Greenhulk PWC Performance Store is offering a 10% discount on performance products. Use the discount code; greenhulk when you’ve finished shopping and are ready to checkout. The 10% off is good for most RIVA products, including complete performance packages. The reduced price can also be used for all WORX Racing parts and Solas impellers. This is their biggest blowout of the year. Get on it!
The list of parts above from Greenhulk PWC Performance is only a small sampling of the various items available for purchase at the 10% discount. Loads of parts including are available at extraordinary prices. Score some deals while they last.
Get your machine ready for spring with upgrades and shiny new parts that will crank up the speed or just replace older worn out equipment. Greenhulk has a great selection to meet the needs of competitive riders. Browse at your leisure with no pushy sales people.
As always, if you have any questions contact Greenhulk’s helpful team at [email protected]. Those guys are available 365 days a year. You can also hit up the Greenhulk forum for answers and ideas.
Pro Watercross is proud to roll out their event schedule for the 2019 season and things are looking pretty good. Next year’s tour will feature seven different event stops from Florida up to New York.
This new tour is said to bring a different aspect to the Pro Watercross lineup of events with an expected record level of attendees to each event. The tour is expected to draw anywhere between 300 and 500 people to each of the events.
From the Rec-Ride through the Florida Keys to WaveDaze in Virginia Beach, all the way up to Jet Fest in New York, these events are not just gathering points for recreational or competitive watercraft activities, but many of the events donate all proceeds to local charities and they have well organized activities that the whole family can participate in.
For all of the details, take a look at the extended press release: Pro Watercross is excited to introduce a recreational tour designed for personal watercraft (PWC) enthusiasts that will feature seven events taking place throughout the 2019 season, in beautiful locations ranging from the Florida Keys to Upstate New York. The Rec Tour in 2019 will bring a new aspect to the Pro Watercross lineup of personal watercraft events, said Pro Watercross CIO Jennifer Handler.
“The Rec Tour will focus on PWC enthusiasts as well as on the PWC athletes that the rest of our events and tours cater to. Recreational events draw many people that are already involved in our Pro Watercross competitions, either as an athlete or a spectator, but they also bring new people into the PWC family. Each event in the 2019 tour is expected to draw 300-500 participants, and this will be the “largest gathering of PWC enthusiast in the country,” Handler said.
The Daytona Freeride, a long-time favorite among personal watercraft surf riders and spectators alike, will take on even greater significance in 2019, as it will serve as the premier event of a new personal watercraft tour under the Pro Watercross banner. The Daytona Freeride is a perfect example of the popularity of these recreational events. The Daytona event has amazing participation – is the largest gathering of personal watercraft enthusiasts worldwide.
Anchored at each end of the tour by two industry staples – Daytona Freeride in January and Jet Fest in September, the 2019 Rec National Tour also features a few brand-new events, and has brought several new promoters into the Pro Watercross family.
Each event in the Rec Tour will feature either a purely recreational activity, or a competitive event, but all events will highlight the fun side of personal watercraft. The recreational events – whether it is a poker run, a scavenger hunt, a sightseeing tour – are more inclusive, often family-friendly events that will highlight the more relaxed side of personal watercraft than the edge-of-your-seat, wire-to-wire competitions that Pro Watercross is famous for. Even the competitive components of the Rec Tour, such as the Daytona Freeride, will highlight the more laid-back, fun-in-the-sun side of the personal watercraft sport, Handler explained.
The Daytona Freeride, held in January 17-20 in Daytona, Florida, offers surf riders the chance to show off their expertise as they compete in battle rounds featuring both aerial stunts and mastery of the waves. Freeride and freestyle legends and champions such as Mark Gomez and Bruno Jacob are often seen piloting their custom machines through the Daytona surf right alongside sport newbies and novices; it is truly an event for everyone.
Next up on the tour, WaveDaze will be held April 12-14 in Virginia Beach. Known not only for the challenging surf conditions and the event’s dual-emphasis on promoting personal watercraft as both a recreation and a sport, WaveDaze also gains significant recognition for their community involvement – all funds received at WaveDaze – whether through registration fees, corporate sponsors or raffles during the event, benefits local charities. Hosted by The Virginia Beach Wave Junkies, WaveDaze started out in 2007 with 60 skis, and has raised more than $40,000 for charity. “We are expecting more than 300 participants from 31 different states in 2019,” said event organizers, adding that this year’s event will include raffles, auctions, games, a custom watercraft competition and the Neptune Challenge open ocean endurance ride, as well as the freeride competition.
The third event will bring the Rec Tour back to Florida May 18-19 for the Dunedin Invasion hosted by Florida Ski Riders. The two-day event held in Dunedin, Florida and will include a relaxing, scenery-filled ride through some of the Florida’s beautiful Gulf coast islands; Anclote Island, Caladesi Island and Clearwater Beach. The Dunedin Invasion draws PWC enthusiasts from all over south eastern United States boasting upward of 400 riders in recent events.
Next up on the 2019 Rec National Tour will be Operation JET-EX, a new Mid-Atlantic region event hosted by Take Point Now – a veteran support organization founded by Iraq veteran P.K. Ewing, who turned severe battle injuries into inspiration and a goal to earn the world record for riding a jet ski across the Atlantic Ocean in record time. Scheduled for the weekend of June 15th, the event will feature both a long and short distance ride (The “Strike Package” and the “Interceptor Mission” respectively) for the big machines, and a slalom contest called the “Take Point Now Slalom Shootout,” Ewing said. Additional activities such as a “cannonball run” are being considered for Sunday. This event, open to veterans and the general public, will be both a fun, recreational event, and serve to bring healing and service to the veteran community.
We are currently working on our second prototype which will be for individuals that are physically impaired. We are sounding a call to other veterans and members of our society who may feel isolated and are seeking objective driven, team-oriented experiences,” explains the organization website.
Following Operation JET-EX, the Rec Tour will head to New York’s Atlantic waters for the July 6th – Strong Island Poker Run. Hosted by Strong Island Jet Skis and by organizers Mo Sherif, Jamie Araya and Freddie Aries, the poker run will up the ante on your typical recreational ride by adding in a hand of poker. “A poker run is an organized event where participants using boats or jet skis must visit five checkpoints, drawing a playing card at each one. The object is to have the best poker hand at the end of the run,” Sherif explained.
The sixth stop on the Rec Tour is destined to be a tour favorite; sponsored by Broward Motorsports, the scenic August 3rd – Broward Motorsports Rec Ride will visit Key Largo, this ride will take participants through The Florida Keys and out to visit the beautiful and popular “Alligator Reef Lighthouse” for some exploring and snorkeling. This area is amazing!
Closing out the 2019 Rec National Tour will be Upstate New York’s popular JetFest, scheduled for September 7th, JetFest is hosted by WetWerX Water & Snow, along with Watercraft Network Radio, and produced by Northeast Watercraft Alliance. 2019 will be the 12th season for JetFest, which makes it the longest consecutive running PWC event in the Northeast, and it also annually yields the largest PWC turnout in the region, according to event organizer Wayne Ordon. Like WaveDaze, JetFest donates 100 percent of the registration proceeds to charity. Held in a beautiful, full-service forest campground in the Adirondack Mountains on the Great Sacandaga Lake, JetFest features more than 100 miles of shoreline, a crystal-clear lake, and a “Duck Hunt” scavenger hunt and a freestyle Shootout entertains riders as they enjoy a barbecue lunch on the beach.
Another much-anticipated feature of JetFest is the annual PWC Raffle. “In 2018, JetFest was the only event in North America to which a manufacturer donated a brand-new vessel,’ Ordon said. “In 2019, riders who attend any or all prior national Rec Tour stops will be eligible for additional entries for the JetFest Raffle PWC. Attend one other event & receive one additional entry, attend two other events & receive two additional entries, and so on. As JetFest is the culminating tour stop, riders who attend prior events will have a great opportunity to win the 2019 JetFest raffle PWC.”
“This 2019 Rec Tour is going to be a game-changer and will be good for the industry all the way around. It will help the competitive side by bringing attention to the sport, and by giving potential athletes a low-barrier entrance in to the sport. Most importantly though, this tour shows what great people are within the PWC community and how they are working to improve the lives of the people in their communities through the different charities that they represent,” Handler added.
In honor of the inaugural Rec Tour season, Pro Watercross will present a commemorative coin to the first 300 participant at each event. Each commemorative item will be unique to the event.
For more information on the 2019 Rec National Tour presented by Pro Watercross and to keep up on all the details of the tour stops that will be coming out in the upcoming weeks and keep up with all things Pro Watercross by following along at:
www.prowatercross.com facebook.com/ProWatercross instagram.com/ProWatercross twitter.com/ProWatercross. Stay in touch with Pro Watercross on social media @ProWatercross
For more information about how to get involved with Pro Watercross events, email us at [email protected]
BRP Brand, the makers of Sea-Doo, Can-Am, Evinrude, and other powersports product lines announces its fiscal 2019 third quarter results and the company seems to be doing quite well.
Another record quarter was posted with the Sea-Doo brand helping to push the more than 25% retail sales growth. Personal watercraft along with side-by-side off-road vehicles saw a jump in consumer demand explained President and CEO José Boisjoli.
While current market demands and new influences such as Can-Am’s announcement of the new budget friendly Ryker should keep sales up, BRP also expresses concern about potential market headwinds related to current inflationary pressure in the market.
Despite these concerns, Boisjoli also explains that BRP still remains in a very competitive position due to its robust business.
For those who care to check out all of the numbers, you can see the fiscal earnings report at BRP and for those who don’t want to slog through the 18 page report, all you need to know is that your BRP wish list item will continue to roll across those assembly lines for the foreseeable future and be waiting for you at your local dealership.
Objectivity is paramount when weighing the vast number of features, handling characteristics and industry-altering innovations poured into the literally 40 different models of personal watercraft available for 2018. It’s daunting to say the very least. While almost impossible to remove all forms of personal subjectivity from our calculations, we at The Watercraft Journal looked at all of the offered units, particularly the models we personally reviewed throughout the year, and found certain parameters that we felt were key to crowning this year’s Watercraft of The Year.
Unlike last year’s results for Watercraft of The Year, 2018’s Top 3 are a showdown of two of the industry’s three original equipment (OE) manufacturers. In 2017 (and 2015, for that matter), we were able to welcome all three major manufacturers – namely, Kawasaki, Sea-Doo and Yamaha – to the podium. For 2018, such was not the case, particularly as innovation and popularity were such significant factors in awarding a winner. The diverse selection of vehicles from Sea-Doo and Yamaha were either completely new or so well received that each were directly responsible for elevating the marketplace.
As we’ve noted previously, the personal watercraft industry experienced a surge in growth unlike anything seen prior to 2008. That’s nearly a decade of lackluster sales, that is, until now. We’re seeing growth of over 11-percent in new sales growth; Yamaha is reporting a staggering 49% of all new unit sales going to first-time buyers, and manufacturers are enjoying gains well into the double digits. PWC sales are outpacing motorcycle and UTV sales in many places. Yes, there’s a lot to be excited about, and the watercraft we’ve selected for Watercraft of The Year is a central player in that growth and expansion.
2018 Watercraft of The Year 2nd Runner-Up: 2018 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO WaveRunner
Like a bare-knuckled boxer dressed sharply in a suit and tie, the 2018 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO caught many of us completely off guard. What could be construed as the buttoned-up brother of the rowdier VXR, the VX Cruiser HO is nearly indistinguishable; the two share the same NanoXcel hull and deck, equal 1,812cc High Output four-cylinder 4-strokes, and even identical 18.5-gallon fuel cells. Don’t forget the same 155mm jet pump and nozzle too. They even have identical weights: 767-pounds. Heck, the storage displacements are the same (24.6-gallons).
This paralleling gives both the VXR and VX Cruiser HO matching top speeds (65mph in optimal conditions). Yet, unlike the VXR, the 2018 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO is more equipped yet priced $600 less, at a budget friendly $11,299. That’s right! As the VXR features a sporty, single-coved seat and Yamaha’s quick-response electric trim control, the VX Cruiser HO enjoys the heavily bolstered two-tiered Cruiser seat, Cruise Assist and No Wake Mode – arguably features of far greater value. The VX Cruiser HO does share the more staid hood with the rest of the VX line versus the VXR and its GP1800 sibling.
Yet, what elevated the 2018 VX Cruiser HO to hero status was its ranking as the single-most sold PWC of 2018. Believe it! This one little WaveRunner outsold the rest of Yamaha’s entire line up, including all the Rec-Lite EX’s… as well as everything from Sea-Doo – yes, and that includes the Spark too. On paper it made sense: it was fun, nimble, torquey and fuel efficient. Frankly, a great all-around runabout. Initial dealer reports coming in during late July proved it; the Yamaha VX Cruiser HO was the number one most popular watercraft sold. And that should definitely count for something.
2018 Watercraft of The Year 1st Runner-Up: 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300
Holy cow, was this year’s contest between first and second place clooose. And for good reason. BRP came into the New Year swinging, setting the world around it on fire with the introduction of its all-new 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300. Sure, the ACE 300 3-cylinder powerplant producing a true 300-horsepower, the adjoining drivetrain and pump, and even gauge cluster were holdovers. (That, and the 15.8-gallon fuel cell.) Rather, it was the all-new ST³ platform that wowed onlookers. With its centralized storage, modular seat and LinQ accessory system, this machine had more bells than Santa’s sleigh.
Bathed in a thick coat of acrylic Neon Yellow and Lava Grey (or the optional Ice Metal and Lava Red), the new RXT-X rides on a hull that borrows heavily from the T³ hull of the RXP-X, all while coming in 1.2-inches wider (from 48.2-inches to 49.4-inches), 3.3-inches shorter (from 139.2-inches to 135.9-inches), and an incredible 86-pounds lighter (828-pounds compared to 914) than its 2017 predecessor. Additionally, the driver sits 1.4-inches lower as do passengers (3-inches lower), all of that decreasing the RXT-X 300’s center of gravity, and increasing its power-to-weight ratio (0.362:1 from 0.353:1).
Extensive acceleration testing put the RXT-X ahead of Yamaha’s 2018 GP1800 by fractions of a second. And yet, in light of all of this innovation and performance, the RXT-X had some setbacks in our view: The large center bin shrank the unit’s overall storage from 42.8 to 27-gallons; it also reduced the industry’s largest glove box to its smallest (albeit with a padded, waterproof phone case). Others found the new hull unpredictable (particularly in big chop), requiring extra diligence from less experienced riders; a new decal on the glove box even highlights the performance model’s “unique” handling.
2018 Watercraft of The Year Winner: 2018 Yamaha GP1800 WaveRunner
Reports of low speed cavitation during launches were quickly resolved by the aftermarket. Soon speeds of 79, 80, 81, even 84 miles per hour were achievable by the novice tuner. With slightly more work, the GP1800 could run 86mph all day long. Even in light of selling out in 2017 (by mid-June) and again in late July of 2018, Yamaha retained the lightweight, supercharged GP1800 priced at $13,999. It’s simply too hard to argue with the unparalleled success of the GP1800 – on the showroom floor, the race course and even as a suitable all-day cruiser. We’re truly impressed with the 2018 Yamaha GP1800 WaveRunner and find it a worthy recipient of its second Watercraft of The Year award. Congratulations!
For the past decade, inventors, manufacturers and tuners have been busily tooling on electric personal watercraft concepts. The closest production-ready unit we’ve seen thus far has been the Free Form Gratis that mysteriously went silent after the company was purchased by Utah-based Nikola. Now, Hungarian-based Narke has just announced that it’s ridiculously narwhal-shaped ElectroJet is not only production-ready, but is accepting pre-orders with deliveries ready for Spring 2019.
Featuring a huge full-color digital dash, the ElectroJet also replaces the standard safety lanyard for a wireless “Man Overboard” device. Built entirely of carbon fiber, the 13-foot, 2-inch Narkewhal is powered by a watercooled, zero-emission electric powertrain pushing the 827-pound, battery-laden runabout to a maximum speed of 34-miles-per-hour (about 11mph slower than a 60-horsepower Sea-Doo Spark 3-up). But hey, priced at $49,955 you can have all the smugness of saving the environment for waaay too much money while kids on EX’s and Trixx’s blow past you.
Here’s the official press release: After the exclusive Cannes Yachting Festival and the Genoa Boat Show, NARKE the Electrojet® was launched at Europe’s leading luxury event, the Masters of LXRY, held in Amsterdam on 6-10 December 2018. Among the many high-end exhibitors, NARKE is not only a new statement in the world of personal watercrafts, it revolutionizes the way we look at green mobility.
NARKE is a masterpiece of 21st-century naval architecture, its elegant design is combined with a powerful look. Made of carbon fiber and equipped with high-tech electronics, NARKE was designed for maximum endurance and top performance in terms of maneuverability. This brand-new generation of watercrafts sails silently at a speed of 55 km/h and easily tows a wakeboard.
NARKE is equipped with a unique, water cooled electric motor that is matched to the jet propulsion, has a state-of-the-art battery management system and a high brightness color display with phone connectivity for smart functions. NARKE also uses a wireless Man Over Board system that is much more convenient than the standard Lanyard ones. Moreover, for easy low speed maneuvering, every vessel is fitted with an electronic brake and reverse system.
Whether you are out on water alone or with your family and friends, NARKE guarantees 100 percent pleasure and safety, and 0 percent pollutant emissions thanks to its electric drive. You can thus enjoy NARKE on any water, let it be a protected lake or the sea.
Developed and manufactured in Hungary, NARKE is now under series production and can be preordered from February 2019. The first pieces will be handed over as of Spring 2019.
NARKE in numbers: Length: 4,02m Width: 1,2m Dry weight: from 375kg Power: 45kW Battery capacity: 24kWh Maximum capacity: 3 person or 225kg Operating time per charge: up to 1,5h Charging time: 80% in 2h (with optional fast charger) Price: from 44,000€
The results are coming in hot from Pattaya, Thailand and the annual King’s Cup. The big news is of course, all of the American competitors who are coming home holding championship gold. And in this instance, Hydro-Turf’s favorite son, Mark Gomez shook off the rust and absolutely wowed audiences with a flawless Pro Freestyle routine.
Gomez wrote: “I have kept my head down working hard with my team to dial in my equipment and catch back up to speed over the last two days. Jet ski’s don’t seem to like traveling so far away without giving you some sort of grief. Besides that, it’s been over a month since I practiced flatwater freestyle to focus on the freeride championships in Japan. The competition field here is aggressive with some big stuff getting thrown down in the challenging rough water. I dug in and laid down the most clean and technical run as I could, incorporating variation, trick count and variety that earned the top spot!”
In the final moto, Gomez executed a flatwater routine that not only masterfully displayed moves that were Pro-level tricks in Freeride competitions only a couple of years ago, but also bested fellow Hydro-Turf athlete, Tanner Thomas who came in 4th to Gomez once the dust settled. To the victor goes the spoils (as well as a big fat check), so congrats to Mark! See him in action HERE:
“Coo! Coo! Coo! I’m in hot pursuit!” cried Hazzard County’s fumbling Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane when ever he’d radio headquarters while chasing the General Lee. The same sadly, can be said for London police who gave chase to four jet skiers down the famous River Thames this past August.
The Metropolitan Police boat was first spotted at 6:30pm on Friday, August 3rd, speeding after the four watercraft traveling from Greenwich to Canary Wharf. According to a report in The Independent, “Scotland Yard said it was ‘able to make them change their course’, but eventually called off the chase citing health and safety concerns.”
Leigh Jackson, an onlooker to the high speed chase, watched part of the chase, “You often do see police boats coming up and down here patrolling, but you don’t often see them engaged in a chase,” he said, continuing, “Then 15 minutes later they came back the opposite way, again being chased.”
Witnesses feared the jet skis would collide with other river traffic. PWC are not allowed upstream of the Thames Barrier, to the east of where the pursuit took place. These two factors gave Metropolitan police further reason to pursue the skiers.
A spokeswoman for Metro told The Independent: “The jet skis were approaching central London and the Marine Policing Unit were able to make them change their course. Following this the decision was taken to no longer pursue the jet skis for safety reasons.”
In easily one of the most dramatic face-offs at this year’s King’s Cup, Christian Daly won the Pro Sport GP World Cup against fellow American and 20-plus-time World Champion Chris MacCluggage. After acing the first two motos on Saturday, Daly held a 14 point advantage over Macc when they lined up for Sunday’s final moto.
According to a report in Constant Contact, “half way around the first lap, Daly’s boat suffered an electrical failure and dropped a cylinder. MacCluggage went on to win with Daly finishing in a distant 3rd place. Daly’s lead going into the final deciding moto was now only 2 points. The final moto would be winner take all between the two Americans.”
“I couldn’t believe that a coil failed! And at the worst possible time!” said Daly. “I looked over at TJ on the beach (engine builder, Tim Judge) and he was saying just keep going, by waving his hands. By sheer chance I brought an old coil as a spare and TJ fitted it for the final.”
“I knew I had to be perfect at the start. I could see him right behind me in the early laps and then he disappeared,” commented Daly. Both Daly and Macc battled for the first four laps when MacCluggage suddenly suffered a driveshaft failure, handing over the $15,000 first place prize and the prestigious Kings Cup to Daly.
“What a day! What a year! It was a proud moment for me to hear the American National anthem on the podium,” beamed Daly. Of course, Daly has much to celebrate, who now is a three time world champion of Closed Course Sprint racing, and Pro Rookie of the Year in P1AquaX Enduros.
Lativia’s Krista Uzare, Emma-Nellie Ortendahal, the defending champion from Sweden, and Estonia’s Katriin Nilbe are the ones who are in the hunt for the title.
Uzare has a nine point lead over Orentendahl. Both produced excellent motos in Gallipoli where Uzare grabbed her first UIM-ABP moto and GP win. She and Orentendahl fought to the finish again in Olbia where Uzare came out the victor. Nillbe entered into the mix by picking up her first moto win.
With 75 points on offer at the upcoming Grand Prix in Khalid Lagoon, Nillibe has her work cut for out for her because she trails Uzare by 23 points.
Britain’s Mollie Fearn would like nothing more than to play spoiler in Orentendahl’s attempt at a trifecta at the Grand Prix. Fearn has had a solid inaugural season on the UIM-ABP tour with her best being a third in moto and placing fourth overall in Olbia. We can’t count out Estonia’s Jasmin Yprause who has six top six finishes.
Sofie Borgstrom is also another woman in search of a good finish. She picked up a third and fourth overall finish in Gallipoli, her best results to date in moto and GP. Jonna Borgstrom is hoping for a good result after coming back from a crash in Sharjeh last year, which resulted in a broken arm.
Uzare and Nillbe each have their eyes on their first UIM-ABP world titles and they will be ready to throw down the gauntlet. However, the two will have to really bring it in order to take down Orendahl. She wants to remain unbeaten on the circuit and is up for the challenge against Uzare and Nillbe. This is going to be one heck of a competition!
P1 AquaX news’s latest article pertaining to ratings, states that American rider Eric Francis continues to dominate the number one spot on the leaderboard. P1 AquaX, the international personal watercraft promotor announced the updated world ratings at its USA Annual Awards Ceremony held in Daytona Beach.
The P1 AquaX World Rankings began in 2014 and are based on the riders with most consistency and talent. Standings are disclosed every three months and are calculated by using two years of previous race results, the latest results being the most relevant. The most recent results spotlight riders who are in the best form along with other significant factors such as how many competitors raced, water conditions, the level of race class, and who raced.
Francis was hailed as national champion at the final event in Fort Lauderdale in November. Brian Baldwin, Chris MaClugage, Eminio Iantosca, and Chris Saxon round out the top five riders for the USA.
Longtime rider, Eric Lagopoulous entered the top ten after the Englishman Joe Harvey dropped down to eighth place. French rider Thomas Favolini climbed 3 places to make his way into sixth. He is also the EuroTour champion in AquaX Pro Enduro. Sophie Francis is the highest ranked female rider, sitting in 18th during her first season as a pro. Christian Daly, 13th was named ‘Rookie of the Year’.
Lisa Barsby, Global Head of P1 AquaX said, “With over 250 AquaX riders having appeared in the World Rankings over the past 5 years, they have become a major talking point in the sport. Eric is no stranger to heading up the rankings and P1 AquaX is delighted to have attracted so many world class racers to our series. The next announcement will be our 2019 international race calendar which will see us race on three continents.”
Sea-Doo 2018-2019 RXT/GTX 230 Parts Applications. This is for new 18+ models with ST3 hull.
This new tour is said to bring a different aspect to the Pro Watercross lineup of events with an expected record level of attendees to each event. The tour is expected to draw anywhere between 300 and 500 people to each of the events.
