Want a quick way to radically customize the look and curb appeal of your Yamaha FZR or FZS? Well, sure you could toss a few thousand bucks at a trick paint job, but chances are you’ll be taking your ski out of commission for a few weeks while your painter meticulously masks, preps, scuffs, shoots, dusts and coats your machine – and that’s before wet sanding, wet sanding and wet sanding until it looks as gorgeous as a custom paint job ought to be. And while that might sound awesome to some, trying to keep your ski from never getting scuffed or chipped ever again is a chore that nobody really wants. So what is there to do?
Go to Dean’s Team and pick up one of their new “Paloma” decal kits and transform your WaveRunner in the space of a couple hours! The design was first made famous by Paloma Noceda on her World Championship craft, and later featured on Abdullah Al-Fadhel and Travis Zielasko World Championship crafts. The kit fits both the FZR and FZS (because the only difference between the two was a seat and swimstep – besides the color and graphics). And if the two color combinations shown below don’t tickle your fancy, more colors available upon request. All ya gotta do is ask!
Best of all, you can also customize your kit with a custom race number and sponsors logos! All you have to do is specify what number and companies you’d like when ordering through Dean’s Team Facebook store. Each kit takes about 5 business days to ship (once complete) and you can return the kit (new and unused) within 45 days for a full refund. But c’mon, who’d want to?
Being one to never pull any punches, we know many companies in our industry are reticent to spend the money in advertising – particularly with a enthusiast-interest magazine – with so much potentially riding on the soon-to-be-decided political election. Not only do we have the Executive Branch up for grabs, but the Legislative as well; and until such decisions are made and finalized, many of you won’t be making any budgetary commitments. Heck, we’ve got quite a few projects waiting in the wings until we know better how our fiscal future projections look in two weeks’ time. (And not to incur a political firestorm in our comments section whether the election of one candidate will spell certain fiscal doom over another. We’re weighing these comments strictly on projected consumer confidence reports.)
So what is there to say until said time? In short: a whole heck of a lot. The Watercraft Journal openly and freely shares its monthly performance reports, even when the numbers aren’t all that impressive. Why? Because, unlike so many politicians, we earnestly believe in transparency. As the summer months draw to a close, the leaves begin to turn to hues of amber and ocher, and many opt to winterize their PWC and pull out their snowmobiles and side-by-sides, our traffic typically cools to a reasonable degree. Well, at least you’d think so. October’s readership – although understandably decreased – maintained a surprising close number with a record-breaking September.
Moreover, as our Novembers are almost always our lowest trafficked month, The Watercraft Journal’s popularity in Australia and New Zealand has never been higher, buoying our readership through the Northern Hemisphere’s holiday season. And while that spells continued readership for us, that also guarantees continued and perpetual exposure to a vibrant and worldwide audience. For those of you operating retail and e-commerce companies in our industry, this is a boon to what could otherwise be a slowing quarter. Not so! Advertising with The Watercraft Journal is your very best option when it comes to putting your products and services before an audience of truly dyed-in-the-wool personal watercraft enthusiasts.
October 2015
October 2016
Twice The Growth By A Third
In a couple of months, we’re going to reveal a big piece of information that we’ve been tracking for the year: specifically how much The Watercraft Journal is growing. If you see above (and in the breakdown below), you’ll notice a growth of nearly double in the month of October (from 2015 to 2016). This degree of growth is unprecedented and should speak loudly to a company wanting to maintain a healthy and continual rate of marketing exposure year round. Admittedly, were we to scrub the 3-day peak that came with the announcement of the soon-to-be-released 2017 Kawasaki SX-R, our growth would be closer to a third over last year, which is still remarkable. We maintain this steady growth by being reliable in delivering the industry’s best and most timely articles and news without missing a beat. While others let weeks and months go by between posts, we publish Monday-through-Friday without fail.
October 2015
Total number unique readers: 20,504*
Total number of articles read: 50,892
Percentage of new readers: 56.9%
October 2016
Total number unique readers: 39,262*
Total number of articles read: 78,640
Percentage of new readers: 58.6%
*This number is considered equal to an individual sale of a single copy of a magazine.
The Industry’s Only Real Resource
That’s a pretty substantial claim, we know. Yet, when all you see are a few scattered blogs that go weeks and even months in between posts, and a handful of ill-maintained websites, it’s not hard to understand how we can continually rise to the top. Moreover, when so many do opt to post it’s often inconsequential content or poorly developed text. Contrasting, The Watercraft Journal is the only source for professionally-written, magazine-quality content that even surpasses that of those few printed magazines! Our content is regularly shared, cited as a source of standardized content, and even printed out and shared at trade shows and events! This isn’t a yearbook for our close and intimate friends, but a useful, reliable and effective tool to elevate the sport and tie the industry together – both manufacturer and rider, and retailer to customer. No, we’re not just pumping out more content than the other guys – heck, upstart competitors have drowned their readership in spammy posts and bloggish updates. No, The Watercraft Journal maintains a strict publishing schedule of developing and publishing new and informative content about its advertisers and their products, as well as the industry and sport as a whole.
News articles published in September 2016: 25
Feature articles published in September 2016: 11
Total feature word count: 12,535 words*
News articles published in October 2016: 24
Feature articles published in October 2016: 12
Total feature word count: 12,748 words*
*When this number is translated to print publication standards, it equals a 130-page magazine. Please note that this number does not include an average of two uniquely-written news articles published daily.
Welcome to The New Media
Remember when all you needed to do was buy a half page ad in Personal Watercraft Illustrated or Jetsports and just wait for the phone to ring? Well, there are still a few companies out there who think that’s how things work today. Unfortunately, such is not the case. With social media enabling so many to be their own promoters, unless you’re wielding a rich marketing background, you’re not doing a good enough job presenting your product before the audience you want. Don’t rely on your Facebook page to access the new clients you’re hoping to grab. Work with the largest and fastest growing audience in the industry – the readership of The Watercraft Journal! We share our daily content via our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and weekly newsletters, as well as with a stellar partnership with the single-largest PWC forum in the world: www.greenhulk.net. By offering our content freely and easily – whether it’s via a desktop, a laptop or a portable device – we ensure that we’re the industry leader.
October Facebook likes: 19,360
Top Five countries: United States, Australia, Canada, France, Japan
We Keep Going and Going…
There’s no reason that you should continue to bank upon your company’s reputation to continue to plod along in this industry. Word of mouth does work, and it works well – but you’re only going to reach those people who already know you and a few of their pals. Let The Watercraft Journal do the work for you by publishing articles and creative content exposing our massive readership to your products and services by initializing an advertising program paired with an editorial calendar of creative and unique written content today! As continue to grow, so does your access to a larger audience of potential customers and clients. Our growth is your growth, so put your products in front of more enthusiasts faster and easier by joining The Watercraft Journal as an advertiser today. To inquire more about advertising with The Watercraft Journal, please email [email protected]
OK, so it’s the first of November many of us here in the States are still wearing shorts outside. While many of us have yet to concede that Al Gore might’ve had a point, we are enjoying what many will call an Endless Indian Summer. The leaves are changing, lawns are requiring more raking than mowing and all of us parents have already sifted through our kids’ Halloween candy to fish out the best stuff. But hey, it’s still pretty great out, so why not ride?
That was the idea a couple of weeks ago for the latest episode of “Long Haul,” The Watercraft Journal‘s on-going (although admittedly intermittent) video series where we give you a first-hand look at some pretty cool adventures that we get to enjoy from time to time. This go around, we got invited on a 90-plus-mile ride from Ashland City, Tennessee, down the famous Cumberland River (once canoed by frontiersmen and fur trappers, and even paddled by American folk hero Davy Crockett), into the middle of scenic downtown “Music City” itself: Nashville, Tennessee – all aboard Yamaha’s 2016 FX HO Cruiser.
You might remember that same Kawasaki-looking-green-and-white FX HO from previous rides and reports, as Yamaha was kind enough to loan us the machine for most of 2016. Anyhow, leaving from there, we double-backed and ventured into the gorgeous Harpeth River Valley with sheer rock walls and rich with autumn colors. Personally, it’s one of the most scenic rides in the South and had whistlin’ Dixie and craving a tall glass of lemonade when it was all over (or a hot bowl of grits. Insert your own preferred stereotypical Southern dish here).
Too often, the maxim, “Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you more horsepower — and that’s the same thing” is the modus operandi of so many performance enthusiasts. And sure, in today’s world of non-invasive ECU reflashes, larger and far more efficient intercoolers, and no short supply of supercharger rebuilders, added horsepower is as easily attainable as ever before. [And to think, only a decade ago, the industry was decrying the influx of “big, heavy and slow” 4-strokes! -Ed] Yet, added horsepower is only as good as the craft its propelling, and no amount of additional grunt can make a heavy watercraft behave like a machine half its heft. This of course, has a great deal to do with mass effecting drag coefficients but for today’s discussion, we’re going to focus mainly on the earlier topic.
Coming to a Better Understanding
Here’s a simple example: Imagine a 1,000-horsepower car that weighed 1,000 pounds. It would have a power-to-weight ratio of 1:1 (or one-to-one) as 1,000 divided by 1,000 equals 1. Now, imagine a 1,000-horsepower car that weighs 2,000-pounds. Obviously, the second car is slower than the first, as its power-to-weight ratio is half, or .5:1, as 1,000 divided by 2,000 is a half. A 1,000-horsepower in a 3,000-pound car would be 1,000 divided by 3,000, equaling .333:1, or for every 1 horsepower there is 3 pounds of weight, and so on. So, effectively, the higher the first number in the power-to-weight ratio, the more lively the vehicle will be.
As a few functioning examples, we’ll use György Kasza’s all carbon fiber RXP-X which he rode to win a World Championship in Pro Runabout Open at this year’s IJSBA World Finals, and V-Tech Tuned’s turbocharged Sea-Doo Spark kit. In the case of V-Tech Tune’s turbocharged Spark, the numbers are rather impressive: beginning with a stock 405-pound 2-up Spark, V-Tech’s kit adds just under 20-pounds in the form of a turbo, BOV, intercooler and plumbing, pushing the weight to roughly 430-pounds. Yet, when installed and tuned to perform at its peak, the boosted Spark produces an impressive 200-horsepower. When calculated, that gives V-Tech’s Spark a power-to-weight ratio of .46:1, a number far superior to any supercharged PWC available at dealerships today (see below).
Now, to push things even further, we take a look at Kasza’s RXP-X. Hewn completely out of carbon fiber, Kasza’s Sea-Doo yields a total weight of 639-pounds. Powered by a radically tuned 1630cc Rotax 3-cylinder pressed by a fully water-jacketed Borg Warner turbocharger and factory Sea-Doo intercooler, his RXP-X is fed a diet of E100 ethanol. At wide-open, the heavily modded RXP-X is capable of a staggering 650-horsepower but was detuned to a engine-preserving 500HP for competition use. When 639-pounds is divided by 500-horsepower, we get a ratio of .78:1. When that is changed from 500 to 650-horsepower, we get an incredible 1.02:1, or literally a ratio of one-horsepower-per-pound. This of course, is what the aftermarket and professional racers can accomplish; but for 99-percent of consumers, we’re going to focus on factory equipment from here on out:
Big Power From Small Packages
In the past three years, we’ve seen quite a bit of effort in developing powerful-yet-lightweight engines. The powerplants to emerge from this trend are both groundbreaking in their technology, as well as hugely beneficial in their advancements. Sea-Doo set the wheels in motion with its ACE 900 (Advanced Combustion Efficiency) 3-cylinder, four-stroke found first in the Polytec-hewn Spark and later in the 2017 GTI and GTI SE. The all aluminum plant (as well as all subsequently-equipped ACE derivatives introduced by Rotax since 2015) employs a new plasma coating applied directly to the aluminum casing’s cylinder walls via a proprietary thermal spraying process to replace the heavy steel pressed-in sleeves.
Equally, Rotax’s redesigned cylinder head employs dual camshafts, operating the four valves-per-cylinder aiding in the ACE’s advanced combustion efficiency (get it?). A superior intake and exhaust runner with a tighter quench makes the head a winner, particularly in producing the High Output (HO) 90-horsepower tune. And aftermarket reflashes dial up the wick to 110-ponies without harm. Displacing only 998cc’s, the scant 1-liter tips the scales at merely 100-pounds, placing its power-to-weight ratio at .9:1, or 0.9-horsepower per 1 pound (that is, using the stock 90HP as our baseline). Going up from there, the ACE 1500 HO, producing an advertised 230-horsepower and weighing 194-pounds, earns a ratio of 1.2:1; the mightier ACE 300 fetching a ratio of 1.6:1 at the estimated same weight.
Last year, Yamaha’s response was the all-new TR-1 1,049cc (1-liter) 3-cylinder 4-stroke powerplant, which replaced the MR-1 4-cylinder. The new dual-overhead cammed, 3-cylinder not only provides 13-percent more horsepower (an official 125 horsepower) than the old engine, but also shaves off 20-percent of the outgoing engine’s heft, as well as an impressive 40-percent of its overall size. For 2017, the TR-1 gets a slightly modified sibling, the TR-1 EX, with a lighter, single-piece flywheel/coupler and redesigned exhaust log-style manifold, dropping the output to an even 100-horsepower. Weighing in at 124-pounds, the TR-1 wields a ratio of 1:1, and .9:1 for the lighter-yet-less powerful TR-1 EX.
Although Kawasaki shook the motorcycle industry to its foundations with the insanely over-powered 300-horsepower supercharged 1-liter (998cc) 4-cylinder in the H2R superbike (and the subsequent street-legal H2 version touting 197 ponies), the engine that is coming in the new SX-R is the brand’s tried-and-true 1.5-liter (1,498cc) 4-cylinder four-stroke from the Ultra LX and STX-15F. Producing 160-horsepower at a spine-breaking 208-pounds, this places the Kawasaki’s ratio at .76:1, well below that of any of the above engines.
Full Scale War, Not Horsepower War
Manufacturers have learned that the easiest route to superior fuel efficiency can be found in shaving weight and holding back on engine consumption; Sea-Doo’s ’17 GTI SE ACE 900 HO is a stellar example of this. The manufacturer slashed a staggering 150-pounds from the Recreational-sized runabout by replacing the traditional FMC hull with a PolyTec one and powering it with the 90-horsepower ACE 900, dropping the machine from 790 to 640-pounds.
Of course, Sea-Doo’s PolyTec has allowed BRP to maintain its place as the only manufacturer to produce a 2-up runabout that weighs 405-pounds (a near 150-pounds less than Kawasaki’s soon-to-be-released SX-R standup). BRP has revealed – as have the tens of thousands of Spark owners have discovered – that a day’s worth of fun and thrills can be had with minimal horsepower if the craft can remain lightweight and nimble (the new freestyle-friendly Spark Trixx is founded on this principle) – and so has Yamaha in some regard, as all of the brand’s moves have been in building race-ready, supercharged runabouts with lighter materials:
Yamaha’s decision to completely retire the FZ series upset a great deal of performance enthusiasts, many belittling the new GP1800 for lacking the characteristics that so many have become accustomed to in the outgoing FZ. Yet, the brilliance was found in the light GP1800 platform: it comes in at 769-pounds – 22-pounds less than the FZR – yet with all of the power of the outgoing machine. And unlike the FZR, the GP1800 comes with features previously unavailable to its predecessor: RiDE, Yamaha’s quick-response electric trim system, and a folding swim step. (It also is significantly more affordable than the outgoing FZR; the GP’s $13,999 MSRP handily beating out the FZR’s $14,799 price tag by $800). Without those items, the GP is estimated to be a full 50-pounds less than the retired FZR.
More importantly has been Yamaha’s commitment to its NanoXcel and NanoXcel2 technology. Dedicating years of development of a “nanotechnology-engineered material” that is light yet maintains structural integrity, Yamaha engineers, “used a combination of ‘nano’ clay and glass micro-bubbles to develop a new stronger resin that uses less material. The glass micro-bubbles used in NanoXcel 2 are smaller and stronger than other filler materials, contributing to the strength, rigidity and lightweight of the new hulls and decks.” The result was an immediate 35-pound and 46-pound drop in weight from the Yamaha FZR and FX SVHO, respectively.
Although top speeds are still arbitrarily capped via throttle positioning sensors and GPS speedometers (that is, when talking strictly about factory-floor stock models), power-to-weight superiority is easily seen in radar-tested acceleration runs. While such numbers aren’t readily available without exhaustive hours and dollars spent to track each unit and correct for variances in air and water temperatures (as well as barometric pressure, etc.), we do have a breakdown of some major players in the field of performance watercraft and their power-to-weight ratios:
*All Kawasaki units are advertised with a curb weight, including full oil and gas being factored into the weight. We’ve calculated for 20 gallons of fuel at 6.183 pounds per gallon equating 124 pounds, and 5 quarts of oil, equaling 9 pounds; all totaling 133 pounds removed from each total units’ advertised curb weight.
You gotta love it when a manufacturer gets into the holidays – and Sea-Doo is always on point when it comes to showing off their festive spirit. A few years back they released their Santa Claus on a GTI video, then the Easter Bunny went for a ride down the Intracoastal Waterway a few months later. Now we’ve got “FrankenTRIXX” on a brand new Sea-Doo Spark Trixx, showing off his freestyle prowess in hopes for a tasty reward.
New for 2017, the Trixx is possibly the most unique runabout built in the last decade. Designed for flatwater freestyle fun, the Trixx comes with a redesigned vertically-adjustable aluminum steering next and handlebar setup permitting for 6-inches of rise; heavy-duty padded foot wedges, and a electronically-adjusted, re-calibrated VTS trim system with an additional 20-degrees of range.
These options give the Trixx the ability to nose-down for shooting “fountains” or rising near-vertical for tail stands, as well as a bevy of other tricks. It’s a ski meant to be shared by family and friends and the subject of playful competition for hours to come. Of course, when you’re not showing off to your pals, it’s also a Spark – meaning one of the highest-selling runabouts in the industry today, so the hours of enjoyment are limitless.
OK, we get it; it’s a little too early for department stores to start pumping Christmas carols over the loudspeakers and decorating their windows in flocking and holly. But that’s not to say that it isn’t too early to start spreading some Christmas cheer. Cycle Springs PowerSports and their Slingshot Only store dedicated to performance Polaris parts and accessories, has recently announced their intent to expand their 2nd Annual Slingshot Charity Drive after the success of last year.
Now, the Slingshot Charity Drive will carry over two days, namely Friday, November 11 and Saturday 12. More importantly, this year Cycle Springs is pleased to announce that they’ll be sponsoring more local children in need. All of the proceeds from 50/50 raffle ticket sales will go to buy gifts, clothing and other necessities for these families. “Without your help these children won’t have the Christmas that they have been dreaming of,” states Cycle Springs. “Help make this Christmas one they will remember and win something in the process.”
Here’s the original letter issued by Slingshot Only: Come join us for our 2nd Annual Slingshot Charity Drive. We will be at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fl. November 11th and 12th. Can’t make it? That’s okay, you can still enter the raffle for the 50/50 drawing. You will also be able to view the live drawings right from your phone or computer.
This year we are pleased to announce that we will be sponsoring more local children in need. The 50/50 proceeds will go to buy gifts, clothing and other necessities for these families. Without your help these children won’t have the Christmas that they have been dreaming of. Help make this Christmas one they will remember and win something in the process.
Purchase your 50/50 tickets here or you can just donate to a great cause. Either way you will be helping these families enjoy a wonderful Christmas. You will not be shipped your tickets. Your tickets purchased online will be identified with your order number and name and be tossed into the drawing just like tickets purchased in person.
You will be able to purchase online tickets up to Wednesday Nov 9th. Drawing will be live during the event. Check back for the live drawing times. To see all the event details or to donate please CLICK HERE!
Last week, The Watercraft Journal received a great, personally-written recap from famed freeride and freestyle athlete Tanner Thomas, who gave us a person glimpse at how he prepared and performed at this year’s IJSBA World Finals:
“I can honestly say that preparing for this 2016 World Finals was the hardest I have worked for anything in my whole life. I did not win, but that was not necessarily the main goal. What I mean by that is that we are a judged sport. Quite simply put, Joe could ride much better overall rider than Bob and still come in behind. We have no finish line, no real rules, just put on the best show.
“This year, I set out to be the best rider I could possibly be. I wanted to push myself like never before to see what I could accomplish. I asked myself many mornings, ‘How bad ass do you think you are?’ To be a professional rider of any action sport, your body, your mind and your equipment have to work together seamlessly. That can be difficult, but with almost 10 years of experience under my belt on a jet ski, I feel like I am a professional at it. I am proud of the way I feel, the way I look and the way I ride. It started by completely changing my diet, my exercise, my stretching and my focus.
“I continued chasing the best equipment and working with my team and sponsors on developing more performance and I am proud of those results as well. I am proud of these photos that I get to share with you and the spectacular tricks I am able to do flying through the air on my jet ski. Most of all, I am thankful for the doors that have opened and let me run through them. My family, friends, sponsors and supporters. I do it because I love it and it has loved me back. Despite some speed bumps along the way, I stayed focused with my team behind me and I did the absolute best that I could. We took home 6th in the world!
“Now I am getting to the point in my life of wanting different things. I have learned a lot along the way and have more ideas and ambitions than I can even begin to describe to you. As of now I am not sure exactly my plan for jet skiing in the future, but I have to make some changes. I won’t be able to chase events like I have in the past. I plan on still doing special film, demo, or show opportunities. I also plan to keep working with some of my sponsors on product development as I enjoy chasing the best. I also have some business ideas. Starting off with my TanRak Truck Rack system that I have been working with JetLift on. I am hoping to launch that around the first of the year and have my own product available for people to use. That has changed the way my life works and made every one of my season tours possible!”
So it’s that time of year again for me to load up the car with all my camera gear and drive to Cronulla in Sydney for the annual Yamaha Rip n’ Ride. This year marks its 9th year that the event has taken place. It’s come a long way from being a BBQ on the beach with a few mates.
The first stop on my way was Yamaha Motor Australia in Brisbane to pick up a couple of safety skis (both being a pair of VX Deluxes) and a foxhole (Yamaha Mt 125 motorcycle) would do the job nicely. I’m like a kid in a candy store with so many cool machines sitting here in the factory. It’s pretty hard to walk out without adding something to your Christmas list.
Back in the car and all loaded up, it was time to crank up the radio and hunker in for the long 10-hour drive to Butch’s house. Butch and his wife, Julie are the two fantastic people that make the RNR happen every year. Everything from organizing the permits, sponsors and riders, to finding room for wayward riders (and photographers) to sleep at their house. The time and effort that goes into organizing this event is huge. It’s not just those two that I would like to thank but everyone from the marshals to the people putting up the scaffolding, the lifeguards to the Yamaha boys that work tirelessly to make it happen.
For those people that haven’t heard of the RNR before, it’s a freeride event that’s open to anyone. Once entering, you go into the draw to win a brand new Yamaha SuperJet and hundreds of other prizes. Numbers are usually capped at about 100 to give everyone plenty of ride time and a good chance to take home a new WaveRunner.
The RNR is a chance for rookie riders to ride with – and not against – some of the best riders in the world. So at one point, you can be checking out a 12-year-old grommet ripping up the waves, and the next thing, you’ll look across to see the world champion Mark Gomez busting out something awesome. That’s one of the major attributes of the RNR. Young up-and-comers can ride, talk and get tips from their heroes. There is some judging that goes on during the day too; things like “Sickest trick,” “Biggest air” and “First to sink.” Awards also go to those people that go above and beyond to help out fellow riders.
For the last few years, JetPilot has put on a small competition within the RNR: the Battle of the Best. Riders are selected by an official and go head-to-head in a battle that’s judged on “Wow Factor.” So not so much the most difficulty of the tricks but more the reaction from the beach. This year, Ryan Savagee took the title just over Mick Anthony and Zane Taylor. Brock Taylor, last year’s winner, was there to present the trophies. Unfortunately, Brock is out of action with back issues and only came down as a spectator and cooler supervisor.
Every year a challenge goes out to the novice riders that have never flipped a ski: “The Cherry Popper award.” It’s a fun event to watch with a bunch of guys and girls gathering up the courage to try to flip their ski. Some coaching from Mick Anthony and some other pros helped them get around. One of the major tips is “Never let go,” and “It doesn’t hurt to land on you head.” Unfortunately, the conditions were far from ideal for the riders it get it done.
A big effort was made by James Ricardo on the ‘Blaster; he hit three waves in a row but couldn’t quite get it done. Maybe next year, bud. It was good to see a few girls out there as well. Bridget Burt, a first timer to RNR has only been riding a ski for three months and was popping super clean barrel rolls and nice 180s; she had ago at the “Cherry Popper” but couldn’t get any good waves. She is definitely someone to keep an eye on. Also 12-year-old Dean Krouskos is a natural on a ski. He would have ridden in every heat if he could have. Not even the cold weather or the messy surf could keep him from getting out in it.
It wasn’t the best conditions on Saturday, but Friday was a treat. Sunny, warm and clean waves. A great day on the water, flipping and hanging out. That’s the main reason people enter the RNR. A chance to hang out with your mates. People you probably haven’t seen since last year.
So if you would like a chance in 100 to win a new SuperJet, you better get ready for next year’s Yamaha Rip N’ Ride as its rumored to be the last. Yeah, that’s RNRX. The 10th will be the final event at Cronulla. So it’s going to be a massive farewell. Butch and Julie have done such a awesome job over the last 9 years that they deserve a rest. Hopefully, someone else will step up and make another great event for the freeride community to go to. Something just half the success of the RNR would be great.
With the latest bumper crop of Yamaha WaveRunners hitting showroom floors around the globe, it doesn’t matter whether the leaves are turning and the temperature is falling. There’s new watercraft to be checking out. And for Yamaha, the new 2017 FX Cruiser SVHO is showing all the signs of becoming a class leader. Powered by the same SVHO 1.8L supercharged Yamaha Marine Engine that’s clinched dozens of World Titles, the FX Cruiser SVHO will surely pull ahead as a performer while having comfortable ride. The FX Cruiser is every bell and whistle Yamaha has to offer, all to provide you with the ultimate ride. And its sleek design and unique features make a bold statement.
Moreover, the FX Cruiser SVHO features Yamaha’s RiDE (short for Revolutionary Intuitive Driving Experience), first introduced in late 2014 for the 2015 models, and has since been proven to be a very dependable feature that allows the driver to decelerate much quicker and easily switch to neutral and reverse. This technology makes the driving experience, riding experience, and docking experience worry-free and enable them to maintain complete control over the watercraft at all speeds.
Equally, the FX Cruiser SVHO comes with Yamaha’s class-leading lightweight NanoXcel2 hull and deck. It not only looks amazing from the outside and the excellent color choices (Black Metallic or Torch Red Metallic) but what makes it stand out is the power-to-weight ratio, its nimble maneuverability and industry-leading fuel efficiency.
Equipped with every feature possible (besides the Limited accessory package), the 2017 FX Cruiser SVHO has the power to beat your friends in any heads-up race while providing many luxury features to help you stand out. Make sure to hang tight to The Watercraft Journal for a full-length review of the 2017 Yamaha FX Cruiser SVHO, but until then, enjoy the video below:
The Watercraft Journal: This past IJSBA World Finals was particularly special for you and Dean’s Team/Factory Yamaha. How many Dean’s Team-sponsored and/or tuned PWC racers were there on the water that week? And more importantly, how many of them came home with a World Championship or podium finish?
Dean Charrier: This year was special, namely because we went in with our focus on the Stock and Spec classes, and especially the Pro Stock class. The Pro Stock class has become the most competitive runabout class as the only one with a full line on Pro weekend.
Chris MacClugage won the Pro Stock World Title this year, keeping the title on Dean’s Team and Yamaha for the third year in a row. Abdullah Al-Fadhel won another World Title winning the Pro Am Spec class, to go along with his second place finish in Pro Stock behind Macc.
Aero Aswar had a strong showing in all of his races – he finished third overall in both the Pro Stock and the Spec classes, and finished second in the Endurance race on his FX. Aqsa Aswar finished 5th in Pro Am Spec on a Stock class FZ and also 5th in the Endurance race.
Travis Zielasko won his third World Title, winning the Amateur Spec class this year. He also moved up to the Pro Stock class to give it a shot and finished 10th overall which was impressive in that stacked line up. Ali Allanjawi from Dubai came in and finished second in Amateur Spec on a Stock craft, and finished 4th in Endurance on the same FZ.
We also helped out Shante Bukes, the Women’s Runabout World Champion, and Tyler Hill, the Runabout N/A Stock World Champion on his VXR, with Dean’s Team ECU reflashes and handling components. It’s great seeing young riders like them putting so much effort out there and winning titles riding hard. Renee Hill, Tyler’s mother, grabbed two podium finishes too – third in Runabout N/A Limited on the same Stock VXR that Tyler won on, and third in Women’s Runabout.
WCJ: For many, the Pro Runabout Stock Class was a sight to behold, as Yamaha swept the Top 10 spots, with as many as EIGHT Dean’s Team racers filling the starting line. What makes this class so uniquely successful for Yamaha and Dean’s Team, over say, other manufacturer’s PWC?
DC: I touched on the Pro Runabout Stock class a bit above, about how it is a focus for Dean’s Team and all of our riders. It’s become such a prestigious class running on Pro Weekend with a full line up of quality racers and past National and World Champions. Everyone wants that Stock championship now and everyone is putting all there efforts and focus on that one title.
This year was exciting for us with mystery going into it – the rules changed a bit from last year and this is the first year I’m using my Dean’s Team ECU Peformance Reflash on all our race crafts. We finished with another sweep of the podium with Macc, Abdullah and Aero. The Dean’s Team reflash in total held down the top 4 positions, and 6 of the Top 10 positions.
I’ve been working with Yamaha and the FZ for eight years now and we’ve gotten to a point where I know exactly where the race crafts need to be for each rider. We’ve done more testing and fine tuning on the FZ than anyone in the world and the results reflect the experience and knowledge gained over the years with Yamaha.
WCJ: Dean’s Team works with some pretty stellar athletes already, so welcoming multi-multi-time World Champion Chris MacClugage to the roster must’ve been a nice addition. How did Macc’s presence influence Dean’s Team or his teammates?
DC: All of these guys have been around for years and years of racing and they all know what it takes to win. Aero, Abdullah, and Aqsa all have their World and National Titles and they know the commitment and focus needed to get another one. Travis Zielasko has came on fast and strong these past couple years with his return to racing and he has that passion to win more and more titles. Everyone does get a bit higher on their toes and a bit more off their seats when their racing with Macc.
With Chris MacClugage, it’s just not his ability as the greatest on the track in the sport, he is top of the line off of the course too. Macc takes control of opportunities and makes everything happen himself. Nothing is just handed to him, he works for and earns all of his support and sponsorship and manages everything himself. It goes way behind what you see on the track with him. He puts in as much time and effort in to winning as anyone I’ve ever seen till this day. His love for the sport and winning is really contagious.
I’ve worked with Chris before, helping him win a Pro Runabout Stock title a few years ago with Yamaha and helping him with his skis in the past. He and his family, with Rachel and little Mac and Lily, are always fun to have around the pits. Macc himself has won as much as anyone in this sport, with over 20 world titles and even more national titles. His knowledge and riding experience is unrivaled. Travis has really taken to him and has been training with him this summer since Chris has made the move back down to South Florida. All and all, Macc’s presence is always a positive to have around.
WCJ: With so many Dean’s Team-equipped/tuned skis on the water at the same time, were they all equally built, or were there differences between Macc, Abdullah and Aero’s FZRs? If so, what differences were there between them? Did you have to modify each machine to match each rider’s particular style/preferences?
DC: All of my FZ’s are pretty equally tuned for the Stock class. The main differences are in the handling components. We do testing with each rider and see where their ideal set up is. It takes several trips out to Body Beach working with each rider before the races even start to get everything perfect, but in the end you can see on the track when the set up is just right for them.
WCJ: This year also marks the last year of Yamaha’s FZR platform (since it’s launch in 2008), which is still a difficult pill for many to swallow especially after so many wins the platform earned this year. How is Dean’s Team preparing for 2017 with the GP1800? Are all Dean’s Team racers making the transition from FZR to GP, or just a few?
DC: The FZ has been great and will continue to be great. You’ll still see them out on the race course because of the success they’ve had.
The GP1800 is exciting, and with the testing we’ve done so far, we think a lot of racers will be wanting to switch over. The total weight is lighter and you can feel it in the acceleration and handling. It is more aggressive handling wise which will definitely suit some racers better.
We already have a Stock class GP1800 going 81-plus-MPH in race trim. The Dean’s Team GP1800RS model is going over 83MPH. The acceleration has been even better than what we’ve seen with the World Championship winning FZ’s we’ve built. It’s in and out of a corner faster than any set up we’ve had before.
WCJ: With all the work and preparation into this year’s World Finals behind you, what is next on the horizon for Dean’s Team?
Dean’s Team will be releasing our build of the new GP, the Dean’s Team GP1800 RaceSpec, soon to the public. Units will be available at the beginning of November. We’re working on a new decal kit for it with BP Concepts which we’re excited about releasing with the RS units.
We’re working to bring even more performance products and packages to the public. We want to help out as many riders as possible, whether they spend their weekends racing World Champions around buoys or just drag racing their friends on the lake.
The final two rounds of P1 AquaX Pro Enduro are right around the corner in November. We have Aero Aswar in the lead right now, with Mike Klippenstein also in the Top 5, and Chris MacClugage tied with him in moto wins for the season. Any of them can pull out the championship this season and I’d be willing to bet it comes down to the last moto. Should make for some exciting racing.
Next season, we have talked with a few of our riders about entering the Pro Open & GP classes. Yamaha has yet to really tap into their potential in these classes on the National Tour or World Finals with the focus being on the Stock and Spec classes. I didn’t want to do anything for Open and GP until I had the time and energy to put a full blown effort into a craft.. now that a couple of racers are showing more interest in building something to compete in those classes, there may be a couple FZ’s or GP’s on top of the podium in some other classes next year too.
WCJ: Dean, obviously there’s a lot of people who made this year’s World Finals so successful for you and Dean’s Team; here’s a chance to thank them publicly; who would you like to thank for making this such a great week?
DC: Scott Watkins and all the guys at Yamaha for all the support and daily communication that goes 365 days a year that makes this great team happen; a special thanks to both Dave Bamdas and the RIVA Racing crew, and Gary Watson and the Worx Racing crew for all their continued support to us and our Team riders, they truly are world class professionals and all their products reflect greatness; the guys that help make it happen in the pits and down on line before the race, especially Omar and my son Dustin; and of course my wife Donna for being the team’s mom and #1 fan of every rider in the pits.
With Chris MacClugage, it’s just not his ability as the greatest on the track in the sport, he is top of the line off of the course too. Macc takes control of opportunities and makes everything happen himself. Nothing is just handed to him, he works for and earns all of his support and sponsorship and manages everything himself. It goes way behind what you see on the track with him. He puts in as much time and effort in to winning as anyone I’ve ever seen till this day. His love for the sport and winning is really contagious.
