Anyone who’s paid attention to most of our videos or long distance rides has noted that we often bring the kids along for the fun – and of course you should! Why let your children rot away in front of the TV or iPad screen when they could be feeling the thrill of sea spray and wind in their faces? Of course not. So yeah, the kids are coming. But you want to keep them safe and that’s why we got our hands on Slippery Wetsuits’ Child Hydro Vest in Yellow/Black.
Priced at $29.95, the Hydro Vest provides a child between 30-to-50 pounds comfortably, with a secure fit that is both very light weight for reduced fatigue and USCG Type 3 approved. Patterned almost exactly after Slippery’s adult Hydro Nylon Vest, the child’s vest features 1-inch belts with heavy duty buckles for support, a crotch strap for added protection and a “D” ring for clip-style lanyards (although we can’t imagine attaching a lanyard to a 4-year-old).
The nylon construction is built tough but isn’t too rough to the touch on exposed ski. The cut of the foam is forgiving with plenty of range of motion in the neck, shoulders and waist, allowing little ones to enjoy jumping from the deck of your watercraft, swimming and generally moving around. They yellow-and-neon green pattern is bright, clearly visible and makes your child almost impossible to miss while in the water.
The crotch strap can tend to chafe over long rides or adjusted too tightly, so make sure to be aware of your child’s adjustment and comfort. We’ve used the Child Hydro Vest all summer long and found it to be a great fit for our youngest children. There’s no corner to cut, to price too high to keep your children safe while out on the water, and Slippery’s offering here is exactly what we’re looking for – and likely, for you too.
The IJSBA would like to remind everyone about eligibility requirements regarding the 2019 Thai Airways World Finals. Simply stated, you must have competed in at least two IJSBA sanctioned events in order to enter the finals.
You can check out IJSBA for a list of all qualifying events and for more information about eligibility, see the press release below.
As we navigate through the second half of summer, IJSBA is sending out a reminder to all persons interested in participating in the 2019 Thai Airways World Finals that there are eligibility requirements in place for all perspective competitors. Competitors are eligible to enter World Finals only after they have competed in two IJSBA Sanctioned Events.
If you are competing in events that are not IJSBA Sanctioned, this wont preclude you from entering World Finals but it does not make you eligible for World Finals. Not to worry, though, most regions still have qualifiers including in Lake Elsinore this weekend.
A few months ago my husband, Stephen, and I were talking while at our Texas home and he said, “Hey, we should go to a casino in Louisiana!”
“Cool, not sure why, but I’m down. Never been to a casino,” I replied with a lopsided grin. I’m never one to turn down a road trip.
“No, no. Not by car,” he exclaimed. “On Thunder!” Cue the music.
“Chocolate Thunder” is our glorious black and brown steed, a 2008 Yamaha VX Cruiser purchased for a song with 97 hours on the clock. A hard 97 hours. The engine bay was a garden of aluminum fuzz and mildew. The hull battle scarred from docks, underwater stumps, and accidental beaching. Stephen and I added an additional 100 hours on ‘ol Thunder in our year of ownership. That brought Thunder’s hour count to nearly 200 hours before setting out on an Intracoastal Waterway adventure.
If you haven’t heard of the Intracoastal Waterway – ICW for short – it is 3000 miles of waterway following the United States coast from Brownsville, Texas to Florida, then up the Atlantic coast to Boston, Massachusetts. The channel allows shipping traffic to navigate calm waters from city to city instead of battle open seas. Public boating traffic is welcome, and the ICW is more akin to a freeway than your average public lake.
Our poorly formed (read: cockamamie) plan was to drop in at the Stingaree Restaurant and Marina in Crystal Beach, Texas on August 4th and travel over 130 miles east on the ICW to the Golden Nugget Casino on the shores of Louisiana’s Lake Charles. Have a meal at the casino, snap some selfies, and head back to Texas. All in one day.
At first it was just Stephen and I who were brave (stupid) enough to tackle such a trip on a personal watercraft. Through our excited chatter a few of our coworkers, Bryan and Casey (who we nudged into buying their own PWCs months before), convinced themselves that it sounded like a lot of fun and invited their respective spouse and family along. This was seriously culminating into the real deal!
Sunday arrived. We stood in the Stingaree’s parking lot peering at the nearby busy merchant traffic entering and exiting the Waterway. The sun dawned its rays on our tired group of under-slept and over-caffeinated PWC travelers, as we double checked for sunscreen, tools, extra coils (in Thunder’s case), phone charger, energy drinks, drinking water, GoPros, and full gas cans.
Three dollars and a few minutes later we were all floating on our crafts raring to get to work impersonating tourists. We set off. Glassy water reflected each of our skis like a realistic oil painting. That is, until we neared the lumbering barges and tankers. Then we slowed our 50mph roll to avoid being sent into orbit by wake waves.
Chocolate Thunder developed an interesting problem when laden with 10 gallons of fuel on the back – a wicked porpoise ANY time we hit ANY sort of wave or accelerated. For those who don’t know, “porpoising” is when a ski bobs up and down. It pivots off of the rear pump area, similar to dolphins jumping in and out of the water. At first it was funny, but Thunder’s propensity to hop around soon grated on our nerves. The problem was exacerbated the more fuel we consumed from the front gas tank. After some experimenting, Stephen discovered leaning forward helped calm Thunder. I took it a step forward; or shall I say, a seat forward, by taking his place in the front seat while he stood. Back to full throttle again!
Our smiles, fist pumps, and cheers soon dissolved into contented stares at the water and the passing landscape. Avoiding the large, slow-moving traffic was easy. However, it was difficult to avoid the vegetation ships kicked up with their powerful diesel engines. We slalomed through a few midfields before Thunder started vibrating and the engine pitch changed. Less than an hour into the trip and we already had a ski down?!
Joy. Stephen and I waved down the two other riders to pull over on an open part of the shore. We were met with angry screaming…cows? Land surrounding the ICW was rich open plains perfect for cattle, and we’d apparently just disturbed their morning meal. Could Thunder’s new issue be the midshaft bearing or part of the rotating assembly? I mean, sure, as much as we loved Thunder, the ski was not the model of perfection. The engine bay looked normal when we removed the seat, parts were not overly hot to the touch, and minimal water sloshed about from entering through a small hull crack.
Something must have been sucked up into the pump and was still stuck in there. No amount of reaching, lifting, or looking got us any closer to finding any debris; the intake grate was far too narrow. It was either going to come out – or not. Either way, we were miles from anywhere. Onwards!
A few minutes passed at wide open throttle with the same vibration, then, BLOOP! The vibration went away. Yeah, must have been something in the pump that finally dislodged. We mentally washed our hands of the issue and returned to our meditative state.
Thirty or so miles later we reached our first turn at the Texas/Louisiana state line. Pulling out the GPS we surveyed our next move – find the alleged waterside gas pump at the Sabine Pass Port Authority. It was south of us by about 7 miles. We needed to go north to continue onwards to Lake Charles, which meant a gas stop was 30 minutes out of our way. Every ski except Thunder was running low on fuel. If we were to make it to the casino we had no other choice. Our group went to turn southward when we noticed nearby ripples in the water.
Fish? Shark? Gator? Then we saw a fin, then a few more. We intently watched the undulating surface without daring to take a breath. Finally – a small group of dolphins (or porpoises) breached the surface and disappeared under the dark water. WOAH!
None of us had ever seen dolphins this close in the wild! I whipped out multiple cameras to record the special moment. I was a documentary film major in college, multi-camera wielding came with the territory. As we idled around the dolphins came closer, giving in to their intelligent curiosity. We counted anywhere from four to seven dolphins frolicking about. We all took an inordinate amount of photos, squealed like school children when they surfaced, and finally stowed the cameras away to head to our first fuel stop.
Boy, was that a small fiasco. First, the tiny Sabine Pass Port Authority was nestled amongst huge industrial areas so we had a difficult time visually locating it. We floated around on our skis like confused little ducks, pointing and mumbling at the GPS. Then, once we found it, the pumps were confusing. To start the pump we had to enter in how much we wanted to spend on gas. Errr, would we get charged for the amount of money we entered, or the amount of gas we used….? Finally, the gas pump would randomly stop before our dollar amount. And not because the tank was full either. Weirdest fuel pump I’ve ever seen, but at least it was there!
Mostly fueled up, we turned back north and continued toward Lake Charles. Sabine Lake was the next big frontier. It dwarfed our PWCs with massive brackish water and distant shores. Rain storms surrounded us making for interesting dystopian imagery. I had to check the GPS a few times while sighting the entrance to the ICW on the far side. Not an easy task with bobbing Thunder on choppy open water. The water calmed, and so did Thunder, when we approached the Sabine River entrance to gaze down another lengthy ICW corridor.
One nice thing about the Intracoastal Waterway is how simple and straight it is for merchant traffic. We weren’t looking for simple, we were looking for excitement! To find that adrenaline rush we ventured off the beaten path for Black Bayou, a 19 mile twisting jaunt through uninhabited Louisiana swampland just northeast of Sabine Lake.
Like mature, responsible adults we slowly felt out the first couple of turns before we grabbed a handful of throttle and devolved into a pack of giggling school girls. The rest of the 19 miles were some of the most fun I’ve ever experienced on water. Something about tight switchbacks, ridden three-deep, as fast as possible produced a delicious cocktail of adrenaline and dopamine.
We passed by a few lurking gators and crawfishing locals. I stood a few times to look over the marsh just to see…more marsh. Nothing but the sound of our engines water splashing against the hull. It was a surreal experience, one of those memories you will cherish the rest of your life.
With thumping hearts we emerged out of the swampland triumphant. But once again, everyone except Thunder was running low on fuel. Methinks from trigger happy throttle fingers though the bayou, but hey, no judgement! What was the fun in knowing if we had enough fuel to make it to Lake Charles…
A traffic, or rather, a barge jam blocked the intersection where Black Bayou returned to the ICW. We were able to slide under the block-off rope and around the construction with ease. Had we been on a boat we might have had to turn around. Another check mark for PWC ownership!
The newer Yamaha FX Cruiser HO’s fuel warning sounded, but we dared not pull off due to a rock barrier on either side of the waterway. A couple miles down we found the perfect beach to stop and refuel. Well, it would have been perfect if a large barge hadn’t passed by right as we veered toward land. Close to the shore, Thunder was abruptly deposited on sand, then lifted by the barge’s wave and pushed inland up the sloping shoreline.
Once the offending wave started to recede, it left Thunder and both FXs nearly beached. There were a few tense moments as I drug Thunder to safety in just inches of water, saving it from becoming a yard ornament. The red FX narrowly missed being caught by the fallen tree carcass. The white FX somehow avoided most of the mayhem in a deeper area off the side closer to the shore. Go figure.
Best part of the whole calamity? Another irritated cow encounter. They hemmed and hawed, ran away, then turned around to look at us incredulously. You would have thought we were assaulting them. After the cows calmed down I checked in to social media with a video update while everyone fueled up. Gas stop completed, we navigate our way east, then north into Lake Charles.
Right before we passed under the bridge on Lake Charles though, a rogue wave launched us skyward. It was over in an instant, but not before one of our gas cans launched, whacked me in the back, then tossed its filler tube upon harsh landing. No use in looking for it, she gone!
We regrouped and rounded the corner under the bridge to lay eyes on The Golden Nugget – a beautiful sight for sore eyes and gurgling bellies. The Nugget’s welcoming beach and bar drew us into its sandy embrace. Just what hot, tired travelers needed! Not. We filled up on some greasy bar food and cold water, immediately regretting eating at all. Instead of going inside to gamble, I placed a bet on who would vomit first once we started on our journey home.
Fortunately, a marina with gas was within a few miles of the Nugget. The skis were running low again and I knew I wasn’t the only one who was nervous about refueling options to make it back.
Bowtie Marina was down a small inlet with a lengthy “no wake” zone that gave us ample time to digest. Darn, nobody barfed so my gambling career was over! As soon as they spotted us, the two attendants sprang into action and filled up our skis and gas cans to the brim. We paid inside after some small talk, then hit the water. Fueled up and through the “no wake” zone, we grabbed a handful of throttle and Thunder resumed its incessant bobbing once more with two full gas cans on the back.
The return trip was, thankfully, much more meditative because we recognized turning points and knew where gas was available. That left our minds empty to enjoy the ride. The only hiccup was a wrong turn on Black Bayou. A quick glance at the GPS had us back on track through the winding swampland grinning ear to ear.
Blustery wind stirred up some wicked chop as storms surrounded us on Sabine Lake. There was nothing Stephen or I could do to stop Thunder from bucking about in the waves, exacerbated by low fuel in the front gas tank. As soon as we were embraced by the calm waters of the ICW once more, Stephen pulled over at the first open beach area. We were only about 15 miles from our final fuel stop at the Sabine Port Authority, but Thunder was unridable with all gas weight on the rear.
I hopped off Thunder, unstrapped a gas can, and promptly tripped over a sneaky underwater rock. Hilarity and mild drowning ensued. The overfull 50lb gas jug shoved my whole body under the waist-high shallows. Only the can and my feet were above the surface. I struggled to get my feet under me for what seemed like minutes before someone relieved me of the offending can. In true ‘hold my beer’ fashion, I kept all five gallons free and clear over my head, and more importantly, above the water while I flailed about. I wasn’t about to let half of our gas get waterlogged; nope, not on my watch!
Hot on the home trail, we returned to the Sabine Pass port authority for gas and knew the routine this time. Stephen and I swapped so I could pilot Thunder on the final leg. He earned a reprieve after 7 hours on the water, but honestly, I prefer being a passenger. Some may call that a cop-out but, for me, it is more fun and frightening to be a passenger since you never know what the pilot is going to do. You have to pay attention and learn to read the machine’s movements.
More cows lined the shore, birds flew overhead, water splashed against the hull, and Thunder’s engine hummed at wide open throttle with a gentle vibration. Mesmerizing. As the clock struck 6pm we floated into the Stingaree’s marina bathed in the summer’s evening light, glowing with the joy of a journey well earned.
After nearly 10 hours in the saddle our bodies we ready for a reprieve. Our skis looked to have finished the adventure unscathed. Thunder’s previous scars gleamed in the soft sunlight, small drips emitted from the crack in the hull. Good job Thunder. We did it.
We dreamt up this crazy journey on a whim. An offhand idea materialized into an unforgettable experience shared with loved-ones and friends. Our watercraft permitted us to exercise our child-like curiosity to discover places unseen by land travel.
Life’s bliss stems from voyages that lie between you and your destination. The finest roads are unpaved, quench your wanderlust on the water.
IJSBA enacts temporary repair provisions for Runabout Stock Class Racing. This comes after IJSBA was notified over the last several months of known regular failures of specific equipment in Runabout Stock Class Racing. Sudden engine failures are a major safety concern on the racecourse because competitors have planned lines while anticipating other PWC will continue moving at expected speeds and paths. It’s a real problem when race conditions interfere with this condition so IJSBA is empowered to allow modifications pursuant to Rule 1.1.
RAS 1.1. reads, in part: “The IJSBA may allow additional modifications to Stock Classified PWC which provide for replacement/reinforcements to parts and components (i.e. intercooler end caps, brackets, fittings, etc.) that have known failure risks in race conditions. that have known failure risks in race conditions. Such changes will only be allowed if the replacements/modifications result in no volume or performance gains.” IJSBA is aware that there are disproportionate failures, in race conditions, of some components of contemporary Runabout. These failures are within the flame arrestor system and the wiring harness system.
Some OEM flame arrestor systems contain a mesh type within the intake manifolds. Flame arrestor ribbons have often come loose and fully dislodged, which causes immediate loss of performance or complete engine failure. This issue has been reported often enough that it warrants a temporary intervention.
The changes became effective July 18, 2019, meaning the IJSBA will allow internal or external reinforcement of mesh ribbon filters in the flame arrestor system. Operators may apply a gluing compound internally or insert a mechanical reinforcement such a screw either internally or externally.
OEM wiring harness systems have shown failures during intense racing conditions. These issues are especially notable at the connection points at the engine side of the harness. These failures can also cause sudden loss of performance or total engine failure. The wiring harnesses have gone bad enough times that they too have made the list for temporary intervention.
All of the issues noted above are effective immediately and will expire December 31, 2019. Race season that begin prior to December 31 and end after December 31, 2019 will be allowed to keep these provisions throughout the duration of their racing season. IJBSA may renew the provisions or codify them as permanent in the published rules.
It seems like a never ending debate as to which manufacturers oil is the best. Some guys don’t care about the brand whereas some guys are extremely loyal to particular brands. While you can always debate which oil is better, you may want to listen to Ryan Dalli’s opinion. Dalli is a well know and well respected jet ski mechanic and racer. Having started working on Sea-Doos in 1999, he has since earned the title “Sea-Doo Guru.”
In a recent post, Dalli figured he would answer a lot of questions people ask him about which brand of oil he uses. His response, OEM XPS Oil. He uses the XPS 4-stroke oil in his Sea-Doo Racing Sparks along with his XPS 2-stroke oil in his X2-RS.
His kids use XPS Oil as well in their Spark Rec Lites and Sport Spec Class watercrafts in the East Coast Watercross Tour. Along with XPS Oil, BRP makes multiple cleaning products and other maintenance products for your ride.
He writes, “People ask me what kind of oil do we use? How do we keep our machines on top and always looking good. We use nothing but the best from the OEM themselves. XPS definitely has what you need to take care of all your needs.
“From C1 cleaner which does an awesome job. We also use the XPS oil in our Sea-Doo Race Sparks as well as the X2-RS 2 stroke oil. These products helped us keep The boys up top and leading the Spark Rec Lites and the Sport Spec class In the East Coast Watercross Tour.”
Dalli lives and breaths Sea-Doos. He has solely sponsored events as he believes in the sport and wants more families to get involved. If you live in the greater Toronto area, be sure to check out Jet X. They are one of the industries leaders in tuning and modifications along with quality parts. Check them out today!
OK personal watercraft community, now is the time that we need to come together and help out a fellow racer. Brandon Warner was injured in a jet skiing accident on Lake Elsinore on August 10th. As a result of the accident, he suffered a broken leg and will need screws to be put in place for a fast recovery.
Medical bills are never cheap but thankfully Monnie Sonntag has created a Go Fund Me account to try and help cover the medical expenses for Brandon. Their goal is to reach $5,000 and are at $2,130 currently. Let’s all come together and help reach their goal!
Brandon is a young racer and is determined to improve his skills. While this is a big setback and his road to recovery will be long, he is determined to get back out on the water. He is experiencing a great deal of pain but is remaining positive. No one wants to be kept in a hospital, especially during the prime riding season. Let’s wish him a speedy and safe recovery. He seems like the type or rider to overcome this obstacle and become a better rider than he already was.
If you have questions or concerns regarding Brandon, feel free to reach out to Debra Warner at [email protected].
Many of you may know that Florida has multiple islands and locations that are perfect for a quick getaway. With the warm weather and refreshing water, the state offers many places to enjoy the great outdoors. One place that is the perfect getaway is Keewaydin Island. The island is located off the coast of Naples in southwest Florida. However, the only way to access the island is by boat but once you arrive, it’s paradise.
Eating healthy is important but it is also okay to indulge in sweets now and then. Usually on vacation, we tend to eat whatever we want because we are relaxing. If you find yourself on Keewaydin Island, don’t worry about bringing a lunch.
Local restaurants have floating docks with restaurants on them that head out to the island to provide food for the travelers. From burgers, to hot dogs to tacos, the floating restaurants have you covered. Just don’t eat too much food as there is an ice cream boat their every day. When your on Keewaydin Island, stopping by the ice cream boat is a must!
The island is the ultimate quick getaway. The beaches are beautiful and is a great way to unwind from the stress on the mainland. If you are from out of town or do not own a boat, Hemingway Water Shuttle offers a water taxi service to the island. Adults are $20.00 and children are $10.00.
Don’t forget to stop by the cocktail boat as well. They provide free beer for veterans as a thank you for their service.
As a kid, how would’ve you liked to come home from school with a 108-percent on a test? Well, those are the kind of grades that Yamaha Motor Corp. is bringing home for 2019 – with an impressive 108-percent STD (sales to date) over 2018. Additionally, the “little WaveRunner that could” – the VX Cruiser HO – continues as not only one of Yamaha’s top sellers but the single most popular PWC for two years running.
Add to that the newly redesigned FX (both HO and SVHO) literally selling out in several markets – making it Yamaha’s best-selling luxury watercraft – and the EX Series continuing to draw in new first-time buyers without cannibalizing the VX Series’ sales, aaand both the FX and GP1800R dominating race courses, and you’ve got the makings of a rock solid year for Yamaha WaveRunners.
So what is there left to do? For 2020, Yamaha is leaving much of its lineup alone save for some seriously retina-scorching colors (we hope you like yellow!), a couple murdered-out stealth bombers, and possibly the most patriotic thing you’ve seen since Captain America socked Hitler on the jaw. There’s also a surprising re-branding of a favorite machine that might surprise you.
Yet, that’s not to say that there isn’t a bunch of new stuff to sink your teeth into, which we’ll discuss first. With both of the competition offering pretty impressive wattage pumping out of factory-equipped speakers hard-mounted to their full-sized runabouts, Yamaha’s previous offering left some yearning for more. For 2020, Yamaha’s new FX Audio Package produces the same wattage as Kawasaki’s Jetsounds (60-watts) while remaining removable, completely waterproof, shock resistant and they even float!
These redesigned Exogear Speakers are made with marine-grade materials, and come as a pair of 30-watt 4-inch woofers and separate tweeters. With an impressive 15-plus hours of battery life, each speaker includes a custom mount for an integrated, wireless installation. The two speakers are EcoConnect paired “out of the box,” for stereo listening, streaming music wirelessly via Bluetooth 4.2 from up to 100 feet away. You can even access Siri & Google voice through the EcoTalk button.
Similarly, the EX and VX Audio Package gives Yamaha’s Rec Lite and Recreation segments just as much audio enjoyment as the FX. Equally waterproof, shock resistant and buoyant, the redesigned 15-watt (combined 30-watts) compact 2.5-inch speaker has the same 15-plus hours of playtime; solid, marine-grade build quality; and Bluetooth connectivity and EcoTalk and EcoConnect features as the FX. Yet, these fit all 2015-up VX, all GP1800/R and EX models. Plus they include the necessary RAM mounts and necessary hardware for an easy installation. Priced at $349, these will be available this October.
Now, if function is higher on your list than music you’ll like the new VX Stern Storage and Cooler. This new semi-rigid case attaches with zero drilling or modification. Featuring two side-mounted loops to hold fishing rods, the VX Stern Storage ($249.99) can be used for fishing, towing extra gear or even riding to an overnight destination. When paired with the Cooler (sold separately at $129), the two work to make your time more enjoyable than ever. The Cooler is zippered and lined with high density insulation, and can hold up to 18 cans (plus ice).
The biggest accessory addition is a trio of storage modules for the EX Series: a Bow Waterproof Storage, a new Hatch Storage and an EX Stern Storage. The first is a large 20.5-liter roll-top dry bag that replaces the shallow bow storage ($75.99); the Hatch Storage is a semi-rigid pod featuring a transparent window allowing you to interact with a smart phone, and stores as much as a tow rope ($54.99). Lastly, the 15-liter EX Stern Storage mounts without any drilling needed; is made from durable, weather-resistant, compression-molded black EVA foam, and permits access to the stern tow eye without removing the bag ($129.99).
All of these are designed to amplify your experience while riding one of the newly recolored 2020 models – all of which are direct carry-overs from 2019, each given a fresh, incredibly lively new livery. The EX Series continues with a single yellow-and-white base model EX ($6,899), two color options for the EX Sport ($7,899); red-and-white, and black-and-blue; two offers for the EX Deluxe ($8,899), black-and-green, and blue-and-silver; and a yellow-on-blue variation of the super fun EXR ($9,399).
Yamaha’s VX Series continues to offer the brand’s best value for the mid-sized segment with the rental-friendly VX-C ($8,999) offered in yellow-on-white, with its retail equivalent, the base VX ($9,899) in blue-over-white; the VX Deluxe ($10,699) is available in either yellow-and-navy blue or two tone green-on-black; the VX Cruiser ($10,999) shines with a blue-on-silver and an all-red with white highlights variety; the TR-1 powered VX Limited ($11,399) is gorgeous in a super-clean all-white livery (and matching accessories) with the VX Cruiser HO ($11,799) in either yellow-and-white, or two-toned blue and white.
Sure to excite the more patriotic, the super successful GP1800R ($14,399) comes in a flag-waving red, white and blue outfit with an eye-melting yellow with blue and white highlights variant. Certain to confound some folks was Yamaha’s decision to rename the naturally-aspirated sibling to the GP1800R – the VXR – the GP1800R HO for 2020 ($12,299). Now, the formally-known-as-the-VXR comes in either silver with blue and green highlights, or black-and-yellow. And alas, the 2-stroke SuperJet ($8,699) continues unchanged since last year’s color update.
Lastly, Yamaha chose to pump up the excitement for the FX lineup with some primary colors. First, gone are all of the white plastic bumpers and more sedate, metallic colors. The naturally-aspired FX HO ($13,699) is now in white and bright green; the Cruiser variants ($14,199) come with either electric blue highlights on silver, or red-and-white. And certain to tickle performance enthusiasts is the Darth Vader-esque, murdered-out all gloss-and-semi-flat-black FX SVHO ($15,699).
The Cruiser variants of the FX SVHO ($16,399) are available in either red-and-silver, or blue with silver and yellow highlights. Lastly, the brand’s top-of-the-line FX SVHO Limited ($17,599) comes in with a stealthy gloss-and-flat black livery with electric blue highlights just to distinguish it from the FX SVHO, also with matching accessories, including the redesigned Exogear speakers, a bow storage cooler bag, a Garmin Striker 4 GPS and transducer, fenders, a new C&G tube kit, and the 12-volt outlet mounted in the waterproof glovebox.
Apart from these color variations and the renaming of the VXR to GP1800R HO, there are no noticeable mechanical changes to speak of. Thus far, the Yamaha lineup has enjoyed incredible success, and after a succession of introducing new and updated models, a swathe of new accessories and entering a whole new market segment, Yamaha has earned a year to let the models (and all of the engineering and design imbued in them) speak for themselves.
Bopenski Watersports has created the KickBack PWC Chair and it is cool. The KickBack Chair is a new way to kick back and relax on the water on-board your personal watercraft. With set up taking less than one minute, you can go from racing your friends to relaxing with right with them. While a personal watercraft does have a seat for riding, the KickBack Chair allows you to sit at the end of your ride and get the full effect or relaxation by kicking your feet up. It’s like the difference between a regular chair and a comfy recliner, which would you prefer?
Right now, Bopenski is running a sale for Labor Day where if you use promo code “LaborDay10” you will receive 10% off your order of a KickBack Chair. With the price already at $99.00 that 10% off sure helps! The KickBack Chair is great for taking a moment to relax, breaking out the fishing pole, or eating lunch along with many other things.
One of Bopenski Watersports core values is quality. They are a U.S. based company that is determined to provide its customers with a great product that will last for years to come. Their KickBack Chair is built for the fresh water and saltwater by using anodized aluminum and stainless steel structural parts.
Broward Motorsports company-wide motto is “You gotta ride”. While this is a pretty simple motto, it stands for a lot more. It stands for their loyalty to their customers in providing them with products that they will enjoy for years to come. It also stands for the Broward Motorsports Race Team. The race team that is the largest in the world and has won more Aqua X Championships than any other team.
The Broward Motorsports Racing Team has some of the best riders in the world, such as, Chris MacClugage, Eric Francis, Jimmy Wilson, Sam Nehme along with many other riders. During the Round 5 of the Pro Watercross Tour, Broward Motorsports Racing Team was able to finish strong with many of their riders ending up on the podium. In the Blaster Gp Class, Sam Nehme finished 1st in all motos.
In the Sport Stock Class, Ken Waddle won all of his motos, earning him the overall win. Lastly, in the Ski 4-Stroke Class, David Cabrera won the first moto and came in second in the second moto. It was an outstanding weekend of racing and for the Broward Motorsports Racing Team.
For more information about the Broward Motorsports Racing Team, check out their Facebook page. Along with having a good race team, they have multiple dealerships located throughout Florida and a great website. Whether you are looking to purchase a new watercraft or need parts, check out Broward Motorsports today!
In a recent post, Dalli figured he would answer a lot of questions people ask him about which brand of oil he uses. His response, 
Eating healthy is important but it is also okay to indulge in sweets now and then. Usually on vacation, we tend to eat whatever we want because we are relaxing. If you find yourself on Keewaydin Island, don’t worry about bringing a lunch.
