Although a little late to the party, never say that Slippery Wetsuits doesn’t know how to make an entrance! With Spring officially on and the winter weather clearing up (well, that is for most parts of the northern hemisphere), it’s time to get your skis ready and gear up for the season. With that, Slippery Wetsuits has just released this teaser video of their new 2016 catalog of riding gear and apparel.
Over the past half decade Slippery might have appeared to have dialed back their presence in the mainstream watercraft industry, but their commitment to manufacturing some of the best-fitting, most comfortable wetsuits, vests and gloves (not to mention board shorts, booties and bathing suits) that we at The Watercraft Journal have come to review and enjoy, remains as strong as ever. Slippery (via Thor) continues to be a mainstay in the consumer market and retains one of the highest customer satisfaction rankings in the PWC and boating industries.
For 2016, there’s not really a whole lot that has been changed apart from color options, patterns and prints for the different wetsuits, boardshorts, rash guards and gloves, as well as patterns for the Liquid Race Boot and other items. Likewise, Slippery continues to offer a limited selection of standup riding equipment like handlebars and billet throttle levers, not to mention a full line of accessories like anchor bags, ski covers, tow ropes, lanyards, bumpers and the like.
BRP’s fantastic new Intelligent Shift and Throttle (iST) option on Rotax jet propulsion system engines brings electronic control to formerly mechanical functions in jet propulsion. With production started this past November, the ‘iTS system’ is a real game-changer according to Michael Carter- director of North American business development for jet propulsion systems.
“Our new ‘iST system’ is more than just electronic actuation of the reverse gates. The ‘iST system’ allows the operator to adjust the neutral position on-the-fly. Reducing the shifting effort was great, but not until we married that to our lateral thrust control and provided natural adjustment from the helm did we truly revolutionize the jet propulsion industry”, states Michael.
Like the iBR system featured in Sea-Doo watercraft which allows consumers to come to a stop on the water; the ‘iST system’ also delivers smooth, predictable deceleration when shifting to reverse while underway. Whether cruising, docking or what have you; the ‘iST system’ gives boaters the complete confidence of being in full control so they can fully enjoy their time on the water.
As the end of another highly successful Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) season comes to an end, 71 days of gruelling patrols were made way easier thanks to a fleet of Can-Am side-by-side Commander 800s, Sea-Doo GTI 130s and Evinrude E-TEC 25HPs. With the average yearly patrol season lasting 10 hours a day over the 71 days, their Can-Am vehicles have clocked up 319,000 kilometers this year alone of hard sandy work.
Sea-Doo watercraft and Evinrude outboards will have passed 51,120 hours of on water patrolling for the 2015/2016 season! This was all made possible thanks to a decision SLSA made back in 2009 to acquire BRP services with Can-Am, Sea-Doo and Evinrude E-TEC to help protect Australian beach goers.
BRP is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of power sports vehicles and propulsion systems. Its portfolio includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles, Can-Am Spyder roadsters, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft.
Their products are currently being used in SLSA clubs around Australia. The Can-Am Commander side-by-side with its innovative ‘Can-Am Learning Key’ limits speed for beginners and allows surf clubs to safely train the next generation of lifesavers. For the water, their Sea-Doo PWCs with its on-water braking system enhances safety and maneuverability.
“As the largest volunteer movement of its kind in Australia, there is no more worthy organization for BRP to support than Surf Life Saving Australia. Our products offer the best performance and reliability under demanding rescue conditions and are the most sensitive to the environment in the industry”, said Vice President, General Manager for BRP Asia Pacific, Gregoire Dupont.
Cycle Springs Powersports, the family-owned franchise dealership in Clearwater, Florida, is taking customer satisfaction to a whole new, and higher level. Owned by Noel Hughes and Marty Skapik, Cycle Springs traces its history back to a small garage in 1989 on the Dunedin Causeway. Hughes and Skapik came to acquire the original Cycle Springs in 2001, and since that time have grown the dealership into one of the largest on the west coast of Florida, providing not only quality pricing, but superior service to customers across the nation.
In part to the dealer’s handling of Yamaha, Kawaski, Suzuki, Polaris, Sea-Doo, Kymco, Glastron, Quadski and Flyboard, Cycle Springs also excels at ensuring customers receive not only the best pricing, but levels of service and sense of security from a powersports dealer. This is accomplished by offering a first-of-its-kind Lifetime Engine Warranty, Money Back Guarantee and 50% Pre-paid Maintenance Plans, not just for some, but for all powersports products sold through their dealership. In addition to these offerings, Cycle Springs also offers a handful of additional features for PWC (and jet boat) buyers as well.
In an interview with Powersports Business in January 2013, Hughes recalled how a December 2011 Yamaha tech bulletin (WCA2011-003) prompted him to create his dealer-added “Salt Series package.” In the bulletin, Yamaha recommended service technicians and dealer representatives encourage owners to apply a protective fogging oil (through the intake housing/tube) to coat engine internals not just before periods of storage, but throughout the season – particularly for craft operated in saltwater.
“They basically tell you to pull the intake track off the unit,” Hughes explained, indicating how the fogging oil kept the valves from rusting. However, according to Hughes, the process is complicated enough to dissuade customers from performing this suggested maintenance. So he developed his own solution — a small port plumbed directly into the intake tract that would make fogging the engine a simple, 10-second task.
“It’s part of our sales approach,” Hughes explained to Powersports Business. “We pull out all the service bulletins — we have them laminated — and we throw them up there, say ‘Hey, every manufacturer recommends you do it, and we’re going to take care of it. Instead of making it a 15-minute process, ours is a 10-second process.”
Marked by a yellow rubberized nipple fixed to the decorative engine cover, the Salt Series fogging kit is only one part of a larger package. As explained by Cycle Spring’s Kenny Gore, a second external kit includes a perforated tube that encompasses the engine compartment, allowing users to effectively coat their engine compartment with a penetrating, water-displacing spray oil.
“It works really well for the Spark models,” Gore told The Watercraft Journal during a private tour of the facility. “Since most people will never take the top off of their Sparks, and access to the engine compartment is so hard, we made this [Salt Series kit] to allow them to clean off and protect their engines when they’re not using them.”
And second addition was the inclusion of four pop-up cleats – similar to those found on so-equipped Yamaha WaveRunners – except embossed with the Cycle Springs dealership logo on the pad. A final die-cut Salt Series emblem is also added to each so-equipped PWC and boat. “This is just another add-on that Cycle Springs customers have come to appreciate,” Gore continued. “By adding just a little extra convenience here and some easy-to-use maintenance there, we’ve been able to really set ourselves apart from the rest.”
Hughes estimated that anywhere between 85-to-90 percent of all of the units sold through Cycle Springs leave with the kit, stating, “As soon as you show the customer the ease of using the fogging port, paint a picture of taking your $10,000 watercraft to the dock and beating it up without the cleats, they want the extras the package provides. [It’s all of] those little things are just adding to the whole experience.”
This, added with the industry-leading Lifetime Engine Warranty, a stellar Money Back Guarantee and 50% Pre-paid Maintenance Plans, as well as sales and service representatives personally escorting new and return buyers through the process of launch and docking their new craft in the water (a benefit of being so close to the gulf), truly sets the experience of buying at Cycle Springs ahead of so, so many.
CHA-CHING! Well, if there was any doubt that racing wasn’t making a comeback, all you have to do is look at the massive purse prize that AquaX is putting out, ensuring that this will be one of the biggest series in the world. With over $60,000 in cash up for grabs in this year’s AquaX Championships, the payout will be spread across both divisions (Enduro and Sprint), with “bonus cash prizes paid out to the Pros that deliver outstanding performances,” according to AquaX’s announcement.
The following AquaX titles will be awarded to the overall winners of each class:
We’ve spent some time documenting RIVA Racing’s completion of their comprehensive steering systems for performance Sea-Doos, but only now have we seen the fulmination of this gathering of top quality products into what RIVA is calling their Sea-Doo RXP-X 260/300 Pro-Series Steering System Bundle. This bundle includes all of the essentials to properly upgrade your RXP-X 260/300 the steering system.
The components comprising the RIVA Steering System Bundle are all precision machined from billet aluminum – perfectly replacing the original plastic steering system parts. Priced at $1,249.95, RIVA did leave off a couple of things just to keep the price down as much as possible, so don’t expect to see a pair of their billet iBR triggers or their new iControl handlebar. But that’s not to say that the bundle isn’t already bursting at the seams with really cool stuff. Here’s the complete list:
RIVA Sea-Doo RXP-X 260/300 Pro-Series Steering System The ultimate race proven steering system for your Sea-Doo RXP-X 260/300! Steering shaft is constructed of aircraft grade aluminum tubing for maximum strength & rigidity. Directly replaces plastic system with a stronger unit that provides variable tilt positions. Delivers a precision feel and the confidence to push your craft to the limit with improved dependability and comfort. Bulletproof bar clamp will accept any 7/8” handlebar. Includes all necessary installation hardware and instructions.
RIVA Sea-Doo Electronic Throttle Lever Assembly This billet electronic throttle housing utilizes OEM electronic actuators. Mounts to a variety of aftermarket 7/8″ handle bars. Precision machined from billet aluminum and anodized to prevent corrosion. Utilizes OEM electronic actuator which drops into our new housing for OEM electronic trigger operation. Fits all Sea-Doo models with iTC (Intelligent Throttle Control). Clamp on Handle bar design allows for adjustability of throttle position and angle.
RIVA Sea-Doo Electronic IBR Lever Assembly This billet iBR trigger housing utilizes OEM electronic actuators. Mounts to a variety of aftermarket 7/8″ handle bars. Precision machined from billet aluminum and anodized to prevent corrosion. Utilizes OEM electronic actuator which drops into our new housing for OEM electronic trigger operation. Fits all Sea-Doo models with iBR (Intelligent Brake & Reverse). Clamp on Handle bar design allows for adjustability of iBR trigger position and angle.
RIVA Sea-Doo Electronic Control Switch Housing (Right) This Billet iBR/iTC Switch housing mounts to a variety of 7/8″ aftermarket handlebars when combined with our Steering Systems. Precision machined from billet aluminum and anodized to prevent corrosion. OEM switches drop into housing with no modifications. Clamp on Handle bar design allows for adjustability of throttle position and angle.
RIVA Sea-Doo Electronic Control Switch Housing (Left) This Billet iBR/iTC Switch housing mounts to a variety of 7/8″ aftermarket handlebars when combined with our Steering Systems. Precision machined from billet aluminum and anodized to prevent corrosion. OEM switches drop into housing with no modifications. Clamp on Handle bar design allows for adjustability of throttle position and angle.
It was a weekend of upsets for those following the 19th annual Karujet Offshore Championships held once again off of the island nation of Guadalupe in the southern Caribbean Sea. A grueling marathon of six races over brutal open seas and battering ocean chop stretched over a week’s time, the Karujet is the ultimate (and longest continual) offshore event that presses racers and their equipment to the utmost. The championship has remained almost exclusively the property of local racers who cut their teeth in unforgiving conditions, with the occasional outsider snatching the title now and again.
Likewise, so has the tradition remained for the choice of craft. Since its introduction in 2007 and throughout its continual iterations until today’s Ultra 310X, Kawasaki’s Ultra has remained the watercraft of choice to sluice through the seafoam and breaking surf. Yet, all traditions were thrown out during this year’s Karujet; not only were the winning racers, Teddy Pons in GP1 Pro Runabout, and Cyril Lemoine in GP3 Runabout both from France, but their choice of craft – both riding Yamaha WaveRunner FX models – effectively overthrew years of conventional wisdom.
For Pons, this marks his second Karujet championship. He bested a full field of both international and local seasoned offshore racers starting the final day with a solid six minute lead over the field. Although Pons came in 4th place in both of the final day’s stages, his consistency pushed Pons into the top spot over Yann Ponama and Pascal Gounouman. Lemoine’s ascent to the top of GP3 class was seamless, as he extended his already sizeable lead made no mistakes in his quest for the GP3 Karujet title extending his overall lead to an incredible 44 minutes Vincent Thomas and Didier Merles Des Iles coming in second and third, respectively.
Americans Chris MacClugage and Eric Francis came to battle as well, with Macc winning the first day’s racing in GP3 class but fell short of the podium the rest of the week. The news came as an upset to many who banked on the rough sea state to hand the advantage over to Kawasaki, but the multi-faceted hull design and reliability of the FX models raced (Pons’ a supercharged SVHO and a naturally-aspirated FX HO for Lemoine) proved the craft’s potency as a versatile and sturdy machine even in the roughest test of man and machine in this sport.
OZPWC reports that Glenn and Lorraine Keating finally received approval to leave Sydney Harbour so Jetski Fishing is throwing a big farewell party for the Keatings. Jetski Fishing is a leading provider of all things fishing when it comes to equipping your ski with all the necessary fishing gear.
The company hosts numerous events throughout the season and the sendoff party for the Keatings is the first of many. The gathering is not only a going away party for the Keating’s, it is also a fundraiser for Cancer Council Australia.
The event takes place April 1, 2016. Jetski Fishing asks people to join them at 6pm for a BBQ that is taking place at Woy Woy Boat Ramp. The BBQ is being held in true Australian style which means that Bacon and Egg Rolls will be served. Bring yourself and a donation. Jetski Fishing asks that you RSVP through HERE or on the their Facebook page.
The pair is leaving Sydney Harbour on their jet skis to raise money for the Cancer Council with the drive and intention of setting a new world record for circumnavigating Australia by personal watercraft. The couple named their adventure; “Terra Australis-Grit by the Sea.” Anyone with an interest in the Keatings’ travels can follow along on their website where they will keep us updated with photos and blogs in regards to their huge undertaking. It should be quite an adventure and well worth following.
This past March 9th to 13th in 2016, the Motorboat China Open was held in Dameisha, Shenzhen, China. Organized by the Chinese Motorboat Association (CMA), Culture and Sports Administration of Yantian District, Shenzhen Municipality, Shenzhen Xblueme Sports and Culture Development Co., Ltd., and Nanning Jetski Sport Culture Co., Ltd., in association with the Tianhaifeng Water Sports Club and Dameisha International Water Sports Center, this was the first of its kind, with organizers expecting more than 200 top riders from over 30 countries worldwide to participate in the event.
Held at Da Mei Sha Hai Bin Gong Yuan, one of the most popular beaches in China, the tourist destination is located about one and a half hours by car from the Shenzhen Airport. Marked by an impressively huge humanoid monument, Da Mei Sha Hai Bin Gong Yuan is located just across the road from the official host hotel making it an excellent location for the race. Nearby there is also an outlet shopping center, which has been very instrumental in growing the town in recent years. Although efforts were made to welcome a larger gathering of racers, only 12 classes hosted several dozen racers from across the globe.
Thankfully, many world-leading names were present to show their support for the event like Chris MacClugage, Phil Pope, Christian D’Agostin, Gyorgy Kasza, Brock Austin, Rick Sherker, Brandon Lawlor, and even IJSBA President Scott Frazier. Unfortunately, despite the star power present, bad weather plagued the race week. Rain and wind, and cold temperatures were interspersed with gusts of wind from time to time, event knocking the tents over. All of this played havoc with the starting position, as big swells broke on the beach.
Because of the rough seas and bad weather, the race did not proceed on schedule as officials needed to change the starting method three times: first, racers had to wait while idling, then change to starting with the signal from the official, to finally needing to stand beside their skis as usual, and await the signal of the flag. For the runabouts, a rolling start was divided into three rows, four in the first column, four in the second column – an irregular system for sure, of nine lined up in the third column.
The consistent changes, unfamiliar starting methods and inexperience of the course marshals made absolutely progress slow with each delayed start. Because of this, the delay of progression and bad weather, the number of laps of each the heat was reduced. Racers noted that the closed course was very large, with a back and the home straight so long that many worried that their engines would blow. Likewise, the limited fuel tank capacity of the GP class required a reduction down to seven laps.
In addition to the closed course and freestyle jet ski heats in the event, rubber dinghy competitions and flyboard competition was carried out, with a demonstration of the jet surf as well. In addition to the China Yamaha distributor, local camper and fast-growing drone industry company, DJI companies being on display in the paddock, hundreds of tourists came by bus to visit in light of the bad weather. The Chinese tourists were not deterred by the bad weather, watching the tournament from beneath umbrellas.
In fact, the novelty of the event brought local amateur photographers eager to capture the scene. Sadly, had weather permitted the event would have allowed for longer races, faster starts and better riding conditions. Many racers voiced dissatisfaction with the progress, but seeing that this was the first time that such an event had occurred in China, it was to be expected. And given the population of China, there is a possibility that the top riders will appear in the future. Organizers are looking to target Thailand’s King’s Cup, as both popular and government interest grows. The association is planning to continue holding more events, so it is expected to be improved little by little. Keep an eye out for the China in the future.
Racing can be ridiculously expensive, particularly if you’re doing it as a hobby and can’t dedicate the hours necessary to procure sufficient sponsorship to cover the costs of building a craft, purchasing riding gear, traveling from race to race, and of course, entry fees. And if you think being the racer is expensive, try hosting a race! There’s permits, staffing, renting the venue and of course, the prizes for the racers who compete. Racing ain’t cheap from any angle, so that’s why we completely understand what the guys at Team Lugs Racing are doing:
Recently announced on the Team Lugs Facebook page, the Midwest PWC racing team is hosting a “Race Raffle” to raise funds for cash prizes for the Nebraska Championship series. But the big “get” is that the winner of this raffle will walk home with a brand new ’16 Sea-Doo Spark outfitted with an impressive list of go-fast goodies including a Pro-Series Sponson kit from RIVA Racing, a new premium seat cover from Hydro-Turf and a cool E-85 performance tune from V-Tech Tuned. To learn how you can score this Spark, read the full press release:
The Nebraska Championship Fremont Lakes, NE 9-10th July 2016 the premier Midwest personal watercraft racing series for more information about the race go to www.nautiwaterracing.com
In order to promote the Nebraska Championship races and raise funds for its cash prizes, Team Lugs Racing is conducting a Race Raffle. “Like” Team Lugs Facebook Pagefor raffle and race updates.
The raffle is for a 2016 Sea-doo Spark Personal Watercraft. This is not your normal factory Sea-doo. Thank you to our sponsors for their generous donations in performance parts. It’s no surprise Nebraskans like their corn, VTECHTUNED.COM has provided us with a E-85 performance tune increasing both performance (+60 hp) and acceleration. To help handle the increased performance Riva Racing donated a pro-series sponson kit. To finish off the Spark, Hydro-turf helped out with a brand new premium seat cover.
Entry in to the raffle is available only to persons over the age of 19. You may be asked at any stage to provide Team Lugs with proof of age and /or identity.
The Spark is on display at Leisure Life Sports located at 9004 s.145th, Omaha, NE 68138. We will also bring the Spark to both of the Kansas Nautiwater racing events for display and on-site ticket sales.
The price for a ticket is $20. We will offer a couple of multiple ticket discounts. Buy 3 tickets for $50 which saves you $10 or buy 5 tickets and get one free. Tickets are only sold online thru this website or in person by Team Lugs personnel. All in person tickets will be entered into Raffle Creator database. If you don’t feel comfortable entering your information online then contact Team Lugs for cash purchases. Profits from this raffle will be donated to a charity chosen by Team Lugs for the purpose of community betterment.
The drawing and winner announcement will be held on July 9th at 1pm at The Nebraska Championship announcer podium. The winner will also be announced on Team Lugs Facebook Page. The winner does not have to be present to win but must arrange their own transport if they resided outside of the Omaha area. The Winner is responsible for the payment of all tax, title fees, license fees, insurance requirements and other charges as may be required under any law, ordinance, statute, regulation or otherwise. The decision is final with respect to all matters relating to awarding of the prize and shall not be subject to review or appeal by any entrant or by any third party. TEAM LUGS reserves the right, at any time, to cancel, modify or suspend the Raffle if, in its sole judgment, the Raffle is not capable of being conducted as specified.
