It’s there’s an open body of water, it’s ripe for racing. And that’s pretty much how the good folks at the AJSA (American Jet Sport Association) are viewing things this summer. Kicking off it’s first ever PWC Sprint Racing event at Chest Frost Park just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee; racers are welcome to open practice on Saturday, May 10th and “elbow-to-elbow” racing on Sunday, May 11th. And if you’re new, they’ll be hosting a “log jump orientation” on Friday.
Since this event is AJSA sanctioned, it will require a valid 2025 AJSA Membership or a weekend pass, available for sale through the website on on-site (don’t worry, they won’t leave you hanging). Additionally, camping is available for $35 a night. For those looking to “rough it,” Chester Frost Park does allow tents, pop up campers etc, so this is “Camping”, not the standard “Overnight Pitting” policy. Chester Frost Park is located at 2277 Gold Point Circle, Hixson, TN 37343.
Here’s the original Facebook post: Come experience the first ever PWC Sprint Racing in Chattanooga, TN May 9-11, 2025!
Norwegian 19-year-old Benedicte Drange cannot be stopped. After claiming the UIM-ABP Aquabike European Continental Champion in the Ski Ladies GP1 category, Drange is setting her sights on bigger and brighter championships. Entering into the fray in 2021, the Ski Ladies competitor has earned herself an array of podium finishes and near-points-wins that places Drange in the running for dominance in 2025.
According to UIM, Drange looks to be the biggest threat in 2025’s Ski Ladies GP1 category, stating: Since that first foray into the World Championship at the Grand Prix of Kuwait four years ago, where she finished fourth overall in each of the Motos, Drange’s progress has been remarkable.
They continue: She finished sixth in the World Championship the following year, with five consistent Moto finishes and one retirement and then went one better by ending 2023 in fifth position after six Motos in Sardinia and Indonesia – the highlight being a podium finish in the third of the Motos on Lake Toba.
After a brutal 9-moto marathon over three venues, Drange beat out her Swedish rival Sofie Borgström to earn last year’s European Championship. Drange is an example of determination, discipline and dogged toughness that inspires other youth and young women to compete in the hyper-competitive GP1 class.
Here’s the original press release: Benedicte Drange may only be 19-year-old but the talented Norwegian has already been crowned as the UIM-ABP Aquabike European Continental Champion in the Ski Ladies GP1 category.
The girl from Bergen began racing in the UIM-ABP series in 2021 and has quickly established herself as one of the leading lights in the highly-competitive Ski Ladies category.
Last year’s European Championship was fought out over nine Motos at three racing venues in Hungary, France and Portugal and Drange was the model of consistency with nine heat finishes to her name and a 20-point winning margin over Swedish rival Sofie Borgström.
Her European title campaign got off to a strong start in Győr, despite being pipped to the Grand Prix win by Jasmiin Ypraus. Drange finished second in the opening two Motos and then won Moto 3. She was again narrowly edged to the post by Ypraus in Vichy but came away from the race weekend on the Allier River with a Moto win and a pair of second places.
With Ypraus missing the final round in Mira, Drange had to stay in front of Borgström to secure the title. The Norwegian won the opening two Motos and a finish in Moto 3 was enough to win the championship.
Drange finished with the bronze medal in the UIM-ABP Aquabike Circuit Pro World Championship behind Ypraus and the outgoing champion Jessica Chavanne. But she grew stronger as the season progressed and finished third in each of the last three Motos in Indonesia to give her the confidence to step up to another level in 2025.
Since that first foray into the World Championship at the Grand Prix of Kuwait four years ago, where she finished fourth overall in each of the Motos, Drange’s progress has been remarkable. She finished sixth in the World Championship the following year, with five consistent Moto finishes and one retirement and then went one better by ending 2023 in fifth position after six Motos in Sardinia and Indonesia – the highlight being a podium finish in the third of the Motos on Lake Toba.
In addition to winning last year’s European Championship, Drange also finished as runner-up behind Ypraus in the World Slalom Championship.
That valuable experience gained over the last few seasons will stand her in good stead for a 2025 season with the European Championship heading to Poland at the end of May and the World Championship contenders travelling to spectacular volcanic Lake Toba in August.
In a recent feature forClub Marine TV, Jeff McNiven provides a clear and practical walkthrough of how to safely and effectively use a personal watercraft PWC like the Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 for tow sports. Filmed on the Gold Coast, the segment offers essential tips for anyone towing kids, family, or friends on waterskis, wakeboards, tubes, or other towables.
McNiven begins with the basics of setting up your PWC for towing, highlighting the retractable ski pole accessory designed specifically for lighter tow sports. This elevated tow point improves line control and reduces drag for activities like waterskiing and wakeboarding. For heavier towables, he discusses alternative attachment points and stresses the importance of following the PWC’s weight and towing guidelines.
He offers detailed advice on rope selection, recommending brightly colored, durable ski ropes. These not only improve visibility but also help prevent the rope from entering the jet unit—an essential safety consideration. McNiven also explains proper knot types and secure connection techniques, ensuring riders can enjoy tow sports with confidence.
Safety takes center stage throughout the guide. McNiven emphasizes the legal and practical necessity of having an observer onboard. The observer’s role is twofold: maintaining visual contact with the rider and managing the rope to avoid entanglement or slack-related hazards.
He also outlines essential hand signals for clear communication between the driver, observer, and rider—ensuring everyone stays informed and responsive. Finally, McNiven urges viewers to be aware of environmental hazards like logs, sandbanks, and buoys, and to always follow the boating rules and regulations specific to their state.
Be sure to check out the full video here while you get ready to enjoy this summer’s towable PWC fun!
PWC shopping, just like most major purchases, is a matter of checklists and compromises. You go into the process with your list of “must haves,” a few “sure would be nice” features and, of course, the couple items tacked on the bottom of the list that are pretty much “fat chance, but sure would be nice” additions. And you cart that list around with you, whether mentally or physically, as you browse through manufacturer ads and store brochures and a few showroom floors, and you try to find the model that comes closest to your checklist, most often marking through those lower items, compromising a wish-list mentality for reality, practicality and availability.
But let’s face it – we all start out with that “my perfect ski” list.
Working in what I can only assume looks something like Santa’s workshop (minus the snow, plus some Florida sunshine) RIVA has put together a custom dream machine that starts with a solid, performance based build, and just starts piling on the options from there.
According to the specs from RIVA, this mean machine started with an RXT-X 325 graced with custom graphics and sharp-styled anodized components, just as a starting point. Add in RIVA’s billet steering system, sponsons, and Stage 2 engine modifications, including a power filter, blow-off valve, maptuner ECU tuning and a Solas impeller.
The checklist doesn’t stop there, though. Add in a dual rear exhaust kit, a Wet Sounds audio upgrade and a custom non-slip RIVA seat cover, and what you end up with is a gorgeous beast that hits 84 MPH at 8500 RPM with incredible acceleration – and something that is sure to come close to matching a lot of those checklists from top to bottom.
Be sure to keep up with RIVA Motorsports and RIVA Racing to see more custom builds, performance products and PWC racecourse action.
It’s been unusually quiet on the IJSBA website newsfeed lately – usually at this time of year, I’ll see news releases pop up on their website on a fairly regular basis, but for several weeks now – since early March actually – its been a case of “all quiet on the western (Arizona) front.”
That changed today though, as a press release from IJSBA Executive Director Scott Frazier not only broke the silence, but rustled up some spirited conversations as the news was punted around Facebook a time or two.
According to Frazier’s post, IJSBA is looking for comments from the public at large about a proposed change to the Sport Spec rules.
“A considerable amount of correspondence has been received over the last two weeks requesting that a specific section of the rules is reviewed due to the outdated language allowing modern product technology to push performance levels well beyond what was anticipated by the creation of the class,” Frazier stated. “Specifically, allowing an aftermarket ignition module that does not restrict the timing curve.”
Frazier has allowed a limited time for input from racers and other interested parties, with the deadline for comments set for next Monday, April 28, at noon (PST). Comments should be submitted to [email protected].
You can read the full release from IJSBA below:
IJSBA is soliciting public comment on a potential amendment to the Sport Spec rules. A considerable amount of correspondence has been received over the last two weeks requesting that a specific section of the rules is reviewed due to the outdated language allowing modern product technology to push performance levels well beyond what was anticipated by the creation of the class. Specifically, allowing an aftermarket ignition module that does not restrict the timing curve.
Sport Spec rules have long allowed an aftermarket ignition to be used on Yamaha watercraft subject to the restriction that the ignition system could be manually programable. However, even where the ignition could not be manually programable, the rules did not require the ignition timing curve to be the same curve as was offered on the OEM watercraft. Modern aftermarket ignitions can come with a variety of aggressive curves. Community commentary has expressed, so far, a very heavy opinion that ignition timing curves be restricted on Yamaha. Technical inspectors have commented that checking timing at post race impound would likely be a burden that bordered on disastrous.
The bulk of the public commentary expresses that it is necessary to restrict the aftermarket ignition parameters when a Yamaha watercraft utilizes 760 cylinders in the Sport Spec class. Research determines that this can only be achieved by allowing a limited assortment of options. Most specifically, commentators tend to state that the OEM 701 CDI, or a unit paired with an MSD Enhancer, is as aggressive of a timing curve that should be allowed if the goal is to avoid checking timing in impound. This is because neither the OEM CDI or the Enhancer will produce a curve outside of the expected parameters.
Please send public comment on this matter to [email protected]. Public comment will close on 4/28/25 at 12:00 Noon PST.
Yesterday, The Watercraft Journal took a bit of a detour into an offshoot PWC realm, introducing the Inkfish runabouts – electric Radio Controlled (RC) jet skis that pack a lot of fun into slightly more than 14 inches of ABS with either a Pro-version brushless motor for under $150, or the value-model brushed version for less than $100.
Today, we continue the slight detour from normal PWC coverage – but with a $249,900 difference from yesterday.
A somewhat Frankenstein-ish (albeit a more handsome Frankenstein that Shelley’s) amalgamation of Yamaha runabouts and a Polaris RZR, the Typhoon is marketed as the “first Aquatic Utility Vehicle (AUV) ever made available to motorsports enthusiasts.”
The creation of Shadow Six Racing out of Jupiter, Florida, the Typhoon features custom built reinforced carbon composite racing hulls that house twin four cylinder supercharged Yamaha GP1800 SCHO R engines. The upper portion of the Typhoon is constructed from aerospace grade titanium and carbon fiber.
Specs of the Typhoon include seating capacity of 1-3, a weight of 2,365 lbs, a 37-gallon fuel tank, a total length of nearly 11 feet (130 inches) and Bluetooth capabilities.
Of note, a quick delve into the details of Shadow Six brought three names to the forefront that many WCJ readers will be familiar with – RIVA Racing, Fuel Tech and Wamilton’s Customs.
According to the Shadow Six website, “Shadow Six Racing is a group of brilliant minds working hard together to redefine impossible by leading the evolution of the motorsport’s world. Our brand is an outreach for our passion for precision, perfection, and performance aimed at building the world’s most innovative powersports vehicles.
Shadow Six Racing was founded by CEO, Ryan Goldberg after being awarded an initial patent on an invention called the A.U.V. or Aquatic Utility Vehicle. The A.U.V. was loosely based on the concept of designing a high-performance side-by-side vehicle which could retain or exceed its driving and handling characteristics, while maintaining a fully functional FOX 3.0 active suspension system capable of tackling extreme surf conditions unlike any other vehicle on the market.
The Shadow Six Racing team began work on an initial prototype vehicle with Michael Meives, a 50 year veteran in the automotive collision repair and custom fabrication business in 2016. His custom fabrication abilities, and experience in Trophy Truck racing while residing in Arizona allowed us to prove our initial design with astonishing results. However, there was still a great deal of improvement required in meeting the engineering requirements of such a unique vehicle.
This led to enlisting in the help of Wamilton’s Customs, an internationally acclaimed custom personal watercraft manufacturer, fabricator, and leading watercraft designer since 1990. With years of experience winning numerous World racing and freestyle championships, Wamilton’s Customs is our partner in designing the world’s very best race hulls.
We know at our core that it’s always better to always try to engineer products to be lighter, faster, and stronger in any project we undertake. As a result, we’ve partnered with RaceTech Titanium in order to ensure that our vehicles are manufactured with the most consistent and uncompromising quality products available anywhere.
RaceTech Titanium offers Titanium nuts, bolts, and custom parts for all types of racing applications from mountain bikes to top fuel dragsters. They work directly with many of the biggest names in the racing industry, allows them to bring the best technology available anywhere to the Shadow Six team.
Finally, we chose RIVA Racing to handle the performance enhancement aspects of our vehicles. Today, RIVA Racing spans over six different buildings in Pompano Beach, Florida employing over 100 staff members. These buildings include departments for Research & Development (R&D), Sales & Technical Support, 2 fully staffed Parts and PWC Warehouses, International Shipping & Receiving Departments, PWC Sales, PWC Service, and Private Test Lake facility.
RIVA Racing is recognized worldwide as the premiere source for personal watercraft performance parts and accessories built with the highest quality standards in mind.
Along with their complete line of RIVA Racing PWC Performance Products & Accessories, they offer specially modified watercraft for the serious enthusiast or racer. A strong line of performance products has helped the Racing Support Team as well as many others capture numerous National & World Titles as well as a World Water Speed Record.
Racing, recreational rides, endurance, fishing, family fun – No matter what type of PWC riding you do, choosing the right PWC is key. Several factors play into that choice, but some of the most common are reliability, speed and size.
Well The Watercraft Journal has a PWC to introduce today – and it definitely has the speed; from all indications, it’s highly reliable; and the size? Well, this is where you decide if size does matter when it comes to fun.
Introducing the UDI Inkfish – a sleek two-seater runabout with a coveted feature: a self-righting hull. In emergency circumstances – say for example, you take that corner buoy with just a bit too much throttle and the ski flips belly-up – with the single press of a function key, the Inkfish automatically returns to a stable, upright position.
Of course, the Inkfish is only 14” from bow to stern, so there’s that!
The UDI Inkfish is an electric, radio-controlled (RC) jet ski that comes fully assembled and ready-to-run straight out of the box, with a detailed scale realistic Jet Ski design with a hidden propeller for added protection against elements and crashes, an anti-collision rubber strip, and a high-strength ABS shallow V-shaped hull that facilitates effortless navigation in shallow and rocky areas, mitigating the risk of collision and entanglement with underwater obstacles.
The Inkfish comes in a brushed, or “Pro” brushless model, with both versions embodying cutting-edge features and superior design for an unparalleled aquatic experience.
This high performance brushless model, with the Inca Gold on Jet Black color scheme, features a dedicated ESC and receiver, making this model perfect for those wanting peak performance while being value conscious. The integrated liquid cooling uses an inlet on the bottom and pumps the water through the ESC, then through the motor, and out the upper rear of the hull. This ensures that your electronics stay cool even through the most demanding splash sessions. Other features include the dual protection system of low battery alarm and out of range alarm, as well as a high torque 9g integrated waterproof steering servo.
The brushed model, with the neon green on charcoal color scheme, includes a sealed ESC/Gyro/Receiver combo, powerful brushed motor, and 9g waterproof servo. These are laid out cleanly within the hull allowing for better weight distribution. The brushed motor is wrapped in an alloy tubing and features an inlet port on the bottom for water cooling. The water travels through the cooling passage and exits out the top right in the rear of the hull.
Be sure to check out the AMain Hobbiesvideo that even includes a comparison run to test out speeds of the two models.Now, we at WCJ know that runabouts are not everyone’s cup of tea, so for all you sport class junkies, AMain Hobbies has you covered with the Kyosho Wave Chopper. This electric PWC was originally released in 2001, but the upgraded 2.0 model features modern RC technology and performance. A redesigned rudder, stern tube and motor mount in the 1/6th hull, and an updated rider figure are combined with the latest RC components to take this model into the next generation. Optimal torque from the G14L water cooled 550 class motor works perfectly with the large capacity Kyosho Speed House KA60-91W speed controller to deliver crisp acceleration and racy performance while reducing heat loss. Styrene floats provide buoyancy that make the hull unsinkable, even if it is not completely waterproof. The hull and rider are pre-assembled, so all you need to do is install four AA batteries into the transmitter, and charge the included NiMH battery and you’re ready to run.
(Apologies to the stand-up sector of our audience, we were unable to find any RC standups!
Kawi Performance (KP) owner Steve Ciervo is back with another KP video release, this time taking a closer look at Kawi Performance’s plug and play Speed Delimiter Module (SDM) that was released a little over a year ago.
Created for the Kawasaki Ultra 300 and 310 (2011 to 2021) the SDM removes the traction control, which is essentially the speed limitation on the 300 and 310. The SDM does not work on newer models, but is invaluable for the models that so many are still riding.
Ciervo covers the quality and the specs of the KP SDM that make it stand out against similar products – key being the plug-and-play aspect that removes the frustration of dealing with wires and wire connectors and heat-shrinking connections and all the other annoyances of non-plug-and-play options.
As he points out, the KP model is simple enough to be installed one-handed.
Additionally, the KP SDM only works when the dash is on and the key is in, so it will not drain your battery, and it’s completely waterproof, with a hard aluminum casing.
See the full details of the SDM from KP below, and be sure to follow along on one of Kawi Performances latest videos, and don’t forget to check out the other helpful productions by KP and Ciervo.
Developed to be the easiest, and safest speed limitation removal device on the market. By plugging this into your 300 or 310, it will remove all speed restrictions and traction control at full throttle. That means more speed and acceleration. This device stands out as the best in the industry due to its ease of installation and compact design. No need to pull pins out of the harness or have wires running to your battery terminals or diagnostic port. This device is hidden completely out of sight, tucked right beside your ECU. Simply unplug the ECU connector, and plug directly into our device. It’s that simple! Plug and Ride. Only works on 300/310 2011-2021
When it’s time to hit the water for some fun, the last thing you want is something slowing you down at the dock.
I’ve tried to use those cylinder-style boat fenders you can grab at your local outdoor box store, but I was really disappointed with their performance. They were heavy, hard to store on a PWC, and I was always worried they’d roll out of the way and let my ski hit the dock when the water got choppy.
The Ronin fenders are super lightweight, designed to fit Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Sea-Doo personal watercraft, come with a simple hook strap for easy attachment, and are available in black, grey, orange, and aquamarine colors. That is why the Mission Outdoor Ronin PWC fenders and PWC tethers should be a must-have in your storage compartment.
Mission Outdoor began their watersport journey in 2015, and continues to offer boating and outdoor gear that enhances your fun and enjoyment on the water. I had the pleasure of testing out a pair of the aquamarine Ronin fenders on my Yamaha FX Cruiser and was delighted by how easy and quick they were to use. After taking them out of the box, I tested out their installation in the driveway before hitting the water.
The install was so easy I had to laugh at my over-preparedness, but at least I could make the excuse that the extra practice was to gather more photo and video footage.
To install the fenders, you just hook the molded base of the fender under your bond rail and stretch the strap around the nearest attachment point, pull for some light tension, hook the strap into the provided loop points, and that’s it! No need for complicated knots or ropes.
The Ronin fender has everything you need, including a drain hole at the bottom to stop water from collecting. If you are docking up for a while, be sure to pair the Ronin fenders with their PWC tethers. The 6.5 foot tethers work just like the handy fender strap to quickly and securely tether your PWC to the dock without the hassle of a wad of rope taking up space in your storage. They even feature a bungee section for some added shock absorption on those windy and wavy days.
With a bit of on land practice and some beauty shots, it was time to hit our marina for some water testing.
Our marina’s dock has seen better days, and we usually steer clear of getting anywhere close to it. I’ve perfected leaping on and off runabouts over the years since we never get that close. We had nothing to fear with the Ronin fenders! Stephen swung around the big FX several times right up to the dock. The fenders stayed snugly attached and protected the deck from coming anywhere near the exposed wood and metal our lovely dock had to offer.
I stepped right on to the back and we were on our way. The fenders were removed in seconds. We simply unhooked the looped strap from the front and rear attachment points and pressed down slightly to remove the fender from under the bond rail. Into the front storage they went, and we were off for a carefree cruise!
The bottom line is if you want lightweight, functional, easy to use and store protection for your PWC – grab a set of Mission Outdoor Ronin fenders
and PWC tethers!
The Watercraft Journal is keeping our post short and simple today as we ask the PWC community to do what it has always done best – come together and support one of our own.
This past Sunday, officials connected with Wild West Watercross posted to social media, asking for prayers and support for Caleb Kile, who suffered injuries as a result of a crash during the weekend’s racing.
Kile, who is the series’ reigning Ski Open champion, suffered injuries including a broken femur, pelvic and sacrum fractures, and internal bleeding in different parts of his body, including his lungs. He faces multiple surgeries and a long and challenging road to recovery. Kile, a self-employed businessman, is the father to two – soon to be three – and husband to Charissa, who is a stay-at mother.
A GoFundMe account has been set up for Kile and his family to help defray the extensive medical expenses and support them during Kile’s recovery.
We at the Watercraft Journal wish Kile a speedy and complete recovery, and comfort and support for his friends, family and fellow racers.
