This story comes to us from chixwithtrix.com. The story tells us a little about Spencer from Pacific Northwest Jetski Fishing. Spencer owned his first jet ski close to 20 years ago while stationed in Virginia Beach. It was a 1991 750 Yamaha 2-stroke and he liked to spend time in the bay looking for boat wakes to jump. Wake jumping is enjoyable. When Spencer left the military he sold his jet ski so he could pay for his college tuition in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
Fifteen years later, he became obsessed with fishing after one of his friends took him out to fish for salmon in the Columbia River. Soon after, the guys hit the Pacific Ocean to catch rockfish. The rockfish trip led to tuna fishing and shortly thereafter, Spencer tired of waiting for his friend’s schedules to match his own for fishing trips on their boats so he bought a kayak and fished along the coast.
The years wore on and he fished some tournaments and still that wasn’t enough. Another buddy brought up the idea of fishing form a personal watercraft and Spencer was captivated with the idea. He reminisced about the good times he had on his ski in Virginia.
He soon realized that he could reach more fishing spots on a jet ski. A kayak just wasn’t doing it for him. Kayaks don’t go as fast and require a lot of energy as opposed to the speed of a jet ski. Sure, a ski is tough on the body, yet it’s powered by gas and can get through waves and more water in less time than paddling a kayak. He and his buddy worked on outfitting their skis for the purpose of fishing. Their rigs were built for toughness so they could launch from obscure places and move through areas that boats weren’t capable. Their machines put them in waters rarely fished so the taking was bountiful. As Spencer wrote, “It really is impossible to not have fun fishing from a jet ski…if the fishing is slow, you’re on a jet ski, in the ocean…”
HydroDrag Nationals are already behind us for this year and yet, record-setting numbers are still being pushed by none other than Uva Perez. Back in August, he already set a new official world record of 123.2 MPH at the U.S. HydroDrag Nationals. Now, there is a new YouTube video showing Uva shattering that record at 127 MPH.
While the result may still be unofficial, the GPS modules utilized on board his PWC clearly show numbers never seen previously. With cameras rolling, watercraft prepped, and water conditions perfect, Uva climbed aboard the same turbocharged Yamaha FZR WaveRunner he used during Nationals and strolled down the quiet canal in preparation to make his run.
As he comes back down and hammers the throttle, we hear the turbo instantly spool up and the thing accelerates like a rocket. Coming back around to the dock, the expression on Perez’s face looks very promising and as the camera focuses in on the GPS, we can see the results.
The MVP Productions video indicates that Uva wanted to share to the world this exclusive new 127 MPH speed in under 3 seconds. We imagine that Uva knew his FZR had much more to give even after HydroDrag Nationals, that he just couldn’t wait until next year to push the boundaries higher and higher.
The 2017 East Coast Watercross Tour by Jet Renu came to an end this past weekend in Niantic, Connecticut and it was one for the record books! Rounds 9 and 10 were a mid-season add-on to the tour but what a beautiful race site it turned out to be with a mile long beach and perfect weather all weekend – sunny and in the mid-80s. The town came out in full support of the tour with local restaurant/night club Sunset Rib House not only coming on as a sponsor but also hosting an after party for the racers, creating a new drink called the “jet ski” and even sending out a party bus to transport racers from the camping area to Sunset Rib’s and back. You literally couldn’t ask for more!
With a total of 10 rounds for the season, it is amazing to see how much this series has grown in only its second year. With the Tour Championships taking place September 23rd and 24th (just a week before the IJSBA World Finals in Lake Havasu, Arizona) there was some worry regarding what the turnout would be but it didn’t seem to stop the racers from coming out in full force. Several classes including Expert Runabout 4-Stroke, Expert Ski Lites, Expert Spark Lites, and even Super Chicken had fuller lines than the previous rounds in Watkins Glen which is typically the series most attended rounds.
Going into the final rounds of racing for the season many racers were only separated by a few points in several classes. The Top 3 racers in Expert Ski Lites were only separated by a total of 15 points, the top 2 in Super Chicken were only separated by 5 points and X2 Open Top 2 were separated by 4 little points. This creates the kind of excitement championship weekends are all about.
In Expert Ski Lites two pros joined the line for Round 9 and once again decided to shake things up. Mike Kelberer had an idea from something he saw in the mid-’90s where one racer would start on the line with his ski facing the beach. At Kevin Kennedy’s request the guys decided to try it. With Rick Sherker and Kelberer facing the beach for Moto 1, the rest of the pack was unleashed onto to the course and after several seconds the pros turned their skis around and joined the race. It was Sherker who made it through the pack and finished in first place but due to several of the points championship leaders missing a certain buoy second and third place ultimately went to Charlie McCarthy and Cole Moriarty.
In Moto 2, Kelberer was the one to catch and as Sherker was catching up to him mid-race he suffered a ski malfunction allowing Kelberer to easily take the win. By the end of round 9 the top 3 contenders for the tour championship were involved in a nearly 3-way tie. It came down to the last moto of Round 10 for the championship to be decided between the three competitors but in the end it was Glenn Foster with the win closely followed by Billy Beers Jr. in second and Matthew Vitrano in third.
One of the most entertaining classes of the series affectionately named Super Chicken saw its biggest line of the season in Niantic, CT. There were a total of 8 Kawasaki Sport Cruisers on the line in Round 9 and the points chase for the championship was undeniably close. Due to a new ruling earlier in the season by the IJSBA, racers were now allowed to apply sponsons to their skis to improve their handling which some racers took advantage of in earlier rounds but championship contender Gwen Bitting just added days before round 9. Bitting and Steve Hotchkiss were separated by 5 points going into championship weekend and it was Bitting who was able to come out the regional champion for the Super Chicken class followed by her friendly rival Steve Hotchkiss in second and Kayla Pilszka in third.
The weekend was not all about the racing. September is “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,” so Christopher Hyslop, whose two sons race in the series, decided to #gogold for the weekend in an effort to raise money for the cause. For every moto Chase or Logan won Chris donated $100 and for every overall win he donated $200. After the weekend and several donations from the Region 8 family a total of $1,725 was raised and went toward Pediatric Cancer Research.
The East Coast Watercross Tour is more than just a few people getting together to run around buoys on skis. Yes, that may be how we all have fun but the friends that become family are what make this Region great. Don’t believe me? Join us for a round or 2 next season and see for yourself. Let’s continue to make Region 8 great again! Be sure to check out www.eastcoastwatercross.com for the complete list of classes and series results.
Looking for more performance out of your Sea Doo GTR 230 or GTR-X 230? Well look no further than RIVA Racing. They now have the Stage 1 Kit, which according to RIVA will bring you over the 70 MPH mark. Based on their test conditions, it will get you to 72 MPH at 8,400 RPM.
That is a pretty significant jump in performance considering an entry-level performance watercraft and will have you contending with higher models in the performance segment. Included in the stage 1 kit is Riva’s awesome Maptuner X BRP bundle, power filter, catch can / engine breather kit, and a Skat-Trak swirl 13/15 impeller.
Of course with the Maptuner X, you get all of the benefits that come with the unit itself including its full color touch screen display and the ability to quickly load other performance tunes for your watercraft. Free access to Riva’s tuning library will allow you to switch between a variety of performance tunes and back to stock settings if you wish. In addition, you will have access to unmatched technical assistance if needed.
This awesome stage 1 kit is on sale now for $1829.35 so head on over to the link above to pick up yours today. You will certainly qualify for free shipping within the continental U.S. The performance for value of this kit will definitely put you ahead of the higher performance models in the Sea Doo lineup, so you budget racing junkies out there will be excited about this one.
The second annual Tri-State River Rats PWC Jamboree and Poker Run welcomed 47 people riding 42 skis to the beautiful Shanghai Resort on Norris Lake in La Follette TN, September 7-10. Beautiful weather greeted riders each morning, mixing with the mist off the lake where the cool air and warm water meet; creating some enviable photo ops.
Delegates from 11 states joined us. Our friends from the northeast brought with them their signature run, the “Sunrise Burn”, which is exactly what it sounds like; joined by a smattering of others willing to deal with the early hour, cool temperatures, and mild headache from the night before.
“In addition to the Saturday Poker Run Saturday, we toured most of the Lake on Friday with the early arrivals,” said Steve Kresko, Tri-State River Rats president. “In the evening, we grilled out and enjoyed the fireplace and renewed friendships on the cabin porch.
“I can’t thank the folks at Shanghai enough for their hospitality and professionalism,” Kresko said. “We all but took over the whole place for the weekend. They welcomed us, and went far beyond expectations. I think it was one of the key things that made the weekend great. We also had an incredible group of PWC riders. But I can’t forget other marinas involved, Hickory Star, Stardust, Whitman Hollow, and Beach Island Marina/Bubba Brews. Everything came together at the right time, in the best place, with awesome friends. It doesn’t get better.”
The prizes didn’t suck either. Grand prize, a GoPro Hero 5, donated by Yamaha of Louisville, was won with three aces. In addition to the Poker Run itself, participants purchased raffle tickets for 32 other prizes, totaling nearly $2,000. Sponsors included Adam and Eve, The Dirty Turtle Off-Road Park, Car Stuff of Louisville, JetRenu, Academy Sports, Whitman Hollow Marina, Torx Racing, Tyler’s Personal Watercraft Service, and Total Truck Parts. Raffle prizes included gift cards, a PWC stereo system, flip flops, water shoes, sunglasses, PWC wax, PWC water spot remover, sunscreen and tee shirts.
We purposely set up the poker run so that it couldn’t be a race, no benefit to arriving first at any of the stops, so everyone could enjoy the ride. Ken Meadors acted as the dealer, keeping track of everyone, and tallying the hands at the end, with other River Rats leading the groups and watching out for the riders, to make sure everyone was safe and happy.
How often does everything go right? Cerulean blue skies all weekend allowed us to ride all day and deep into late sunset, showing those new to the lake all the best places. The poker run itself went smoothly. All the riders were courteous and considerate of others on the lake, showing our sport at its very best.
Next year’s Poker Run will be the same time, the weekend after Labor Day. Contact the Tri-State River Rats group on Facebook, or through our email at [email protected].
The mayors of Norway missed their goal to ban jet skis. Threatened with class action lawsuits and the like, the mayors were left with nothing. They had to give in to the wants of PWC riders. According to an article published in the Norwegian online magazine, SLTE, a large group of riders met with lawyers and stood their ground against the mayors. The battle between local mayors and personal watercraft riders had been going on since 1997.
The riders and attorneys based their legal actions on the new Dispute Act that was brought into play in 2008. The Act states that a large group of people or interest groups may initiate legal proceedings against laws such as the ones local mayors wanted to implement.
The long standing ban on jet skis was removed. It was a strict ban and we’re glad the Norwegian personal water craft riders and attorneys won their. The ban restricted skis to only 400 meters offshore. Riders were only allowed to travel at 5 knots in areas with land on two sides up to 800 meters in salt water and 1000 meters in fresh water. These particular regulations were difficult to comprehend.
Today, PWC’s can follow the same laws and regulations of all other boats. The government did make allowances for the local mayors to have an option to regulate boats/pwc in some areas. A few mayors went ballistic over the loss and decided they wanted to ban skis altogether. Furthermore, the mayors sent new regulations out for a public hearing. Those angry local mayors were denied by a higher form of government. A statement sent out by the superior government reads that jet skis can be regulated in special harbors and other small areas such as beaches.
The fight was won by the personal watercraft community. Kudos!
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.
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.
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
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.
Hey everybody; t
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.
