Eight months ago, The Watercraft Journal reported on BRP, Inc’s continued regional expansion as the new Design & Innovation Center in Palm Bay, Florida opened its doors.

Thanks to an investment of more than $15 million into the new facility , the Center provides R&D support for the Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo and Lynx power sport brand family, and was tasked with providing design advancements across the marine industry. As we reported at the time, the opening of the center was part of the company’s ongoing focus on design innovations – innovations that had just recently earned BRP five prestigious Red Dot awards. 

Often referred to as the “Oscars of Design,” the award gives recognition to the best in product design and design concepts.

Clearly, BRP has not been resting on those laurels; equally clear is the fact that history does, in deed, repeat itself, as BRP Design & Innovation Team has been announced as the Red Dot Design Team of the Year 2025

Awarded annually since 1988, the honorary title “Red Dot: Design Team of the Year” is presented as part of the Red Dot Award: Product Design to a team that consistently exhibits outstanding innovation, creativity, and exceptional design quality. This honorary title recognizes a company’s overall design achievements and highlights the collaborative efforts of the design team. Awarded teams showcase a deep commitment to innovation, user-focused design, and sustainability principles. The recognition is unparalleled in the design world, with its prestige reaching far beyond the traditional design community.

Speaking on the honor of BRP Inc. being designated the 2025 Design Team of the Year, Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer at BRP, stated, “Our design philosophy is to create highly innovative, functional, and exciting products to exceed consumers’ needs. It’s about creating a WOW factor.”

Lapointe, who is celebrating his 40th year with BRP, added, “I have the privilege of leading a team of 135 multidisciplinary design experts representing 21 countries, and they are a daily source of pride and inspiration. What makes our team exceptional is not just the talent but the way we push each other to grow and improve every single day. I’m still learning, still growing, and I get to do it alongside people who share the same deep belief that design can change the world. This recognition means the world to my team and me – it’s a highlight of our careers.” 

You can read the full press release below:

Progress through movement – BRP Design & Innovation Team is Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2025

 BRP, a global leader in powersports products, propulsion systems and boats, has been awarded the prestigious title “Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2025”. The title recognises BRP’s longstanding commitment to innovative and solution-driven design, and its pursuit of creating the ultimate, well balanced consumer experience.

With a reputation for reimagining adventure across asphalt, dirt, water, and snow, BRP has consistently pushed the boundaries of design, technology and performance. Its products blend functionality with striking design, delivering both high performance and powerful emotional experiences for riders.

Since its founding over 80 years ago, BRP has evolved from a snowmobile pioneer into a global force in powersports and recreational vehicles, with an extensive portfolio including iconic brands such as Ski-Doo, Lynx, Sea-Doo, Can-Am and Rotax. Each product launch reflects a deep commitment to innovation and a distinctive design language that challenges convention.

Ski-Doo MXZ XRS, Red Dot winner 2023
Having earned multiple distinctions in the Red Dot Design Award across a diverse range of vehicles like the Sea-Doo personal watercraft and the Can-Am on-road and off-road models, BRP now joins a prestigious group of design leaders – including Ferrari, Logitech and Thule – in the Red Dot Hall of Fame. The honorary title is not open to application and is awarded only to companies that demonstrate long-term, consistent excellence across their entire design portfolio.

A legacy of creativity and innovation
BRP’s success is deeply rooted in its focus on user-centred design, technological advancement, and an unwavering dedication to rider experience. “Our design philosophy is to create highly innovative, functional, and exciting products to exceed consumers’ needs. It’s about creating a WOW factor”, says Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer at BRP, who this year celebrates 40 years with the company. “I have the privilege of leading a team of 135 multidisciplinary design experts representing 21 countries, and they are a daily source of pride and inspiration. What makes our team exceptional is not just the talent but the way we push each other to grow and improve every single day. I’m still learning, still growing, and I get to do it alongside people who share the same deep belief that design can change the world. This recognition means the world to my team and me – it’s a highlight of our careers.” BRP’s design studios in Canada, France, and the United States serve as creative hubs where cross-cultural ideas and expertise come together to shape the future of powersports.

Designing for the future
At BRP, design goes beyond aesthetics – it is about solving problems, redefining what’s possible, and crafting products that connect with people emotionally. With boldness, precision, and a clear identity, BRP’s designs resonate across all terrains – from snowy landscapes to open waters.

BRP is also looking ahead, embracing sustainability, electrification, and smart technology. Design has become a strategic driver of growth and innovation. “Design is a core function at BRP. It’s part of our DNA,” Lapointe adds. “It played an instrumental role in our growth over the years and allowed us to stand out and forge a reputation for being trailblazers.”

This latest recognition marks not just a milestone but a motivator for the future. With a legacy built on curiosity, creativity, and a love for adventure, BRP remains dedicated to building products that inspire, empower, and excite riders across the globe.

Sea-Doo Explorer Pro, Red Dot winner 2023
Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot, praises BRP’s unique contribution to the industry:

“With a clear user-centric design philosophy, the BRP Design & Innovation Team has been developing outstanding recreational vehicles for years – innovative, functional and emotionally inspiring. Under the long-standing leadership of Denys Lapointe, BRP has cultivated a design culture that runs deep within the company, making BRP an industry leader. The title ‘Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2025’ recognises this continuous excellence. Congratulations to Denys Lapointe and the entire team on this well-deserved honorary title!”

Red Dot: Design Team of the Year
Awarded annually since 1988, the honorary title “Red Dot: Design Team of the Year” is presented as part of the Red Dot Award: Product Design to a team that consistently exhibits outstanding innovation, creativity, and exceptional design quality. This honorary title recognises a company’s overall design achievements and highlights the collaborative efforts of the design team. Awarded teams showcase a deep commitment to innovation, user-focused design, and sustainability principles. The recognition is unparalleled in the design world, with its prestige reaching far beyond the traditional design community.

Hall of Fame: all winning design teams since 1988
2025 BRP Design & Innovation Team

2024 Thule Design Team

2023 Logitech Design

2022 Philips Experience Design Team led by Sean Carney

2021 Studio F. A. Porsche

2020 Fiskars Design Team led by Petteri Masalin

2019 Flavio Manzoni & Ferrari Design Team

2018 Phoenix Design Team

2017 Canyon Design Team

2016 Blackmagic Industrial Design Team led by Simon Kidd

2015 Robert Sachon & Bosch Home Appliances Design Team

2014 Veryday

2013 Lenovo Design & User Experience Team

2012 Michael Mauer & Style Porsche

2011 The Grohe Design Team led by Paul Flowers

2010 Stephan Niehaus & Hilti Design Team

2009 Susan Perkins & Tupperware World Wide Design Team

2008 Michael Laude & Bose Design Team

2007 Chris Bangle & Design Team BMW Group

2006 LG Corporate Design Center

2005 Adidas Design Team

2004 Pininfarina Design Team

2003 Nokia Design Team

2002 Apple Industrial Design Team

2001 Festo Design Team

2000 Sony Design Team

1999 Audi Design Team

1998 Philips Design Team

1997 Michele De Lucchi Design Team

1996 Bill Moggridge & Ideo Design Team

1995 Herbert Schultes & Siemens Design Team

1994 Bruno Sacco & Mercedes-Benz Design Team

1993 Hartmut Esslinger & Frogdesign

1992 Alexander Neumeister & Neumeister Design

1991 Reiner Moll & Partner & .molldesign

1990 Slany Design Team

1989 Braun Design Team

1988 Leybold AG Design Team

Although AquaX is making racers and fans learn the art of patience, with the first race of the 2025 Triple Crown not taking place until June 27-29, they are not just coasting until opening day. 

In a press release issued yesterday, May 20, P1 AquaX announced that that Monster Energy has stepped up up as the exclusive Title Sponsor for both the 2025 A1AquaX (PWC) Championship and the P1 Offshore Triple Crown (powerboats). 

You can read the full press release below:

Monster Energy New Title Sponsor of P1 Offshore Triple Crown & P1 AquaX National Championship

Powerboat P1 is proud to announce an agreement naming Monster Energy as the exclusive Title Sponsor of the P1 Offshore Triple Crown and P1 AquaX Championship for 2025. The series will be officially named The Monster Energy P1 Offshore Triple Crown and The Monster Energy AquaX Championship.

Monster Beverage Corporation was founded in 1935 in Southern California and currently holds 39% of the $86 billion global energy drink market.  The deal includes exclusivity as the only energy drink brand promoted, sold, or sampled at all Triple Crown and P1 AquaX events. Monster Energy will be heavily branded at all Triple Crown and P1 AquaX races this season to include on-site fan activations, product samplings, and commercial placement on live TV coverage (RACERTV), online streaming (YouTube and Facebook), and post-produced highlight shows (FanDuel TV & Other International Networks).

“Monster Energy is enthused to announce that we will be the title sponsor of the P1 Offshore Triple Crown series in 2025, featuring major championship racing events set for New Orleans, Louisiana, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and St. Petersburg, Florida,” said Dave Gowland, Vice President, Monster Energy Sports Marketing. “Furthermore, we continue our support with World Championship-winning M-CON Racing, and we are pleased and proud to be back with this world-class team and pilots Tyler Miller and Myrick Coil, reigning UIM Class 1 World Champions. High speeds, careening through waves, and fierce competition are what Monster Energy is all about, and we’re stoked to be a part of this awesome and totally unique form of motorsport in 2025.”

The inaugural Monster Energy P1 Offshore Triple Crown powerboat race series will launch in June in New Orleans, LA, before continuing to Sheboygan, WI, and St. Petersburg, FL over the Summer.  P1 AquaX National Championship racing will provide a double bill of marine motorsport action in New Orleans, Sheboygan, and St. Petersburg, bringing nationwide high-speed watercraft racing to fans. The official charity of the Monster Energy P1 Offshore Triple Crown race series is the P1 Marine Foundation, which provides support to local charities focused on marine conservation, including research, educational programs for youth, and sustainability of our waterways.

Azam Rangoonwala, President and CEO of Powerboat P1, stated: “Monster Energy invests in an array of international sports and properties, and their decision to become Powerboat P1’s Title Sponsor for the Triple Crown is a testament to their growth as one of our key strategic partners over the past few years.  Our high-energy, lifestyle events will give the brand a strong platform to interact with race fans.”

Powerboat P1 is an international sports promoter that has held more than 750 races in 19 countries on four continents to become a leading marine motorsport brand with the understanding that creative marketing and strategic partnerships are essential to achieving positive results.  For more information visit: P1OFFSHORE.COM]

Riding a Sea-Doo PWC is already a blast, but if you’re looking to kick things up a notch this May, their lineup of watersports accessories might be just what you need. A recent addition to Sea-Doo’s Product Series video collection gives us a closer look at how to take full advantage of your 3-person Sea-Doo for wakeboarding, waterskiing, tubing, and more.

One of the must-haves if you’re towing a skier or wakeboarder is the LinQ Retractable Ski Pylon. It’s height-adjustable, quick to attach or remove, and elevates the tow rope above the water—perfect for wake sports. Plus, it doubles as a stabilizing point for the spotter, a critical safety position we’ve recently highlighted.

If your Sea-Doo model wasn’t originally built for watersports, no worries—the Ski & X Package Module helps optimize your settings for a smoother, safer towing experience.

Planning to pull a tube instead? All you need is the Tow Point Cleat Adapter, which converts the standard eyelet into a proper cleat for tow ropes. Want to go the extra mile? Adding a Shock Tube helps keep the rope out of the intake, saving you from potential headaches.

Beyond towing, Sea-Doo also makes life on the water a little easier. Their wakeboard rack keeps the board out of your way and your passengers’ hands free. And the boarding ladder? A total game-changer—it folds down, stays low-profile, and makes climbing back aboard a breeze, whether after a swim or a wipeout.

This is one of those accessory bundles that turns a good day on the water into a great one—so check out the full video on Sea-Doo’s YouTube and take your Summer up a notch!

One thing that sets RIVA Racing apart is their innovative methods for taking care of issues that many might just take for granted. Their newly announced RIVA Sea-Doo 325 Intake Manifold Bushing & Seal Kit is certainly one of these instances. After hearing the common complaint about the boost leak issues on many 325hp Sea-Doo engines, they designed and manufactured a product specifically engineered to address these issues, ensuring that your PWC experience isn’t affected by minor manufacturing flukes.

In a recent Facebook post, they explain that “The original bushing and seal design is often the cause of boost leaks between the intake manifold and cylinder head. These boost leaks reduce performance and can even trigger a fault code (P2282) when more severe.” That’s why their kit includes precision-machined aluminum bushings to reestablish correct clamping force, as well as newly upgraded manifold seals made specifically to remedy this issue.

What’s more, they promise that the installation of this kit will be very easy, meaning that your improved sealing mechanism on the manifold-to-cylinder head is truly just a few steps away. Their instruction manuals are already available online, and it promises to take only approximately one hour to install this upgrade.

This application is available for 2024 and 2025 Sea-Doo 325 models (including the GTX Limited, RXT-X, and RXP-X models). They are currently available for preorder on the RIVA Racing website and will be shipped out in early June with free ground shipping anywhere inside the continental United States, so be sure to reserve yours now to ensure your Sea-Doo is running at peak performance this summer!

If you’ve ever tried figuring out which engine bearings you need for a Kawasaki motor, you know it’s not exactly the most straightforward task. Kawi Performance was getting tons of questions about this exact issue, so they decided to do something about it — and honestly, their solution is super helpful.

On the Kawi Performance website, under the “Services & Information” section, there’s now a dedicated “How to Match Up Engine Bearings” guide that takes the confusion out of the process. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or a new learner, having the proper bearings for your Kawasaki PWC engine is imperative for making sure your engine operates smoothly, so this tool is an absolute must. Kawasaki uses two different bearing color codes, and there are several combinations depending on your engine’s specs. It can get confusing fast. That’s where Kawi Performance steps in — they’ve added both an online calculator and a detailed step-by-step video that walks you through how to figure out exactly what you need.

The video starts by explaining how to check the connecting rods. You’re looking to see if there’s a letter marking — it’ll either be circled (which means it’s marked) or not circled (which means it’s unmarked). That tiny detail matters when it comes to sizing. Next, you’ll check the engine cases. This involves looking for marks between the lines on the cases, and the Kawi Performance diagram they provide makes it easy to spot exactly what you need to be looking for. After that, it’s time to measure the crankshaft. This is probably the trickiest part, but the video Kawi Performance put together shows you exactly how to measure each individual piece. It’s super helpful if you’re a visual learner or new to this kind of work.Finally, once you’ve got all the info, the video helps you match the correct bearing color for your connecting rod.

What’s more, the calculator tool on their website further ensures that the bearings you order will be properly fit to your engine, by allowing you to input information one piece at a time, and finally choosing the proper model for you. After entering information on the rods, cases, and crankshafts, Kawi Performance ensures you won’t need to second guess the bearings you buy.

If you’re working on a Kawasaki engine anytime soon, definitely check out the Kawasaki Engine Bearing Calculator section on their site — it’ll save you time, stress, and maybe even a return shipment.

One of the things we love about Greenhulk’s YouTube channel is that they go out of their way to upload videos that lean a little more alternative than your typical PWC channel’s output. Their latest video, titled “RESTORING A 1999 Sea-Doo XP Limited 951: UMI Steering Install + SeaDek Mats,” is surely no exception! Gaddis walks us through his “after-hours” personal project of restoring the 1999 Sea-Doo XP Limited 951, showing off some of the previous upgrades he had already incorporated into the ski, and walking us through the next steps in the restoration process.

He starts off by emphasizing that this particular vintage PWC is his favorite in the collection, and that’s even with it only being slightly tweaked. Up until now, it’s only had its original steering mechanism replaced with 32” RIVA bars, a RIVA billet throttle, an ADA billet head, ProK filters, and a Solas impeller installed to improve performance. Apart from that, everything else is stock.

One interesting aspect of this PWC is how its performance differs from newer models. While the top speed doesn’t reach that of most recent models — thanks to the gas tank being located at the front of the cavity — that also means it handles extremely well. Cutting corners and traversing buoys in races becomes a breeze on this older model, and its consistency in rough water makes it a real gem.

The current video focuses on making some key upgrades to the steering system and the aesthetics of the PWC. The particular UMI steering system he installs ends up working perfectly to make control smoother, with a full overhaul of the original steering mechanism. While the process ends up taking him about 14 hours, he then moves on to handling some of the vintage ski’s aesthetics by wet sanding and polishing off the decals, making it look good as new.

Finally, he sets about installing the SeaDek traction mats, which he highlights are perfect for not only adding a pop of color and personalization to your PWC, but also providing much-needed grip. While he goes over the installation process, he emphasizes that it couldn’t be easier or quicker to get these pieces onto your PWC.

Apart from their videos, Greenhulk’s online forum and performance parts store are two of the best resources on the internet for PWC enthusiasts, so be sure to check them out after enjoying this fun and informative video!