A couple of years back, The Watercraft Journal took delivery of a brand-new 2017 Sea-Doo GTR-X 230. We were witness to the uncrating process, the initial check-in and the mandatory check list that would ensure that our machine was ready and rarin’ to go. But it’s important to know that it wasn’t like opening up a gift on Christmas morning; there was a lot of work necessary to take it from the crate to loading it up on our trailer.

Unfortunately, many simply do not understand the steps necessary to make a brand spankin’ new personal watercraft seaworthy and shipshape. Thankfully, the team at Broward Motorsports Tequesta put together this very stylish and informative video illustrating this exact process. For the layman, it’s anywhere between 4-to-8 hours – depending on how many people working on it – to fully assemble the PWC per manufacturer specifications.

Best of all, the subject is easily one of our favorite-looking machines for the new year, a stealth bombered-out gloss black-on-matte black 2020 Yamaha FX SVHO. So, as the video instructs, “Take a look through the eyes of our service department to see what it takes to get a ski out of a crate, onto the dolly and onto the showroom floor.”

https://www.facebook.com/bmstequesta/videos/400162490701339/

When it comes to protecting the United States of America, there are many agencies and forces that are trained to do so. While the general public’s safety is a main concern, protecting the President along with his family is also very crucial. Many times, when Presidents travel with their family, these trained agents come along in case anything were to happen. For those of you that do not know, President Trump loves vacationing near places with water, such as his Mar-a-Lago resort and the Hamptons. With a vast ocean, what happened if someone were to try and attack President Trump and his family on the water?

The United States Secret Service has pitched an idea where they would purchase two Kawasaki JetSkis and train two agents to protect President Trumps family whenever they are on vacation. In the request, it says that, “President Trump and his family spend several weeks throughout the year in Mara Largo, FL and Hamptons.” It has been challenging for the agents to fully protect the family when they are out on the water, if anything were to happen. With the purchase of two PWC, it would allow agents to be out on the water when the family is out their.

Since President Trump is our nation’s President, it is important that wherever he goes, he is protected and safe. Whether on land or water, the United States Secret Service is willing to do whatever it takes to protect their president.

The 2019 season is wrapping up and that means it’s time to conclude with the world’s longest title for a race ever.! The 2019 11th Annual Hydro-Turf HydroDrag World Championships powered by Yamaha WaveRunners presented and presented by the City of Tavares, Lake County will welcome the world’s fastest PWC racers to throw down at Tavares, Florida this November 9th through the 10th. There’s a lot of info recently released so we want to share the entire press release and entry information to you below:

Dates: November 9-10
Race Site: Wooton Park West
Address: 100 W. Ruby Street
, Tavares, FL 32778
Website: www.recreationparks.net/FL/lake/wooten-park-tavares
Phone: (352) 742-6267
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Host Hotel: Key West Resort
Address: 199 W Ruby St
 Tavares, FL 32778
Phone: 352-508-5344
Rate: $119-up
Back-up Hotel: Comfort Suites
Phone: 352-253-237
Group-Mention: HydroDrag World Championships
***Registration is online now at surfandturfpromotions.com
For more info contact Mike Young at [email protected]
IJSBA Rules, Regulations, and Local info

Rules are at IJSBA.com and surfandturfpromotions.com and have been since December 2018, questions may be deferred to Rene, our new Technical Inspector

Riders Meeting will be at 8:30am on Saturday and 7:00am on Sunday Morning at the bleachers at Wooton Park West

This is a Double Elimination bracket system with all Hydro-Drag Classes on Saturday and Sunday as scheduled!

Pit Parking is free for racer with trailers, no cars will be allowed in hot pits unless a $25 fee is paid for parking. NO COOLERS INSIDE THE RACE SITE!!!

NO GLASS BOTTLES ARE ALLOWED ON PARK GROUNDS at any time. A $100 fine will be in place. /Put it in a solo cup, this is a local law, but we will be enforcing it as well!!!
Poser Awards will be at the Awards on site and custom awards will be mailed out to everyone individually along with prize money!

The event is sanctioned by the IJSBA and COMPETITORS must have an IJSBA a membership or prove that they have one or they will be charged.A 1 year membership is $65.
Racers may get their IJSBA memberships online at ijsba.com or pay on site. If you go online, you must bring a receipt to show that or you will be charged again!
Early Registration Discounts until October 1st, or (online only/fees will be raised 25%)

No ATV’s on the grass at any time, NO MATTER, NO!!!
No fueling in the water at any time. Fuel at your Pit area or on top of the ramp, if you are caught fueling in the water, it is a $100 fine, not my rule, but it is yours!

All Watercraft must be safety inspected by our inspector before entering the water, no exceptions! Tech begins on Saturday Morning at 7am on site.

Helmets and Lifevests must be worn at all times while you are on the water or a $50 fine.

Each team is responsible to have their own translator if they don’t speak English.

Wetsuits and Protective footwear are MANDATORY, back and neck braces are HIGHLY recommended for your protection! READ YOUR IJSBA WAIVER!

No dock access for the event is available unless you have a Press Pass or you are an IJSBA Official.

No Replay or film will only be viewed by the IJSBA Racing Staff, final decisions will made directly.

There are 6 restaurants within walking distance to the race site, and the hotel is on site!

There will be EMS, Police, and Fire Dept onsite, provided by the City of Tavares.

Port-a-lets bleacher seating and will be provided, as well as a food vendor for everyone’s convenience.
Enduro Race will be held Sunday at 2:30pm (20minutes plus 1 lap)

Admission is $20 for the weekend and $10 per day if you are not a racer and each racer will get 1 extra pass for their mechanic per paid entry. Only 1 parking pass per team

If there are any issues that are derogatory, they will be handled swiftly and directly by the TPD or Lake County SD.

*a racer or a team may be disqualified because of an action done by someone acting on behalf of that team.

Thanks for your support and cooperation! Mikey

Weekend Schedule of events…
Friday 9am-5pm Event load in/set-up
12pm Pits open to racers
Saturday 7am Pits open/Late Registration
8:30am Racer Meeting for everyone
9am Endurance Race #1
10am Stock and Spec Practice
11am Freestyle Show
11:30am Lunch
12:30pm Stock HydroDrags
1:30pm Spec HydroDrags
2:30pm Florida vs Puerto Rico SS Shootout
4pm Endurance Race #2

Sunday 7am Pits Open
8am Late Registration
9am Riders Meeting
9:30am Speed Alley #2
10am PB Nationals #3
11am Closed Course Racing
12pm Lunch
12:30 Pro Superstock Drags
2pm Pro Unlimited Drags
4pm Awards for all Classes

IJSBA announces on site hardship qualifying for 2019 Thai Airways World Finals. You must meet certain criteria to be eligible for hardship qualifying. This is a great opportunity for a proven racer who needs a break due to unforeseen circumstances or a worthy racer who needs a helping hand for whatever the reason. The event begins October 5 and runs until October 13 in Lake Havasu City, AZ. Get your stuff in order and prepare to qualify.

The criteria are listed below:
1. You must have raced at one of the last two World Finals (2017 or 2018).
2. You must be a current member of IJSBA
3. You must sign an entry form listing your hardship.
4. You must complete a hardship qualifying heat to demonstrate your fitness to compete.
5. You must pay a $350.00 hardship fee of which $100.00 will be given to the promoter of the region from which you would have qualified.

Riders who qualify using the hardship route, will not be eligible to request a hardship again for five years. No exceptions will be made to the above criteria. Either you meet all five requirements, or you don’t. Good luck!

If you would like to request a hardship qualifying, email: [email protected]

I was early to the 2009 IJSBA World Finals when I met Lee Manvell. Technically, I met his dog first; a massive Rottweiler named Bentley came bounding up Body Beach before I could slide out of the driver’s seat of my truck. Bentley’s hulking paws landed squarely on my chest, happy to make a new friend. Arriving early earned me a sneak peek at many of the champion’s pre-Finals machines and that’s why I was there.

Craig Warner and Dustin Farthing both were piloting heavily modified Ultras that year, and what the two were capable of doing aboard the Kawasakis was mind-blowing. Warner was working closely with Joe Heim and the Team Green crew to push his modded Ultra with a prototype turbo setup from Bill Chapin at R&D Racing. Farthing was pushing more and more Vortech-spun boost down the 1.5-liter; pistons, valves and head bolts be damned.

Yet, the two shared one key ingredient: they both rode atop Lee Manvell-shaped hulls and there they were shredding the cove so famous to Havasu residents and racers. The British-born racer, tuner and hull shaper had moved to Lake Havasu, AZ a few years earlier. Manvell was tall, broad shouldered and kept his head clean shaven. He might’ve been intimidating were it not for his smile. He always seemed to be smiling, I noticed. Maybe it was because he was doing what he loved so much. He recently married and was expecting a baby girl. Manvell looked to have it all figured out, I jealously mused to myself.

And then BAM!, the news hit a few months later: Cancer had spread aggressively and Lee was gone in less than a year. The loss to his young family, friends, loved ones and the community was devastating. I had only met the man once and even I hurt at the news… Now it’s been 8 years since Lee’s passing, and his impact lives on. The annual “Lee Manvell Memorial” award is returning once again. Awarded to the holeshot winner of three Pro Ski motos and two Pro Runabout motos at this year’s World Finals, each recipient receives $100.

Shawn, Lee’s widow, wrote: “The Lee Manvell Memorial Holeshot Races honors my husband who was an active member of the jet ski community for many years. I am excited to have a memorial race at World Finals to remember and honor Lee and his passion and dedication to this sport. It is also very important to me to serve as a nice way for our daughter, Ryan to know and learn about what her Dad was a part of for most of his life.”

Portimao is home to the popular Algarve resort, located on Portugal’s south Atlantic coastline and it is prepared to host the final race of the 2019 UIM-ABP European Continental series. The 11^th running of the Endurance Championship will be held on the Arade River with the testing course running on the Praia da Rocha. Top international riders are expected to attend the competition and race in Runabout GP1, 2, 3 and Veterans rounding out the list. Ski GP1, 2, 3, Ski Ladies, and Veterans make up the rest of the Classes.

Local Portuguese riders, Rui and Tiago Sousa, Andre Barbosa, Martim Gallego, Victorino and Goncalo Rodrigues swept the titles in Ski GP1, 2, and 3 last year. They are frothing at the idea of again taking it all this year.

The Endurance Championship at the Grand Prix of Portugal begins September 27 and ends September 29^th with the race paddock opening Friday for registration and technical inspections. The action begins Saturday at noon with the first round of Ski riders hitting the water for an hour. Following them will be Runabout race at two PM. Runabouts will be on the water for an hour and a half.

The final rounds will be held on Sunday with a two-hour session for Ski beginning at eight-thirty AM. It all ends with Runabout taking on a grueling three hour run that begins at twelve-thirty.

Portimao has had an awesome year of premier international water sports. The city hosted the opening round of the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship and round two of the UIM F1H20 World Championship in May. Hosting the Endurance Championship is an epic way to cap off the European season.

“It’s the best SuperJet. The best. And I’ve seen a lot of SuperJets – and this is by far the best one ever.” Although not a direct quote, we’re pretty sure that’s what President Trump would have to say about this particular 1996 Yamaha SuperSki (dubbed the “Trumpski”) that was recently listed for sale on OfferUp.

Priced at $12,000, the Trumpski is being sold privately out of North Bend, Washington, and is asking for a local pickup. Described as a “Used (normal wear) [but] pristine 1996 Yamaha SuperJet with new B-pipe, ride plate, battery, spark plugs, and Trump decal” the SuperJet also comes with a Blowsion turf kit and padding.

If voicing your political support for the current American president while riding your 2-stroke standup is exactly your kind of thing, then this Yamaha is definitely the right ski for you. Of course, we wonder how many friends the previous owner made while riding around the Pacific Northwest considering the state’s political majority, but again, we digress.

There’s only the one picture listed for this machine, so you’re gonna have to reach out to get more information or detailed images – again, only if you’re interested. Otherwise, there’s no need to reach out and battle over personal beliefs of politics. Nobody won any friends over that way.

In a recent video published by Sea-Doo, Simon Boucher, Global Product Specialist, explains the CM-Tec hull and deck material. Standing for Closed Mold Technology, CM-Tec is comprised of a mixture of fiberglass and polyester resin, that together with an outer thermoformed acrylic layer, is compressed in a closed mold, sealing the structural layer of the hull and deck components to its respective colored, acrylic skin.

Thankfully, repairing the inner substructure can be done successfully using traditional fiberglass repair kits. Yet, when it comes to repairing the sensitive acrylic outer layer, Boucher says, “In case of damages, the repaired surface should be painted to maintain optimal results.”

To those familiar with paint matching and blending, successfully doing so requires the right colors and materials. Sea-Doo has worked closely preforming surface repairs and refinishing with BASF. BRP and BASF have been working together to create a “painting repair procedure specific for the acrylic,” says Boucher.

Lastly, if you have any questions about maintaining or repairing your CM-Tec hull or deck, Boucher recommends referring to Sea-Doo’s new online brochure. It has detailed information about paint repairs and routine care to keep your Sea-Doo looking great for a long time. In the brochure, you’ll find directions on how to repair structural and surface areas.

One thing to keep in mind with a CM-Tec is that you should only use certified products that are specifically designed to be used on acrylic layers. Sea-Doo offers a wide range of XPS cleaning products that will not harm or discolor your Sea-Doo’s sensitive finish as traditional gel coat cleaning products have harsh chemicals in them that can strip away at the acrylic.