Coming back for Spring 2019, Sea-Doo demo rides will be offered again. So what’s the catch? Well it’s not a national demo tour and it will only be offered on select dates, but other than that, there are no gimmicks.
If you remember from last year, we did a re-cap of the Sea-Doo demo rides offered through Lake Norman Powersports at Lake Norman in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina area. Well for 2019 they are back.
There will be two separate boat shows in April. The tentative dates will be April 6 at Peninsula Yacht Club followed by April 13 at King Point Marina on Lake Norman. Both shows will offer free demo rides on select new Sea-Doo models.
All demo rides are free and offered to the general public so anybody is welcome to come. For this year Lake Norman Powersports will be working with Sea-Doo in attempts to get factory demo models.
In past years, the demo units were strictly floor models, which were for sale so this sometimes limited the inventory that was available to ride. At the show you will also be able to check out and demo Scarab jet boats as well as other dealer models. Details are still being worked out so stay tuned for further information.
Slowly but surely The Pro Watercross has been announcing tour dates for the different series of events. Official tour dates are now posted and while there are still a few pending location announcements, the official event schedule has been released.
That’s right; get your skis ready and pencil in those dates because this year the National Tour will feature up to seven packed events throughout the country with numerous event locations in each tour category.
You can check out the full release and dates below. For all the latest information be sure to visit prowatercross.com.
Pro Watercross is proud to announce the official event schedule for the 2019 season.
2019 PRO WATERCROSS NATIONAL TOUR
May 4-5, 2019-Pensacola Beach, FL
May 11-12, 2019-TBA – Florida
June 1-2, 2019- TBA
June 8-9, 2019-TBA
July 13-14, 2019-Racine, WI
July 27-28, 2019-Lavonia, GA (Lake Hartwell)
August 10-11, 2019-National Championship
Oct 26 – Nov 3, 2019-World Championships-Naples, FL
The Pro Watercross National Tour will feature of up to seven jam-packed events starting in May through November, ending with its World Championships in Naples, Florida. “Pro Watercross has become the largest and most popular watercross series in the country and this season’s schedule will continue to bring growth to the sports, thanks to a great group of tour partners and host cities with fans all looking forward to our watercross race events,” said Jennifer Handler, CIO of Pro Watercross.
We apologize for the delay in the release of the tour dates; Pro Watercross is reorganizing its business strategies, this will enable us to better serve our athletes, sponsors, host cities and fans…
We look forward to a great year of racing and please join Pro Watercross at any of its Grass Roots Racing events or Recreational Tour events this season…
2019 TEXAS H20 RACING
March 2-3, 2019-Lake Fairview, Orlando, Florida
April 6-7, 2019-Lake Stuart, Stuart, Florida
April 27-28, 2019-Orange, Texas
June29-30, 2019-Marine Creek Lake, Fort Worth, Texas
August 17-18, 2019-TBA
December 7-8, 2019-TBA – Florida
2019 GREAT LAKES WATERCROSS
Coming soon…
2019 NATIONAL RECREATION TOUR
January 17-20, 2019- Daytona Freeride-Daytona Beach, Florida
April 12-14, 2019-Wave Daze-Virginia Beach, Virginia
May 18-19, 2019-Dunedin Invasion-Dunedin, Florida
June 15, 2019-Operation JET-EX-TBD
July 6, 2019-Strong Island Poker Run-Freeport, New York
August 3, 2019- Broward MTS Rec Ride-Key Largo, Florida
September 7. 2019-JetFest-Mayfield, New York
2019 WEST COAST RECREATIONAL RIDES TOUR
March 9, 2019-Ironman Ride-Chula Vista, California
April 12-13, 2019-Pirates Cove-Needles, California
May 16-19, 2019-Down on the Delta-Brentwood, California
September 14-22, 2019- Lake Powell to Rock Creek-Page, Arizona
October 11, 2019-Ultimate Ride-Lake Havaus, Arizona
2019 MID-WEST RECREATIONAL EVENTS
May 30-June 2, 2019-Jet Blast-Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
August 10, 2019-Brave the Wave-Lake Orion, Michigan
August 22-24, 2019-Twin City Jet Pilot Sortie-Lake City, Minnesota
2019 US OPEN TOUR | HYDROFLIGHT & SUPXROSS
June 22-23, 2019-Erie, PA
July – TBA
Aug 31-September 1, 2019-National Championships-Washington, DC
Oct 26 – Nov 3, 2019-World Championships-Naples, Florida
All of us here at The Watercraft Journal are pretty big fans of what Randy Cabrera and team at the Florida Ski Riders have been up to. The Florida-based riding group has managed to rise above the mayhem and build an organization that is inclusive to all types of riding. Best of all, they’ve shown incredible professionalism; building relationships with major companies like RIVA Racing, local powersports dealers and even major manufacturers. It’s something you typically don’t see with a PWC club.
For 2019, Cabrera and crew have launched a whole new “invasion tour” that will welcome riders from all over the state of Florida (it is a statewide organization, after all). These invasion rides tend to be pretty popular, so it’s wise to plan ahead, get the site early and be prepared for a huge party.
To help keep a bit of cohesiveness with its group rides, Florida Ski Riders also has a surprisingly vast array of riding apparel (much more than we do!). They’ll even customize a riding jersey so that it’ll carry your name and print in colors to best match your own personal watercraft! It’s pretty cool stuff.
They wrote recently, “Have you gotten your gear for the Invasions? Make sure you go to www.flskiriders.com and order your apparel. I’ve seen those looks when people see those awesome FL Ski Riders Shirts. Then they ask where can I get one of those? I know it happened to me. Well just go to the site and order it. www.flskiriders.com.”
We’ve all seen. Heck, you might’ve even poked a little fun at the poor soul trying unsuccessfully to launch their personal watercraft by themselves at the ramp. In fact, watching folks make fools out of themselves at launch ramps is considering an entertaining afternoon around Lake Havasu (seriously, people line up alongside the launches just to critique others ability – or lack thereof – when it comes to launching their boat or ski).
The technically-minded gurus at 3ftDeep, an ongoing video series filmed out of White Rock, BC, Canada, threw together a very quick and easy to follow guide on successfully launching a full-sized Sea-Doo RXT 260 all by his lonesome. Interestingly there were a few tips that we here at the The Watercraft Journal hadn’t considered before, and are looking forward to giving them a try the next time we hit the water (in a day or two).
While this how-to won’t help you become better at backing up a trailer, or gauging how deep you need to submerge the back of your car into the lake (hint: not at all), this video does look to make life easier and shorten the time it takes between getting to the launch to boarding your ski for some fun out on the water.
It’s a common complaint echoing from the bottomless pit of social media trolls. They cry, “Bring back the cheap skis” whenever the subject of the current asking price of today’s latest machines arises. Often, these same grievances are backed by the older watercraft enthusiasts who long for the woebegone days of oily slicks left by smoking 2-strokes and the sounds of Def Leppard cassettes clunking as they switch sides in the tape deck of their T-top Firebird.
Hilariously enough, the march of history has a way of clouding the facts and glossing over the harsher realities that were once our heyday. When properly adjusted for inflation, many of today’s top-of-the-line machines would price almost exactly inline with the then-current machines – if not cheaper! Don’t believe it? Let’s begin by considering one of Yamaha’s most iconic watercraft from the 1990s, the 1993 Yamaha WaveBlaster. When new, it fetched $5,999. When corrected for today’s inflation, adds up $10,470.
[Pictured is NOT a WaveBlaster, but it is a very young Scott Watkins on a new 1993 WaveRunner. There’s no images of original WaveBlaster advertisements anywhere. -Ed.]
Comparatively, the modern equivalent, the brand-new EXR WaveRunner is priced at $9,299 in today’s dollars. When corrected for 1993’s prices, comes to $5,280. That is a staggering $710 less than the first edition WaveBlaster’s original asking price. And the EXR includes modern digitally-mapped fuel injection, Yamaha’s dual throttle RiDE brake and reverse system, it’s proprietary lightweight NanoXcel2 hull and deck material, and automotive-grade paint. In all aspects, the EXR is a steal!
But lets rewind the clock even further. In the Spring of 1988, the then all-new Sea-Doo SP carried an MSRP of $4,499. When corrected for inflation is $9,610. The closest-priced equivalent in today’s lineup is the well-equipped 2019 Sea-Doo GTI 130 at $9,799. Touting the industry’s first on-water brake (iBR), BRP’s Intelligent Throttle Control (giving you Touring, Sport and ECO modes) and a bevy of other standard features, the extra $189 sure gets you a heck of a lot.
But hey! How about for the performance lover? Well, back in 2007, the 215-horsepower Sea-Doo RXP 215 swung an asking price of $11,199. When we correct for modern inflation comes to $13,545. Although the current 2019 RXP-X 300 fetches a hefty $15,399 (in 2007’s dollars it was $12,410, a difference of $1,211), the 2019 RXT 230 is only $13,899, a paltry $355 difference. And what if the 2019 Sea-Doo RXT 230 was available in 2007? You’d be paying $11,198 – one dollar less than the RXP 215.
But, we get it. We’re just talking sitdowns and the standup guys are feeling left out in the cold. So let’s look at the 2011 Kawasaki SX-R. One year prior to its 2012 termination, the SX-R MSRP’ed at $7,899. When corrected for inflation is $8,820. Well, everybody knows that today’s SX-R 1500 retails for $9,999 – a good $1,179 over what a 800 would cost new in today’s dollars…
But what about a brand new, held-over unit? We went to Cycle Springs Powersports and priced out a new, unsold 2018 Kawasaki SX-R 1500 and found it discounted to $8,990; putting us $170 over the ’11 SX-R. And what if it was for sale in 2011? You’re looking at $7,880 – exactly $19 cheaper than the 800cc’s original asking price.
So yeah, when some old crow begins to bemoan that today’s skis are too expensive, just throw a little math their way. In a day when facts are left out of the conversation more often than we care to count, it’s nice to have irrefutable proof in your corner. And while you’re at it, consider all of the awesome features that come standard on today’s machines. Back in the day, you weren’t getting much of anything for the same price.
For such a simple-looking piece of equipment, the impeller (“prop”) of your personal watercraft packs a bunch of innovation. Similar to selecting the proper rear differential gearing for your performance automobile, developing the correct pitch for a prop is just as important to both your personal watercraft’s initial acceleration, planing speed and finally, achieving a desirable top speed.
In a recently uploaded video, RIVA Racing’s own Dave Bamdas walks through the key features in a performance impeller, RIVA’s long-standing relationship with industry mainstay SOLAS, and how both brands work together to create custom pitched impellers to best fit RIVA’s specific performance packages. According to RIVA, increases to low-end thrust and top end speed are all tied directly to the power entering – and in this case, exiting – your jet pump.
And deciding on a pitch has much more to do with engine RPMs. As per Bamdas, “weight, performance attributes, horsepower gains, construction materials, pitches, blade configurations, and more” all play central roles in developing a proper impeller. For more information, visit the SOLAS Impeller section at RIVA Racing here.
Let’s begin by acknowledging that this video is from the 2016 Blowsion Freeride – not this most recent one that happened a couple of weeks ago. But with Daytona on our minds, we wanted to turn back the clock and revisit one of our favorite bits of video footage from the first days when Krash Industries introduced their RTP (Ready to Perform) series of 50 CAL, Reaper and Predator skis.
The video does a great job capturing the spirit of the Daytona Freeride as well as the stoke shared by Krash Industries’ owner Nick Barton, as well as then-Krash Army riders Zack and Jake Bright, and Chris Grace. The RTP lineup has only gotten better, and priced at a super-entry level $12,000 regardless of hull/deck or color, they’re the perfect segue into the world of freeride and just jet skiing in general.
Here’s the original caption for the video when it went live in 2016, “Videographer Dan Mizicko gets behind the scenes at this past Daytona Beach Freeride 2016 and truly encapsulates the camaraderie and lifestyle among members of the Jet Ski community. Closely following Krash Industries owner Nick Barton, professional team riders Zack Bright, Jake Bright and Chris Grace, as well as team mechanics Joe Grace and Jonathan Denham, you really get a sense of how much it means to be a member of the Krash Army.”
It’s a song that we at The Watercraft Journal have been singing for a while now; the PWC industry is really banging on all eight cylinders – particularly when it comes to new vehicle sales. For 2018, the worldwide sales reached over 63,000 units sold. Why that’s a far cry from the heyday years of 100,000 new units sold in 1995, over sixty-thousand is a tremendous feat considering that we were seeing numbers as low as the 20’s just 8 years ago.
While we mainly keep a close watch on how the industry is growing here in the US, we were excited to learn (and share) that new personal watercraft sales in the United Kingdom have reached a 10-year high. And it’s not just a flash in the pan, either; UK new unit sales are increasing by 14-percent, which puts 2019 on track to either meet or exceed 2008’s record sales of 1,780 new units sold. Now that is something to get excited about!
In a recent Facebook post, the Personal Watercraft Partnership (PWP) wrote: “Ski sales approach 2008 record levels. Some great industry news to share. 2018 witnessed 14% YOY increase in sales of skis. That’s 1,526 compared to 1,341 in 2017. In 2008 a record 1,780 were sold. What will 2019 bring?”
[After two potential contributors vanished we had planned on skipping all coverage of this year’s Daytona Freeride altogether. That is, until photographer James Ragan reached out and offered to provide both his photography and written report. – Ed.]
Every now and then you find yourself at the right place at the right time. That is exactly what happened to me. My wife and I were staying at The Plaza Resort and Spa on Daytona Beach for the Florida Smooth Jazz Weekend. On Friday, January 18, about 10am we heard jet skis outside of our room. I went out on the balcony to see what was going on. Off to the left there was about 50 riders out in the surf. I figured this was a normal sight in Daytona Beach.
I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures from my 10th floor view. Because we had a lunch engagement, I was unable to go to the beach. I had about 2 hours to spend on the beach before our events were to start. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, about 70 degrees. The wind was about 6mph with an ENE direction. The surf was about 3-to-4 feet.
Not knowing much of the sport or any of the riders, I decided to stay in one area. As the riders went up and down the beach, I was able to take photos of their back flips, jumps and various maneuvers in the surf. It was difficult to watch everyone. Off to the left you might catch someone doing a trick. I would watch him hoping he would do it again. Then you would see something cool right in front of you or off to the left. I always had to keep my eyes open, hoping to catch something special.
I was able to talk to several of the riders. Most of them were from out of state. One individual was from Michigan. He told me that this was a special event. This was the Daytona Beach Freeride. It only happens once a year. He also informed me of their Facebook page. Wow! That is what I meant about being at the right place at the right time.
On Saturday January 19th about 10am, the action resumed. It was another beautiful day about 77 degrees, but the wind shifted directions. It was now out of the south about 9mph. The surf was a little smaller, about 2-to-3 feet. As the afternoon continued the conditions improved. I had about 2 hours to spend on the beach. I mainly concentrated on the riders directly in front of me or very close. I was also able to get closer to the action with the smaller waves by being able to go a short distance into the water. Only able to take photos for about 4 hours I ended up with over 4,000 shots.
I really enjoyed going through them trying to pick out the best. It wasn’t easy. There were many more to choose from. I also wanted to share as many different rides as I could. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any of the rider’s personal contact info. It would have been nice to have contact with them, find out what they thought of the event, and maybe get a few quotes. I hope you enjoy looking at my images as much as I had taking them. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the event and The Watercraft Journal.
Steven in Sales has done it again with another stellar list. He touches on many must have items for the new ski you picked out of the line up. The hard part is over, now what? We’ll touch on several necessary items and a few fun ones just for kicks. We want you to be safe and legal while enjoying your new ride.
The most important accessory is a life jacket with a lanyard to connect you to your kill-switch. It’s important to purchase a properly fitted life jacket. A jacket that’s too big will most likely come off during a fall into the water or possibly ride up and pull your head underwater. A jacket that’s too small is less likely to keep you afloat because it won’t have enough buoyancy. Yamaha carries a nice WaveRunner starter kit, which contains several basic supplies to help you safely get on the water.
The kit includes two adjustable U.S. Coast Guard Approved PFDs. The jackets can be adjusted from small to large for adults. A clip on whistle for your PFD is included and the whistle meets the requirements for a sound signaling device. A small easy to pack first aid kit is included and it’s suitable for minor injuries. Two black 10” personal watercraft fenders are also included. These will help cut down on dings when docking. Two white 12 foot dock lines are also in the mix. The items aren’t exclusive to Yamaha owners and can be purchased with or without Yamaha branding.
If you’re comfortable buying a PFD online, Watercraft Superstore has several great lines of flotation devices and other necessary items to keep you safe while having fun on the water. The staff is very knowledgeable and will give you great customer service over the phone. They welcome your phone calls and are eager to help. Watercraft Superstore carries vests for everyone. The online shop has every size, style, colorway, and vest entry imaginable. The vests also come in a variety of materials such as neoprene and nylon.
We recommend a life jacket that is USCG Approved. Life jackets are required by law and may save your life. Don’t forget to grab a few extras for friends and family. Something to keep in mind when buying a vest is one that will hold your head above water should you take a spill. A vest that enables you to remain face up will help you be seen as well.
If you’re getting underway with your dog, make sure he or she is wearing a well fitted and easy to spot PFD designed specifically for dogs. We don’t want you to lose your furry friend on the water. The Coast Guard offers these tips and reasons to wear life jackets. It is a great guide to learning about life jackets and other safety procedures. Safety is the number one priority when it comes to water sports.
Water specific clothing and gear are recommended as well. Riding gloves will save your hands from nasty blisters and gloves will help you grip the throttle and lines. A rash guard is good protection against the wind and sun. Grippy riding shoes are great to have, especially if you race or don’t want to slip and slide in the footboards when riding. Check out Slippery Wetsuits for an outstanding selection of killer products. Slippery wetsuits carries a fine line of inexpensive wetsuits and other PWC accessories.
Now if you plan to hang out in an area for some time without a way to dock or beach, a jet ski anchor will come in handy. Several types to consider are sandbag, folding, fluke, mushroom, and screw anchors. RIVA Racing is a good place to start the hunt for an anchor that meets your needs. They have a great selection and all the necessary anchor accessories. The RIVA crew is always ready to help if you have any questions.
Here are some reasons to carry a paddle:
• Your boat breaks down
• Run out of gas
• Maybe you need something to wave down a passing boat
• An extension is needed to help someone in distress in the water
• You’re stuck and need to push off
A dry bag is something we always have onboard when riding or paddling. We like to keep our gear safe from the elements because some of it isn’t meant to get wet. Many of us are fans of SealLine products. Sea to Summit carries a top-notch selection as well. Of course, Sea-Doo and other watercraft brands have their own lines of bags and pouches. Bags come in many different sizes for what you want to carry. Document bags are great for your registration and other important papers you may have onboard. It’s also a good idea to have your non-water resistant phone, GPS, or camera packed in a dry case. Yamaha sells waterproof dry bags for all of your needs.
We mentioned that we’d touch on some fun stuff. Here we go. New wireless Bluetooth systems are available for skis so you can listen to your favorite music or weather reports while on the water. Maybe you’d like an inflatable tube or other fun water toys for an entertaining day on the water with family and friends. Pulling a wakeboard while watching your friends hoot and holler is another exciting way to spend time on the water.
The last thing we’d like to touch on is cleaning your ski after a day on the water.
That’s where JetRenu comes in. JetRenu carries products to fit all of your cleaning and polishing needs. The products are eco-friendly and are clearly marked as to whether they are to be used for automotive, watercraft, other motorsports, and even gym equipment. Neither we nor JetRenu want you to clean your watercraft with the wrong products. JetRenu also carries supplies to help you scrub and buff your watercraft. It doesn’t matter what brand of PWC you ride, these accessories will work for you. For the complete list, check out the Steven in Sales article. Happy riding!
All of us here at The Watercraft Journal are pretty big fans of what Randy Cabrera and team at the 
