“If only jet skiing was covered like a television show.” It’s something we’ve all thought, said or have heard, and when looking at some of the crap that does actually make it onto the small screen, it’s almost embarrassing that our sport gets passed up. Well thankfully, with events like the Pro Watercross World Championships being televised by CBS Sports nationwide (and beyond) and AquaX receiving local Fox Sports syndicate coverage, dreams of jet skiing returning to regular programming (like it once did on ESPN decades ago), are becoming ever closer to a reality.
Yesterday, a near-30 minute recap of last September’s 2015 Blowsion Surf Slam was published by Athletes In Motion Sports Television (aimsports.tv), who was on-hand in Pacific City, Oregon, as a presenting media partner for the 2015 Blowsion Surf Slam, and edited together some awesome aerial and surf slashing footage from the Pacific Coast event. According to Athletes In Motor Sports TV, “This incredible event drew the largest field of competitors and spectators in its history that came from all over the world to see one of the fastest growing action sports on the planet. Paul J. Higgins and his AIMSports TV production crew bring you all the great action.”
Of course, The Watercraft Journal was present and accounted for, providing the fastest coverage and full photo gallery from the Surf Slam, which was published days after the event closed (as per usual). Yet, this footage really captures the spirit of the event and is frankly a great little reminder of why we do what we do when the weather turns to crap. Enjoy!
AquaX, the rapidly growing stock PWC racing series, will be undergoing some changes for 2016. These changes should bring even more new riders and fans to the sport! AquaX released their ambitious plans for 2016, including the dividing of riders into Amateur and Pro level competition. They feel this move will give some up and coming riders a chance to grow in the sport before they step up and take on the pros. Also, as you may have already heard, they have arranged for an additional championship in the Great Lakes region. Along with that, they have announced a completely new race style for sport and ski classes.
The AquaX staff has decided that while the wide open courses best suit the larger, faster runabouts produced today, the closed course racing form best suits the Sport and Ski riders. They will be holding both Enduro events, which are the traditional AquaX course format for the full sized runabouts, as well as Sprint events, which will be closed course races for the sport and ski classes. The Sprint events will follow IJSBA closed course class technical rules of both Sport Stock and Sport GP.
Initially, the Sea-Doo Spark will be eligible for Sport class competition to attract new racers, but may be split into its own class once it grows some. The ski category will be split into Junior, Amateur, and Pro classes, to provide a more natural “stepping stone” into Pro class.
Along with the racing series in Florida, there will be a three round Enduro series in the Great Lakes region, as well as the IJSBA National Championships being held in Chicago. This will also promote growth of the AquaX series by giving racers from the Midwest and New England area a chance to compete. There will also be an Amateur Enduro series for runabout racers who are not quite on the Pro level just yet. This will give racers a chance to enter the sport without having to compete against the top riders in the series. We think this will be a more welcoming environment for new racers, and will give them a chance to take home some hardware as well.
Here’s how the tentative 2016 AquaX schedule looks: AquaX Amateur Enduro Florida Championships
RD1 – 9th April Tavares, FL –
RD2 – 23rd-24th April Daytona, FL
RD3 – 21st May Kissimmee, FL
RD4 – 2nd-3rd July Sarasota, FL
AquaX Pro Enduro Championships
RD1 – 23rd-24th April Daytona, FL
RD2 – 2nd-3rd July Sarasota, FL
RD3 – 10th-11th Sept Chicago, IL
RD4 – 29th-30th Oct Cocoa Beach, FL
RD5 – 12th-13th Nov Palm Beach, FL
RD6 – 19th-20th Nov Fort Lauderdale, FL
AquaX Sprint Atlantic Championships
RD1 – 23rd-24th April Daytona, FL
RD2 – 29th-30th Oct Cocoa Beach, FL
RD3 – 12th-13th Nov Palm Beach, FL
RD4 – 19th-20th Nov Fort Lauderdale, FL
AquaX Amateur Enduro Great Lakes Championships
RD1 – TBD
RD2 – 6th-7th August Whiting, IN
RD3 – 10th-11th Sept Chicago, IL
IJSBA National Championships
9/10-11 – Sept Chicago, IL
*some dates are still to be confirmed. You can find more info on the AquaX race series and their schedule for 2016 here.
It’s hard to narrow down what could very well be perceived as our favorite products that we’ve reviewed this year. With thousands of dollars worth of awesome and innovative items on hand, we weighed each item for its added value or convenience, functionality and ease of use, and of course, price. So while you are getting in your last minute shopping for your friends and loved ones, take a minute and look over this list with the avid jet skier in your life (and it might just be you), and see if any of these would make a great gift for the holiday season!
1. Kool PWC Stuff Jet Ski Fishing/Cooler Rack – $390
There’s a reason we list Kool PWC Stuff’s Fishing/Cooler Rack for a second year in a row, it’s easily one of the best items we’ve had the pleasure of testing. So much so, that we couldn’t have attempted this summer’s “Long Haul” record without the use of this easy-to-install, non-invasive storage rack system, which we used to tote over 22 gallons of extra fuel through a pair of 5 gallon cans in the large center section, and an impressive 12 gallons in four Rotopax mounted to its sides, held on by an innovative billet aluminum bracket system.
Now, we only used the Kool PWC Stuff rack for a portion of its true intent, as the sturdy stainless steel and powder coated rack isn’t called a Jet Ski Fishing/Cooler Rack for nothing. Available through Kool PWC Stuff’s webstore are a myriad of options to outfit your rack the way you want, whether for cruising the lake with some added fuel and a big cooler, or trawling the kelp beds with a life bait tank and a quartet of rod holders. No matter how you cut it, the zero cutting, zero drilling Kool PWC Stuff rack is one of our favorites and is sure to be one of yours too!
2. Blacktip JetSports’ Elite Seat Covers – Various
With patterns and designs for nearly every imaginable seat configuration on hand, Blacktip JetSports’ line of Elite seat covers not only can rejuvenate your runabout’s faded and/or cracked and peeling seat cover, but can provide added traction, comfort and flair to an otherwise bland bench seat. Every seat cover is specifically designed to your watercraft’s bolstering, shape and coloring, so you have a cover that not only matches the look, but feel of your PWC.
Placed through The Watercraft Superstore, ordering your Blacktip JetSports Elite seat cover is simple and painless. And don’t fear the installation either, as replacing your seat cover is made easy with just a few hand tools (as shown on The Watercraft Journal earlier this year). Best of all, Blacktip promises a lightning fast turnaround from the time of ordering to the date of shipping (in most cases, 2-to-3 days!), significantly faster than competing seat cover makers.
3. RIVA Racing/Vi-Pec V88R3 Pro-Series ECU – $2399.95
For the top-of-the-line performance enthusiast, there is only one solution to unlocking the full potential of their supercharged 4-stroke Yamaha or Sea-Doo, and that’s the RIVA Racing/Vi-Pec V88R3 Pro-Series Engine Control Unit (ECU). The control module offers much more than just removing any speed limiting features imbued in the craft’s factory programming, but extensive Vi-PEC data logging, easy-to-load calibration maps for a variety of performance levels (with updates supplied through RIVA’s ECU website), optimized fuel mapping, timing curves, boost control and a rev limiter increase.
There’s also added safety features like diagnostic info, air/fuel mixture data, a knock sensor. And while a majority of Vi-Pec users will be content to use RIVA’s supplied maps and curve data (all extensively tested both on the water and in RIVA’s own dyno cell), the supplied software that comes with V88R3 allows for customization to fuel, timing, the rev limiter and boost control, all with retaining the OEM dash display, engine diagnostic and engine safety functions – including use of the Sea-Doo’s iBR system.
4. IPD Graphic’s Yamaha Squarenose SuperJet Graphics Kit (NS Design) – $299
What is old is new again. In the past few years, there’s been a resurgence in popularity in standup skis, particularly with teenagers and those in their early-to-mid 20’s. In fact, standup sales are estimated to be in the thousands for 2015, but seeing that tracking Craigslist and other private sales is almost entirely impossible, we’ve had to gauge this resurgence in the growth of sales for vintage 2-stroke ski parts, equipment and accessories.
That being said, we were stoked to document how easily a “Craigslist find” Squarenose can be made new again just with a decent cleanup and a new set of vinyl decals. IPD Graphic’s new Yamaha SuperJet kits can do exactly that, and make a cheapo 20-year-old ski look sharp as new with just a Saturday afternoon’s worth of work. Through IPD’s detailed website, you can customize the color, design and overall aesthetic of your graphics kit to look just the way you like, including sponsorship logos, race numbers or even have your own name run alongside the tray.
5. Aquacarts’ AQ-19 Cart & Service Stand – $234.95
OK, in all fairness, this is much of a “stocking stuffer,” but the Aquacart AQ-19 Cart & Service Stand has easily become one of the single-most important tools in our shop. In fact, if you ever intend to do any work on your personal watercraft, be it an oil change or pulling the engine, you’re going to need one of these for your shop or home garage. Built to handle anything between a featherweight Yamaha SuperJet or a hulking Sea-Doo GTX iS Limited, its 1,400-pound weight capacity can take it all.
Built from heavy-duty 2-inch 14-gauge steel square tubing, and powder coated bright white, the AQ-19 rolls on four-axis, locking 5-inch diameter swivel casters that roll smoothly across polished or coated concrete or cracked and porous asphalt with no problem. We’ve come to love our Aquacart and there’s no way that we’re giving it back. After you’ve gotten yours, you’ll feel the exact same way.
6. Airhead Dry Pak Camera/Smart Phone Case – $19.99
If you’re like us, you’re umbilically tethered to your cell phone. Not only is it our primary source of communication with the outside world, but its also our camera, photo and music library, contact Rolodex, and entertainment center. Once Apple figures out how to get an iPhone to feed and bath us, it will be almost the only thing we’ll ever need. So naturally, we bring our smart phones with us when we ride and that’s why keeping it safe and dry is so important. That’s why we recommend Airhead’s Dry Pak Camera and Smart Phone cases.
We were able to review the Dry Pak Camera Case earlier this year and continue to use it even after we switched from a UAG impact case to a waterproof Lifeproof case. The sealable pouch is made with a thick optically clear TPU that allows you to navigate your phone’s screen even while in the pouch and wearing gloves! Available in a variety of sizes, our 6-inch wide x 5 inch long x 2 inch deep case not only accommodated our phone, but our car’s electronic key fob and wallet as well.
7. Jobe Watersports’ Youth Progress Neo Vest – $115
Our days on the lake tend to be more family-oriented than time spent on the shoreline razzing our buddies as they fumbled trying to lean-in and cut a buoy. With the median PWC buyer in their mid-forties, many are in the proverbial same boat. That’s why Jobe’s Youth Progress Neo Vest kept creeping back up our list for this year. Although much pricier than most kid’s vests, the Youth Progress Neo vest is specifically designed for your little ones, and goes on and off easily thanks to a big thick front zipper and dual buckle. Made with soft neoprene and PVC foam, it won’t rub or scratch your kids’ soft skin either, which should keep the complaining to a minimum. Yeah, we know. You’re welcome.
8. EZ Throttle Sea-Doo iTC Throttle Extension – $19.99
Another returning favorite to our annual list is the EZ Throttle Sea-Doo iTC Throttle Extension. This EZ Throttle is made specifically for the Sea-Doo models (2009-and-up) using BRP’s class-leading Intelligent Throttle Control system (iBR). Because of the sensitivity of the fly-by-wire trigger system, the EZ Throttle attaches to the factory throttle different from that of say, a Yamaha WaveRunner. The EZ Throttle was also used during this summer’s “Long Haul” attempt and proved itself incredibly useful in keeping our hands comfortable and from cramping over long periods of riding. For the long distance rider or those who suffer from fatigue, the EZ Throttle continues to be one of The Watercraft Journal’s top items.
9. Thrust Innovations’ Billet Adjustable Hood Latch – $84.95
There’s a level of craftsmanship seen on freestyle and freeride skis that simply isn’t found anywhere else in modified performance watercraft. Even the 100mph HydroDrag racers’ runabouts aren’t swinging this much bling. And a major contributor to these aquatic acrobats looking so good is Thrust Innovations. We recently checked out Thrust’s new Billet Adjustable Hood Latches. The very first adjustable hood latch on the market, adjusting the tension on your standup’s hood is as easy as loosing and tightening one bolt. The patent-pending design is made from CNC machined 6061 aluminum and can be had in one of five colors.
10. Gibbs Quadski XL – $50,000
If you thought the Aquacart was “a little much” for our list, then you’re gonna love the Gibbs Quadski XL. The Watercraft Journal was the first PWC publication to review this massive watercraft/quad hybrid and were impressed at the technology imbued into this machine. Standing 53-inches tall with over eight-and-a-half inches of ground clearance, the massive 140.2-inch long two-seater ATV/runabout is a full 12-inches longer than its one-seater sibling, and is 62.5-inches wide.
On land, the XL is shifted through a sequential, electronically-controlled gearbox with a centrifugal clutch (with an electronically-operated land reverse gear), and propelled on water by a proprietary lightweight jet drive pushing thrust through an 11-vane stator via a stainless steel 5-blade impeller. Powered by a BMW 140-horsepower K1300 (1293cc) water-cooled 4-stroke in-line 4-cylinder, the Quadski maxes at 45mph, be it on land or at sea. Transitioning between land and sea modes is slow, and the craft is not the most nimble in either configurations, but is the only machine to do either adequately well.
There has been very few models of personal watercraft to have made such an impact both on the sport and the industry as Sea-Doo’s Spark. The lightweight, athletic runabout has personally accounted for no less than a 10-percent increase in total unit sales in 2015 alone, and has, according to certain sources, single-handedly eclipsed the total market share of Kawasaki alone. With a purported 48 different configurations, the Spark is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with.
As demand for the nimble two- and three-seaters continues, so does the demand for greater performance. With that comes RIVA Racing, and it’s new Power Filter. This cold air element feeds the Spark’s engine with a steady supply of cool, dense air delivering significant gains to both throttle response and overall power. The intake duct has been precision-formed to channel outside ambient air from original hull vents to the OEM airbox. There, the cool air is pulled into the ACE 900’s throttle body through a industry-leading K&N filter element.
The molded air duct not only provides the engine a greater volume of air, but also at an increased velocity, acting as a “ram induction” inlet. This, of course adds greatly to the ACE motor’s efficiency, delivering added power and acceleration. Designed as a direct replacement to the factory air induction system, the RIVA Racing Power Filter installs quickly and easily with the included instructions. And priced at $215, it’s the easiest (and most affordable) horsepower you can bolt onto your Spark.
When you think Fly Racing, you probably think of the motocross racers, sporting Fly gear from head to toe. That’s understandable, as Fly is a prominent figure in the motocross world, selling a wide range of top-notch gear for the riders on two wheels. Don’t be mislead, though. They do have plenty of gear for other extreme sports as well, including PWC racing.
Thanks to Fly Racing, we were able to get our hands on their top of the line F2 Carbon Dubstep helmet, designed with watersports in mind. When we first received the helmet, we noticed it was considerably lighter than other competitors’ helmets we’ve tried. This is mostly due to it’s durable, yet extremely light shell, constructed with state-of-the-art aircraft grade woven carbon fiber and Kevlar composite. It is also held together with lightweight aluminum screws and rivets, which also cuts down on weight and stands up to even the toughest conditions watercraft racing has to offer.
It’s not hard to tell that Fly Racing has put a lot of effort into making this helmet as racer friendly as possible. When you’re out there on the race course, midway through a moto, the last thing you want is for your head to be baking inside your helmet. Some helmets are designed with as little as two intake and exhaust vents, which doesn’t properly allow air to flow through. Fly racing has equipped the F2 series helmets with eleven intake and four exhaust vents, which kept us plenty cool when out on the water. As if the fifteen air vents aren’t enough, the inside of the helmet is also designed with COOLMAX comfort liner and cheek pads, which as well as protecting you, it helps with the ventilation and absorbs sweat.
Also, a common problem with helmets and goggles is the goggles fogging up. This can obstruct your vision, which can put the rider in a dangerous situation, especially if you’re fighting for position or surrounded by other riders. The F2 helmets are designed with four vents above the goggle eye port to draw air away from the goggles, thus helping prevent them from fogging up. This doesn’t necessarily mean your goggles can’t fog up, it just makes them less likely to.
Thankfully, we didn’t have to rely on this helmet to protect us in an impact. We are confident, though, that if we did, it would have protected us sufficiently. With a durable shell that is sure to be among the strongest on the market, dual density EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) liner to provide more progressive impact absorption, and the COOLMAX cheek pads provide plenty of cushion to protect you in a collision as well as making this one comfortable helmet. This helmet met or exceeded all of the toughest safety standards on the market.
So it’s got some cool features and a lot of engineering work in it, but how does it fair in real world use? In a closed course racing environment, we put it through the ultimate test, and think it passed with flying colors. Approaching the line for the first moto, we were curious to find out how the F2 Carbon helmet would perform. Our goggles did fog up while waiting at the line, but we believe that was just because the anti-fog vents can’t draw air when not in motion. After they were wiped clean and the race started, the issue never reoccurred.
The low weight of this helmet allowed for easy and quick movement of our head with no problem, which is crucial, especially when in technical sections of the course. The excessive number of ventilation slots and the COOLMAX liner kept us cool, comfortable, and complaint free throughout the entire race. Lining up for the next race, we had one final test to put it through. One we would’ve rather not tested during a race, but ended up doing it anyways. We went for a swim at 60-plus-mph, and it actually went better than we had anticipated. The helmet was very hydrodynamic, and didn’t jerk our head much at all.
Once back above the surface, it didn’t become waterlogged as we had expected. It may have held some water, but it didn’t become unbearably heavy. Overall, we were very impressed with this product and would recommend it to anyone looking for a top-tier helmet for any kind of racing or just aggressive recreational fun. You can find all the variations of the Fly Racing F2 Carbon helmets along with more info about them here. The F2 Carbon series helmets are all basically the same, just offered in different colors and styles. While they do come at a price of $399.95, we believe the quality of this helmet is well worth the extra coin.
Earlier this year, in the wake of a terrible tragedy caused by a Ritalin-addled sociopath, the nanny-state sought to not address the status of our nation’s treatment of its mentally ill, but rather, to outlaw the last remaining remnant of southern identity, the Confederate Flag.
While this was a ridiculous reaction, what pushed it into the realm of sublimely moronic is the subsequent retaliation against of all things, a 30-year-old television serial, “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Y’know, the show about two fun-loving Georgian cousins who drive a tangerine ’69 Dodge Charger through the backwoods of the Los Angeles Mountains mascaraing as Georgia’s rolling hills.
Yup, ‘dem good ol’ boys got themselves in a heap o’ trouble with the swelling PC culture and there wasn’t much that CBS/Warner Brothers could do but outright outlaw any future merchandising of the eponymous “General Lee,” the single-most recognizable television/movie car in film history.
<
►
>
Funny enough, the backlash was so strong, so over-the-top that sales of Confederate flags exploded, and demand for “General Lee” merchandise skyrocketed on eBay. Several of the show’s stars – including former Senator Ben Jones who played “Cooter Davenport” and the immortally handsome Jonathan Schneider, “Bo Duke” both spoke out against the ban calling it both moronic and depressing.
While most of us have seen the Seabreacher in action before, and therefore are familiar with its agility, we do think making it honor “The Dukes” and their famous race car makes it all the more entertaining. Now if only there was room to store a few dozen mason jars of “white lightning” in the back…
The 2015 X Dubai Flyboard World Cup is in the books and with an all new champion in Hunter Verlander. The 16-year-old known as the “Poison Dart Frog” took the top spot with an array of technical tricks from layout triple flips to the first-ever quad flip. Not a perfect quad, but enough to drop the jaws of the judges.
Hunter became the kid to watch in Dubai last year with a fifth place finish and everyone took notice of the then 15-year-old prodigy. This summer he showed up to the North American Flyboard Championship and nailed the first triple flip on the legend board in competition, and took third. Now, going into 2016 the Dart Frog is the best in the world and the boy is now the man to beat.
The 42 Men’s division was quickly narrowed down to 32 on qualifying day and the bracket was on. Defending world champion Suksan Tongthai, and current North American champ Damone Rippy both suffered injuries with trips to the hospital. Verlander worked his way past the likes of Caleb Gavic, Damone Rippy, and Jake Orel in the final to take the golden board. Your podium in Dubai was Hunter Verlander, Jake Orel in second, and Cooper Riggs in third.
With any young sport progression is accelerated, and serious contenders seemingly come from nowhere. This was truly the case in the Women’s division. Defending champ Da-Yeob Kim was beat in the first round by Gemma Weston who had to be convinced to even compete in Dubai, went on to win it all in the final against Haruka Asano with the first triple flip by a woman. Florida’s Kristen Smoyer rounded out the podium.
The Veteran division (old guys that can rip) has an all new champion: Todd Sawisch of Florida. Todd won convincingly with triple flips and 1080 doubles over a tough field of riders, Dong-Won Yang, Ali Komsusu, and Simon Desira. In the end, Franky Zapata and wife Krystel outdid themselves again. The growth of flyboarding and the X Dubai World Cup continues to impress. We cant wait to see what Franky and the Flyboard family has in store for 2016.
X Dubai Flyboard World Cup Results
PRO DIVISION: 1) Hunter Verlander USA; 2) Jake Orel USA, 3) Cooper Riggs USA, 4) Damone Rippy USA, 5) Jason Gauthier USA, 6) Caleb Gavic USA, 7) Ben Merrell USA, 8) Steve Palma France, 9) Suksan Tongthai Thailand, 10) Brody Wells Canada; WOMEN DIVISION: 1) Gemma Weston New Zeland, 2) Haruka Asano Japan, 3) Kristen Smoyer USA, 4) Valentine Cambron Canada, 5) Solene Pandeles France, 6) Fernanda Villeneuve Mexico, 7) Megan Malone USA, 8) Da-Yeob Kim Korea, 9) Oceane Corbet France, 10) Yolanda Baker USA; VETERAN DIVISION: 1) Todd Sawisch USA, 2) Dong-Won Yang Korea, 3) Ali Komsusu Turkey, 4) Simon Desira Malte, 5) Vladimir Belov Russia, 6) Brandon Samuels USA, 7) Marc Baxter USA, 8) Robert Jaszczold Poland, 9) Bruce Haglund USA, 10) Antonio Martinez Spain
With Christmas soon approaching many couch potatoes know it as the season for mid-season finales for their favorite shows. With that in mind, CBS’ ongoing reality TV adventure series “Amazing Race” pits contestants in a globe-trotting quest to find clues, solve puzzles and exert themselves all in an effort to win $1 million dollars.
Believe it or not, this year marks the conclusion of season 27 of the series, and to really send it off with a bang, Sea-Doo has supplied the show several Sparks to be featured in one of the final quests for the contestants seeking that grand prize. Below we’ve included the official press release as well as the teaser promo:
Valcourt, Québec, December 11, 2015 – The Sea-Doo SPARK will play a key role in determining which couple will win the grand prize of $1 million on the finale of CBS’s Amazing Race. The final three teams of two will be face a challenge of navigating a Sea-Doo SPARK through a charted path of obstacles on their way to the finish line. The Amazing Race 27 finale ends in New York City following 12 weeks of adventure and competition around the world and will air Friday, December 11th at 8PM EST.
The acclaimed Sea-Doo SPARK has re-sparked the marine industry and has contributed to double-digit growth in PWC industry sales. The SPARK is the most accessible modern watercraft on the market and is attracting the next generation of boaters as well as the perfect, “add to fleet” unit for veteran boaters. The SPARK is perfect for the family looking for amazing experiences revolving around boating fun in the most extraordinary locations around the world.
With the week over and the racers, teammates, sponsors and vendors finally returning home, the news coming from the Kings Cup in Thailand is starting to trickle out (at least to those of you who did not click on the event’s website 1.4 million times). Obviously, one company in particular makes no bones about their love for racing, especially in the Southeast Asia, and that would be Jettribe. Not only did the riding apparel and gear manufacturer pull out all the stops to put up a huge presence in Thailand, but also their media and racing team as well.
Of those, Jettribe Team Rider James Bushell made history yet again, as he returned to the top of the podium for the Pro GP Runabout class for his second year in a row. Bushell’s domination aboard his 158 Performance, Les Cooke Sea-Doo Centre-built boat bested a field very similar to those at this past quakysense IJSBA World Finals in Lake Havasu, Arizona. Except this time, Bushell held off Hungary’s György Kasza and a field of equally-talent riders to pass the checkers first and claim the championship (and prize money).
Jettribe wrote, “James Bushell has done it again! He has won the Pro Runabout GP Championship for a second year in a row. He defended this title using a borrowed ski! Luckily it happened to be a great boat! James also raced in the Pro 800 class taking a 3rd after a problem with the ski. We are proud to have James as part of the Jettribe Team and wish him the best of luck in the upcoming race season. Congratulations James!”
It doesn’t seem possible, but for those building up their 4-tec 1503 Rotax engines to produce some serious power, or for those pushing their Sea-Doos to the ultimate limits imaginable, the press-in coil-over-plug ignition boots have been known to sometimes back out enough to interrupt the ignition cycle, or in very rare instances, completely kill the cylinder!
For 2016, Rotax’s engineers truly pulled out all the stops when it came to improving upon the previous 1503 3-cylinder engines in development for the ACE 300 plant. While a whole bevy of improvements were made both inside and out, one small feature that didn’t go unnoticed by PWCPerformance.com and Greenhulk.net’s Jerry Gaddis was the addition of a new bolt-in ignition coils.
The new coils are secured to the redesigned valve cover to ensure that the ignition coil will never back out, even when the engine is running its hardest. And now, thanks to Gaddis and Sea-Doo, PWCPerformance.com is now offering a complete conversion kit to apply the new 2016 ACE 300 valve cover and bolt-on coils to your 1503 Rotax! This upgrade includes all original Sea-Doo OEM components; namely (3) Ignition Coils, (3) Coil Cap/Seal, (3) Coil Bolts, (1) Valve Cover, (1) Oil Fill Cap, (1) Oil Cap Pin, (1) Oil Cap Band and (1) Oil Pump Housing.
Although the kit doesn’t improve or interfere with your current engine’s performance, it does add some additional security to your machine. Priced at $386.95, the kit also will fool your friends into thinking you’ve got a new ACE 300 under your seat!
