A lot of promising-looking water never makes it past the “that would be awesome to ride” stage.
You find it on a map, zoom in, see the coves, the shoreline, the big open basin—and then somewhere in the fine print it turns into the usual reality check: no wake zones everywhere, seasonal restrictions, or the dreaded “no PWC” rule that quietly ends the conversation before it starts.
So when a place like Green River Lake in Kentucky actually clears that first hurdle, it stands out immediately.
This is a roughly 8,000-acre reservoir tucked into central Kentucky, sitting in that interesting middle ground between Nashville and Lexington. Big enough to matter on a ski, but still framed by wooded shoreline, quiet arms, and state park infrastructure that feels built for actual use—not just signage. And more importantly for our purposes: personal watercraft are allowed.
That alone moves it from “nice looking lake on a map” into “worth seriously considering for a weekend run.”
Because once that box is checked, the rest starts to matter in a different way.
Launch access. Water layout. How quickly you can get from a ramp to open space. Whether the lake gives you room to explore or just funnels everyone into the same shared corridor.
Green River Lake checks enough of those boxes to make you stop thinking about it as a static body of water and start thinking about it as a rideable system—ramps, routes, coves, return lines.
It also has something that tends to matter more the longer you ride: flexibility.
You’re not locked into a single loop. You’re not stuck circling a crowded main basin. You’ve got enough shoreline and branching water to break the day into sections—fast stretches, slower exploration, and the kind of drift time that usually ends up being the part you remember most.
The state park side of it only reinforces that idea. Camping, shoreline access, and multiple ways to stage a day on the water mean it’s not just a “launch, ride, leave” location—it’s a place you can actually base out of.
It’s a rare case where the map looks good, the rules don’t immediately disqualify it, and the only real next step is putting it on the trailer rotation and seeing what it actually feels like at water level. Green River Lake has definitely earned a spot on this editor’s own “worth a closer look” list for this summer.
There’s fast—and then there’s what happens when the Sea-Doo 325 platform gets turned all the way up.
RIVA Racing is leaning hard into the latter with its newly released Stage 3 performance kits for the latest 325-horsepower platforms from Sea-Doo, producing a top speed of 88 mph and roughly 400 horsepower at 9,000 RPM.
That’s not a mild bump. That’s a full personality change.
From 68 to 88 MPH
Out of the box, the current 325-powered machines—like the RXP-X, RXT-X, and GTX Limited—already flirt with the upper edge of factory performance, typically landing around 68 mph (U.S. models). RIVA’s staged approach builds from there:
Stage 1: 80 mph
Stage 2: 83–84 mph
Stage 3: 88 mph
All achieved under controlled test conditions: 75°F air temp, smooth water, neutral trim, and about a third tank of fuel. While real-world conditions will vary, a roughly +20 mph jump puts this firmly in another performance tier.
And notably, it’s all done on 91–93 octane pump fuel—no exotic race gas required.
The Heart of the Package
At the center of the Stage 3 kit is a reworked engine management strategy built around a fully unlocked ECU and the Maptuner Nano system. That combo doesn’t just add power—it hands control back to the rider.
The Nano device connects via Bluetooth to your phone, letting you flash tunes, monitor engine data, and even revert back to stock settings if needed. It’s a modern approach to performance: less laptop-in-the-garage, more app-in-your-pocket.
Fuel delivery gets a serious upgrade too, with Bosch 1100cc injectors feeding the higher-output setup, while airflow is dramatically improved via RIVA’s XX-Charger supercharger options—available either as a modified unit or mail-in impeller upgrade.
Supporting hardware rounds out the package:
Titanium valve retainers to manage high-RPM stability
Catch can/breather system to keep intake air clean and efficient
Solas Concord impeller tuned specifically for the setup
Taken together, it’s less about a single “big mod” and more about a system engineered to work in sync.
Not Just Straight-Line Speed
While the headline number is 88 mph, the supporting gains matter just as much.
Reducing cavitation, improving throttle response, and maintaining boost efficiency all play into how the ski actually feels on the water. A build like this isn’t just about top speed runs—it’s about how quickly it gets there, and how cleanly it delivers power across the range.
That’s especially relevant as the 325 platform continues to blur the line between recreational musclecraft and competition-ready machines.
Two Platforms, Same Philosophy
RIVA is offering the Stage 3 kit across both major 325 platforms:
RXP-X 325 (2024–2026)
RXT-X / GTX Limited 325 (2024–2026)
Performance figures are nearly identical between them, with slight variations in mid-stage gains depending on hull and setup. GTX Limited models do require an iDF delete for full compatibility—a reminder that as performance climbs, factory systems sometimes need to step aside.
The Fine Print—and the Reality
At just over $4,000, the Stage 3 kit sits in that familiar performance sweet spot: not entry-level, but far from a full engine build.
That said, this is clearly positioned as a competition-use package. It’s not emissions compliant, and it’s not intended for regulated waterways. Installation may be “bolt-on” in concept, but dialing in a setup like this still benefits from experience—or at least a willingness to learn.
And then there’s the bigger picture:
88 mph on a hull as compact and aggressive as the RXP-X is no small thing. At that level, conditions, rider input, and setup all matter more than ever.
Spend five minutes on the water in Fort Lauderdale and you’ll figure it out fast—this isn’t a one-condition riding area.
One direction leads you to calm, social sandbars packed with tied-up skis, music, and floating coolers. The other points straight toward open ocean, inlet chop, and boat wakes stacking on top of each other like a washing machine.
If your idea of a perfect ride is anchoring up at the sandbar, stability becomes king. You want something that sits flat in the water, carries gear without complaint, and keeps everyone comfortable when the engine’s off.
That’s where models like the Sea-Doo GTX and GTI SE shine—built around storage, seating, and a more relaxed riding experience.
But point your bow toward the Hillsboro Inlet, and the equation changes fast.
Out there, weight, hull design, and tracking matter more than cupholders. Larger platforms like the Yamaha FX series or Kawasaki Ultra lineup are designed to stay planted, cutting through heavy chop instead of skipping across it.
Same city. Completely different demands.
Not Everyone Wants to Cruise
Of course, not every rider is looking for a floating lounge or a long-distance cruiser.
There’s a growing lane for riders who want something more active—something you ride, not just steer.
That’s where machines like the Yamaha JetBlaster Pro come into play. Lightweight, playful, and built for rider input, it’s the kind of ski that turns even messy water into something to work with instead of something to avoid.
It’s not the easiest ride in rough inlet conditions—but that’s kind of the point.
The Rise of Something In Between
One of the more interesting shifts for 2026 is the emergence of crossover platforms.
Yamaha’s new CrossWave is a good example—blurring the line between traditional PWC and small boat with a four-passenger layout and open, modular deck space.
For families or social groups, it changes the conversation entirely. Instead of choosing between agility and space, riders are starting to expect both.
The Reality of South Florida Riding
No matter what you choose, one thing doesn’t change: South Florida is hard on equipment.
Saltwater, UV exposure, and constant humidity mean maintenance isn’t optional—it’s part of the ride. Flushing after every outing, rinsing thoroughly, and protecting surfaces isn’t just good practice—it’s survival for your machine.
And that’s really the throughline here.
It’s Not About the “Best” Ski
There isn’t one.
There’s just the right ski for the way you ride.
Fort Lauderdale makes that clearer than almost anywhere else. One weekend might be spent anchored in waist-deep water with friends. The next could have you pushing through inlet chop just to get outside.
Same rider. Same city. Completely different needs.
And that’s why guides like this matter—not because they tell you what to buy, but because they remind you to be honest about how you actually ride.
There’s a moment—usually right after the straps come off—when every new WaveRunner owner feels it.
The water’s right there. The engine’s brand new. And every instinct says: pin it.
But with Yamaha’s current lineup, how you spend that first hour and a half on the water depends entirely on what’s sitting under the seat—and getting it right matters more than most riders realize.
Same Brand Different Rules
Yamaha may build three distinct marine engines, but when it comes to break-in, they split into two very different approaches.
If you’re riding a TR-1 (1.05L) or the supercharged 1.8L SVHO, the process is straightforward—but disciplined:
First 5 minutes: keep it under 2,000 RPM
Next 90 minutes: stay under 5,000 RPM and vary the throttle
That’s about 95 minutes total, and yes—it can feel like a long time when the rest of the lake is wide open.
The newer 1.9L High Output engine adds a twist. It’s still about the same total runtime, but Yamaha builds in an extra step to properly seat the larger, naturally aspirated platform:
First 5 minutes: under 2,000 RPM
Next 30 minutes: under 5,000 RPM
Final 60 minutes: under 6,000 RPM
Same total time. More nuance.
Why the Difference?
It comes down to how these engines make their power—and how their internal components settle in.
The supercharged SVHO and smaller TR-1 follow a more traditional break-in curve. The 1.9L HO, on the other hand, benefits from a more gradual RPM climb, giving its larger displacement components time to wear in evenly under progressively higher loads.
In plain terms: it’s not about going slow—it’s about going smart.
Your Engine Is Paying Attention
Here’s the part a lot of riders overlook: modern Yamaha ECUs are watching everything.
Throttle input. RPM range. Load patterns.
From the first minute of runtime, the system is building a picture of how that engine is being used. A rushed, inconsistent break-in doesn’t just affect mechanical wear—it can influence how the ski performs long-term.
Take your time here, and you’re not just “following instructions.” You’re setting the tone for how that engine runs for years.
Don’t Skip the First Service
No matter which engine you’re on, the next milestone comes quickly.
At 10 hours, it’s time for the first service:
Oil and filter change
Spark plug inspection or replacement
Cable and system checks
Full freshwater flush
It’s basic stuff—but it’s also where any early issues get caught before they become expensive ones.
One Last Thing
Yamaha’s guidelines are consistent, but they’re not universal across every model and year. Before you launch, take a minute to double-check your owner’s manual and confirm the exact specs for your ski.
Because when it comes to break-in, close enough isn’t the same as correct.
There’s a quiet shift happening in the performance PWC world—and it’s not coming from the engines.
A post from GreenHulk PWC Performance Store is putting a spotlight on what it sees as the next bottleneck in the latest Kawasaki Ultra 310 models: fuel delivery. Alongside that claim, the retailer is pointing to a solution—a higher-capacity fuel pump upgrade from Kawi Performance designed to address inconsistent fuel supply under boost.
That’s a bold claim, especially when you’re talking about one of the most powerful production watercraft on the market. But it also points to something bigger: modern PWCs aren’t running out of engine—they’re starting to run into the limits of the systems that support them.
At the center of the discussion is fuel supply under boost. Supercharged engines rely on a steady, consistent flow of fuel to maintain safe air-to-fuel ratios, especially under heavy load and high RPM. When that supply falls short, even momentarily, the consequences can escalate quickly. Lean conditions introduce excess heat, increase the risk of detonation, and in worst-case scenarios, can lead to serious engine damage.
That’s the concern being raised here. As riders begin to push the Ultra 310 platform further—with added boost, airflow modifications, and tuning—the factory fuel system may not always keep pace.
It’s not a new concept in performance tuning. More power almost always demands more support. But what’s notable is how quickly that conversation has shifted into the current generation of machines. Not long ago, discussions around “weak points” were tied to older platforms and well-documented issues. Today, it’s less about fixing known flaws—and more about identifying the next bottleneck as performance ceilings continue to rise.
In this case, that bottleneck appears to be fuel volume and pressure stability under sustained demand.
GreenHulk’s solution is a higher-capacity fuel pump and upgraded supporting components designed to maintain consistent delivery across the powerband. While positioned as a performance upgrade, it’s just as much about reliability—ensuring the engine receives what it needs when it needs it.
For stock riders, this likely isn’t something that demands immediate attention. But for those stepping into the world of modifications, it’s a reminder of how tightly balanced modern engines have become.
The power is already there.
The question now is whether everything around it can keep up.
Read the full release below:
GreenHulk PWC Performance Store Your fuel system is the limiting factor on the 2022 and newer Kawasaki Ultra 310. Not the engine. The Kawi Performance Kawasaki 2022+ Ultra 310 Fuel Pump Mod Kit is designed to correct one of the most common and dangerous issues on these skis, inconsistent fuel supply under boost.
The factory fuel pump simply cannot keep up with the demands of a supercharged engine, especially once you begin adding performance upgrades. When fuel delivery falls short, the engine runs lean. Lean conditions create excessive heat, detonation, and can quickly lead to serious engine damage or complete failure.This kit is built to eliminate that problem entirely.
At the core is a high flow DW fuel pump rated at 165 liters per hour at 40 PSI. This provides a substantial increase in fuel volume compared to stock, ensuring the engine receives consistent fuel supply even under heavy load and high RPM. The system is paired with an oversized fuel pressure regulator that stabilizes fuel pressure and maintains proper delivery across the entire powerband. This is critical for keeping air to fuel ratios safe and consistent when the engine is under boost.
The upgraded fuel pump housing directly replaces the factory components and is engineered to support the larger pump. It includes an extended fuel level float arm to maintain accurate fuel readings, along with an upgraded fuel filter to improve flow and long term reliability.
Every component in this kit is designed with durability and performance in mind. The result is a fuel system that can properly support both stock and modified setups without the risk of starvation.
This is not just a performance upgrade. It is a reliability upgrade and a form of insurance for your engine.
If you are running a modified Ultra 310 or plan to increase boost, RPM, or airflow in any way, this upgrade becomes essential. It ensures your fuel system can match the demands of your engine so you can ride hard without worrying about running lean.
Fits 2022 and newer Ultra 310 models, 2020 and newer STX 160, and 2023 and newer Ultra 160.
There’s a certain kind of frustration that only shows up at the boat ramp.
You’ve got the skis fueled, the cooler packed, the weather finally cooperating—and suddenly, your trailer lights decide they’re done participating. No brake lights. No turn signals. Maybe one lonely marker light flickering like it’s trying its best.
For something so small, trailer wiring has a way of stopping an entire day in its tracks.
The good news? It’s not nearly as complicated as it looks.
Most modern trailers—especially anything set up to haul a personal watercraft—use a standard 7-pin wiring system. And once you understand what each wire actually does, troubleshooting becomes a whole lot less like guesswork and a lot more like a quick pre-ride check.
THE 7-PIN BREAKDOWN At its core, your trailer wiring is just seven separate jobs, each handled by a different wire:
White — Ground The foundation of everything. This wire connects to the trailer frame and completes every circuit.
Brown — Running Lights Powers your marker lights and tail lights so you’re visible at night.
Yellow — Left Turn & Brake Controls the driver-side turn signal and brake light.
Green — Right Turn & Brake Controls the passenger-side turn signal and brake light.
Blue — Electric Brakes Sends power to trailer brakes (if your trailer is equipped).
Black — 12V Auxiliary Power Constant power feed—often used for charging a battery or powering accessories.
Purple — Reverse Lights Activates backup lights when you shift into reverse (if installed).
That’s it. Seven wires, seven responsibilities.
4-PIN VS. 7-PIN: WHAT MOST PWC OWNERS ACTUALLY USE If you’re towing a single or double jet ski, there’s a good chance your trailer doesn’t even have a 7-pin connector—and that’s completely normal.
Most personal watercraft trailers use a 4-pin flat connector, which covers just the essentials:
White — Ground
Brown — Running Lights
Yellow — Left Turn & Brake
Green — Right Turn & Brake
That’s it. No extras, no complexity.
And for lightweight trailers, it works perfectly.
SO WHY DO SOME TRAILERS USE 7-PIN? The 7-pin setup simply adds more capability for heavier or more complex trailers:
Electric brakes (blue wire) for stopping power
12V auxiliary power (black wire) for batteries or accessories
Reverse lights (purple wire) for visibility and safety
You’ll typically see 7-pin connectors on:
Larger boat trailers
Multi-axle setups
Enclosed or equipment trailers
WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT For most PWC owners, the answer is simple:
If your trailer has a 4-pin and everything works, you’re exactly where you need to be.
The only time you’d consider stepping up to a 7-pin setup is if:
Your trailer has (or needs) brakes
You’re towing heavier loads over longer distances
You want added features like reverse lights or onboard power
No matter which setup you’re running—4-pin or 7-pin—the way these systems fail is surprisingly consistent.
It’s rarely something dramatic or complicated. More often, it’s a small connection issue that throws everything off just enough to leave you chasing symptoms instead of the cause.
And almost every time, it starts in the same place.
WHY “GROUND IS KING” ISN’T JUST A SAYING If there’s one takeaway here, it’s this: most trailer light problems come down to a bad ground.
That white wire needs a clean, solid connection to bare metal on the trailer frame. Not painted. Not rusty. Not “good enough.”
Saltwater, road grime, and time all work against that connection. And when it weakens, everything downstream starts acting weird—dim lights, signals that don’t blink right, or systems that fail entirely.
If your lights are doing anything inconsistent, check the ground first. Nine times out of ten, that’s your culprit.
THE RAMP REALITY CHECK Here’s where this really matters for PWC owners.
Unlike utility trailers that live relatively easy lives, watercraft trailers deal with:
Repeated submersion
Corrosion from salt or brackish water
Long highway runs followed by sudden cooling at the ramp
That combination is brutal on wiring.
It’s also why you might have a setup that works perfectly in your driveway… and then fails the moment you back down the ramp.
Connections heat up during the drive, cool rapidly in the water, and suddenly a marginal connection becomes a complete failure.
A FEW SIMPLE WAYS TO STAY AHEAD OF PROBLEMS You don’t need to rewire your trailer every season—but a little prevention goes a long way:
Check your ground connection regularly If it looks questionable, it probably is.
Protect your wiring Split-loom tubing or proper routing keeps wires from chafing against the frame.
Use dielectric grease on connectors Helps prevent corrosion and keeps connections consistent.
Secure loose wires Vibration on the road will wear things out faster than you think.
THE 30-SECOND WALK-AROUND THAT SAVES YOUR DAY Before you pull out—whether from home or the ramp—take half a minute and run through the basics:
Left turn signal
Right turn signal
Brake lights
Running lights
It’s quick. It’s simple. And it can save you from getting pulled over—or worse, dealing with a preventable issue on the road.
Trailer wiring might not be the most exciting part of owning a PWC, but it’s one of those small systems that carries a lot of responsibility. When it works, you never think about it. When it doesn’t, it’s all you can think about.
Understand the seven wires. Keep your connections clean. And give it a quick check before you roll.
Because the only thing worse than a long day at the ramp… is not making it to the water at all.
That’s a question that comes up more often than most riders want to admit.
A fresh impeller upgrade is supposed to improve performance—but depending on how it’s selected, it can just as easily move a ski out of its optimal RPM range and quietly reduce real-world performance.
It’s a tuning problem Impros addresses from a position few shops still occupy. Led by Glenn Perry, whose background spans decades at Scat Track, OEM development work, and race support, the company operates less like a simple parts supplier and more like a hands-on impeller service shop. Every job—whether repair, repitch, or balance—is rooted in how a pump actually loads and wears in real water conditions, not just how it looks on a spec sheet.
That perspective comes through clearly in how the business operates day to day—repair-heavy, application-specific, and built around real-world wear patterns like cavitation damage, debris impact, and pitch drift over time rather than theory alone.
And that’s where most assumptions in impeller tuning start to break down.
The assumption that drives most tuning mistakes
At the core of it all is a simple belief: if the engine is making more power, the impeller should automatically “grab harder.”
On paper, that makes sense. In practice, it’s where performance often gets unintentionally lost.
An impeller isn’t just a speed component—it’s a load device. It dictates how quickly the engine accelerates, where it sits in its powerband, and how efficiently that power is converted into thrust through the pump.
When pitch is pushed too far in the aggressive direction for a given setup, the results are usually predictable:
RPM falls below the engine’s optimal range
Acceleration feels heavier instead of stronger
Cavitation increases under load or in chop
Top speed may plateau—or even decline
What feels like a stronger setup on paper can quietly become a less usable one on the water.
Stock impellers aren’t the weak link anymore
It’s worth putting this into perspective: modern OEM impellers are not the limitation they once were.
Manufacturers design them to perform across a wide operating envelope with a careful balance of efficiency, durability, and broad usability.
For a completely stock ski, that often means the factory impeller is already very close to a well-matched setup.
Which is why aftermarket changes don’t guarantee improvement. If the baseline is already well-optimized, the margin for gain becomes narrow—and highly sensitive to small mismatches in pitch and application.
Where “custom” actually starts to matter
The equation changes once the engine is no longer stock.
Porting, ECU tuning, intake and exhaust modifications—all of them shift how the engine breathes and where it wants to operate in the RPM range.
This is where impeller tuning stops being about peak numbers and starts being about alignment.
Alignment between:
Engine load
Peak power RPM band
Hull behavior under acceleration
Real-world water conditions and riding style
At that point, the goal is no longer simply “faster.” It’s making sure the engine is operating where it actually produces usable power consistently.
Why Impros sits in the tuning space, not just the parts space
This is where Impros separates itself from a typical aftermarket parts mindset.
Rather than treating impellers as universal upgrades, the focus is application-based tuning—matching pitch and configuration to the full combination in front of them.
That includes repitching existing impellers and building recommendations around how a ski is actually used, not just what parts are installed.
In practical terms, that approach prevents one of the most common mistakes in performance tuning: over-propping a ski in search of aggression, only to lose usable RPM and efficiency in the process.
It’s also a philosophy rooted in experience—Glenn Perry’s background at Scat Track, OEM development work, and decades of repair and race support all feeding into a single point of reference: what actually survives and performs in the water over time.
The part riders often discover the hard way
The most counterintuitive part of impeller tuning is that “more” is not always more.
A ski that is slightly under-pitched but holds clean RPM, recovers instantly after chop or landings, and maintains consistent hook-up often feels faster in real-world riding than a setup that is aggressively pitched but constantly working against its own powerband.
Speed numbers on calm water don’t always reflect how a ski behaves when conditions get messy—or when the rider is actually using it dynamically.
At its core, impeller tuning isn’t about chasing the most aggressive setup possible.
It’s about finding the point where the engine, pump, and water stop fighting each other.
And once that balance is right, performance stops feeling theoretical—and starts feeling immediate, repeatable, and usable in the conditions that actually matter.
Broward Motorsports is turning up the heat in South Florida with a limited-time Scarab promotion that effectively doubles the fun on the water.
For a limited time, customers purchasing a 19’–23′ Scarab jet boat will receive a free Sea-Doo Spark. Buyers stepping up to a 24′ Scarab will receive two Sea-Doo Sparks with their purchase.
It’s a straightforward setup that leans hard into what Broward Motorsports calls “throttle therapy” — more time on the water, more ways to ride, and more machines in the mix from day one.
According to the dealership, the promotion is being offered across all Broward Motorsports locations, expanding availability for buyers throughout Florida.
The Scarab lineup continues to stand out for its jet-driven performance and playful handling, while the Sea-Doo Spark remains one of the most accessible and popular entry points into personal watercraft riding. Paired together, the promotion effectively expands a single purchase into a full dockside fleet.
As with most limited-time dealership incentives, availability and terms may vary by inventory, and interested buyers are encouraged to check directly with Broward Motorsports for full details.
In a region built around water, speed, and year-round riding, it’s a simple message from the dealership: you gotta ride.
For those newer to the space, here’s a quick breakdown of what each machine brings to the water:
What Is a Scarab Jet Boat
Scarab jet boats are built around jet propulsion rather than a traditional exposed propeller, using BRP’s Rotax powerplants to deliver strong acceleration and responsive handling.
That design brings a few immediate advantages. With no exposed prop, they’re inherently safer around swimmers and ideal for watersports. They can also operate in shallower water, opening up sandbars, intercoastal zones, and tighter areas that would make prop-driven boats a little more cautious.
Performance-wise, Scarabs are known for quick throttle response and agile handling. The lighter hull design paired with high-output Rotax engines gives them a strong power-to-weight feel, translating to fast holeshots and a more playful driving experience compared to traditional runabouts.
At the same time, they’re still built for comfort. Deep seating, open layouts, and generous storage make them practical for long days on the water with a full crew—whether that’s cruising, hanging at anchor, or towing riders.
What Is a Sea-Doo Spark
Sea-Doo Spark is one of the most approachable personal watercraft platforms on the market, designed to be lightweight, easy to handle, and accessible to a wide range of riders.
Built with a durable Polytec hull, the Spark keeps weight down, which makes it easier to tow, launch, and maneuver both on and off the water. That lighter feel translates directly into a more playful ride—quick to turn, easy to control, and ideal for everything from casual cruising to learning the basics of PWC riding.
It’s also one of the most versatile entry points into the Sea-Doo lineup. Whether used for solo rides, short bursts of high-energy fun, or as a secondary craft alongside a larger boat, the Spark fills the role of “grab-and-go” riding in a way bigger machines typically don’t.
Paired with a jet boat like a Scarab, it becomes the perfect complement—something you can launch in seconds when it’s time to break away from the group and ride.
As the 2026 UIM Aquabike World Championship begins to come into focus, the early storylines are already pointing toward a season that could feel very different from years past.
A growing list of confirmed Official Riders has started to take shape across the premier categories, with defending world champions set to return—but they won’t be easing into a long campaign. Instead, they’ll be dropping into a tightly packed, late-season calendar that shifts the entire rhythm of the sport.
After early-season events were pushed back, the championship now opens in October, kicking off in Shanghai before moving through Olbia, Doha, and a still-to-be-confirmed Middle Eastern finale in December. It’s a shorter runway, with less margin for error—and that alone could change how titles are won and lost.
Champions Return With Something to Prove
All four reigning world champions are confirmed to return as Official Riders, each carrying a very different kind of pressure into 2026.
In Runabout GP1, François Medori is back once again chasing something that has so far eluded him—back-to-back world titles. With three championships already to his name, the Frenchman has proven he can reach the top, but repeating has remained just out of reach. In a condensed season, consistency won’t just matter—it’ll be everything.
Freestyle brings its own headline rivalry, as Roberto Mariani looks to defend the title he secured by just four points last season over Rashid Al Mulla. That razor-thin margin set the tone for one of the closest battles in recent memory, and there’s little reason to expect anything less as both return to the water.
Over in Ski GP1, Denmark’s Oliver Koch Hansen enters the season as the defending champion after a breakout 2025 campaign built on consistency. But his path won’t be clear for long. The return of Raphaël Maurin, a former runner-up stepping back into competition after several years away, immediately adds another layer of unpredictability to the class.
In Ski Ladies GP1, Estelle Poret faces a different kind of challenge—not just defending her title, but holding off a growing field. New Official Riders Héloïse Delcluze and Emy Garcia are stepping up after promising debuts, with Delcluze already showing podium pace in her first appearance last season.
A Season That Starts Late and Moves Fast
Beyond the rider list, the biggest shift for 2026 may be the calendar itself.
With the season now opening October 1–2 in Shanghai, the championship marks a long-awaited return to one of the sport’s most high-profile venues. It’s been more than a decade since Aquabike last raced in the Chinese megacity, and the stop is expected to set the tone for the entire season.
From there, the tour moves to familiar ground in Olbia, Italy, before heading to Doha, Qatar, and ultimately closing out in the Middle East in early December—at a venue still to be confirmed.
The result is a compressed, high-stakes run of events where momentum could swing quickly. A bad weekend won’t have months to recover from—and a strong one could carry all the way to a title.
The Next Wave Is Already Pushing Up
If the established names are feeling pressure, it’s not just coming from each other.
The 2025 season made it clear that a new generation is already knocking on the door. Breakout performances across both World and European competition highlighted just how deep the talent pool has become.
Koch Hansen’s rise to a Ski GP1 title was one of the clearest signs of that shift, but he’s far from alone. Across the junior and GP2/GP4 ranks, riders from Estonia, Hungary, Belgium, and beyond have been stacking wins and podiums, building toward the next step up.
Names like Mattias Reinass, Karl Joosep Steinberg, and Leo Kete have already shown dominance in their respective classes, while endurance racing saw one of the biggest surprises of the year with 16-year-old Boanerges Ratag claiming the World Endurance Championship after a string of podium finishes.
That pipeline of talent doesn’t just promise future competition—it suggests that the current front-runners may not have as much time as they think.
A Season Still Taking Shape
With more Official Riders set to be confirmed in the coming days, the full picture of the 2026 championship is still coming together. But even at this early stage, the ingredients are there for a compelling season.
A delayed start. A condensed calendar. Returning champions with unfinished business. And a wave of young riders closing the gap.
By the time the series reaches its yet-to-be-announced final stop in December, it may not just be about who held the top spot—but who managed to adapt the fastest in a season that’s anything but typical.
See full press release below.
WORLD CHAMPIONS AND NEW FACES AMONG FIRST TO BE CONFIRMED FOR 2026 UIM AQUABIKE SEASON
Thursday, April 16: The line-ups for the 2026 UIM Aquabike World Championship are beginning to take shape, with a growing list of Official Riders confirmed for the season.
As expected, the current world champions of all four major categories – Runabout GP1, Ski GP1, Ski Ladies GP1, and Freestyle – have been confirmed as Official Riders as they embark on a battle to retain their titles for another season.
Francois Medori has three Runabout GP1 world titles to his name, but has thus far proved unable to retain the top spot in the following season. The Frenchman therefore goes into 2026 with a fresh challenge: secure back-to-back world championships for the first time in his long and illustrious career.
In Freestyle, all eyes will be on Roberto Mariani as he attempts to flip, spin and trick his way into retaining his title. The Italian won last season by a tight margin of just four points over rival Rashid Al Mulla, setting up another highly competitive year at the top of Freestyle.
Oliver Koch Hansen and Estelle Poret both claimed their first world championships in the Ski GP1 and Ski Ladies GP1 categories respectively, but will each have an extra challenge this season as new riders enter the fray to try and knock them off the top spot.
Koch Hansen will be facing off with Raphael Maurin, who makes his highly anticipated return to the sport. The Frenchman last raced at the Grand Prix of Portugal in 2019, and was runner-up in the overall Ski GP1 standings the previous year. After a break from racing, he returns for the 2026 season as an Official Rider, stating: “competition has always been part of my life—I miss it tremendously, and I’m particularly drawn to the excitement of aquabike racing”. Maurin added that his goals for the season are “to gradually work my way back up to speed and, most importantly, to enjoy myself”.
Meanwhile the Ski Ladies GP1 ranks are expanding with the inclusion of two new Official Riders: Heloise Delcluze and Emy Garcia. Both made their world championship debuts last year: Delcluze in Olbia and Garcia in Doha. Having come third across the three Motos in Olbia, Delcluze looks set to challenge for the top from the start, adding an extra threat for Estelle Poret to contend with.
As anticipation builds for the new season, the shape of this year’s championship is already coming together, with many Official Riders confirmed and set to be revealed progressively over the coming days.
If you’ve been waiting for a reason to step into a full-on performance WaveRunner, this might be it.
The Yamaha WaveRunner GP SVHO just got tagged as a Manager’s Special at RIVA Motorsports, dropping the price from $18,299 down to $15,888—a $2,411 cut on one of Yamaha’s most popular performance platforms.
No gimmicks. No “base model” bait-and-switch. Just a legitimately aggressive price on a fully-equipped GP.
You’re still getting Yamaha’s supercharged 1.8-liter SVHO engine pushing out that signature hard-hitting acceleration. The factory-installed audio system with Bluetooth? Still there. Full-color display, trim control, cruise, RiDE system—it’s all intact.
Race-Bred Performance, Everyday Usability
At its core, the GP SVHO is built for riders who want that sharp, aggressive feel without giving up usability.
The race-inspired GP hull delivers quick, responsive handling, whether you’re carving tight turns or stretching it out across open water. That supercharged SVHO powerplant gives it instant punch out of the hole and strong top-end pull—exactly what you’d expect from Yamaha’s flagship performance engine.
But it’s not a one-trick pony.
With seating for up to three riders, 18.5 gallons of fuel capacity, and over 28 gallons of storage, this is still a machine you can spend a full day on—cruising, exploring, or just burning fuel with friends.
What makes this particular unit stand out is that it blends performance with convenience features that used to be optional add-ons.
You’re getting:
Factory-installed Yamaha audio system with Bluetooth connectivity
RiDE throttle control system for intuitive braking and reversing
Electric trim with performance auto-trim modes
Full-color display with ride data and notifications
Adjustable steering and reboarding step
Molded bow storage (with integrated cooler space)
It’s the kind of setup that lets you go from aggressive riding to relaxed cruising without feeling like you’re compromising either experience.
A Clean Entry Into the Performance Category
For riders cross-shopping high-performance PWCs—this deal hits an interesting sweet spot.
You’re not stepping into an entry-level machine and wishing for more later. You’re starting with a proven, supercharged platform that already delivers the experience most riders eventually upgrade into.
And with this kind of pricing, it lowers the barrier just enough to make that jump a lot more realistic.
However, this is being offered as a Manager’s Special, and according to RIVA, units are in stock and ready to go—but not expected to stick around, so don’t sit on the decision too long!
They’re also making it easy to move quickly if you’ve got something to trade. Their online tool lets you get an instant cash offer or trade-in value across PWCs, motorcycles, ATVs, side-by-sides, and even jet boats—so you can roll straight into something new without a ton of back-and-forth.
From Stock to Standout: What RIVA Motorsports Can Really Build
Of course, not everyone is looking to keep things stock—and that’s where RIVA Motorsports really starts to separate itself.
In a recent video, the team pulled back the curtain on two of their latest custom customer builds, showing just how far you can take a modern performance watercraft when you stop thinking in terms of “options” and start thinking in terms of vision.
Two Builds, Two Directions—Same Goal: More Performance
One of the standouts was a limited-edition Yamaha FX SVHO build, finished in a striking gold-and-black colorway that went well beyond a simple graphics kit. Gold accents, custom stitching on performance seats, and anodized components gave it a cohesive, high-end look—but underneath, it was built to perform.
This customer opted for a Stage 2 performance package, stepping things up with increased boost, improved airflow, and a more aggressive overall power delivery. It’s the kind of upgrade that transforms the ski from “quick” to “seriously fast,” especially in midrange pull and top-end speed.
But just as important, they paired it with a full handling package—because power without control doesn’t get you very far. With upgraded sponsons, intake grates, and ride plate tuning, the goal is simple: keep the ski planted, predictable, and fast through corners—not just in a straight line.
A Different Flavor: Full Custom Sea-Doo RXT-X
On the other side of the shop sat a fully customized Sea-Doo RXT-X build, proving this isn’t just a Yamaha playground.
This one leaned hard into visual identity, with a one-off holographic hex-pattern graphics kit that shifts in the light—something you’re not going to see tied up at the dock next to you.
But again, the real story is underneath.
Like the FX build, this RXT-X was spec’d with a Stage 2 engine performance package, pushing the platform deeper into high-performance territory. And just like before, it didn’t stop at speed—the full handling package was added to make sure the ski could carry that extra power through turns with confidence.
Because at this level, it’s not just about going faster—it’s about going faster everywhere.
What stands out in both of these builds isn’t just the parts list—it’s how cohesive everything is.
From performance upgrades to custom graphics, anodized components, and seat work, these aren’t bolt-on afterthoughts. They’re planned builds, tailored to what each rider actually wants out of their machine.
So, whether you’re looking at the discounted Yamaha WaveRunner GP SVHO as a ready-to-ride performance machine or as the foundation for something more personalized, this is one of those rare entry points where the numbers—and the potential—line up.
Because that’s really the bigger picture.
On one side, you’ve got a fully-equipped, supercharged GP platform at a price that undercuts expectations. On the other, you’ve got the ability to take that same machine—or something entirely different—and turn it into a purpose-built setup that reflects exactly how and where you ride.
And that’s where RIVA Motorsports leans in.
From straightforward purchases to full custom builds, they’re not just moving units—they’re helping riders step into the next level of the sport, whether that means more speed, sharper handling, or a one-off look that stands out at the dock.
With units in stock, financing available, and trade-ins welcomed (with quick online valuation), the path from “thinking about it” to “on the water” is about as short as it gets.
But like any good Manager’s Special, this one won’t hang around forever.
If you’ve been circling the idea of upgrading—or jumping into a true performance watercraft—this might be the moment to stop browsing and make it happen.
A lot of promising-looking water never makes it past the “that would be awesome to ride” stage.
Launch access. Water layout. How quickly you can get from a ramp to open space. Whether the lake gives you room to explore or just funnels everyone into the same shared corridor.
