For those of you who feel that fiberglass repair is just too difficult, may we submit this all-mahogany, hand-crafted Honda Aquatrax F12X Turbo? Touted as being one-of-a-kind (and we’re pretty sure that the seller is right on that one), this custom ski is clearly a case of somebody having too much time on their hands. Unfortunately, the build isn’t complete, as the seller states that the build is 90-percent finished.
Amazingly enough, there’s only 18 hours of use logged on the drivetrain, so the ski itself was rather fresh before the transplant, considering. The seller had to back out of the project due to health concerns, but is happy to regale the new buyer with the long story explaining the build as well as provide a CD-ROM full of digital imagery documenting the process. Again, there’s no listed price, but offers are being considered.
Spotted in the Madison, Wisconsin Craigslist board, below is the original post and a link to the listing is here: “Mahogany Jet Ski. One of a kind. With All Honda Aquatrax drivetrain 165 hp Turbo. 90% finished. Under 18 hours on the drive train. Lots invested. Interesting story on it’s conception and build. New Mahogany Top Deck going on this summer. Selling due to health..DVD slide show of the build. Lots of time and money invested. Want to make an offer? I’ll listen. Interested parties only.”
Check it out: Canada’s Jet X Powersports just tipped its hand at all the cool stuff from RIVA Racing that just arrived in the shop. Striving to provide the finest quality service, Jet X has been working with RIVA to help them continue meeting their customers’ need for ultimate performance. Jet X Powersports offers mobile service so RIVA products can even come to your door.
An Instagram post from April 6th shows off the RIVA Racing goods and they look mighty fine! Obviously in preparation for a few customers’ skis before riding season truly picks up steam (what’s up with the long winter, guys?), Jet X shows off a few of their upcoming projects. Here’s what the first order contained:
2018 RXT-X 300 Stage 2 kits
Stainless steel wear rings and impellers
2018 RXT-X 300 catch can
2016/2017 RXT-X 300/RXP-X 300 Stage 2 kits
2016/2017 RXT-X 300/RXP-X 300 catch can
2017/2018 Yamaha GP1800 Stage 1 Plus kit
GP1800 stainless steel intake grate with pump seal kit
If you have a ski or jet boat that is in need of service, Jet X Performance will send a highly skilled professional mechanic to your house. You can also transport your craft to the shop.
Jet X offers service for all makes and models of watercraft from standup skis to jet boats. Preventative maintenance, performance enhancements, and total engine rebuilds are offered. These guys do it all! Contact Jet X Powersports to inquire about their services. The team is more than happy to help and if your ski is compatible, they may install the latest RIVA Racing products.
The 1st Annual Hot Products Huntington Beach Moto Surf & Freeride Exhibition kicked off April 14th and 15th and made for one heck of an amazing event. It has been a 17 year hiatus since the last surf race in Southern California, 25 years since there was a race in Huntington Beach! Promotor Ross Wallach from RPM Racing Enterprises, along with several supporters from the industry, worked their butts off to resurrect west coast surf racing. Racers and freeriders traveled from all over to take part in this special opportunity, which was also just weeks prior announced as an IJSBA World Finals qualifying event.
Over 100 racers and freeriders rolled in on Friday to 30 mph winds, big blown out waves and chilly conditions, and some thought twice about unloading their equipment. But come Saturday morning, the conditions couldn’t have been better. With a high of over 80 degrees, blue skies, 2-3 foot waves with the occasional 4-foot swell, it made for perfect racing and freeride conditions.
The event consisted of four motos; two on Saturday, two on Sunday, overall win goes to the one with the lowest points for the weekend. Freeride exhibitions took place mid-morning, at lunch, and in the afternoon. No competition here, the name of the game was to go big and show the fans how cool this stuff is.
The feeling of being a part of this event was surreal knowing there were literally thousands of spectators watching from the beach and along the pier. It was easy to know when something happened because you’d hear the mass of spectators gasp or cheer with excitement! The local lifeguards were also spotted watching the event from their towers. The city mentioned there were over 25,000 spectators that watched the event over the two days!
This event not only brought out veteran riders who haven’t raced since the 90s, but also a handful of “surf rookies” as well! “This was my first time riding in the surf,” Nick Giles mentioned after his morning moto on his Blaster. “It’s much more technical, you have to watch the waves, time your moves right, and when in doubt, send it!”
Spectators were treated to some amazing racing action throughout the weekend and got to experience breathtaking tricks performed by the freeriders. Both Taylor Curtis from T.C. Freeride and Mark Gomez both raced and rode freeride. These guys can to both amazingly well. Taylor Curtis completely dominated the Vet Ski GP class on his SXR1500 and Mark Gomez showed that he can race with the best and finished 2nd place in moto 1 of the Pro-Am Ski GP class on his Rickter!
The class to watch all weekend was Pro-Am Ski GP with 9 entries including Canada’s Mike “Klipper” Klippenstein, Kommander Industries’ Dustin Motzouris and Lake Havasu’s young gun Kole Cramer. These guys battled back and forth all weekend. In Moto 1, Dustin was out front leading until he sucked up a rope in his pump and dropped to 5th. Klipper ran away with the lead while Kole took 3rd behind Mark Gomez. In Moto 2, Klipper got out to an early lead but was quickly passed by Dustin on the first lap. Kole and Klipper battled back and forth for 2nd, Kole edging him out at the half way mark. Kole maintained his push to the lead by getting just boat lengths away from Dustin when the checkered flag flew.
Again in Moto 3, Kole and Klipper went at it, swapping positions for 1st and 2nd several times. It’s proof that racing in the waves is tough, while Kole tried to maintain pressure on Klipper, he eventually made a mistake that cost him the lead and had to settle for 2nd, Dustin rounding out the top 3. The final moto of the weekend, Kole crashed on a wave coming off the start and worked his way up from dead last to 5th. Klipper got the holeshot but was later passed by Dustin for the lead. The overall win for the weekend went to Klipper, 2nd place went to Dustin, and Kole rounded out the podium.
All over the beach you saw racers engaging with the community, answering questions and helping to increase awareness about our sport and how it’s still bad ass. Everyone we talked to we’re extremely excited about the event, and everyone that participated was happy that they did. Everybody loved the location and how well-organized the event was.
A lot of fans and spectators were overheard saying how much they love the venue and the racing and Free Riders thought the whole show was fantastic. Action sports photographer Ally Emig shot photos from the pier for Saturday’s last set of motos, and hearing the cheers, gasps, and “oohs” and “ahs” from the crowd brought a smile to her face. Ally said, “They were all blown away! From the racing to the freestyle, this event had them captivated from the start! They didn’t want to leave the pier! A lot of questions were asked, and I gladly answered them. Out of all the discussion, one question trumped them all: “When is the next race?!”
When we asked Ross about the event, he said, “As for me, it was a Monumental undertaking to accomplish in 3 months but I’m ecstatic the way everything went and the reception from the racers and the city and the fans made it all worthwhile. Hopefully this Rebirth of surf racing will lead to more events which I am optimistic that will happen as I’m already working on a second location for 2019. I’m just happy everybody had such a good time, super stoked how well everything turned out.”
So there you have it! The rebirth of West Coast Surf Racing is upon us. Stay tuned to rpmracingent.com for more information and development on next year’s surf series, and make sure you plan ahead, you won’t want to miss out!
All images provided by Allyson Emig; which full-sized, unedited versions can be purchased at her website allyjphoto.com.
When Sea-Doo unveiled its entirely redesigned ST³ platform (RXT/GTX/Wake 230) in early October of last year, one of the brand’s biggest additions to its lineup of runabouts was the incorporation of the LinQ accessory system. Borrowed heavily from sibling product lines Ski-Doo and Can-Am within the BRP family, Sea-Doo’s LinQ feature is surprisingly easy to operate, uniquely versatile and a gateway to very robust catalog of aftermarket accessories. For those unfamiliar, LinQ begins with two pop-up fastener mounts that can snap-flat into the deck. The two mounts accept (currently) three options from Sea-Doo’s own accessory line: a 4-gallon fuel caddy, a semi-rigid collapsible storage bag, 4.2-gallon weather-proof cooler. Unique to Sea-Doo’s LinQ-equipped watercraft is also the screw-top port for the retractable ski pylon, effectively making every ST³-based runabout a Wake model.
As Sea-Doo’s LinQ system effectively takes a healthy bite out of the accessory aftermarket’s offerings of deck racks designed for coolers and gas cans, it does offer a fresh avenue for both BRP and savvy aftermarket companies to begin developing items specifically tailored to fit the various needs and interests of new Sea-Doo buyers. As of this writing, current sales of the new ST³-based Sea-Doos have been strong, with many being attracted to the stealth-bomber design, centralized storage compartment, and newfound offshore/rough water prowess, among many other features. Moreover, as observed by almost all of Sea-Doo’s present marketing material, BRP is pushing the new vehicle’s focus towards adventure riding, exploration and general touring, or more specifically, equipping enthusiasts to spend all day on their watercraft.
Already, we’ve learned of companies finding ways to adapt their large-capacity deck racks to the LinQ system, permitting buyers to continue using larger fuel cans and coolers as they ride. (Seeing that the LinQ mounts are molded plastic, we suspect other provisions will be developed to supplement the mounts.) Others are exploring how to mount collapsible deck chairs for use while lounging (not while the engine is running). One of the more promising prospects is an extensive effort to develop an adjustable-height swivel stool for fishing, that mounts in the ski pylon’s port. This, combined with the cooler that has been plumbed to the jet pump, would equip a fisherman with a comfortable, stable platform to fish from with a live bait tank and all with almost zero modification to the Sea-Doo itself, something would be almost impossible just a few short years ago.
For Sea-Doo’s Parts & Accessories division, developing new offerings for its LinQ system is currently the task at hand. Although the “Chill Shade” wasn’t a big success with many Spark owners, a similar canopy combined with a LinQ-attached chair (rather than lying on the bare plastic panel) may see some success, particularly as more and more owners use their Sea-Doos to relax. A LinQ-attached, battery-powered speaker box that communicated with the BRP Premium Audio sound system’s Bluetooth connectivity would make any such-equipped Sea-Doo a rolling party boat. Finally, as both the ski pylon and storage bag can occupy the ST³’s deck simultaneously, a raft package (including a rope, raft, and 12-volt inflator) wherein a one-rider inflatable tube can be removed, inflated, towed, deflated and stored without occupying the Sea-Doo’s central storage could be the brand’s best family-oriented offering. While we’re not confirming any of these accessories here, we have heard talk of them.
Depending upon the public’s reception to the LinQ system and what accessories prove to be most successful, we might see its integration into the upcoming redesign of Sea-Doo’s Recreation (ie. GTI) platform in the next two years – as well as with the Spark to a lesser extent. While it is highly doubtful that we’ll see parallels to LinQ with Yamaha or Kawasaki, we do know that OEMs value officially-branded accessories a great deal and could ramp up their catalogs respectively. Certainly the addition of sound systems has caused a stir, and the addition of phone charging ports are soon to follow. People want more from their personal watercraft – as far as in-vehicle features, ability to do more with it, and the means to do so – and the OEMs are rising to meet the demand. Whether you’re riding for sport, exploring the shoreline of a remote location or simply looking to blow off some steam on a nearby lake, manufacturers want to equip you with everything you could possibly need to do it.
RIVA Racing wants you to have secure footing while riding your watercraft so they added some great new boots and shoes to their inventory. New JetPilot kids Hydro Shoes are even in the lineup. $24.99 and your water baby has a cool little water shoe to wear while learning to ride or just playing in the H20. RIVA is offering everything from Stance socks, Works H20 Designs Ankle Plates, Fox Flip Flops, to all around wet boots.
One quality boot on offer is the Works H20 Designs Alpha-1. It is designed for either a recreational day on the water or a day of racing. The boot offers some of the best traction available on the market with its proprietary Romora sole and Durometer rubber material used in making the boot stick. It also has drain holes on the bottom so water won’t pool on the inside. The Alpha also comes with customizable ankle plates.
These boots retail at $129.00 and come in red, black, and blue. If you want a mid-range boot, JetPilot’s Flight Lace Up Race Boot is in stock for $79.99. Sea-Doo Riding Shoes are also available for purchase.
Need only an extra layer inside your boot? Riva Racing has you covered with a few choices of lycra socks. These retail from $12-$19.99.
If you want a basic flip-flop for after racing or just messing around, RIVA has you covered with Fox. Two styles are on the site. The Anthem is a basic blue retailing for $19.95 and if you want a little more style and grip, opt for the grey Enterprise. Snap up a pair for $24.00.
We can’t leave out Stance socks. They’re priced from $10.00-$25.00. RIVA Racing offers a well rounded selection of footwear. Check out the site for more detailed information on each product. We covered a few just to give you an idea of what’s available.
Back in January, The Watercraft Journal first wrote about the Bopenski KickBack PWC folding chair. Sure, it was a pretty cool concept – a collapsible folding chair that latches to your runabout’s tow eye, letting you leisure with your feet up while the kids go for a swim or you just want to listen to the stillness of an isolated shady cove. Whether equipped with a cold drink in our hand or a fishing rod, the promised experience painted a tempting picture. Yet, the asking price of $299.99 for a product that hadn’t even come out yet seemed, well…
Proving that what we say here has some serious sway, Bopenski’s owner Joe Borden gave us a call. “I want to fly up and have you try it,” he invited. We agreed, and sure to his word, Joe was at the airport holding a bright red canvas bag with the KickBack chair in it less than two weeks later. With our 2018 Yamaha GP1800 in tow, we sped off straight to the lake. At the launch, Joe took little time to unzip the bag and hand the chair over.
Each length of tube is made from anodized 7075-T6 aluminum attached to solid, durable indexing joints; all stainless steel mounting hardware; breathable, X-patterned nylon mesh seat and back that is easily-removed for washing; and two huge, rubberized no-slip feet. All of the contact points are specialty-molded plastic with Bopenski’s logo molded in. A stainless self-locking hook tethers the chair to the tow eye, and a single, coated J-hook loops around the transom’s bondline. The seatback is embroidered with the company logo. Even the cup holder is insulated and split to hold a drink and a snack (or cell phone).
The hardware alone equates for more than half of the asking price.
“Well, this isn’t some cheapo Wal-Mart umbrella chair,” we joked, giving out a low whistle. “No, it’s not!” Joe agreed. “And everything is repairable – we’ll sell you all the replacement parts and hardware to repair it if something were to happen. I personally hate ‘disposable’ products. We built this to last. Heck, it’ll last longer than the customer has the ski.”
While this article is not our full length “Real Review” of Bopenski’s KickBack chair, and there’s a lot to this item we haven’t shared, we did get a taste of how to attach it to our rear hand grips for travel, unpack it and set it up (it takes less than a minute); and put our feet up and soak in the springtime sunshine. Once the Bopenski receives its first production run of chairs in early May, we’ll have a feature-length review of the KickBack here on The Watercraft Journal. Until that time, Bopenski has cut one third of the price off from the original $299.99. Anyone who places a pre-order will be charged $199.99 and get their KickBack chair with zero shipping (to the lower 48 states).
It’s time again for the Pacific Northwest Water X series. This weekend on April 21-22 the first rounds will be held in Elma, Washington at Vance Creek Park.
Jettrim is again stepping in to sponsor the event and if the current forecast predictions track with moderate validity, then it will be like last year’s Rounds 1 & 2 events; cool 50 degree weather with some showers.
Since that weather is not uncommon this time of the year, the wardrobes will be wetsuits and full gear as usual for this event. Nonetheless, it is sure to be a spectacular event; one that long-time World Finals affiliate Blake Corning has designed and produced.
Blake’s long history in the sport has allowed him to design some of the safest courses and races even in small courses such as Vance Creek Pond which also makes it a great race and spectator event.
Blake has also teamed up with Monte Hughes, Dan Lingren, John Dewar, and others in the industry to get this event going and to ensure it is another success. For more information visit IJSBA.
Here’s the original press release:
The Pacific Northwest is famed for many things, but not everyone knows that this area is home to some of the top jet ski racing champions in the world.
These waterborne athletes open their 2018 season at rounds 1 and 2 of the the IJSBA Water X Championships April 21-22 at Vance Creek Park on beautiful Bowers Lake in Elma, Washington.
“The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the top riders in the world, including three world champions and many other Top 10-ranked riders,” said Dan Lindgren, event organizer. “As this is the season opener, a lot of good riders will be here.” These guys are excited to get on the water for the first race of 2018. Race organizers anticipate as many as 60 entries in numerous classes for the two-day event. Organizers expect that up to 20 entrants will have placed in the top 10 worldwide in their individual classes in previous years – so the level of competition will be fierce.
Racers earn points for the Water X Series Championships, along with earning their spots to compete in the world finals competition held in Lake Havasu, Arizona, on the Colorado River in October.
This event is free to the public and is fun and family-friendly. Races start at about 10 a.m. both days. For more detailed information, visit the Water X Facebook event page.
The 2018 P1 AquaX US Series is set to kick off with a visit to the historic Miami Marine Stadium next weekend on April 21-22. It will be the first time that racing returns to this beautiful venue since its closure in 1992.
The stadium originally built in 1963 was the first purpose-built venue for powerboat racing in the United States. Following the wake of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, it was declared unsafe and was closed.
Following renovations over the past years, it was used as a host venue for the Miami Boat Show but finally it is now opening again for watercraft racing.
Next weekend is set to be an incredible event now that AquaX teams up with the P1 SuperStock USA Championship. AquaX world champion Brian Baldwin and Pro Series title holder Chris MacClugage will be battling it out alongside many other challengers.
The race schedule will be as follows:
Saturday April 21 P1 AquaX Pro Practice & Race 1 – 11:00 to 12:00 P1 SuperStock Race 1 – 12:00 to 12:30 P1 SuperStock Race 2 – 12:30 to 13:00 P1 AquaX Sprint – 13:00 to 14:00 P1 AquaX Am Practice & Race 1 – 14:30 to 15:30 P1 AquaX Pro Race 2 – 15:30 to 16:30
Sunday April 22 P1 AquaX Am Race 2 – 09:00 to 10:00 P1 SuperStock Race 3 – 10:00 to 10:30 P1 SuperStock Race 4 – 10:30 to 11:00 P1 AquaX Sprint – 11:00 to 12:00 P1 AquaX Pro Race 3 – 12:00 to 13:00 P1 AquaX Am Race 3 – 13:30 to 14:30 P1 AquaX Sprint – 14:30 to 15:30
For more venue or schedule information visit p1aquax.
This weekend Sea-Doo will be celebrating Earth Day in a special way. They will be launching what they call Sea-Doo Clean Sea Project – a shoreline/island clean-up effort.
The event will begin at 9 AM ET on Saturday April 21 at two Florida locations; Miami Marine Stadium in Miami and Maximo Park in St. Petersburg. The clean-up effort is aimed at keeping waterways trash-free so that everyone can enjoy nature’s beauty.
In conjunction with its 50th anniversary, Sea-Doo is continuing its environmentally responsible innovation and embraces the opportunity to start an environmental responsibility movement.
According to Sea-Doo, “BRP envisions that the Clean Sea project will become an annual event that will eventually expand from a local Florida program to a worldwide initiative, one that will continue through the next 50 years and beyond.”
The location and time details at each area will be as follows:
DATE AND TIME: Saturday, 21 April 2018, 9AM start time with 12/1PM ET trash drop-off window.
TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG MEET UP AND DEBRIS DROP OFF LOCATION: – Trash bags, Gloves, and Event Hat will be provided to first 100 PWC volunteers.
Maximo Park – South West Point Beach
Pinellas Point Dr. South & Sunshine Skyway Ln S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
MIAMI MEET UP LOCATIONS: – Trash bags, Gloves, and Event Hat will be provided to first 100 PWC volunteers.
Key Biscayne Boat Ramp 4000 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Watson Island Park 1050 MacArthur Causeway. Miami, FL 33132
MIAMI DEBRIS DROP OFF LOCATION:
Miami Marine Stadium – slightly west of historic grandstands.
3501 Rickenbacker Causeway
Key Biscayne, FL 33711
The Herald Sun reported on March 17 a plea to ban jet skis at Rye Beach in southeastern Australia. The call for a ban is due to hoons wreaking havoc and endangering the lives of beach goers and the marine environment. Michelle Cheers, Rye Community Group Alliance Chair, claims some jet ski riders have been playing chicken.
Other riders speed toward Rye Pier and proceed to do big cutbacks so they can spray unsuspecting beach goers. Cheers went on to say, “Dangerous hooning made the front beach and the pier a nightmare to be on or near. The large hoon element shows no respect for other beach and water users and certainly no respect for the bay dolphins.”
She is concerned that the marine grasses in the shallow waters are ruined because of inconsiderate skiers. Fellow group member, Sarah Race said that families aren’t going to the beach because they fear the reckless skiers. Minister for Ports Luke Donnellan said Water Police and Maritime Safety Victoria held a massive sting operation focusing on speed and operation within boating zones during the summer.
Donnellan stated, “There is also a mixed use zone that extends to 500m off shore in which all vessels must operate at a speed not exceeding five knots within 50m of a bather or any other vessel.”
Mornington Peninsula Shire strategic planner Jeska Dee claims the council was unable to enforce the laws within the boating and swimming zones. Dee said the council called on Parks Victoria to take care of the issues surrounding improper jet ski usage in the Rye Beach area. This is a developing story and we’ll keep you posted when updates become available.
Next weekend is set to be an incredible event now that AquaX teams up with the P1 SuperStock USA Championship. AquaX world champion Brian Baldwin and Pro Series title holder Chris MacClugage will be battling it out alongside many other challengers.
