the modifications made to the Yamaha FX that lead to his success.
When pressed, Brian admitted, “As the ski is set up, with all of these mods and in optimal conditions, we get 83 miles per hour at 9,300rpm.” Although, he didn’t say whether that was on the race gas tune, or the pump gas tune, which we rode today. Now, I’ve ridden a handful of heavily modified watercraft that have hit faster top speeds, there have been very, very few that could corner as violently-precise as Brian’s FX.
This day, Brian had the adjustable RIVA sponsons set all-the-way down, to their most aggressive setting. This meant that, together with the top-loader intake grate, ride plate and billet CNC RIVA steering system, that traction and steering response was set to its maximum. And while this was familiar territory for Brian, it didn’t take long to learn that this was far more machine than I was used to handling.
With plenty of g-forces at play, I quickly decided to let Brian’s stirrup-like foot wedges do all of the work. Trying to use your arms to both hang on and snap off a full-throttle hairpin turn is as close to a Herculean act as it gets; the foot wedges serve to lock your feet into position, letting them keep your lower half from flinging off of the ski as the g-forces try to peel you from it.
Being slightly taller than Brian’s 5’11” height (6’2″) and outweighing him by considerably more, the mandatory riding position created by the foot wedges and steering put me nearly atop the seat’s hump, needing to lean far over to square up to the low-slung handle bars. Although a bit unnatural, keeping as low to the seat proved the best course of action while crisscrossing the isolated finger of Lake Norman that Brian had brought me to.
Although nowhere near the optimal conditions Brian had mentioned (namely being over 760-feet above sea level and my added weight), my handheld GPS recorded a top speed of 81.8mph. The factory touchscreen dashboard never read higher than 70mph though, with that number staying “pegged” throughout much of my test ride. “It’s one of those things you’ve got to override,” Brian noted later.
The 1.8-liter Yamaha SVHO’s stock-internals raced to nearly 9,300rpm, pushing as much boost as its factory HKS supercharger could make. Producing somewhere in the neighborhood of 350-horsepower on high octane race gas, the FX streaked across the water; rigidly tracking through the chop I myself was producing – never once bobbing, porpoising or veering out of control.
The combination of the RIVA top loader intake grate, ride plate and ECU tune wholly eliminated the tell-tale cavitation natural to showroom-stock Yamahas. In the corners, the FX bit the water furiously, leaning in deep, and peeling around the turn like a sport bike on w-rated track tires. As steady as a surgeon’s scalpel, Brian Baldwin’s #502 2019 Yamaha FX SVHO proved to be the very pinnacle of what a race-tuned Yamaha could be.
Summertime in Australia means good times for those who ride a PWC. First it has to be ready to hit the water and that entails a little bit of work on your part. Better to find problems before hitting the water, so let’s go over this condensed list of preparations.
The first item to tackle is removing the seats, so you can make quick visual inspection inside your ski. This will also let any buildup of fuel vapor to escape and allow for fresh air to make its way inside. Also check for signs of fuel leaks inside the hull. You’ll smell them if any exist. Inspect cables, clamps, and anything that doesn’t look right.
Next, you’ll want to check your battery. Charge the battery overnight if your ski wasn’t started within 3 months. If stored longer and not started, charge the battery overnight. If that doesn’t work, it’s probably time for a new one.
Moving onto fuel. If you added a fuel stabilizer as part of winterizing; your PWC is probably good to go. For those who didn’t add a fuel stabilizer, there are two options for you. If you stored your ski for less than six months with less than half a tank of fuel, you should be okay adding fresh fuel. It’s recommended to take it easy on the first ride. If your fuel is more than six months old, it’s a good to drain the tank and start fresh. It will be better for your ski in the long run.
Now, we get to start the ski. If everything checks out okay, connect your ski to the hose flusher as though you were cleaning after a ride and run the machine for a few minutes. Watch the water pressure closely for the first minute. You never know when insects may have built nests inside and clogged a bypass. It’s also important to watch for alarms on the dash or any sounds go off. While the jet ski is running, make sure control cables operate properly. Also make sure the steering moves freely, as does the throttle.
The last step is checking the trailer for issues. Start with jacking up the trailer (without the ski) just enough to spin the wheels. It should move freely and feel smooth. If it sounds crunchy or has any resistance upon turning, it’s time for new wheel bearings. Repeat this procedure on all the trailer wheels. Do this before heading out for a day of fun. You’ll be glad you did. Make sure the winch strap isn’t frayed or torn. The winch handle should be easy to move too. Don’t forget to check the trailer lights!
And then there’s that pesky shackle! You know the one that secures your ski? Yeah, take a good look at it and make sure it hasn’t seized while not in us. Hit it with some lube before leaving the house so you don’t get to the boat ramp with a ski stuck to your trailer.
Hopefully, by following these five tips you will get underway with no troubles. Have fun out there!
As the P1 AquaX World Championship draws closer, top racers from around the globe will be heading to Nassau’s Paradise Island in the Bahamas to face off November 8-10. The top ranked racers? All Yamaha riders.
That’s right, all of the top riders are riding for Yamaha including this year’s IJSBA World Champion Brian Baldwin as well as Eric Francis, and Chris MacClugage. The competition will truly have their hands full this year.
To learn more about the upcoming event, you can read the full press release below:
16 October 2019 – The countdown is underway to the climax of the P1 AquaX personal watercraft race season when The Bahamas will stage the 2019 World Championship. An elite field of up to forty professional riders from eight countries, who have qualified through a series of national and continental races across the summer, will head to the Atlantis, Paradise Island next month for the three-day event in Nassau Harbour (8-10 November).
Kicking off in Daytona Beach in April, the 14-event P1 AquaX season has included race series in the United States, mainland Europe and the United Kingdom. This will be the second AquaX World Championship – Key West having hosted the first one in December 2017 – and the first AquaX visit to The Bahamas. The Atlantis will provide a stunning setting for the high-speed action, which sees P1 partnering with one of the most amazing resorts in the world and also with The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation.
Lisa Barsby, Global Head of P1 AquaX and herself a former world champion, explained the race schedule: “It will feature both Pro sprint and endurance races, with practice, testing and qualifying on the Friday followed by a total of six races across the weekend. Both race days will begin with a rider parade and the podium presentations will take place from 1.45pm on Sunday.”
There will be a truly international line-up of riders, with world class racers from North America, Europe and North Africa. Looking at the main contenders for the world title, Barsby commented: “The Lucas Oil P1 AquaX World Rankings, which identify the most consistent and talented riders, are a good place to start if you’re trying to pick a winner. The ‘big 3’ – Brian Baldwin, Eric Francis and Chris MacClugage – currently fill the top three places, but this year’s USA Pro Enduro series produced a different winner at each round so I guess it’s fair to say that the World Championship battle is wide open.” American riders dominate the top 10 in the rankings, but flying the flag for Europe will be Thomas Favolini from France and leading British racer Joe Harvey. The latest edition of the rankings will be announced just prior to the World Championship and the top ranked rider will be presented with the highly coveted ‘No. 1’ vest at the Atlantis.
Brian Baldwin from North Carolina – currently sitting at the top of the rankings and having just become the 2019 USA national champion – is the rider everyone is talking about and he said: “I’m super pumped about going to race in The Bahamas, and the Atlantis looks great. It’s the first time there’s been a world class jet ski race there and I’m coming in as the number 1 world ranked rider. I think I definitely have a target on my back but I usually don’t let that shake me. I will just get in there and do the work.”
Eric Francis is looking to take back the No. 1 vest that he lost earlier in the year. Chris MacClugage, who is strongly fancied to lift the title, commented: “We’re now in the build up to the Bahamas race and it’s disheartening because my thoughts after the hurricane are more with the people of the northern Bahamas than on the championship right now. But it’s going to be a great event.”
“The P1 AquaX Bahamas World Championship will be held less than three months after one of the most devastating hurricanes ravaged two islands of The Bahamas” said Ed Fields, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Atlantis, Paradise Island. “As the country continues to rebound, we are looking forward to hosting this highly-anticipated three-day event. Atlantis will serve as the host hotel for AquaX competitors, and we are happy to be partnering with The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation and the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board to welcome the world’s top watercraft racers, who will compete in the picturesque Nassau Harbour. Our guests, visitors and the local community will not only gain a greater appreciation for this sport, but they can also look forward to being awed by the performance of these elite P1 AquaX competitors. It is our hope that these Championships will spark future interest for a wide range of sporting events being hosted in The Bahamas.”
In addition to high-speed race action, the crowds will be entertained by freestyle jet skiing and Bahamian reggae music. Jason ‘The Destroyer’ Stoyer has been a driving force in freestyle for many years, winning both amateur and professional national titles, and he will be performing a high-energy routine with back flips and barrel rolls across the weekend. On the land, local band Willis and the Illest – led by vocalist and guitarist Willis Knowles – will serve up their own brand of reggae which has made them such a favourite for more than a decade.
Lisa Barsby added: “In the eight years since its launch, AquaX has grown significantly. It’s been a natural progression from the opening race season in the UK in 2011 to the series expanding to the USA two years later and then in mainland Europe in 2017. The rapidly increasing number of riders, partners and fans has been tremendous and the close relations with leading manufacturers has added considerably to the legitimacy of the series. Partnerships are at the heart of our business and outstanding locations and host venues contribute enormously to our event offering. Ending our race season at Atlantis, Paradise Island will be a wonderful experience and we will be hoping to race there for many years to come.”
The weekend of racing will be live streamed on the P1 AquaX Facebook page (www.facebook.com/p1aquaX. This will include race commentary as well as the opportunity to comment live during the races and check back to watch live streams that have been missed.
With the latest generation of Yamaha FX Waverunners, we know that the FX Limited is the cream of the crop when it comes to all of the available features, packages, and accessories.
It has all of the bells and whistles with the powerful Supercharged SVHO powerplant, tiered stadium-style seating, and the two-base multi-mount system with included tech package that comes with waterproof bluetooth speakers, a Garmin GPS fish finder, and the RAM mount hardware to easily place these accessories.
Let’s face it though, not everybody wants to fork over more than $17,000 USD for the Limited Series FX. Many people might not need the supercharged powerplant and instead prefer a more fuel-friendly FX HO with its naturally aspirated engine. Or maybe you still like the rush of the FX SVHO but instead without the cruiser seating or the tubing package that also comes with the Limited version.
You would certainly like the price tag better too but what about all of those fancy accessories, I mean lots of people want to listen to some tunes while taking a cruise or while chilling out on the rear swim platform. Or what about those recreational fishers?
Well fear not, because you can have your cake and eat it too. Yamaha knew that a vast majority of riders could benefit from some of these add-ons but were not willing to pay for a luxury limited version. This is why they came up with the Ram Mounting System which is capable on all new FX platforms.
You can literally add all or any combination of these tech accessories to your FX Waverunner and at a fraction of the price when compared to a top-of-the-line model.
Additionally Yamaha’s soft-sided cooler neatly fits into the front storage bin of any new FX platform, so head over to Yamaha Accessories to see all of the ways in which you can customize your ride.
