This story comes to us from Surfline’s Wipeout and PWC Rescue of the Week. Another giant swell hit Portugal’s infamous big wave break, Nazare. Big wave surfers from all over the world wait and watch for swells like this one that just hit the North Atlantic. While more big wave chargers line up to wait their turn for one of the mountains rising from the depths of the ocean in Portugal’s frigid waters, many more wipeouts and rescues will take place. Some will end well and some will not have happy endings. Big wave surfer Thiago Jacare recently discovered a happy ending after taking a massive beating and several hold downs.

It doesn’t matter how well a surfer plans or how hard one trains, heaving mountains of water have the potential to brutally injure or even kill a person. Thirty-five year old Brazilian surfer, Thiago Jacare experienced this firsthand during the recent giant swell at Nazare. He and his tow partner, David Langer mounted their jet ski and gunned it to the outside on December 14, 2018 to tow into the waves. Langer pulled Jacare into the first wave of a set and Jacare let go of the rope and got into the wave.

However, he was soon hit by a large side chop and was unable to keep his rail engaged in the face of the wave. He was thrown off of his surfboard and engulfed by a mountain of whitewater. The surfer faced a series of hold downs that lasted for what probably seemed like forever. After the first wave pummeled him, he made his way to the surface just long enough to grab a quick breath. Langer was unable to swoop in and grab him. The scene was just too gnarly and heavy water was holding Jacare in the wash cycle. Jacare took five waves on the head before finally being rescued by Sebastian Steudtner. Steudtner swept in on his PWC and grabbed Jacare and quickly rushed him to the beach.

Jacare had this to say about his experience, “This was by far the worst wipeout of my life, “I barely got the chance to breathe between waves. When I got to the sand, I was completely exhausted — to the point I couldn’t even move.”

Who like free riding gear? Who is on Facebook? The answer should be all of you. Well now is a chance for you to win one of the newest life jackets on the market. It is extremely important to have a quality life jacket when riding, as it is meant to save your life. While many of them can be expensive, this is not the case. Slippery Wetsuits is giving away their new Surge Neo Life Vest!

The instructions are simple to enter for your chance to win. All you need to do is go to Slippery Wetsuits Facebook Page and share their picture of the Surge Neo Life Vest. Or you can head over to The Watercraft Journal Facebook Page and share our post of the life vest. Either way, you will be entered into the giveaway. While you are there, why not Like their page and follow them to hear about what Slippery Wetsuits is coming out with next.

The all new Surge Neo Life Vest is made out of a unique type of foam that allows for the users to have plenty of flexibility and reduce fatigue! What more could you ask for? Some key features of the life vest are that it is U.S Coast Guard Type 3 Approved, has two adjustable belts with buckles to fit securely around you, features a heavy duty zipper and a “D” ring for lanyards. Slippery offers four different color combinations: Black/Charcoal, Red/Silver, Blue/Lime and Steel/Black.

We have a more in depth review of the Surge Neo Life Vest so feel free to check it out on our website, The Watercraft Journal. People cannot stop raving about the comfort these life vest provide and instead of buying one, why not trying to win one!

The Pro Watercross has had a lot of tour announcements recently for their upcoming 2019 events. With all of the anticipation for their lineup of events as well as an expected surge in attendees for all 2019 tour stops, the committee decided to appoint a new ambassador.

For 2019, Pro Watercross is appointing Kenny Koonge as the National Recreational Ambassador. This position will serve as a liaison for the public, PWC enthusiasts, and for tour promoters according to Pro Watercross CIO Jennifer Handler.

We welcome Kenny and wish him luck in his new role. For more details about the position or Kenny himself, you can view the press release below:

Pro Watercross is pleased to announce that with the launch of the 2019 National Recreational Tour, it is announcing the position of National Recreational Ambassador and welcoming Kenny Koonge to the Pro Watercross family.

A familiar figure within the recreational segment of the personal watercraft (PWC) community, Kenny is well known for his passion, his forward thinking and his willingness to support his fellow riders. That enthusiasm and progressive attitude played a large part in Pro Watercross’ recent decision to appoint Kenny as the National Recreational Ambassador.

“The new Pro Watercross Recreational Tour, which was just announced last week, is generating a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in the PWC community, among both racers and enthusiasts,” said Pro Watercross CIO Jennifer Handler. “We felt that it was extremely important to find an individual with the right qualifications, dedication and attitude to help guide the growth of Pro Watercross’ recreational division, and to serve as a liaison for the public, for PWC enthusiasts, and for Rec Tour promoters. We have every faith that Kenny is the right choice for this important role.”

“This new role with Pro Watercross will encompass a wide variety of tasks and projects, but my main mission, at each and every Rec Tour stop, will be to work with the participants of the event to make sure that they are happy with the event itself,” Kenny said.

Kenny has long had a passion for adrenaline-fueled watersports. Joining forces with other Jet Ski enthusiasts with a similar mission-focused drive, Kenny became the ride director for Take Point Now. Take Point Now was formed to raise awareness for wounded veterans and to support its recently-formed research foundation in its effort to assist veterans returning from active duty. When asked to participate with the Take Point Now organization, Kenny recognized the opportunity to help out a great cause and be part of something bigger than just a weekend ride.

Kenny is also a staunch supporter of the March of Dimes Bay Swim event, and he has taken the lead for all the jetski volunteers who provide safety and rescue services to the swimmers who attempt the long-distance open swim across the Chesapeake Bay.

Kenny also serves as an integral part of the Watercraft Network radio show. He hosts a segment called the “Take Point Now Recreational Ride Report.” This has fast become a very popular segment and is bringing a new, inspired collaboration across the country.

“Kenny’s passion and innovative ideas led to his selection as the National Recreational Ambassador, and this position will enable to him to continue to promote collaboration within the recreational watercraft community and cross-promotion with other sectors of the PWC community. Kenny will continue to fuel the ‘United We Ride’ movement that has begun to gain momentum, and as Ambassador, he will be supporting and enabling the success of all the recreational ride groups,” Handler explained. “Furthermore, Kenny’s commitment to PWC rider safety and environmental stewardship will be key in future endeavors.”

Kenny has plans to attend every 2019 National Recreational Tour event. Make sure to catch him on the water or the beach and join in his live social media broadcasts.

Anyone interested in becoming part of the National Recreational Tour can reach out to Kenny at [email protected].

For more information about the 2019 National Recreational Tour and to keep up with all the Pro Watercross news go to www.ProWatercross.com or look for us on social media @ProWatercross and don’t forget to tag your posts and pictures with #ProWatercross.

The Sea-Doo Spark has been a hot little personal watercraft since it first came out about five years ago now. With its lightweight construction and revolutionary design, it has been one of the highest selling watercraft of all time.

It’s extremely low price and nimble agility make it an easy choice for an entry-level racing watercraft and now the Powerboat Nationals are making it even easier to get into racing with the announcement of their new series dedicated to the Spark.

That’s right for 2019 the Sea-Doo Spark will have its very own exclusive series at some select Hydro-Cross events. Technical specifications will be announced at a later date however this new series will mean that nearly anybody who is interested in one of these Rec-Lite watercraft can participate in organized racing.

For more details, you can check out the press-release below and stay tuned for further information.

(Columbus, OH) Powerboat Nationals announced today that it will be adding a new series to its racing line up that features a high performance, budget-friendly personal watercraft.

Powerboat Nationals will be racing the Sea-Doo Spark in its own exclusive series at select Hydro-Cross events in 2019.

The Spark is an entry-level personal watercraft (PWC) that can be purchased at Sea Doo dealers across America. The Sparks racing in this new series will be the same watercraft you see on the showroom floor.

Final Spark Series technical specifications are under review and will be announced later.

“We wanted to create and promote a series that was affordable, competitive, and, most importantly, fun,” said Powerboat Nationals’ Managing Director Dan Bunting. “The Spark is a fast, exciting boat that will get people out of their seats and into our sport without breaking their budget.”

Bunting continued, “We also want to rebuild the ‘What wins on Sunday sells on Monday’ aspect of racing that has been lost in other types of motorsports. We fully intend to work with Sea-Doo/BRP and local dealers to grow Spark sales, the Spark series, and our Hydro-Cross racing in general.”

Highlights of the Hydro-Cross Spark series will be included in Powerboat Nationals’ television coverage that will be seen nationally and regionally on nine television networks including MAVTV.

Founded in 2014, Powerboat Nationals is a national touring series that provides world-class tunnel hull powerboat and jet ski/PWC racing on rivers and lakes across North America. For more information, please visit www.powerboatnationals.com.

The jet ski fishing community has been gaining a rather large following recently and continues to do so with the help of companies introducing new products and fishing excursions. With personal watercrafts offered at lower prices than fishing boats and consume much less fuel, it provides a great way to fish more often.

Andrew Hill is a Sea-Doo Fish Pro ambassador and is offering some awesome opportunities for the public. This Tuesday, December 18, 2018, Andrew will be speaking about the new Sea-Doo Fish Pro in Hamilton, New Zealand. This is a great opportunity to learn about the new Fish Pro and hear about everything it has to offer. A great way to experience the Fish Pro would be to sign up for their upcoming February social trip being held February 21^st-24^th.

Spots are filling up quick as there are currently only 8 spots remaining. You do not need to be in attendance this Tuesday to sign up. By clicking on Adventure Fishing website you can sign up from there. A $200 deposit per person is required and a credit card can be used to pay.

In preparation for this trip, you may find that some of your fishing gear needs to be replaced or upgraded. With the holiday season in full force, Adventure Fishing is offering some huge discounts on their online store. From plastic baits and lures to personal safety, they have you covered. An important thing to make sure you have in your gear is a Jetskifishing mask. They are lightweight, comfortable and shields you from the stinging saltwater.

The location for this year’s fishing trip is in Doubtless Bay, Far North. Last year provided many of the anglers with 70cm plus sized fish so it begs the questions why you have not already signed up! Along with catching big fish, you will be with a group of passionate personal watercraft anglers. This could be a great gift for a special someone of even for you!

I highly recommend checking out a few of Andrew Hill’s Fishing Videos and getting a sneak peek of the action.

New Zealand’s Ngaruawahia Fire Brigade is the first fire squadron in the country to receive a Jetski. A fundraiser enabled the brigade to purchase the ski. The team raised $16,995 through sponsorships from local businesses, such as the Ngaruawahia Golf Club and the Horotiu based Kawasaki dealership, Nautique, donated $10,000.
“Just being up the road as well we wanted to help out in the local community,”Elliot McNutt of Nautique said.

The money netted the brigade a 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, Kawasaki STX 15F Jet Ski with a 160hp engine. The department realized a jet ski was badly needed after pulling off a daring rescue of a little girl caught in the turbulent waters of the Waikato River. She was swept downstream and managed to grab a piling while volunteer firefighter Nathan Spitzer was stripping down so he could swim out and make the rescue. She was hypothermic by the time he reached her. Fortunately, she survived the close call.

The PWC is equipped with four rescue vests and throw bags and is specific to swift water rescue. A spotlight and beacon will soon be added. Fire Chief Karl Lapwood says the craft will enable crew members to quickly reach people in distress without risking the lives of firefighters attempting to swim out to save them.

The Jet Ski has already served its purpose. It was used in a couple of river rescues within three weeks. It hasn’t been easy getting the ski approved for use. Lapwood worked with Fire and Emergency NZ during the course of last year to gain approval. He put health and safety plans and SOP’s together so he could get a board of regional managers’ stamp of approval for the use of a Jet Ski.

Under the Fire and Emergency Act 2017, volunteer brigades are allowed to perform work outside of the scope of firefighting. The firefighters must undergo swiftwater training before using the Jet Ski for rescue. Ten firefighters have passed the swift course held at Manukau waterpark making them eligble for water rescue. The Jet Ski is a welcome addition to the brigade and according to Lapwood it will get a lot of time on the water.

“It will be used for any water rescues – cars in the river, swimmers in trouble, animals in the river, search and rescue. The plan is to complement the Huntly rescue boat with our jet ski and do a combined response across the Waikato”, according to Lapwood.

The next order of business is to have the ski completely outfitted for rescue including the purchase of a rescue sled.

IJSBA recently announced that JetRacer, the IJSBA Endurance World Championship, will return in 2019. The grueling two round event begins at the brand new stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia from March 27-31. The second round will be held November 14-17, in Agadir, Morocco. Competitors from all over the world enter the realm of this prestigious and extremely challenging event. It is one of the toughest events to finish due to the extreme conditions riders must face.

It takes a special kind of jet ski pilot who can endure the long distances and unusually harsh conditions that this race will throw at them. The competition demands everything you have and a rider must be physically fit and have the mental fortitude to press on and make it to the finish during one of the toughest endurance races on the circuit. It is a racers’ dream to win the coveted title as Endurance Wold Champion. It would be a dream just to finish the race.

Last year’s race was won by the Malaysian team of Jazeman Jaafar, Nabil Jeffri ,and Weiron Tan. They made history for Malaysian motorsports by chalking their first ever win at a World Endurance Championship (WEC) race. Will they keep the title? 
New classes have been added this year. They have not yet been announced. More news will soon be available. Until then, take a look at the awesome promotional clip provided by Jetsinworld, the official partner for the Jetracer Championships. The video will get you pumped!
Jetracer is organized by Peter DeSmet, the head of IJSBA Europe.

 

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A post shared by LongIsland NY – Tri State Area (@strongislandjetskis) on Dec 2, 2018 at 9:25am PST

Got snow? Check out the scene in Canada. There is plenty of snow up there and one guy took advantage of it and converted his yellow 1997 Sea-Doo XP into a snowmobile. He attached sled blades to the front end for easy maneuvering through the powder. Tracks were bolted to the rear end for traction and motoring the machine, which enabled the rider to sit and ride the snowpack with ease. Long Island, New York’s, @strongislandjetskis Instagram account was tagged in the photo of the converted Sea-Doo and some of the comments are funny and others thought the Sea-Doo on the snow was really cool.

The Sea-Doo conversion works and it’s pretty danged innovative. The machine sits proudly with other snowmobiles in the picture. It doesn’t even look too out of place. The sled looks like it would be fun to ride on the snow covered area. We bet it could even boost. This is one way to enjoy “Your Sea-Doo Life” year ’round. While people living in warmer climates are still riding their Sea-Doos on water, other people are being ingenious and creating conversions in order to continue to enjoy the ride on the cold white stuff that covers the ground. Granted, this isn’t the first PWC converted for use in the snow, nevertheless, we never get tired of seeing innovative people and their transformed machines. Whatever it takes to have some fun on your Sea-Doo, go for it! We certainly dig it and we’re stoked to see a 1997 Sea-Doo XP parked on the powder!

The previous success of the Racine Pro Watercross event has proven itself both economically for locals and as one of America’s premier lakeshore beaches. The event is so popular that Racine Wisconsin has just signed a contract to host this Pro Watercross event for the next three years.

With clear blue water and a golden-sand beach, this Lake Michigan location is one of the most popular events on this tour and for good reason. With beautiful scenery, plentiful events and amenities, as well as the local area’s great food and offerings, it’s easy to see why this location is such a popular event.

For more information, you can read the Pro Watercross press release below.
Racine Wisconsin, one of the most popular race venues on the 2018 Pro Watercross National Tour, has signed a three-year contract with Pro Watercross. “We are very excited about this ongoing partnership with Real Racine, and we are looking forward to being back at North Beach race site in July,” stated CIO Jennifer Handler.

One of the select lakeshore beaches in the United States to be certified a Blue Wave Clean Beach, and selected by USA Today as one of America’s greatest beaches, Racine’s North Beach is tucked in between Milwaukee and Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan, and provides an optimal configuration for the second-most attended race of the tour – falling only behind Georgia’s Lake Hartwell Wet & Wild weekend.

Crystal-clear, bright blue waters, a sizeable parking and dry pit area adjacent to the wide, golden-sand beach, and with Lake Michigan’s unpredictable surf could give riders a flat water or surf race… On-site amenities such as nearby restrooms, a children’s playground, and a concession stand with live music, makes Racine’s North Beach a top race site, and a favorite destination for race families, fans and PWC enthusiasts alike.

“Racine, Wisconsin offers lots to do within the city and surrounding area, great hotels and restaurants and not to mention the beer and brats and cheese curds. Racine is a truly great destination, and the city goes above and beyond to welcome the tour and our racers. Our relationship with city officials is a key component to the success of the weekend event,” Handler said. “There is a large PWC enthusiasts base in the region, and the local convention and visitor’s bureau, Real Racine, does a great job of helping to promote the event.”

Cari Greving, Events Manager with Real Racine, is equally as enthusiastic about the 2019 return of the Pro Watercross Tour, and is optimistic about the continued success of the partnership and the event in the upcoming three years.

“I am ecstatic that Pro Watercross and Real Racine are making it official and partnering for three years! The success of the event in 2018 really made me excited for what we can do to grow this event every year. I’m even more thrilled that Pro Watercross and it’s racing teams enjoyed their time here and saw the opportunity for what’s to come,” Greving said soon after the contract was signed.

Greving said the 2018 Pro Watercross brought $300,000 in economic benefit to the city over the two-day event, and accounted for roughly 200 room nights at the city’s hotels. Between the Pro Watercross races, and the EVP Volleyball tournament, held during the same weekend as the Pro Watercross race, there were “at least 3,000 to 3,500 people on North Beach,” Greving said.

“All the feedback was outstanding. The racers and visitors really embraced Racine and ate at all our restaurants, roamed around the downtown and frequented many local bars for all the best of Wisconsin summertime,” she said. “The business owners were pleased with the extra business and all the residents I spoke to really thought it was fun to see something so exciting, and fast, at the beach.”

Not content to maintain the status quo, Greving said she is already working on improvements that will be implemented throughout the three-year partnership between Racine and Pro Watercross.

“In the next years, I’m hoping to expand the weekend to more of a beach festival with vendors and more spectators at the beach. Maybe even some education on jet ski racing for the public,” Greving explained. “This event is the perfect fit for Racine County, because it showcases our North Beach, a truly beautiful venue, while exposing our residents to an awesome sport. It also allows Pro Watercross to come to the Midwest (the ONLY tour stop in the Midwest all year) and provides it’s racers with some new, fresh water racing!”

For more information about Racine and North Beach, visit www.realracine.com, and keep up with all the Pro Watercross news at www.ProWatercross.com, facebook.com/prowatercross, instagram.com/prowatercross and twitter.com/ProWatercross.

Whoa! Have you heard the news? Jet Jam Racing is making huge waves in 2019. They will not only return back to one of jet ski racing’s most iconic locations – the Nautical Inn in Lake Havasu City, AZ – but they’re also bringing the tour to two stops in Florida! Oh yeah, and they’re now under their own sanctioning body, the AWSA (American Water Sports Association). If you wanna race, you’re going to have to join. So check it out!

Here’s the official release provided by Nicole Pettit:
We would like to introduce the 2019 Jet Jam Racing schedule. Jet Jam is excited to announce that we will be hosting our first race at the world famous Nautical Inn in Lake Havasu City, AZ. There has not been racing at this location in 20 years.

We will also be hosting a two part race series in Florida this year called the AWSA Surf Cup. All of this of course is brought to you by our awesome title sponsor Hydro-Turf and our presenting sponsor Bud Light.

For those of you haven’t heard yet, Jet Jam will be running under the AWSA – American Water Sports Association for 2019. You will be required to purchase a membership from them that will be good for the entire season. They also offer a two year option with a discount.

You can find that information on their website at www.awsa.racing and there is also a link on our website at www.jetjam.racing. Please note that this is a transition year with the new rules, so please familiarize yourself with them. If you have any questions please ask as we are here to help.

We look forward to an amazing 2019 race season and we will see you all on the line!