We have become used to getting a few amazing looking video edits each year from the talented 36 year old Lithuanian HDScreenerX and his friends at Jet Ski Club Stavanger. Yet again they have been out filming and having fun, this time in the autumn waves in the southern part of Norway.
As you might remember we wrote an article about the Norwegian Jetski federations still ongoing struggle with Norwegian mayors trying to ban PWC use in a few local tows. The fight to get the government to lift the 5 year old 400m 5knots rule is won, and PWC are now classified as a boat with the same rules and regulations as all other vessels. This means that the PWC community now legally can use some of Norway´s epic scenery as their safe playground, and not be forced to ride up to one kilometer away from the shoreline to ride legally. And what scenery the Jet Ski Club from Stavanger has to share with use, we can only hope for more videos like this in the future.
Mind you, this is the same area the Tom Cruise just finished some of his most dramatic scenes for the upcoming Mission Impossible 6. No watercraft were used in these scenes sadly, but fear not, a taste of the Norwegian nature is only a few clicks away. Jet Ski Club Stavanger is a small riders club with boys and girls from Norway and Lithuania, and you consider yourself advised to check out all of their adventures on HDSCreenerX YouTube channel.
Just because we are finished with our scheduled rides for the season doesn’t mean the adventure stops; many of us continue to ride through the winter exploring new bodies of water and scoping out potential destinations for a group rides. A few weeks ago, a group of us traveled down to Orange Beach, Alabama, for the weekend to check out the local waters. Our home for the weekend was Sunswept condos; it afforded us a great view of the Gulf! The weather conditions during our stay was 65 degrees, overcast and a small craft advisory posted the entire weekend. With that, we decided to contain most of our riding to the GICW (Gulf Intercostal Waterway), a chain of inland passages along the gulf coast from Carrabelle, Florida to Brownsville, Texas.
From our location there was a free public launch ramp just about a mile’s drive called Cotton Bayou Boat Launch. There was ample room for parking, a double launch and the local police had eyes on it. Our ride plan for Friday was to go from Orange Beach to Mobile. Mobile is Alabama’s only port city, the 9th largest port in the US and is a 63-mile one-way ride from our location. As we pulled away from the launch area, the No Wake zone was brutal as it covered all of Cotton Bayou – an excruciating five miles! Finally, we made it out to the channel into Perdido Bay and headed northwest across several smaller bays until we found the entrance to the GICW. Nestled in the back and far western end of Wolf Bay, the water had been rather choppy so the protected passage was a welcome relief.
If you have never chosen to ride the intercostal you are missing some pretty cool sights and some very smooth water. Yes, the barrage of No Wake zones are a pain but it wasn’t too bad in this section. We stopped at the entrance to Mobile Bay for a water break. We had traveled 23-miles from the ramp. It was pretty early in the day and Mobile Bay looked calm. This was great news! From here it was another 36 miles to our destination, the USS Alabama. We are use to the rivers we generally transverse around the eastern US and this was a big change. We headed northwest across the bay. The water was really nice with a one foot chop. We had to be constantly adjusting our course to avoid rain showers moving across the bay. After about 20 minutes of riding we could barely see the Mobile skyline rising on the horizon. As we continued it became larger and larger.
Still out running the rain, we were now up against the western shore. We passed the entrance to the port of Mobile and continued until we reached the USS Alabama. How awesome it was to be able to ride up to this magnificent warship. After a photo, we beached our skis next to a private launch on the property and took time to walk the grounds and visit the ship’s store. We returned to the skis just in time to see them get plummeted by the “Duck” – an amphibious tour vehicle – as it entered the water. Luckily we were there to recover our boats. From there we headed back to the entrance of the port (Mobile has a rich in military ship building history, with ships having been built since 1917, including the new Littoral Combat vessel). The Port of Mobile is also the end of the Tombigbee Waterway, a short cut to the Gulf and ends up back in our home waters in Tennessee.
As we cruised up the waterway, it was bustling with workers on barges and ships from all ports of the world unloading cargo. We passed three new war ships under construction and are sure Big Brother had eyes on us. As we continued towards Downtown Mobile and under the bay bridge, my plan was to swing back into Silver Creek and come back down to the USS Alabama, but I miscalculated the entrance, which was a 180-degree around a power tower and found myself 100-foot deep in 8-inches of water. I reluctantly spent the next hour pulling my way back to the freedom of deeper water. After this, we decided to play it safe and return the way we came. We had traveled eight miles up the Tombigbee and needed to go back eight miles and then another seven miles to the nearest fuel, which was up the Dog River.
I knew we were pushing the fuel limits of our skis and breathed a sigh of relief when we approached the fuel dock. We just traveled 84 miles on a single tank – this was the best range I have ever got and it couldn’t have come at a better time! After we fueled all the skis, had a candy bar and a drink, we needed to head back. It was getting late in the afternoon and we had another 60 miles to the launch ramp. Pulling out of the Dog River back into Mobile Bay the wind had picked up and the one foot chop now was two-to-three foot chop. We tried to find the best line but there was none. We had to just grin and bear it. We made the most direct path possible back to the entrance to the GICW and when we arrived took a needed break. From here back to the launch ramp was a pretty smooth ride. Arriving back at the ramp as the sun was reaching the horizon was a beautiful sight. All in all the ride was an excellent day trip and I would highly recommend the journey; the many great sights and varying water conditions made for a great day!
The latest news out of Yamaha racing adds to the books the dominating power of the Yamaha GP1800 and Yamaha’s incredible riders. This past final weekend of the P1 AquaX season showed total domination by Yamaha alone as its riders took the top three spots in every single Enduro Pro heat.
It was Chris MacClugage who claimed the National Enduro Pro title and he even did so despite riding with a broken leg which goes to show the shear dominating power of Yamaha riders and the GP1800. MacClugage went to Fort Lauderdale with a sizable points lead and was able to fight off enough of the competition during Enduro Pro Moto 1 and Moto 2 to claim the crown.
“This was a great inaugural year for the GP1800, dominating the national tour and IJSBA World Finals,” said Yamaha Watercraft Racing Director Scott Watkins. “And it helps to have the best riders in the sport onboard, with great support from the likes of Dean’s Team, RIVA Racing, and Broward Motorsports. I couldn’t be prouder of the commitment and dedication of all involved in this championship effort.”
The Enduro Pro position results are Chris MacClugage in first (aboard a FX SVHO) with Eric Francis in second followed by Brian Baldwin in third. For the full news story and you check out the awesome GP1800 for yourself, be sure to visit Yamaha Waverunners.
It’s been a while since we’ve published a “Case of The Humpdays” mainly because we just haven’t encountered something so funny, so strange or just something we’ve never seen before, like we have with today’s. Yes, you’re looking at a Yamaha WaveRunner VX1100, possibly one of the most prolific runabouts in recent history. The VX1100 (or just commonly known as the VX before becoming the V1 as it was later known) is the darling machine of most rental outfits as it is both incredibly simple in its execution and durable in it build. Knowing how brutal renters are with loaned units, this machine could take a beating and keep on ticking. So what gives?
This particular VX found its way down to the French-speaking Mozambique where it served diligently before giving up the ghost. Yet, rather than being scrapped, the powertrain was mothballed and a transom plate was drilled into the fiberglass. To the plate came a Yamaha Enduro 15-horsepower outboard engine, with a custom-rigged throttle cable and steering linkage that allowed some semblance of control via the handlebars (although we’re certain Yamaha’s lawyers would not agree). The final result is indeed a Yamaha-powered runabout (albeit a two-stroke now), whose owner calls the “jet vedette” or “jet star” in English.
There’s also zero seat foam or covering, so don’t expect this to be a comfy ride. Produced by MLBC Entertainment, the video has been making the rounds for a while, but we got a great laugh out of it although we’re terrified to try it out personally. Enjoy!
The Watercraft Journal has had a long relationship with the Bright Brothers. Jake served as our Freeride Editor for a little over a year before departing to further his education and career. Recently, we welcomed exclusive coverage of the IFWA Freeride World Championships in Kamisu Beach, Japan, from elder brother Zack; and even which resulted in Zack’s injuring of his second knee shortly after recuperating from extensive knee surgery on the other leg only months previous.
In fact, both Bright Brothers have experienced severe injuries from freeriding over the years. The aforementioned Jake shattered his leg, requiring an alignment rod and several months of healing. Zack’s knees have been a source of much grief for the JetPilot/Krash Industries rider, who has seen a career rife with multiple ups and downs. In fact, it is this roller coaster of life that inspired Zack to edit together this highlight reel from multiple events stretched throughout his years as a professional freerider.
All of us at The Watercraft Journal as well as throughout the personal watercraft industry wish Zack a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him out in the surf soon. Until that time, we here anticipate many more updates and articles from Mr. Bright between that time.
The U.S. Freestyle Championship brings you this latest video recap from the East Coast Round of 2017 P1 Racing Fuels US Freestyle Championship. The event took place back in October out of Revolution Cable Park in Fort Myers, Florida.
In association with IJSBA Freestyle and Freestyle PWC Association, this event was clearly wet, wild, and action-packed. Each rider was separated into one of four different classes based on their ski equipment and each routine lasted for two minutes while the rider showed their best in this freestyle-only event.
As seen, each rider was judged based on their variety, difficulty, flow, and execution, as well as total number of tricks performed in their two-minute timeframe. This video gives a re-cap of the overall results for each class as well as some video clips from each podium finisher’s routine.
The classes included beginner open, freestyle 800, freestyle 900, and freestyle 1200. For the beginner open class, Mike De Palma took the first-place podium. John Havell won in the freestyle 800 aboard his Action Kawasaki Yamaha Superjet. For freestyle 900, it was Evan Krefski that took the top slot and last but not least, Chris Anyzeski took it home for the freestyle 1200 class.
For full race details and results, check out the video and the USFC Facebook page in the link above.
The names of Butch and Julie Pringle are like royalty here in the Australian jet ski scene. For the past 10 years they have taken over the Cronulla beaches with the smell of two-stroke exhaust and a gathering of watersports fanatics from across the globe. An event that started off as a BBQ on the beach with a few mates has turned into one of the biggest freeride events in the world. In and of itself, it is a triumph just to get the permits, let alone organize 100-plus riders to get out on the water in some kind of orderly manner.
The event is not a competition as such, but a chance to ride with some of the best riders in the world at one of the prettiest locations in Australia. However, they do throw in a few competitions, issuing awards for the biggest air, sickest trick, first to flip and even JetPilot’s “Battle of the Best.” For the 10th annual – and final – Rip N’ Ride, the weekend started out with the usual army of helpers that put a massive amount of time and effort into helping make it all possible.
Of course, it’s not just people that make it all possible, but the sponsors who are the life blood of the freeride event community. With companies like Yamaha, Australian Jetski Parts and JetPilot, none of this could happen. Yamaha has been the major sponsor of the event for some time now, giving one lucky rider a brand new SuperJet to take home just for entering. Over $20,000 in prizes were on on the table thanks to some generous people.
As noted, this year was the was the final time the Rip N’ Ride family would come together. Butch and Julie have decided that a decade is long enough. The planning, organizing and bringing it to fruition takes its toll. Not to say the event has lapsed in enthusiasm, with over 110 riders turning up to hit the waves and catch up with some old mates. The three-day format works a charm, with plenty of ride time.
This year’s RNR got a new location right in the middle of town. “The Wall” – as the locals call it – is a great spot for spectators to check out the action and the move made life a lot easier for the organizers and riders. A mixed bag of swell rolled in over the three days with up to 5 feet of swell and a day of clean conditions between a few storms.
I don’t know if you have ever been to a freeride event, but the talent of the riders is just getting insane. Everything from Super rolls to Ruler Flips and plenty of re-entry variations. It was great to see Bruno Jacobs return to Cronulla this year, along with Mark Gomez and Tom Scaccianoce, who made their way from the States. Also all the riders from New Zealand and all over Australia.
Being the final official RNR it was great to see local boy, Grant Busby win the Yamaha SuperJet. He has be involved it the jet ski fraternity for years and a great supporter of the sport. It could not have gone to a better bloke. So if anyone would like to take over RNR and take it to a new location or steer it in a new direction, make sure you get in touch with Butch and get ready for a “ripper of a ride.”
GreenHulk PWC Performance Store isn’t referring to it’s sale as a Black Friday deal, because you know, it’s over. No, it’s running the sale throughout November. Sure, “Black Friday” is notorious for being one of the biggest sales days of the year. However, this isn’t a Black Friday sale in the true sense. It’s a month long sale! GreenHulk is offering a ten percent savings on 60 of the products it carries. These range from the specially priced CandooPro Kawasaki Key Tools to Race Kits. The CandooPro is on sale for $44.10. The Race Kits are priced to move! Grab a Kawasaki SXR 1500 Riva Racing kit ranging from $1401.84 to $2017.44, depending on the class you race. All sixty items carry a 10% discount. GreenHulk likes to keep it simple. Order what you need at a reasonable discount and outfit your ski at a good price.
GreenHulk can take care of all your PWC maintenance needs as well. Check out the maintenance and care page for more details. GreenHulk offers free Continental USA shipping on orders over $150. That’s a great deal, considering the weight of some of the products. The free shipping doesn’t include oversized and overweight items. Keep that in mind when ordering. An excellent plus to ordering from GreenHulk is the lack of a dreaded sales tax! That certainly sweetens the pot. If you have questions, give them a call or check out the GreenHulk forums. The forums are helpful and can point you in the right direction.
Make sure to use the discount code “greenhulk” to save 10% on your purchase! There is still plenty of time to grab some discounted gear from GreenHulk PWC Performance!
Most of you wouldn’t know (nor would I expect you to) that I cut my teeth in the world of professional publishing not in the powersports industry, but automotive, being hired directly out of school to work at (what was then named) Primedia, the publisher of Hot Rod Magazine, Car Craft and Motor Trend. I am a diehard Mopar lover (Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler), so I was whisked off to Primedia’s Tampa, Florida, office to work at Mopar Muscle Magazine. Over a dozen years later, I’m the owner, publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Mopar Connection Magazine, the only daily, digital Mopar-enthusiast magazine licensed by FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). It’s a sister publication to The Watercraft Journal and splits most of my time throughout the year. When I’m not out on the water, I’m in the garage and vice versa.
I say this to preface that I am no stranger to brand loyalty. Clashed between the ever-present Chevrolet vs. Ford rivalry, us Mopar enthusiasts are the third-wheel in this civil war. The vitriol between these warring sects is ludicrous to be frank, as any true car lover can find some beauty, some notable accomplishment or a single engineering marvel in their rival’s history that is praiseworthy. [Despite my loyalty to Dodge, I quietly lust for a 1965 Ford GT40 Mk I, because it is the car that knocked the Prancing Pony down a few pegs, and that alone, is quite an amazing story.] The same of course, can be said for most loyalty/rivalry situations, be them favorite colleges, professional sports teams, etc. If you’re so blindly loyal to anything, you’re likely missing quite a bit.
Here I am wearing a Holley t-shirt, yet Holley doesn’t advertise in our sister publication, Mopar Connection Magazine. How can that be? I know, I’m confused too.
So that is why the Sea-Doo/Yamaha/Kawasaki loyalty conflict is so petty in my view. The personal watercraft industry is minuscule in size (estimated at a total gross of roughly 65 million annually), and yet, in recent weeks, I have fielded the most inane accusations of favoritism, bias and literally being “bought out” because I have dared to share a modicum of praise for one brand or another. And often, it happens multiple times in a month, being blasted for favoring one brand and then the exact other within weeks of each other. The finger pointing extends even beyond me, but to contributors of The Watercraft Journal, and even to friends within the industry. The idea of taking sides in an industry this small is obscenely stupid [unless of course, you’re a sponsored racer, then by all means, you should be shilling that stuff as much as you can. Keep that gravy flowin’, I say.]
Case in point: Every month we publish two episodes of our free video series “Long Haul” on our YouTube channel. It’s a great show that showcases many of the latest personal watercraft, offers a little greater insight into our review process, and also shows off some really cool locations where we test them. Less than 2 weeks ago, we aired our latest episode reviewing the 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300. Coming in at just shy of 13 minutes, the review is pretty lengthy and almost completely positive. And rightfully so, as I state in it, it’s likely the best Sea-Doo that Sea-Doo has ever built. Unfortunately, when people heard this line their brains translated it to: it’s the best friggin’ watercraft ever built and everything you love about anything else is stupid. Also, your mom is fat.
Interestingly enough, I wasn’t the only one to share the same sentiment. Jerry Gaddis of GreenHulk.net heaped pretty much the exact same degree of praise for the new Sea-Doo and he too was labeled as a sellout and a traitor, despite being neck-deep in a Yamaha GP1800 project. The backlash from Kawasaki and Yamaha loyalists was insane for both of us, and while I cannot speak for Jerry, it was personally infuriating. A text message came through my phone three days ago asking, “So you like the new Sea-Doo I take it. Is that real or are they paying you?” This was from a friend that I’ve known for a decade, and cut me deep.
Was Sea-Doo paying for me to lie? No. In fact, Sea-Doo hasn’t even shared our video – and they’ve shared reviews of the same ski that were far less praising, used nearly zero unique photography and even posted a smugly condescending review that questioned why you wouldn’t rather just buy a boat instead. But no, not our video. So if Sea-Doo was paying for me to compromise my principles and lie about how good the ski was, they’re not even bothering to let anyone know about it. Oh, and don’t even get me started on saying anything nice about a Spark.Ugh. There sure are a lot of people who love to hate on those things. Too bad they’re the number one selling personal watercraft for three years running. But I digress.
So yeah, when I say something nice about the brand or specific ski you like, I “get it.” When I say something nice about the brand or specific ski you hate, I’m a sellout. Hmm… Maybe, it’s less about me and more about you. For the next few months, we’re going to be alternating between Sea-Doo and Yamaha reviews. Back and forth. So it’ll be fun to watch the comments come rolling in. But remember, I don’t have a dog in your brand loyalty fight. I like ’em all pretty much equally but for different reasons. And note that Sea-Doo and Yamaha both advertise with The Watercraft Journal, and they like it when we’re honest and straightforward. It actually makes for better product. [The only time I lie to you is on April Fool’s Day, and still many of you fall for it.]
After ten amazing years, the final Rip N’ Ride was hosted late in October upon the shores of Cronulla. The last RNR proved to be one of its best as the world’s most talented freeriders, as well as fans and families, packed the shoreline to watch the action as several dozen athletes launched their jet skis high above the rolling waves. The Watercraft Journal is concluding its full report from the Rip N’ Ride and will have it shortly, but until then we have a bit of a teaser:
Mark Gomez, the current IFWA World Champion and professional rider for Hydro-Turf, JetPilot, TC Freeride, JetRenu and just ton of other people had an amazing send off to the wonderful people who made the RNR possible, sharing this amazing aerial shot on his Facebook page. Not only that, our friend to The Watercraft Journal Andrew “Skip” Donovan flew his drone over the pool to give us this amazing video from the Rip’N Ride after party at Butch and Julie Pfrengle ‘s house. Gomez, also wrote, “Thanks again guys and Mike Ovey Krouskos for trusting me with your ski.” Enjoy the video HERE.
