Remember the Quadski made by Gibbs Technologies? Well, those guys recently put up some videos of an entire lineup of amphibious vehicles. That lineup included an amphibious motorcycle (BiSki), a Can-Am like trike (TriSki), a side-by-side (TerraQuad), and some videos of some old amphibious cars we’ve never seen.
Here’s a compilation of all the models:
As of right now, the BiSki, TriSki, and TerraQuad are still considered as ‘concepts.’ The Quadski and Quadski XL, however, are in production.
We got word that Gibbs would be bringing some interesting products to the table at the International Motorcycle Expo in Orlando, FL, and they certainly didn’t disappoint.
We don’t have much info on these new amphibious vehicles. All we have at this time are the on-water horsepower estimates listed on the company’s website. You can see these beasts in action below:
The BiSki, which makes 55 horsepower on the water.
The TriSki, which makes 135 horsepower on the water.
The TerraQuad, which makes an impressive 140 horsepower on the water.
Gibbs has been around for over a decade, and have built quite a few amphibious vehicles in the past. You may remember some from various publicity stunts. Here are some videos of these vehicles from the Gibbs Technologies past.
This is the Aquada amphibious car. What’s not to love? It’s pretty much a sports car that is also a boat!
This is the Phibian, which is obviously a more commercial work vehicle.
And finally, the Humdinga. It’s more of a boat with wheels than a truck with a hull.
You’ve probably seen these already, but here are the Quadskis.
And the Quadski XL:
We are hoping these Gibbs models will grow from concept to production model. We will keep you updated as we find out more info.
OZPWC announced JSW Powersports’ fundraising ride for Hear and Say, one of the top pediatric auditory-verbal and implantable technology organizations in the world. The technology group has taught deaf children how to speak, listen, and hear since 1992. It also provides cochlear implants, which are amazing . Hear and Say’s website claims that this year, 1,500 children and young adults affected by hearing loss, will benefit from their services. Hear and Say spends more than $10,000 a year for up to six years to teach one deaf kid to learn to listen and speak. The organization relies heavily on fundraising events to offset costs.
JSW Powersports invited riders to The Spit boat ramp for the 56km journey, a lengthier route than they normally take for their charity events. The ride ended at the Southern Beach of Peel Island. JSW asked that participants familiarize themselves with the route prior to the ride to help cut back on riders getting lost. A team was on the water to assist riders who might’ve encountered problems. A $5 BBQ was ready when the group reached Peel. The money raised from the meal, the $20 donation/entry fee, and raffle ticket purchases all went to Hear and Say. The fundraising goal for this event was $1000, and riders helped reach it!
JSW is the number one Sea-Doo dealer in the world and is located on Australia’s Gold Coast. The shop has been in business since 1998 and has grown from a small work space into a giant personal watercraft dealership and Fox Boat distributor.
Maybe this dates me, but I remember when Sea World was really just an amped-up aquarium. Long before the laser light shows and roller coasters, Sea World was more education than show, back when schools took busloads of kids on field trips to look at otters and sea lions. Today, the parks are half rides, fireworks displays and roller coasters, making them as much a candidate for a school trip as Disneyland.
But as audiences clamor for more adrenaline and less education, Sea World has needed to evolve. In one such attempt, Sea World Australia added a quasi-themed ride called the “Jet Rescue Roller Coaster” – a 40mph thriller that zooms a train of 16 jet skis through a twisting, turning track in the attempt to “save our precious marine life aboard your very own jet ski,” as SWA states.
The near quarter-mile long (1,380-feet), 30-second ride places riders on what very obviously look like Honda F-12 Aquatraxes, through a series of half-helix turns, a mist-filled tunnel and a few dips. Again, you’re riding knock-off Hondas, not a Rickter RRP Ninja and you’re not Mark Gomez, so don’t expect to be executing any barrel rolls. But SWA does tease that the ride pulls an impressive 2.5gs in its tightest corners, so hey, that’s pretty good, right? First launched in December of 2008, the Jet Rescue Roller Coaster has been entertaining park visitors for over 6 years now.
Below we’ve included both Sea World’s own promotional teaser video as well as a POV video from video blogger Theme Park Review, who listed it as its top 3 attractions (apart from the dolphin show). Watch below and decide whether SWA’s Jet Rescue can hold a candle to the real thing:
It all started with Philip Wright answering a For Sale ad in a local newspaper. Wright jumped at the chance to take advantage of what he thought was a motivated seller” looking to off-load a clean, low-mileage personal watercraft. Within 24 hours’ time, Wright stood watching at the local police hauled his newly purchased PWC. Unknowingly, Wright had purchased a stolen watercraft, one taken from a home only a couple hours’ drive from his own home.
Even though Wright had attempted to do his due diligence, he was unable to discover that his purchase was indeed a stolen PWC. From that point on, he vowed to help others from the same fate, and created the Worldwide Stolen PWC Database. Just this year, the Stolen PWC Database went global. They announced, “we finally became a global service, earning us a new name and the title of ‘the only worldwide, dedicated stolen PWC database’. When we know it’s stolen, we tell the world about it. We are the only worldwide, dedicated stolen personal watercraft (PWC) database. We hold up to the minute theft reports of stolen PWC and trailers from around the world.”
Using the Worldwide Stolen PWC Database’s real-time, worldwide database makes checking any PWC and/or trailer easy for individuals and law enforcement, marine and tracking agencies. As they announce, “With more and more stolen PWC being taken out of their own state, county or even country, there’s nowhere in the world for the PWC thieves to hide from us. With data collected from insurance companies, law enforcement authorities, marine agencies, main dealers and private individuals, our database of registered stolen PWC and trailers, makes the reselling of stolen PWC extremely high risk for any thief.”
Highlights for the event came from Brian Baldwin on his stock class FZR SVHO as well as well as Palomo Noceda, who was also atop a Yamaha FZR. They made their sponsors, friends, and family members proud as they won their respective classes.
In Pro Runabout stock, Yamahas swept the podium. Despite not qualifying very well, Brian Baldwin came out on top of the podium after getting third in moto 1 and a win in moto 2. Fellow Yamaha riders Abdullah Al-Fadhel and Aero Aswar took second and third places respectively.
The podium was split between the three major manufacturers in Pro Runabout Limited, but Yamaha rider Yousef Alabdulrazzaq ended up on top of the podium for the event. He dominated the field and got the win in both of his motos.
In Women’s Runabout, Paloma Noceda had an outstanding showing and took the win for the weekend. Another Yamaha racer, Shante Bukes, rounded off the podium in the number three position.
Yamaha Race Director Scott Watkins, very proud of the way the Yamaha riders and machines have performed, had a few words to say about this stellar showing:
“In 2009 when we introduced the FZ’s we decided to make a strong concerted effort to re-enter racing,” said Yamaha’s Race Director Scott Watkins. “This has been an effort over the last five years or so and it takes time to assemble the right people and products in order to put together a great team capable of winning the biggest races in the world.
“Seeing many racers transition to Yamaha in the last few years has been a thrilling experience for me. They know what they need to win. Winning many of the World titles at the World final in Lake Havasu is the icing on the cake to a very successful race season. Thank you to everyone involved in Yamaha racing. We plan to keep the momentum going for 2016.”
And of course it would. The Ultra’s deep-V hull design splits chop and surf like a battleship, strong and sturdy. Propelled by a true 310-horsepower erupting from a Eaton TVS twin-strew roots-style supercharger pressing an impressive 16.8 psi of boost down the electronically-controlled 60mm throat of a 1,498cc 4-cylinder 4-stroke. The Ninja ZX-14R–derived 1.5L plant boasts a 83 x 69.2mm bore-and-stroke with a tight 8.2:1 compression ratio. For the sake of comparison, the Ultra manages to produce more horsepower with less bore width and boost than the new 1,630cc ACE 300 with its is 100 x 69.2mm, and 18psi of boost.
Out back, the big Kawasaki spins a Skat-Trak stainless steel three-blade, oval-edged prop inside of an industry-leading axial-flow, single stage 160mm jet pump. All of this equates to 1,890 lbs. of thrust, which many will note, is needed to push the Kawasaki’s 1,040.8 lbs. heft. Two years ago marked when Kawasaki made significant improvements to its then-current 300X model, primarily to the engine’s internal temperature management via expanded cooling circuits (along with a secondary inducted water circuit for the high volume intercooler), a new single semi-dry sump system and double under piston oil jets.
Combined with Kawasaki’s new Digital Fuel Injection (DFI) system – with larger injectors plumbed into a two-piece composite long-runner intake manifold, not only increased the engine’s longevity and increased efficiency, but opened up an extra 10 horsepower. Kawasaki also increased the DOHC (dual over-head camshaft) 4-cylinder’s oil capacity to an impressive 6 quarts. That, with its 20.6 gallon fuel tank (91 octane-or-better premium fuel only), makes the Ultra 310X’s fluid capacity nearly that (or more) of most pickup trucks on the road today.
Beneath the hood, storage capacity is equally impressive with a baffling 56 gallons of storage via a drop-in bin and furnished bow. Although there’s no locking or screw-top lids, Kawasaki’s hood and glove box door have thick rubber weatherstripping ensuring a near-watertight seal. And for all Ultra models (except the 18-place 310R moto handlebars), 5-place adjustable tilt steering is standard along with a standard use operating key and a green SLO (Smart Learning Operation) key that limits acceleration and top speed.
For the individual models, we’ll begin from the top and work our way down the price sheet: The Ultra 310LX continues with the industry’s only on board factory sound system: Jetsound. Two 30-watt speakers and a 2×20-watt rated amplifier pump out tunes from your waterproof-encased iPhone/smartphone, or through a USB port to accommodate a memory stick.
Likewise, the $17,999 310LX features a shaped and scalloped, two-tone, three-passenger LXuryseat saddle. The bench uses the industry’s first heat-resistant cover, and comes with two-tone Hydro-Turf deck traction matting. For 2016, the 310LX gets its first color change to Ebony and Metallic Carbon Gray.
The 2016 310R is almost completely untouched save for new graphics. It retains its motocross-style electro-polished stainless steel handlebar with its 16-position solid handlebar mount (including optional mount extensions), and contoured sport seat with a “grippy KX-style” seat cover. Priced at $16,299 (no price change from 2015), the 310R is a favorite of offshore riders and even 300 Class AquaX racers.
The 310X and 310X Special Edition (or “SE”, which is unavailable to certain markets outside of the US), are too unchanged, save for the versatile 310X’s change to an Ebony and Metallic Stardust White livery. The SE shares the same race-inspired seat as the 310R, but without the moto-style handlebars. The 310X and 310X SE are priced at $15,299 and $15,799, respectively.
Kawasaki’s two most fuel-efficient and price-efficient vehicles, the naturally-aspirated Ultra LX and STX-15F share the same powerplant, the previous edition 1.5-liter 4-stroke, four-cylinder and retain the traditional cable-operated throttle and trigger. You won’t find cruise control, electronic trim or Eco mode on either of these models like you do on all 310-powered Ultras listed above. And only the LX gets a new color change (Ebony and Metallic Phantom Silver).
Priced at $11,199 and $9,699, respectively, the STX-15F still remains Kawasaki’s number one seller, be it current units or discounted previous models. So much so, that Kawasaki showed an impressive 17-percent growth in sales in September attributed heavily to the STX unit sales (it’s particularly worth noting as both Yamaha and Sea-Doo showed 10-percent sales growth in the same month). And with rumors in full swing as to what Kawasaki has cooking for next year (more on that later this month), Kawasaki is looking to be pouring on the steam.
All Ultra JetSki models (310LX, 310X Special Edition (SE), 310X, 310R and LX) as well as the perennial STX-15F remain unmodified for the 2016 model year, with only new aforementioned rich metallic colors and eye-grabbing decals (most in the iconic “Kawasaki Green”) being the sole additions. And for 2016, all JetSkis carry a 12-month limited manufacturer’s warranty with an optional 12, 24, 36 or 48-month Kawasaki Protection Plus plan. With a network of 1,200 independent retailers, a new Kawasaki JetSki can be yours today – that’s right, the new 2016 models are available today!
Just because the IJSBA World Finals have come and gone doesn’t mean that it’s time to board up the windows and hibernate until prime PWC season picks up again next Spring. In fact, it’s quite the contrary! There’s still plenty of really awesome races, meets and events happening here in the US, as well as across the globe!
And because we’re one of the biggest watercraft magazines in Australia, we’re jumping head-first into our Aussie coverage. And unlike other PWC magazines, The Watercraft Journal continues its industry-leading daily (Monday-through-Friday) publishing schedule. Because of which, we’re very excited to announce that we’re hiring!
Right now, The Watercraft Journal is looking to fill two very important positions, a Digital Ad Sales Associate and Freestyle/Freeride Editor! That’s right, we’re looking for self-motivated, dedicated enthusiasts looking to work with the single most popular PWC magazine in North America to help spread the word about our industry’s best and brightest brands and manufacturers, as well as help provide a focused spotlight on our sport’s best freeride/freestyle riders, manufacturers and events! Here are the details below:
Digital Ad Sales Associate Shaw Group Media is pursuing self-motivated, professional and energetic persons to hire as Sales Associates to service its two online publications, The Watercraft Journal (watercraftjournal.com) and Directly Connected (directlyconnectedmagazine.com). These two publications operate within the powersports and automotive aftermarket respectively, and reach over a quarter-million performance enthusiasts annually.
All Sales Associates begin as “1099” subcontractors, and are encouraged to telecommute through email, phone and text often, as open, active communication is imperative to proper teambuilding. After a 90-day evaluative period, a base salary can be negotiated. Shaw Group Media commission rates are exceptionally rewarding, offering as much as 45% of total sale.
Sales Associates are expected to reach out to potential advertisers via professional and conventional methods (be it by phone, email, social media, or in person), to represent Shaw Group Media in a likewise fashion, and provide all potential and current advertisers with courtesy and respect at all times. Sales Associates are called upon to establish professional relationships of trust and honesty. It is better to lose the sale than one’s integrity or reputation.
Sales Associates will not only be charged with procuring leads and establishing communication with new, potential clients, but developing a strategy for the client’s ad program and working alongside the Editorial Department to create an Editorial Calendar (when purchased). Furthermore, Sales Associates are responsible for maintaining the client account.
For a complete outline of Shaw Group Media commission rates, all serious inquires are to email introductory “cover letter” and resume to [email protected].
Freeride/Freestyle Editor Shaw Group Media, the publisher of The Watercraft Journal (watercraftjournal.com) is looking a self-motivated, energetic person to hire as Freestyle/Freeride Editor. The F/F Editor must have strong ties to this segment of the personal watercraft (PWC) industry, be familiar with proper terminology, technology and persons/companies therein. The F/F Editor should be the “expert” in this subject, and be able to field questions as they come in.
The F/F Editor doesn’t necessarily need to attend each and every event, but personal attendance is strongly encouraged. Likewise, the F/F Editor should be personally responsible for providing most F/F-specific news and coverage, but doesn’t need to be the sole contributor to The Watercraft Journal’s F/F coverage. The F/F Editor will work closely with the rest of the Editorial and Sales teams to develop new feature content and welcome in F/F-specific potential advertisers.
Riding ability, photographic talent or writing experience is appreciated and encouraged, but not necessarily mandatory.
The Freeride/Freestyle Editor position is a 1099 subcontractor position and will be paid twice a month per a predetermined scale for each written article. There will be a 90-day trial period for every applicant to evaluate work ethic, determination and commitment to providing superior, reliable freeride/freestyle PWC content for The Watercraft Journal audience.
All serious inquires are to email introductory “cover letter” and resume to [email protected].
Spirits were high for the first day of racing of the 2015 quakysense IJSBA World Finals despite a soggy beginning Tuesday morning. Rain, dark skies and flooding in the streets made for a rough start, but by mid-morning the sky began to clear and the sun came out in full force.
Vendor Alley opened and a few spectators trickled into the grandstands as the day wore on and the sun finally emerged. Blake Corning designed the massive course in a horseshoe shape with a split on the left side and three log jumps followed by a sweeping left turn on the right side of the course with an unusually long straight stretch.
The Novice Ski Limited class proved that anything could happen here at World Finals; Valentin Limon won the first moto and was ahead in the first lap of the second moto when his boat went down. Then the ski in second place also went down experiencing engine trouble. During the second lap, Tasahong Saenguthai Samut Prakan was leading and then wrecked but recovered and was soon back in the race. Maximiand Martinelli was able to move up into first and finish the moto in first place for an overall second place finish. Tasahong Saenguthai Samut Prakan from Thailand took home the world title with John Gasperone finishing third and Limon in 5th.
Novice Runabout Stock also proved to be as exciting as the ski that was in first place on the third lap lost its steering and ran ashore on the (thankfully no one was injured). Travis Zielasko went on to win the World Title in Novice Runabout Stock followed by Yahya Rammah in second and Nopphadon Sapmunsaem rounding out the Top 3. There were 11 classes and 30 races the first day of World Finals.
Wednesday brought more sunny skies and fast skis. There were eight classes that raced, including Amateur and Expert classes as well as the Masters Ski class. The runabout classes seemed to be dominated by the Thailand and Kuwait teams. Shante Bukes of South Africa earned a third place finish in Amateur Runabout Stock with Nawaf Alfarhan from Kuwait finishing second and Supak Settura from Thailand finishing first.
Danai Yiriyasahakit on a Sea-Doo Spark won the Amateur Runabout Super Stock World Title. Curtis Pitman battled it out in the Ski Classic 2-Stroke Limited class to win his first World Title. At one point during the first moto there were three different racers jockeying for the lead; Annie Bailey was passed by Bibi Carmouche, then Curtis Pitman took the lead all the way to the finish.
Kacper Kamia of Poland earned the World Title in Expert Ski Limited. He was in the third place position after the first lap but took the outside split to move into the number two spot and then gained the lead spot with a pass on the straightaway.
On Thursday, live streaming of the event began and thousands at home joined the crowds in the grandstands. The water was extremely rough with white caps and occasional 2-3 foot rollers rolling in. The crowd was particularly impressed watching the Junior 10-12 Stock Lites race.
In spite of having to hold on for dear life in the rough conditions, there were very few if any missed buoys amongst the youngest of the Junior classes. Abdullah Al Hammadi of the UAE battled it out with Trey Beaumer to win the World Title. Tallon Chambers finished third with Mattias Reinaas Kohia of Estonia and Techin Lertphalaphong rounding out the Top 5 in 4th and 5th places, respectively.
Expert Runabout Limited was a battle between the Kuwait team and Thailand team for the world title with Kuwait’s Khaled Burbayea winning it on a Kawasaki. The Thailand team took both the second and third places on Yamahas, with Supak Settura finishing second and Thaweephol Sukkasame finishing third.
Tommy “Bomber” Bonacci took his 5th Sport Spec class championship with Tony Martinez of Chino, CA winning second on a Sea-Doo HX. Third place went to Yousef Alabdulrazzaq of Kuwait.
In Pro Am ski 2-Stroke Lites, Stian Schjetlein raced the new ProForce hull, finishing in third place working his way up from the back of the pack. Second place was Nycolas Olivin and the title went to Quinten Bossche of Belgium.
Pro-Am Ski Limited was won by Mike “Klipper” Klippenstein, winning what we believe is his 25th World Championship. Daniel Svae Anderson and Jeremy Vohcgemuth rounded out the Top Three. Junior rider Manussanum Mankun of Thailand raced an impressive race finishing fifth.
Both Pro-Am classes struggled with the log jump section of the track with 20-knot winds blowing in and super rough water. Many strong riders lost ground on the log jump. Slalom also opened on Thursday but due to the rough conditions of the water, most riders, if not all of them, chose to wait until Friday to participate.
Friday welcomed much calmer water conditions but scorching heat. Vendor Alley and the grandstands were packed with spectators from all over the world. Junior Ski 13-15 Lites was a very popular class with over 20 entries requiring two qualifying heats. Nycolas Olivin took the title with Kole Cramer and Sulaiman Alamadi Aljarf finishing second and third.
The Klipper was going for his 26th World Title in Pro-Am Ski Stock when he wrecked and fell back from the lead to the 9th position. Urik Berntsen won the class, with a junior racer, Marten Manni of Estonia, finishing second and Daniel Martinelli of Argentina finishing third. All three were riding Hydrospaces.
Yoann Tollener of France nearly had the world title in Amateur Ski Open after a first place finish in Moto 1; he was in the lead and wrecked on the last two buoys of Moto 2 dropping back to the 8th spot and finishing 6th overall. Kyle Araiza was able to clinch the title thanks to a win in the second moto and a third place finish in the first moto. Tayne Lemon of New Zealand finished second and Blake Wicklund of Arizona finished third.
Again the Kuwait and Thailand teams battled it out in the Expert Runabout Open with Khaled Burbayea winning the title and teammate Mohammed Albaz finishing second. Thailand took a third place on the podium with Katunya Chom-In finishing third. Altogether, eight classes raced Friday with Amateur freestyle also competing and the slalom course was open.
The Amateur freestyle competition included two women this year; Jessi Wijdeven of the Netherlands finished in 9th place and Kelli Hieke of Reno, Nevada finished 18th. The well-known free rider Tanner “Tanman” Thomas took this year to change focus from freeriding in the ocean to flatwater freestyle and it paid off with an Amateur Freestyle world title. The win earned him a chance to compete in Pro Freestyle finishing 12th.
Hassan Abudawood riding for Powerhouse Performance caused the crowd to collectively gasp as he did a backflip with no hood on his ski (yes, it was on purpose and yes, he landed it, thankfully not sinking his ski). Jason Widdes finished second overall and third place was Evan Krefski.
Saturday and Sunday featured two Junior races: 10-12 Stock and 13-15 Limited as well as five runabout classes: GP Sport, GP Runabout, Women’s Runabout, Pro-Am Runabout stock and Pro Runabout open. The day also included Pro-Am Women’s Limited Ski, Pro Ski Open, Vintage Ski and Vintage X2.
In Pro Ski Open, both Chris MacClugage and Mike Klippenstein had delayed starts and somehow ended up in the LCQ. They took first and second in the LCQ and both advanced to the heat races. Jeremy Poret took home the world title this year, improving from his 8th place finish in 2014. Klippenstein finished in second also improving from last year’s 6th place finish and Brock Austin took the third place podium.
Shotaro Kokubun moved up from the back of the pack to the front a couple times in the last two days. At one point, Ian Roberts was in second place but wrecked and Chris MacClugage and Shotaro collided in the split, losing ground for both of them. Each Pro jumped the log jumps a total of 27 times per moto and nearly 100 times in the three motos they raced.
Emi Kanamori took the Women’s Pro-Am Ski title, moving up the podium from last year’s third place finish and unseating Yukiko Kume who was the 2014 world champion. Yukiko finished a very admirable second place this year with Emma-Nellie Ortendahl finishing third and Tera Laho in 4th. Jonna and Sandra Bergstrom of Sweden battled it out for 5th and 6th respectively. Sandra was last year’s Novice Women’s World Champion, passing the torch to her sister Sophie this year.
The top 5 finishers in Pro-Am Runabout Stock were all riding Yamaha manufactured skis: Brian Baldwin took first with Abdullah Al-Fadhel in second and last year’s champion, Aero Aswar finishing in third. Once again, Saif Al-Falasi had mechanical issues and ended up onshore.
Women’s Runabout was a close race for second and third as Tammy Rarick and Shante Bukes battled it out with Paloma Noceda of Peru taking home her first World Title leaving no doubts as to her riding ability with a huge 11-second lead.
Pro Freestyle was amazing. The competitors got 1 minute on Saturday to show their stuff, 90 sec under the London Bridge Saturday evening and a full 2 minutes on Sunday. Again they are scored on variety, degree of difficulty and number of tricks executed correctly. Lee Stone won the World Title with amazing amplitude on all of his tricks, 360s going in opposite directions, a heel clicker flip as his final trick on Sunday and of course, many backflips and barrel rolls. Naoya Hamanak of Japan finished second and Rashid Almulla of Dubai finished third.
Rashid added LED lights to his ski for the night show under the London Bridge and in his final routine on Sunday completed over 50 tricks in 2 minutes. Mark Gomez debuted the new Rickter XFR Freeride hull in all of his routines.
Huge standouts included France’s Jeremy Poret grabbing championships in both Pro Ski GP and Pro Ski Open, particularly after maintaining a measurable lead ahead of the pack, and Hungary’s György Kasza who piloted a near all-carbon fiber Sea-Doo RXP-X to a dominating lead over the Pro Runabout Open class, even as previous World Champion James Bushell furiously piloted a similar RXP-X Sea-Doo close behind.
All in all, this year’s quakysense IJSBA World Finals showed how this event is truly a global event and how much Lake Havasu City, Arizona, is the ideal venue. We look forward to many more years of jet ski racing in this desert oasis and look forward to seeing you all there next year!
All images courtesy of Danyelle Photography. For full resolution, unaltered versions of these and other images, please click HERE.
For all final results from the 2015 quakysense IJSBA World Finals, please click HERE.
Getting personal watercraft enthusiasts interested in fishing from their PWC has been a tough sell (especially for Americans). Although fishing from watercraft has gained attention in sporadic outposts across the country, it hasn’t “set the world on fire” yet, despite huge interest in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. One boat builder has specifically targeted what they (and we) believe is a market “ready to pop” with a specially-designed trimaran-hulled, outboard-driven runabout – the AquaQuad.
Built with fishermen in mind, the AquaQuad’s assembly facilities in the US, and production facilities in Morocco and South Africa look to establish the vehicle as a “global brand.” As per a test session by Boating Magazine, “Despite its 5-foot-4-inch beam and mere 305-pound displacement, the AquaQuad CLX with its design proved so stable that I could stand on the gunwale without it rolling over.”
As noted in the review, “the name comes from its similarity to land-bound ATVs. Like those, the AquaQuad stays flat or, in a hard turn, leans outboard slightly.” Powered by a 30-horsepower Honda outboard, the AquaQuad reached a top speed of 25.1 mph at 5,900 rpm (at an impressive 8.8 mpg). Boating Magazine also noted, the AquaQuad’s “optimum cruise at 2,000 rpm hit 18 mph, affording a whopping 18.8 mpg.”
Priced at $7,760, the AquaQuad is so lightweight and utilitarian that it can be towed behind A-segment economical coupes and sedans without breaking a sweat. Even when equipped with a fishing seat and forward casting area, tackle and bait station, and deck-mounted rod holders, the AquaQuad still comes in less than a Sea-Doo Spark. And with a trailer costing less than $600, NMMA- and CE-certified AquaQuad might be perfect gateway for fishermen into the PWC world.
With the Broward Motorsports World Championships and the 2015 quakysense IJSBA World Finals behind us, it’s time to announce the third annual RIVA Racing HydroDrag World Championships! Held in Tavares, Florida, on November 6-8, the world’s fastest PWC racing is seriously stepping up, with RIVA Racing’s own Dave Bamdas ponying up a cool $1,000 for the racer who can break CRT Racing’s current World Record of 112mph. And if that’s not enough, Surf & Turf Promotions is sponsoring an Unlimited HydroDrag Class with a $500 bounty!
And of course, there’s a lot more on the menu that just drag racing: this year will feature a closed course grand prix and well as a “Hydro-Endurance” race and the Blowsion Freestyle Competition! There’s just a ton of cool stuff scheduled for this coming November, so keep your schedules open, wait to get that ski winterized and get your tail down to Tavares in just a few weeks! We’ll see you there! Here’s the original release:
The 3rd Annual RIVA Racing HydroDrag World Championship will be held in Tavares, Florida, on November 6-8! “The fastest 4 seconds on water” is coming back to middle Florida for the 2nd year in a row and bringing the speed!!! This is the 2nd year that the event will also feature ‘Closed Course/Grand Prix as well as the Hydro-Endurance and the Blowsion Freestyle Competition!
Teams from all over the US and beyond will trek to Lake Dora to claim the right of the, “Fastest person on water”, the current World Record is held by Maikel Gonzalez, from CRT Racing, at 112mph, however, Lacey Powersports’ Chris Caputo and Game Overs’, Rayge Sanchez are in the mix at 109 and change! Dave Bamdas of RIVA Racing has put up a $1000 bounty for any entered participant that can break the current record, and Surf and Turf Promotions will sponsor the Unlimited HydroDrag Class with a $500 bounty bonus! There is a pool party, racer raffle, vendors, and a whole lot of fun… it is on November 7-8, come and play with the big dogs!
Admission is free, so bring the whole family, there will be limited seating on the bleachers, so make sure you bring your own chairs… and don’t forget the tanning butter! The event is sponsored by RIVA Racing, Greenhulk.net, Sea Doo, Yamaha, Blowsion, HydroTurf, Jet Pilot, City of Tavares, Lake County, Jet Lift, Kerry Hibdon Performance Group, Team Mean Racing, Ben’s Performance, Sand Bar, Key West Resort, Lacey Powersports.
Host Hotel: Key West Resort Inn 123 S Joanna Tavares, FL 32778 (352) 508-5344 Racer Rate…#$119/mention HydroDrag Races
Backup Host Hotel: Best Western 1380 E Burleigh Blvd Tavares, FL 32778 (352) 253-2378
Race Site: Wooton Park 100 E. Ruby Street Tavares, FL 32778. Contact (352) 742-6267
Friday, November 6th 3pm-5pm – Practice or Tuning on your own – Wooton Park 6pm – 8pm – Late Registration and Racer Check-In – Pool Deck (No Dogs)
Saturday, November 7th 8am-9am – On Site Registration (late fees) – Race Site 9am – HydroDrag Racers Meeting – (NOBODY ON THE WATER) – Stage 10am – Launch Pad Practice (2 on each side per rider) – Course/Launch Pad 10:15am – IJSBA Closed Course/Grand Prix Riders meeting – Sand Bar 11am – Ski Open Grand Prix Moto #1 – (BARR Qualifier) – Closed Course 11:30am – Sport Open Grand Prix Moto #1 -(BARR Qualifier) – Closed Course 12:pm – Blowsion Flatwater Freestyle Championship – Course 1pm – HydroDrag Racing to Finals – (Junior,N/A, Stock, Spec,) – Course/Launch Pad 3pm – HydroDrag Racing to Semi-Finals (SuperStock) – Course/Launch Pad 6pm-9pm – Pool Party (No Glass or Dogs) – Key West Resort 9pm – Racer Appreciation Party/Raffle at Sand Bar
Sunday, November 8th (No Sunday Registration) 8am – Riders Meeting – (Nobody on the water until after the riders’ meeting!) 8:30am – Speed Alley – Course 10am – Ski Open Grand Prix – Course 10:30am – Sport Open Grand Prix – Course 11am – Lunch/Ski & Sport Awards – Stage 12pm – HydroDrag Finals (SS, All UNL) – Course/Launch Pad 3pm – Hydro-Endurance Runabout Open race – (20 minutes plus 1 lap/Lemans Start) – Course 4pm – Team Mean Awards Ceremony – (For pics/Custom Awards/Cash will be mailed) – SandBar
***Attention Grand Prix racers, this race will serve as the only qualifier for the Bradenton Regatta Race, “Winter HydroCross National Championship” to be held on February 6th, 2016. Racers who participate in this event will have a $25 discounted entry and those who don’t can buy their way in for $200, if there are any openings. ***No refunds after the riders meeting on Saturday morning ***We will try our best to maintain this schedule, so please be prompt, if you speak broken English, please have an interpreter ***Racers please be staged and ready when your event is taking place, there will be no more holds ***Any racer or their teams, sponsors, parents, etc… that curses Officials will be Disqualified and asked to leave by Police immediately ***There will be a 50% cash payback in the SuperStock and Unlimited Divisions as well as the Hydro-Enduro
