“Sometimes, you just need to move on.” That seems to be the message coming out of today’s news. In a report first broken by Vasilis Moraitis’ JetSkiWorld blog, R&D Performance Products will be closing its doors this September 27th. For many insiders who asked to remain anonymous, the news was a not-so-shocking revelation given several factors, the primary being the surmounting cost of doing business – particularly in the way of foundries and aluminum casting – in California.
In the report, a statement was issued thanking all of those loyal customers and racers for continuing to put R&D’s products atop podiums for over 30 years. Interestingly, rather than naming the change a “closure,” R&D’s President Glenn Dickinson called it a “semi-retirement,” hinting at possible future endeavors for the team. R&D came from a partnership between Dickinson and former Performance Jet Ski (PJS) technician Bill Chapin.
With Chapin mainly overseeing the testing and development of new products out of his home in Lake Havasu City, AZ, and Dickinson tackling the manufacturing, machining and handling of the products out of their Santa Fe Springs, CA location, R&D Performance (or “R&D Racing Products” as Glenn writes in his letter) built a reputation for being a pioneer in handling and top end PWC performance. R&D’s sponsorship was also instrumental getting the Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 launched.
In the press release issued earlier today, R&D Performance wrote: It is with sincere regret we inform you that, as of September 27, 2018, R&D Racing Products has decided to close its doors. All available products on order will ship until the final day. It is our upmost priority to inform you about this decision as you are one of our most regarded customers. R&D Racing Products has been a front runner in the watercraft industry for over 30 years, and we are extremely proud of what we have accomplished during that time. We could not be more thankful to those of you who have believed in us and contributed to our success over the years. As our industry has evolved, we look forward to a semi-retirement and the possibility of exciting new endeavors. It has been a great pleasure doing business with you and we thank you for your patronage.
Freeride is finally beginning to earn the respect it so rightly deserves. Easily the greatest blend of athleticism, mechanical mastery and surf riding skill, freeride is the apex of jet skiing in the surf. Both man and machine must be honed to its utmost limit, and it shows. For 2018, the Monster Energy Freeride Series was an opportunity for a far wider audience to bask in the glory that is professional freeride, and it paid off kingly. This year, Mexican athlete Abraham “Ho” Hochstrasser took the championship held in El Palmar Beach in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo.
The original news release from Monster Energy is below: Mexican athlete Abraham Hochstrasser took first place at the Monster Energy Freeride Series. This was the third stop of the Jet Ski Freeride World Championship where twenty of the world’s best Jet Ski Freeriders gathered at El Palmar beach in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Guerrero. During the three days of competition, judges weighed 50% of the score on surfing and the remaining 50% on aerial tricks and their variations.
Hochstrasser faced current world champion Mark Gomez in the semifinals where he stunned the fans and the judges after nailing a double back flip in the final three seconds of the heat. This was the first double back flip landed in a Freeride competition, securing his spot in the final round with a trick that had never been seen before in an International Freeride Waterfront Association competition.
“It was tough. I got in the bracket with two very good athletes that are competing at the best level right now. I knew that in order to beat Mark I had to do something different and, for the first time ever, I landed a double backflip, something that no one has ever landed in competition”, said Hochstrasser happily, “It was all or nothing.”
Hochstrasser faced French rider Hugo Goirre in the final. These guys left it all out there during the final heat that displayed monstrous tricks such as 360 Off Axis, extended Flex Flip and huge airs.
Hochstrasser knew he had locked in first place after the historical show he put on. Hugo Goirre, from France, and Mark Gomez from the United States got second and third place respectively. With this victory, Hochstrasser is now ranked second in the World Championship rankings, just four points behind first place Gomez. The next stage of the competition will take place in Oregon, US and Japan will follow with the last stop of the Freeride Championship.
Regarding this year’s Monster Energy Freeride Series, Abraham said: “All riders had a great time. I want to thank Monster Energy and the State Secretary of Tourism for their trust and sponsorship of the event, one of the best in the world.”
Hydro-Turf have several styles and colors of their grippy “B” sheet mats on sale. These are closeout specials and Hydro-Turf is letting them go at great prices. Though, the “B” sheets may have imperfections, they still have the same hold and grip as other Hydro-Turf mats.
The Molded Diamond “B” Stock are considered Hydro-Turf’s most aggressive and durable material. The sheets have naturally occurring air bubbles and holes due to the fact that they are made up of molded EVA. The sheets are available in gray, white, dark gray, royal blue, red, and lime green. Add 3M self-adhesive for $30. It adheres well to fiberglass, paint, and metal surfaces and provides a strong bond. The Molded Diamond “B” stock comes in two sizes; 45” x 84” and 40” x 62”.
The 2-Tone Wide Groove “B” Stock with PSA is also available. It comes in sheets of 47”x 86” in Brown on Black. These sheets are great for coating fiberglass, paint, and metal. The 2-Tone Wide Groove sheets cost $99, which is a markdown of $40.
In search of sheets Hydro-Turf sheets for your duck hunting boat? Grab some “B” sheets of Swamp Camo or Gator Skin. Both are on marked down to $59 for 47” x 86”.
The last closeout mat is the Black 3mm Grooved style. It’s a thinner sheet of Hydro-Turf with standard brushing. The sheets are 45” x 84”, making them perfect for SUP and surf applications. Add 3m self-adhesive for an additional $40 to provide a strong, fast and clean application to fiberglass and painted surfaces. Let the crew at Hydro-Turf know if your board is plastic so they can provide you with the proper adhesive.
One last item of note is that if the color of mat you choose has an asterisk next to it, this denotes that the color will fade and the Hydro-Turf warranty doesn’t cover fading. If you have questions about Hydro-Turf products, give the staff a call at 714.635.6350.
Everybody in every class of jet ski racing and performance has been howling at the top of their lungs, “We need to get the youth back into the sport!” but more often than not, the industry itself has gravitated away from getting kids stoked on PWC. Thankfully, with Rick Roy’s junior sized hulls, and recent demonstrations by Taylor Curtis’ son masterfully executing tricks for all the world to see, the idea of a junior class of freestyle riders has just become a reality.
Recently, the IJSBA announced that a first-time ever Junior Freestyle class will be added to the 2018 Blowsion World Finals. Riders aged 9-12 will be invited to test their mettle on the water during the Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday freestyle sessions. Each competitor will be given 60 seconds to strut their stuff; all of us can’t wait to welcome these little groms to the World Finals.
Here’s the original press release from the IJSBA: IJSBA is announcing that there are plans to add a first ever Junior Freestyle Class to the 2018 Blowsion World Finals. Present[ed] by Rick Roy Products, the class will bring 6 Junior competitors from ages 9-13 to open up for Pro Freestyle on Junior sized hulls. Competitors will need to be World Finals eligible and to be available on Saturday, Saturday Night, and Sunday. Competition times will be 60 seconds for each competitor. Please watch IJSBA.com this week for full details. If you have a Junior aged competitor interested in Freestyle, please email [email protected].
This year marked the 9th year that Charleston, WV hosted the Pro Watercross National Championship race. The locals call the event “SportsFEST,” which includes the PWC racing, Pro EVP Volleyball and Grappling, all on Magic Island. With a long history like that, there needs to be a local person to spearhead such a task. Enter, Trey Frame of Hidden Trails Motorsports, who has been involved since the very beginning.
Frame told us, “As a racer for many years, I wanted to set this event apart from all other races in the US. The way to do that is to make sure it’s the highest payout race in the US. So, for the last 9 years, we’ve raised local sponsorship and put it all in a ‘pot’ and added it to the Pro Watercross Tour payout like a bonus purse for this particular event. I believe this year had a $15,000 purse just for this one event. This has worked out really well over the years and I think the racers appreciate the effort.”
This year, a broken retaining pond plus abundant rain ended racing abruptly on Saturday, right after Moto 1 of the Pro Show. The plan was to get all 3 motos of Pro and Junior classes finished on Saturday, plus one moto of Amateur racing. Unfortunately, AJ Handler (CEO of Pro Watercross) received a call early afternoon from the Fire Department alerting him that a retaining pond had given way. He was told to brace for a 6-8 foot increase in the water level!
Handler told us safety was his number one concern, so they called a riders meeting around 4pm telling the riders we were done for the day. It was obvious to everyone that this was the right call. There was loads of debris going down the river, water was rising so fast it was moving the buoys on the course all over the place, and the starting line and towers were starting to disappear under water.
Hats off to the staff of Pro Watercross for getting in all the remaining forty-seven motos completed on Sunday. The race director, Scott Hyke, was on site at 5am Sunday morning assessing the situation to get racing started as soon as possible. Luckily, this wasn’t Handler’s first rodeo, either. He’s been putting on events like this for many years and told us that he’s fit in 53 motos in one day before, so he knew it’d be possible to fit all the races in on Sunday. Handler told us they finished all racing by 3pm and is very thankful to his staff for making everything happen swiftly.
In Pro-Am Ski Stock, Jimmy Wilson battled back Callaway Turner and Justin Treder to take the weekend’s win as well as earn enough points throughout the culmination of the National Tour to make him the National Champion. While racing the three motos resulted in Dustin Motzouris claiming the weekend in Pro-Am Ski GP over Jimmy Wilson and Mike Klippenstein, the points total for the year resulted in Wilson grabbing a second championship for the GP class. A similar shakeup occurred in the Pro-Am Runabout Box Stock class, and Troy Snyder earned top billing for the weekend but resulted in Brian Baldwin fetching the National Championship.
Equally, Baldwin tallied enough points to grab the championship in Pro-Am Runabout GP over the year, while Jeff Dyckowski bested Baldwin and Dylan Osborn in Charleston. For the pros in Sport GP, it was Christian Daly who bested Michael Osborne and Sam Nehme for the podium win, but Nehme who had earned the necessary points to push him above the rest for the National Championship. Yet, it was none other than Ryan Doberstein who swept both the weekend’s podium and the National Championship in Pro Freestyle.
The Watercraft Journal asked Trey Frame about the challenges they face at an event like this. He explained, “Obviously this is a unique event, being on a river, and a lot of work goes in to making this happen. Everything from working with Bill Barr with Amherst (the local barge industry) rescheduling their operations around this event and river closures, to working with local sponsors like Rumble Ready Mix for gravel for the launch area and Rodney Loftis who donate labor and equipment to dress up the race launch area. This year we brought in 100 tons of gravel and I was told by several racers it was the best launching they’ve had. Although there are always potential issues with racing on a river, like weather and this year we had several days of rain which causes the river to have a lot of debris sometimes, but I was glad to see all the racing finished out.”
We asked Frame who else needs a special mention for making our Pro Watercross National Championship event happen. He told us, “Obviously we need to thank the City of Charleston for hosting and believing in this event and all the local sponsors who donate either time, equipment or prize money. Samantha Carney has helped me from the beginning and is always there for me to get things done to help showcase this event. As far as recognizing the local sponsors, this event couldn’t work without the support of Amherst, Rodney Loftis, Rumble Ready Mix, Sunbelt Rentals, Hidden Trails, Daniels Electric, Inc., J-Class Collision, Bossie Electric, Marty’s Tire, The Paint Store, M&L Electric, Retina Consultants, Summit Bank, AOMC.mx and Elco Mechanical.
“We’d also like to thank US Senator Joe Manchin III for stopping by and checking out the action on Sunday. When this event first started 9 years ago, we called it the Governors’ Cup. It was named after Joe Manchin III, who has since become a US Senator. Senator Manchin is a huge watersports enthusiast and it was really cool for him to take time out of his busy schedule to stop by and support the event,” Frame continued. Next stop, we’ll see everyone at Naples, FL to celebrate the Pro Watercross World Championship which starts with Hydroflight and SUPcross on October 26 and finishes with Watercross from Nov 1-4th.
It was just a matter of time. The hulking weight of the as-is Kawasaki SX-R 1500 just makes the ski a behemoth – and in many instances, a dangerous battering ram of momentum. So when we heard that Wamilton’s developed a very special, lightweight (12 pounds) hood for the new JetSki, we wanted to check it out. Wamilton Teixeira is a legend in the watercraft industry all over the world, and for good reason. The custom hull and fiberglass shaper has been modifying and forming unique shapes for the PWC world for decades now.
That’s why owners of the Kawasaki SX-R 1500 are so (rightfully) excited. The hand laid “special secret formula” fiberglass used for this ultra-light hood shaves considerable weight off of the factory hood (26.5 pounds), and is also ergonomically redesigned to permit for improved engine breathing, meaning a cooler, denser intake charge effectively increasing overall performance.
In a recent Facebook post, Wamilton’s wrote: Perfect fit on the new 4 stroke 1500cc fire breather four cylinder engine, more air more performance, this hood for sale is white, come with the seal installed, and the unmistakable Wamilton’s craftsmanship and perfect fit, the hood weight 12 pounds, don’t be left behind at the starting line, almost 15 pound lighter than stock, and yes that’s the Mac Attack testing the hood for us in the pic, 30 times plus world champion, you know you are getting quality when you are getting a Wamilton’s product, available in black upon request.
The Watercraft Journal started chatting with former Nashville, TN local Evan Lemons recently who let us know about a trip he and a group of friends just took from Miami, FL to the Bimini Islands, which is one of most common “bucket list” rides for many hardcore PWC enthusiasts. He explained:
“I moved to Navarre, FL in 2016 and wanted more than anything to make a trip to the Bahamas. We spoke about it a bunch when I founded the Nashville PWC club years before. I could never get the timing or the commitment from my fellow riders. Once I moved to Florida’s Gulf Coast I joined a group called Panhandle PWC where I met some good friends and riders. After spending a few months asking around on who has or would be willing to make a trip to the Bahamas, I met a guy on a river ride in early summer of 2017 who invited me on there trip. We started planning right away on an adventure of a lifetime.
“Going through the fall and winter months I was buying gear, getting passports for my wife and I, prepping the skis and making reservations. We decided that April 26th was our crossing date. We drove down to Miami on the morning of April 25th, 2018. We launched from Crandon Park out of Miami headed towards Bimini. We made the 60-mile crossing while the girls flew on Tropic Ocean airways. We arrived with good weather and and big smiles. We spent roughly 7 days and 8 nights in Bimini at the Resorts World where all the 20-something jet ski riders and family rented individual condos.
“We played on the water and rode 20 miles offshore to Great Isaac Cay for the 152-foot abandoned lighthouse where we explored, free dove and had lunch. Another day we went over to Gun Cay where Honeymoon Harbor is to feed to stingrays and lemon sharks. We went to the SS Sapona, a WW1 concrete ship that’s ran aground and is a popular spot for boaters and skis alike to visit and snorkel. The rest of the week we road around and cruised the pristine blue waters of the Bahamas and found plane wrecks and mangroves to zip through. We checked out the famous Shark Lab that was featured on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week where we got to learn about their research.
“After several days of conch fritters, salt water and sunburns, we decided it was time to make our way home. Weather was calling for 3-5 foot seas. Once we reached the gulf stream we were in 3-to-5 footers, but that didn’t last long. It turned rough really quick where the waves become 14-to-18 foot seas and we took the beating of our life. Our wives were coming right behind us on the sea plane from Tropic Ocean Airways. Little did they know that half our GPS equipment was out and we were having a hard ride home. It took us being 8 miles off of the Miami Coast to see land. I submarined my ski so many times I thought I water logged it.
“Once I crept up to the boat ramp we are able to relax. After pulling our skis out, the other groups rolled in behind us; they had it just as bad. I called out to Customs Office to check in when we arrived back to the States and they told us we were crazy for running that trip today let alone in jet skis. We headed off to the sea plane base to grab the wives and headed home. It was the longest 11 hour drive ever. But with lasting memories and some of the coolest people I could’ve asked to spend my vacation with, I couldn’t have been happier. I guess you may ask would I cross the Gulf Stream again with those waves to see paradise again ? Without hesitation. I have a huge thanks to the people who allowed us to join them on there annual trip where I made lasting friendships.”
For anyone paying close attention to the boating market, they will have seen that pontoon boats are without a doubt, the single most popular segment today. Pontoon sales have eclipsed all other markets (in many cases many times over) and show zero signs of slowing down. Clearly wanting a healthy slice of that pie, BRP recently completed the acquisition of Triton Industries, Inc., including its Manitou brand of pontoon boats.
The purchase squarely sets BRP back in the mix of the boating market, as well as gives its Evinrude outboard engine brand a very stable platform from which to shine. The offerings from Manitou are notably more luxurious than your run-of-the-mill family pontoon, and offer features that you’d only expect from a top-of-the-line brand. Now, BRP notably sold off its jet-powered boat line back in 2012 to the then newly-acquired and relocated Scarab brand, which has since grown the lineup to include 12 models.
Here’s the original press release: Valcourt, Quebec, August 29, 2018 – BRP (TSX:DOO) announced today that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Triton Industries, Inc., the leading North American manufacturer of premium luxury and performance pontoon boats under the Manitou brand.
As the second boat acquisition complementing the existing outboard engine portfolio, Manitou’s addition to BRP’s Marine Group further solidifies the company’s position in the marine industry. BRP’s goal is to continue, over time, to transform the customer experience, drive opportunities for dealers, provide overall efficiencies to the new BRP Marine Group and bring innovation to the marine industry.
This acquisition will allow BRP and its Marine Group to leverage Manitou’s strong brand, high quality pontoons and recognized technology that have driven its growth and success as one of the preeminent pontoon manufacturers in the U.S.
Krash Industries team rider, Tom Scaccianoce (Scatch) is well known for his no holds barred freeriding stand up jet ski riding. This begs the question of what an adrenaline filled guy like Scatch does when the ocean is flat? Well,it appears that sometimes he likes to take his Yellow Lab, Beamer out riding when down at the Krash Factory testing the new KV complete skis. Scatch says the skis are awesome.
Beamer seems to think they’re awesome too! Beamer enjoys hitting the water and testing the jet skis with his “dad”. Check out this fun little video of Scatch and Beamer having a good time while cruising on a sunny day in Cape May, New Jersey. We really dig it!
We also enjoy watching Scatch throw down on a Krash Industries jet ski. The man has mad skills. When he hits the water, it’s time to stop what you’re doing and check out what he’s doing. Scatch also judges some jet ski events. Though, he’s all about the freeriding and winning when he pulls the biggest and sickest back flips. He’s an animal!
Tooling around with Beamer is a far cry from an upside down and boosting Scatch. We’ve grown accustomed to watching him pull huge tricks on his Krash Industries stand up jet ski. Scatch is a total free riding bad ass and we appreciate his style of riding. The dude is fearless. Check out his Instagram for more gnarly footage and a peek into the life of Tom Scaccianoce. Scatch and Beamer are definitely living the dream.
Anybody who has been paying close attention to our ongoing YouTube bimonthly show, “Long Haul” will have noticed that I typically don the same front-entry black Slippery Switch Molded vest. Not only is it super comfortable, smartly molded and well-built, but it also looks really cool – and that’s something that most folks can’t say about a life vest. You just feel like Batman wearing the dang thing (no matter how out of shape you are). Alas, Slippery discontinued the Switch a couple of years ago, and with it countless dad’s dreams of looking like the caped crusader.
So when The Watercraft Journal welcomed Slippery Wetsuits on as an official sponsor for Long Haul, we were provided quite a bit new gear to try out and show off on camera. One of those was Slippery’s new Array Side Entry Neo vest. A tad more flashy than our usual taste, the red-and-silver faux camouflage pattern is also available in yellow-and-blue (ideal for you Yamaha or Sea-Doo racers) and bright green-and-charcoal for the Kawasaki guys. Also adding to our initial hesitation towards the new Array Neo vest was its side-entry design.
Typically, side-entries are more racer-oriented and less geared for the leisurely or casual rider looking for both comfort and breathability. We’ve reviewed several side-entry vests here at The Watercraft Journal and have found them to range from “usable” all the way to “two sheets of plywood stitched together with backpack-grade canvas.” Yet, knowing that Slippery consistently uses the best materials and prides itself on superior molds, we slipped on the Array Neo and didn’t look back too longingly at our old Switch vest. Immediately we noticed that the Array was cut very different from previous side-entries, and were surprised at how open and spacious the neck and armholes were.
In fact, the range of motion provided by the Array Neo is superior to most vests (front and side-entry) that we’ve tested in our 5 years of publishing product and riding gear reviews. Slippery smartly broke up the PVC inner foam into smaller sections, hinging the panels to give the utmost in flexibility. Interestingly, much of the flotation foam has been relocated around the abdomen. At first blush it might feel like you’ve suddenly packed on a few extra pounds, but what you’ll see is that the back and chest are now open to breathe and move much more freely. Side-to-side motion is also a lot more open as the stretchy interior permits more natural movement.
Unlike nylon or other neoprene vests, Slippery uses soft knit fabric for all skin-contacting interior panels with neoprene exterior for comfort and mobility. Featuring an integrated belt system with two 1 1/2-inch belts with quick-lock buckles that are hidden inside the outer casing, and a thick, coated full zip side opening, the vest is smartly secured and easily removed (no more wriggling out of a clingy wet vest). And not to worry, the deceptively thin Array Neo vest is a 100-percent US Coast Guard-approved Type 3 PFD (Personal Flotation Device) in case your local lake patrol are sticklers for that sort of thing. Although relatively frills free, it does also include a durable D-ring for connecting a lanyard.
After a few months’ use, we noticed that the buckles were rubbing a black smudge onto the bright red neoprene material. Even with a few soaks in a bath of JetRenu soap the markings didn’t vanish. We also noted that the laminated coating on the front and rear panels were beginning to discolor at a faster rate than the uncoated surfaces. Again, we typically prefer more subdued hues for our riding gear, so the difference in reds stood out to our eyes. Nevertheless, the Array Side-Entry Neo vest from Slippery Wetsuits (retain $99.95 – available at RIVA Racing for $89.95) was a definite pleasant surprise. For those who disdain having the front buckles, this is the side-entry that will actually let you freely move, breathe comfortably and not feel like you’re wearing a sandwich board.
