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Follow Along With This Turbocharged Spark-Powered WaveBlaster Build

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We have certainly seen some crazy builds and engine combos on these waveblasters over the years including a LS1 V8-powered build as well as full custom build race engines. Honestly though, we have not seen anything quite like this latest attempt. Check out this recent posting of a turbocharged Spark-powered WaveBlaster over on GreenHulk.net.

Admittedly, we could see how something like this was only a matter of time as tuners and shops have been offering turbo kits for these Sea-Doo Spark 900 ACE motors and with such a small package, it shouldn’t take much cramming to fit one of these engines into a small hull. After all, it comes from a small hull to begin with.

This builder has definitely been doing their homework indicating months of brainstorming. Additionally, with a Comp Turbo and Motec engine management system, this is not simply a bolt-on turbo kit and we expect this thing should make some pretty impressive power output once everything is said and done.

There is definitely a lot to consider when taking on such a unique build. Being a guinea pig is definitely no easy or cheap task either. It certainly seems like this builder uses his trade skills to make planning and time management a priority as he even uploaded some images of task charts with estimated time of completions for each specified task. We certainly can’t wait to see how this thing turns out.

There’s Still Time to Enter The JetRenu Raffle

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Hey everybody; there’s still time to buy raffle tickets to support Team JetRenu, a non-profit entity. Each raffle ticket costs $5 and gives you an opportunity to win great prizes provided by JetRenu. The package is valued at $455. That’s a killer deal and a lot of swag for $5!

JetRenu is a certified green company and that’s a big deal and a status not easily attainable. All of the cleaners in the prize package are biodegradable and will give your ski or other automotive product a brand new look. The focus of the non-profit is to promote product and endorse Jet Renu’s athletes. Team JetRenu wants to help make it easier for riders to afford entering events, travel, and pay for costly gear. Another focus of the team is to keep kids out of trouble by keeping them involved in sports. It’s a win win for everyone!

JetRenu donates 15% of sales back to its sponsorship program, which is really awesome. Jet Renu wants its riders to succeed and needs your help as well. Buy a raffle ticket or a dozen! This particular prize includes, green cleaners, a Dewalt Variable Speed Polisher, microfiber towels, and much more! Hurry and buy your tickets on the JetRenu website. The lucky winner will be announced October 8,2017.

Test Ride The New 2018 Sea-Doo Lineup at Lake Havasu This Week!

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Sea-Doo recently unveiled the 2018 lineup to over 2,000 worldwide BRP dealers. Now it’s the public’s turn. This week will be the first time the general public gets to lay their eyes and hands on the new Sea-Doo personal watercraft and even have the opportunity to take hold of the key lanyards. Sea-Doo has dubbed it the ‘Escape the Everyday’ Experience which will be held in Lake Havasu City, Arizona during the IJSBA world finals from October 5-8.

According to BRP, 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the Sea-Doo brand bringing innovation, performance and fun to waters around the world and also marks the 26th year Sea-Doo will be at the IJSBA World Finals. The Sea-Doo ‘Escape the Everyday’ Experience will be set up on the west end of the event venue where several new models will be on display and available to test ride. Event attendees will have the opportunity to test ride the all-new 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300, GTX Limited 230, and RXT 230 models on Friday, October 6th and Saturday, October 7th between 10AM-3:30PM. Please note that all test riders must possess a valid driver’s license and must be 18 years old or older.

Event attendees can learn more about the 2018 Sea-Doo GTX, RXT, and WAKE PRO 230 models on-site. Based on the new ST3 hull, these 2018 models set new standards in stability and control, both at rest and at speed. Learn about the new LinQ cargo system that allows modular customization with accessories including cooler, fuel can, gear bag, and more on the massive rear deck area. Attendees will also be able to get their groove on with the industry’s first manufacturer-installed, truly waterproof, Bluetooth audio system playing music from the various display models.

The Sea-Doo World Finals fun is powered by the racing as leading Sea-Doo racers look to extend the X-TEAM’s six year dominance in the elite Pro Open and Pro GP world championship classes. Celebrating the X-TEAM elite, select championship-winning Pro Sea-Doo racers will be invited to compete in the special Sea-Doo Bounty – PopMan competition. The Sea-Doo Bounty invitational event will pit top riders aboard the new 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 model – that is 86 pounds lighter than the previous version – where they must pop four giant balloons with the rider popping all four the fastest winning $1000 from BRP. Qualifying will take place Friday evening with the two fastest qualifiers competing Sunday for the $1000 Sea-Doo Bounty bonus.

Follow Sea-Doo and the #SEADOOLIFE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/seadoo and on Instagram and Twitter @brpseadoo for the most up-to-date information regarding BRP’s 2017 IJSBA World Finals activities. For a look at the new 2018 Sea-Doo watercraft and riding gear, visit www.sea-doo.com

 

 

A Deeper Look at Sealver Waveboats, Coming to United States in 2018 (Video)

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Nauticexpo

We recently “re-introduced” you to the Sealver Waveboat after its initial release three years ago. As a PWC-powered boat manufacturer Sealver has made a lot of new additions to its lineup. In case you haven’t gotten our drift with the recent focus on these nifty little vessels, we have been highly anticipating their distribution here in the US. In fact, we have just received word that these Waveboats are expected to arrive sometime next year.

You heard that right! 2018 is expected to be the year that Americans will finally get their hands on these boats. The French-based company has only been able to make them available in European and other overseas countries since their introduction and although we do not have exact dates on the distribution yet, we do have quite a bit of other pertinent technical information which would interest potential buyers.

Up until now, there was a lot of uncertainty and lack of details that kept us in the dark on things such as the PWC-to-boat interface and securing system which we have been able to shed some light on. Additionally, we have received further details regarding what PWC makes and models are compatible with the boats and how the interchange works to switch models should the owner have multiple types of PWC.

Even further details that we have been able to pull out of the bag include the performance of these units particularly in large bodies of water where water conditions can get quite rough and choppy as well as more technical details and specifications. But enough about what we haven’t been able to tell you until now, because frankly we are in the present so let’s cut to the chase and tell you what we know.

Perhaps the biggest detail was how the heck do these things actually work to keep the ski and boat locked together and functioning as one running unit. The answer lies within Sealver’s unique interlock system called the compatibility kits. The compatibility systems consists of a front unit attached to the front portion of the Wave boat’s guide and precisely contours and accepts the front of the PWC’s hull.

There is also a side rail that bolts to both sides of the boat’s guide. This cradles the side of the PWC on either side of the hull/deck bond lines. Some of the side rails utilize a two-piece system that goes above and below the bond line and other side rails have a one-piece setup with a groove that the side of the PWC locks into depending on the make and model of PWC that you will be using.

Additionally, there is locking for the rear via a retractable strap boat buckle system. The retractable straps are a one-size-fits-all system. The strap and support system is bolted on to the rear portion of the Sealver boat. To attach to your PWC, once it is driven or moved into the boat, simply pull on the retractable strap and buckle it to the existing rear tie down eyelets on your PWC as seen in the last segment of this video here.

So just how reliable is this system in keeping your ski and Waveboat firmly and precisely locked in place and functioning as one unit especially in rough water conditions? We had the same exact question for the nice folks at Sealver and they gave us some reassuring feedback. The bottom line is that the PWC will never come apart from the boat in any water condition thanks to the unique compatibility kits and the boat buckle system. Once locked in place, you can maneuver forward, backward, and in any direction through any water condition and the entire system will act as one fixed boat unit.

The boat buckle system is made out of high quality stainless material for reliability and corrosion protection. The front unit and side rails of the compatibility system are made from a high density mold which gives precise alignment and rigidity. What this basically means is that you can pretty much do anything you want to these boats and your ski won’t come loose.

Of course, the Sealver Boat Lineup consists of a wide variety of models and sizes to choose from and they range in their abilities to handle different water conditions much like a conventional boat or PWC has different handling characteristics based on the model and size. According to the manufacturer, the 444 series is smaller however it has an incisive carene hull design to break through waves. The 525 series boat does navigate easier in calm seas such as small lakes and rivers. Nonetheless, the rigid attachment system will stay put in any condition as mentioned before. We suppose this would be equated to someone taking a rec-lite PWC in the ocean to do some wave jumping. Your legs and back might be a little sore the next day, but your ski will still work fine.

Sealver also manufactures the larger 656 lineup which is the largest at the moment and especially adapted for any type of water condition. They even make a Sealver Pro brand designed to be used by Police, Military, and Rescue departments. You know these models are going to take some serious pounding and we can imagine that they are equally equipped to handle it.

Another area that we promised to remove the magician’s cover on was the customer who may purchase one Sealver Waveboat but he or she has more than one PWC to be used or plans to purchase a different PWC model down the road (or in this case down the water). For those keen readers, you will have already noticed that the secret lies within the compatibility kits mentioned above. The front unit and side units are bolted to the Waveboat. These bolts are easily removable allowing you to simply bolt up a new compatibility kit to change PWC models on the same Waveboat platform. Since the retractable boat buckle system is not model-specific, it is a one-size-fits-all system.

According to Sealver, they can provide compatibility kits for virtually any model PWC whether it be a Sea-Doo GTI, S3, T3 hull, a Yamaha VX, FZ, FX series, or a Kawasaki STX-15F or Ultra series. Although the smaller runabouts like the Sea-Doo Spark, will not fit in the full size Sealver boats, we have found that they make a small inflatable unit which wraps neatly around the Spark hull as shown in the photos.

These folks across the big pond certainly seem like they are constantly evolving and innovating new ways and ideas to support their unique Wave boats. We also asked them how it would work to get navigation lights, sound systems, and other electrical accessories integrated within the boats. Suppose you want to take the ski out for a quick spin while your friends or family hangs behind in the Wave boat and they want to be able still crank up the tunes. Sealver has proposed a standalone battery pack with recharge capability in order to keep that electron juice flowing to all the necessary accessories.

At this time, we do not have any US-based pricing information and since the European-based prices do not include taxes, export, and distribution costs, it doesn’t mean a whole lot to us now. We will be sure to share these details with everyone along with more accurate distribution schedules once we receive more information. Until then, we can only wait in high hopes that we can get one of these units to test out.

Ashley Haude: Discover the Key To Happiness

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Love for a way of life has many forms. People’s passion for watersports such as surfing, scuba and sailing are well-known and accepted because of countless documentaries and publications over the years. Personal watercraft are relatively new, only gaining mainstream popularity in the last 30 years or so compared to centuries old water activities like sailing. However, the key to happiness lies not in the age or size of an activity, but rather in the emotions it evokes. Personal watercraft are just that – personal. One person may enjoy the adventure of exploring places boats cannot reach and others for the camaraderie of community or competition. My own passion for watercraft started many years before I even knew skis existed.

Scabbed knees, sore muscles and sunburn to rival firetruck red. Two years ago that was my first experience with stand up skis…well actually any personal watercraft for that matter. I was hooked from the moment I fired up the engine and started moving on my used 2011 Kawasaki SX-R 800. Those first couple of attempts at standing I inhaled more water than air, but before the day was over I was able to stand and ride for longer than a few seconds. People talk about something that changed their lives for the better with awe and wonder; I am no different. Despite stand up skis consisting of fiberglass, metal and gasoline they provide myself and many others an escape from the toil of everyday life. They challenge me on a mental and physical level no other sport has been able to touch.

During my childhood over summer break when other kids sat inside playing video games, I was in the water practicing for swim team. I rode my bike two miles to the pool, swam, rode two miles home and spent the rest of the day playing in my backyard pool with the dogs. I literally lived to be in the water up until my senior year in high school when I quit varsity swim team due to pain. I’d amassed many ribbons, metals, trophies and even a few broken records over my swimming career, but it wasn’t until I left home and found a love for motorcycles that I started down the road to watercraft.

After I left home, started college and sampled what four wheels had to offer building and driving a drift car, I grew bored of the one dimensional aspect of driving on the road. I loved the challenge of drifting and learning about mechanics, but the sky was calling me. I wanted a motorsport with three dimensions. Following that realization and limited funds, most of my early twenties revolved around riding and repairing sport four wheelers, then dirt bikes and eventually sport bikes. Motorcycles made my heart pound like nothing before and I’d finally found a sport that satiated my need for adrenaline. Or so I thought.

The feeling of being pressed into the seat going around a corner and weightlessness of flying through the air on a machine that weighed more than myself was exhilarating. A simple twist of the throttle on a dirt bike had a smile permanently affixed on my face. Until all that joy abruptly changed into pain when my body met hard earth over and over again. A knee surgery followed by back surgery dampened my love for riding motorcycles and I entered a period of depression that lasted years. I felt empty and broken without a sport to give me purpose.

Enter a very used 2011 two stroke Kawasaki SXR 800 that brought about significant change in my life. It had been raced for years, been through many owners and ended up on my radar through my husband’s coworker selling it for cheap. To be honest at that point I didn’t know stand ups even existed. I was under the impression all skis were like the ones from the early 90s commercials – colorful and slow. When my husband told me about the “cheap ski that you stood on,” I was intrigued. His coworker described it as, “a motorcycle on water.” Say what? After years of finding a career and nursing my body back in health I was looking for something more. Maybe the tired ski was my opportunity to start over, to mix my love of the water with my love of motorsports.

That winter near my 27th birthday I bought the SX-R and promptly shoved it in storage; nothing like waiting for the weather to get warm to play with my new toy. Pouring salt into the wound, in the meantime I couldn’t even find any information about how to ride a stand up! Finally months later, my husband and I had a free, warm Sunday so we hitched up the SXR and headed out to the lake. Talk about a huge disappointment.

Not in the stand up, but rather in ourselves. Our first attempts to simply get moving were fraught with failure. I was weak, out of shape and my balance had seen better days. I spent more time in the water flailing to get in the tray than on the stand up. Finally after about 10 gallons of gas we were both able to body drag, pull ourselves into the tray and stand for a short amount of time before our legs gave out or we fell into the increasingly familiar lake water. So all in all we didn’t enjoy ourselves that first time out to the lake, right? Nope – we totally and absolutely were enamored with stand ups. So much so that my husband purchased a then-new 2015 SuperJet off the showroom floor the following week so we didn’t have to take turns on my SX-R.

The summer of 2015 we made an hour and a half trip to the lake each way every weekend it wasn’t raining. You are probably still wondering “hmm, sounds like a lot of fun, but where does the life-changing bit come into the picture?” Learning to ride stand ups literally gave my life purpose after years of aimless living. I discovered something to work for and look forward to outside of just existing. Life is a beautiful thing, but everyone knows how monotonous it can become. Get up, sit in traffic, work all day, sit in traffic, get home and do chores, have a little bit of precious time to spend with your loved ones and BAM! Your head hits the pillow so you can rest a bit before you do it all over again the next day, and the next and so on.

Not only was the monotony bringing down my spirits, I thought my ‘glory days’ were over because of all the pain and surgeries I’d amassed in my 20s. Fortunately, that was not the case. The full-body physical activity required for riding stand ups helped a lot of my chronic joint pain recede into the background. I wasn’t overweight, but I started shedding pounds like a snake sheds its skin! Six months into learning to ride stand ups my husband and his coworkers warm-heartedly peer pressured me to sign up for a Novice Ski race. The greatest motivating factor was that, just an hour away, TXH2O Racing was about to hold their inaugural event as Region Five’s new IJSBA event promoter. It had been years since watercraft racing graced Texas, but I was hesitant to go. My right turns were still quite wobbly (think newborn colt), and I wasn’t sure I wanted to stoke my competitive embers after all the pain I’d endured racing in swimming and riding on motocross tracks.

My first race day on a stand up was against Juniors. I lost all of my races, but I gained insight into myself. Despite my crashes and failures, the thought of this new world of racing made my pulse quicken. Speaking of crashes, I wasn’t in any significant pain unlike a day at the motocross track! I’d finally returned to the water and thirsted to learn more about riding skills and how to set up a ski. The actual racing was fun and challenging, but to this day one of the most significant things that stuck with me from my first event was the welcoming watercraft community.

TXH2O Racing’s event was very family oriented and even spectators were willing to lend a hand to a fellow racer. The promoters and attendees made me feel at home even as a newcomer; the perfect place for me. Since that first race a little over a year ago I’ve fallen in love with life through riding stand ups. Riding gives purpose, determination and most of all – an appreciation for living. The key to happiness isn’t on your lanyard to start your ski – it is your watercraft and the amazing experiences that surround it.

Gallery: RIVA Racing’s 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 350

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For the last few years, RIVA Racing has offered a specialty-built, Limited Edition high-horsepower, top-of-the-line performance racecraft (built in production runs of 25). This is not one of them. Rather, the 2018 RIVA Racing Sea-Doo RXT-X 350 is a true 350-horsepower machine that you can build yourself using the list of parts that RIVA Racing will have ready for simultaneous release (this coming January) as the new 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 you saw revealed on The Watercraft Journal last week.

Based upon the new for 2018 ST³ hull, the supercharged and intercooled RXT-X 300 already promises to be a worthy successor to the outgoing T-X. Sure the newcomer is wider (from 48.2-inches to 49.4-inches) than its predecessor, but it’s surprisingly shorter (139.2-inches to 135.9-inches). More importantly, the ST³-based RXT-X 300 is also substantially lighter (828-pounds from ‎914-pounds).

Less weight, added stability, better rough water handling and Sea-Doo’s new Launch Control (a iTC feature that automatically adjusts pump angle for optimal acceleration), all adds up to a veritable monster for racing and/or friendly competition. Given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the ’18 RXT-X 300 well before the public reveal, the team at RIVA Racing spent a few days testing. “I thought it was great. It’s very well balanced – static or at speed,” recounted RIVA President Dave Bamdas.

With much of the powertrain direct carry-overs from the previous generation RXT-X 300, a large portion of the performance products already tested and developed by RIVA remained applicable.

For their one-of-one RXT-X 350, RIVA managed to push the Sea-Doo’s stock top speed of 68mph at 7,500rpm to a blistering 85mph at 8,500rpm (and that was conducted with 1/3 tank of fuel, trim set at neutral, sea level elevation, air temp 80-degrees F, states RIVA).

“Like the Spark,” Bamdas added, “The new RXT-X 300 has OEM sensors fixed in the air box. In designing a new RIVA Sea-Doo 2018 RXT/GTX 300 Power Filter (PT# RS13120), we developed a really nice stainless steel bracket that relocates those sensors.” The 350 build employed a RIVA MaptunerX BRP Bundle (All except SPARK) (PT# RS110SC-B) to reflash the ECU, a RIVA Sea-Doo 2018 RXT/GTX Catch Can/Engine Breather Kit (PT# RS19050-BCC-2), and a RIVA Sea-Doo RXP/RXT 300 GEN-4 Power Cooler (PT# RS1753-PC-I).

Bamdas noted, “For the new RIVA Sea-Doo 2018 RXT/GTX 300 Intercooler Tubing Upgrade Kit (PT# RS17120-TK), we went with these new blue silicone intercooler tubes. They’re lighter, easier to keep clean and look really cool.” The rest of the engine build included a RIVA Sea-Doo Pro-Series TiAL Blow-off Valve Kit (PT# 002573), a RIVA Sea-Doo 230/300 Open Loop Cooling Kit (PT# RS1013-140), the RIVA Sea-Doo 230/300 Intake Manifold Upgrade Kit (PT# RS12140-IMUK), RIVA Sea-Doo 300 XX Charger (PT# RS17140-135), RIVA Sea-Doo Rising Rate Fuel Pressure Regulator Kit – `08 & Newer (PT# RS12050-RRFPR-08), Bosch VT1100 Fuel Injector Kit (PT# VT1100-INJK) and RIVA Valve Train Upgrade Kit – Seadoo 4TEC (RS19050-VTU).

Developing a new exhaust system proved slightly tricky. Bamdas illustrated, “If you look closely at the hull, you’d see a pronounced step at the rear. We couldn’t drill a hole for our regular round exhaust outlet, so we had to come up with something different.” What RIVA created was a rectangular port specially CNC-machined for the new RIVA Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 Rear Exhaust Kit (PT# RS15120) that is fed by a RIVA Water Box RXP/RXT 300 (PT# RS16141). Explaining further, Bamdas emphasized, “Once you remove the plate (engine cover), there’s a lot of access to the engine compartment. It’s really nice.”

Handling is sharpened by a RIVA Sea-Doo 2018 RXT/GTX 300 Top-Loader Intake Grate (PT# RS22120), a RIVA/Solas Race Pump & Nozzle (PT# SRZ-PM-159/83), a new Skat-Trak 3-Blade Swirl Impeller 15/19 (PT# SS618328SW15/19), RIVA Sea-Doo 2018 RXT 300 Fixed Performance Trim Tab Kit (PT# RS27120-FPT) and prototype RIVA Sea-Doo 2018 RXT/GTX Pro-Series Sponsons (PT# RS26120) featuring a stepped-and-compound curved design similar to those offered for the GP1800.

Above the folding deck, RIVA had to redesign its RIVA Sea-Doo 2018 RXT-X Pro-Series Steering System (PT# RS20120-B) to accommodate the new touch pads that replaced the previous toggle switches. The steering system is also paired with RIVA PRO-BAR 32” Runabout Bars (PT# RY204) and ODI Rogue Lock-On Grips, 120mm, With Flange (PT# L30RGB-S). Providing the final touches were new 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 350 Custom Build Traction Mats (PT# RS5-HTRM-120) and a hand-stitched 2018 Sea-Doo RXT-X 350 Seat Cover. Exotic Signs provided the unique, one-off graphics as well.

Again, while the package cannot be sold to you as a finished ski, RIVA Racing will have everything shown here, and anodized (where applicable) at www.rivaracing.com by the New Year. While these images are great to drool over, the 2018 RIVA Racing Sea-Doo RXT-X 350 will also be on display next week at the RIVA Racing booth at the 2017 Blowsion IJSBA World Finals in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, if you’d like to paw over it in person.

Video: Ridin’ With Rickey One-On-One With Anthony Radetic

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We here at The Watercraft Journal are definitely no stranger to Sea-Doo X-Team racer Anthony Radetic. Youtube channel ‘Riding With Rickey’ appears to be no stranger as well to this awesome athlete and all around guy. The channel recently put out a Ridin’ With Rickey video as they did a one on one interview with Radetic.

The accomplished racer tells the interviewer his story and his amazing journey that took him all the way to the Pro level circuit. Anthony became a paraplegic after a motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the waist down during his earlier career in the military. He goes on to inform the viewers that after his accident, he still had a strong desire and need to feel the rush of riding.

That very desire is what sparked the fire inside this top ranked racer. After he first discovered PWC’s, Radetic unsurprisingly fell in love with them. As he began going to races, gaining experience and skill, Sea Doo took notice and eventually he became an X-Team racer. As his experience increased, so did his competitiveness and he recently achieved a top ten overall finish.

Anthony goes on to voice his opinion about the Sea-Doo Products and how they are such great watercraft. They are just great all around ski’s that are easy to handle and maneuver as well as great products for families. We certainly couldn’t agree more.

New South Wales Adds 10 Supercharged Sea-Doos To Marine Patrol Team

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According to a report by 9News, police in New South Wales, Australia have been given a new weapon for their arsenal this summer; jet skis. The main key behind the new jet skis is to crack down on anti-social behavior out on the water. In Australia, the term ‘anti-social’ is defined as any behavior that annoys, irritates, disturbs or interferes with a persons’ ability to go about their lawful business.

In the past, marine patrols in Australia have reduced water way based fatalities by a staggering 80 percent! With the addition of these 10 new Sea-Doo RXT-X jet skis to the police force’s fleet, they will now be able to respond to calls quicker than ever. The new skis will be based in Sydney, Botany Bay, Port Kembla and Eden. They will also be based further north in Coffs Harbour, Port Stephens, Newcastle and Broken Bay. This means pretty much all of the east coast of NSW will be patrolled.

“We’ve got areas where people that we know ‘play-up’ and some have got significant criminal history and we’re planning on disrupting those activities” says Commander Mark Hutchings of the NSW Police Marine Area Command.

The addition of the skis will give police the ability to go practically anywhere there is water so they can keep an eye out for intoxicated boaters; whether under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They will also be able to now test boaters for alcohol or drug usage right off their jet skis so they can catch a potential disaster before it happens. Besides that, they will also be used to catch fisheries and maritime type offenders and for various search and rescue purposes.

Commander Hutchings has a strong word of warning for boaters this summer. “We’ll be everywhere this summer and if people play up like that and want to be bullies and intimidate people with their driving; they’ll be finding their way to court.”

https://www.facebook.com/everythingwatercraft/videos/vb.1858343777814668/1905193113129734/?type=2&theater

D’Agostin To Ride a Diptech-Built Yamaha FX SVHO 400 for Lake Mac Enduro

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Australian Jet Ski Online brings us an awesome piece on red-hot rider, Christian D’Agostin. He is the current Australian Open Class Enduro Champion and King’s Cup World Endurance Champion. D’Agostin recently announced a deal with Yamaha to race the Diptech Performance FX SVHO 400 during this years inaugural Lake MacQuarie PWC series in the three heat Enduro Pro GP races.The race takes place on October 14th and 15th.

The Yamaha FX SVHO 400 may be available to everyone, yet this seems like a ski built for competition. The ski is outfitted with the new 4-stroke Super Vortex High Output engine and Yamaha claims it has more power, torque, and displacement than any WaveRunner in history. The NanoXcel2 hull and deck are almost 46 pounds lighter than the previous model. The machine stays glued to water due to the upgraded performance components.

The Yamaha FX SVHO wouldn’t be complete without Yamaha’s patented RiDE technology. Of course the FX SVHO comes with the expected trademark features that Yamaha is known for. The features include adjustable-tilt steering, extended stern platform with a padded rear boarding step, 3-person two-tone fast-back seat, Cruise Assist, No-Wake mode, and nearly 5-cubic feet of storage space.

“It’s awesome to be involved in this event and to be able to align myself with one of Yamaha’s most professional outfits. The ski is a true testament to Anthony DiPietro’s hours of R&D and the thing is an absolute jet – and the best thing is the whole package is an off-the-shelf item available to anyone,” says D’Agostin.

 

Gallery: Jet X Powersports Gets Go-Ahead To Build Ultimate GP1800R

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For Andrew Hinchey, it was all about speed. The Kingston, Ontario, Canada native was in the market for a new runabout but his goals were set pretty high. In a special interview with The Watercraft Journal, Andrew explained, “The build started when the previous owner of [my Sea-Doo RXP-X] 300 started bashing the looks and handling characteristics of the ski. I told him I was going to build a superior ski to the Sea-Doo and that’s when he recommended Jet X Powersports. He told me that if you’re going to have anyone modify that GP, that I should take it to Ryan Dalli.”

The Sea-Doo in question had a couple of RIVA bolt-ons including a power filter, free flow exhaust, Solas prop, catch can and SCOM (Speed Control Override Module). “I even had Ryan add a Stage 2 RIVA tune,” he adds. “I ordered a brand new, completely stock [2017 Yamaha GP1800]. When we tested the stock GP next to the modified [RXP-X] 300, the GP was still the better ski. Well, it felt better for me. It sits high in the water and the steering was extremely responsive compared to the 300.” Having seen the limited-production RIVA Edition GP1800R available through RIVA Racing, Andrew knew that it was exactly what he wanted from Jet X.

“I asked Ryan to build me the fastest, most reliable ski he could. Ryan hesitated as he wanted to build me a 80mph ski. He explained that anything over 80mph is very dangerous for someone “like me” (a joy rider). I reassured him I was responsible and as with everything high-powered that I’ve owned or driven, I will respect the beast.” Somewhat assured, Dalli and the Jet X team went about assembling a slightly modified version of the aforementioned RIVA Edition GP1800R. Dalli explained it was fitted with a RIVA steering system, Power Filter, cooling upgrades, and “a really nice” intercooler. He wrote, “The rear exhaust and water box makes this machine sound incredible!” Valve spring retainers were added as he knew this ski was going to reach high revs.

Handling upgrades included all RIVA equipment: intake grate, ride plate and impeller, as well as RIVA Racing Pro Series sponsons. Dalli wrote, “We needed the ability to turn this weapon.”As the ski was coming together, Andrew had a custom wrap made for this ski as Jet X had the seat rewrapped by Hydro-Turf and added a few gauges with custom-made carbon fiber bezels from scratch. Dalli concluded, “We were really amazed how fast and beautiful this ski turned out! 85mph @ 8600rpm!” Once complete, the lanyard was handed back to Andrew and he’s been loving it ever since. “The GP hasn’t skipped a beat [and] runs just as strong as the day I got it from Jet X. Everywhere I go people are wowed. The graphics scream ‘look at me!’ and the sound reminds people that it’s modified.”

Admittedly a “fair weather rider,” Andrew prefers flat, glassy conditions over jumping waves. “I enjoy arm wrenching speeds going down Lake Ontario onto the St. Lawrence and see the expressions of others when they see this beauty. The sounds reminds me of a street bike. It’s perfect, not too loud but just enough to remind you the ski is very alive.” While this build began with a “oh yeah?” comparison/argument between friends, the final result is a monster machine that Andrew happily will admit is the clear winner between the two.