“We’re really proud with it,” the Watercraft Superstore’s John Salvatore told The Watercraft Journal back in March. “We print out over 100,000 copies a year.” The company’s “magalog” or magazine/catalog hybrid has become an annual tradition for both the Watercraft Superstore (WCSS) and its parent company SBT, Inc. (Small Block Technologies, Incorporated). Of course, SBT is widely known for carrying the largest inventory and most complete offering of PWC engine and drive line parts in the industry.
The magalog, which was recently printed and issued to subscribers and available through WCSS, SBT or other distributors, not only includes (almost) all of both companies’ massive product lines, but insightful and informative original feature stories on building your own fishing-equipped PWC, basic trailer maintenance, and of course, a thorough recap of this year’s Skyway Ski Show (with an introduction by The Watercraft Journal’s own Kevin Shaw).
And for those paying attention for the last decade or just to the heart-racing images featured here, SBT is also widely known for hiring former Playboy Playmates to feature front and center in their annual calendar. We thought it a good idea to include some shots from SBT’s annual calendar shoot with Playmate Maggie Mae, who was also Miss August 2014, as well as a video recapping the photoshoot below.
And of course, both SBT and WCSS (together with the online forum PWCToday.com), access the largest community of personal watercraft enthusiasts, dealers, shops and retailers than any other single entity. Now for 2015, the PWC juggernaut is partnering with the industry’s most popular personal watercraft magazine, The Watercraft Journal, pushing their reach from hundreds of thousands to nearly half a million!
A six-minute YouTube video by Westside Powersports (under the name “bonnessei”) filmed in St. Croix September 22, 2014, features a yellow Sea-Doo Spark jumping every boat wake he encounters. The unidentified rider thanks his friend Matt for letting him borrow his Spark and says despite some concerns over the new Polytec hull, the boat held up just fine.
The operator uses the boat for about an hour, jumping wake after wake, showing a thumbs up every now and then and even hoots himself on occasion. He seems to be having a good time throughout his very bumpy ride. He fell off the ski one time after losing control, due to what appears as a mistimed jump. He easily climbed back onto the ski using the nice step at the stern, which is standard equipment on the Spark. The Spark proceeded to hit some more wake doing the same wave jumping prior to his unfortunate dismount.
He did get vertical a few times which was somewhat impressive. The rest of the jumps were just basic airs that a novice rider could easily pull. The video made us a little seasick thanks in part to the music chosen to accompany it and the same monotonous bouncing rides. (We recommend hitting the mute button. Sorry Stanton High School band, the music did not bode well with the video. That’s not your fault.) Regardless, riding the Spark looks like a fun way to spend the day jumping boat wake.
“I don’t know what you do for a living, but…” was how Pro Watercross’ AJ Handler began a conversation last month. He didn’t get to finish his sentence before I jumped all over the poor guy. AJ’s innocent segue hit a nerve, a very sensitive one that has been a pet peeve of mine for the last 18 months. During a very short time, we have leapfrogged so far ahead in readership, daily traffic and of the rest of the personal watercraft industry that many think it can’t be that difficult to do.
All things being said, I personally, am incredibly humbled and a little surprised with the immediate success of The Watercraft Journal. From January 1st to December 31st of 2014, we welcomed over 117,000 unique readers. That’s an average of 9,750 a month. In plain speak, that is an average of 9,750 copies of a print magazine sold. The next biggest magazine sells less than 3,000 copies every other month.
At the closing of May of 2015, we’re already over 82,000 unique readers, equaling an average of 16,400 a month. When extrapolated over the full calendar year, that’s an average annual growth of over 125-percent. All of this mathimatical gobbledygook is important because our readership is your potential customer. Readers of The Watercraft Journal buy our advertisers’ products. We know it because they tell us so.
And thankfully, we’ve partnered with some of the best companies in the personal watercraft industry. And we’re very excited to welcome a new swathe of top tier companies for 2015. Their support not only keeps our lights on and allows for future content, but allows us to expand our level of content. Our advertisers are the best, and we owe them more gratitude than I can properly express here.
Today’s The Watercraft Journal by The Numbers is both for all of our current supporting advertisers and those looking to expand their customer reach. Our readership is your audience.
May 2015
Unique by Professionalism
Frankly put, nobody delivers what The Watercraft Journal does, nor as quickly or as regularly. Nobody. And do you want to know why? It’s a lot of work. Producing uniquely and professional articles daily that are uniquely written, edited and published on a consistent timetable – Monday through Friday – is no easy task, as those who have broken off and tried to emulate us are quickly learning. Making the trains run on time takes a whole lot more than a “love for the sport,” a Google ad campaign, or a little start up capital to make a pretty website.
News articles published in April: 28
Feature articles published in April: 12
Total feature word count: 9,183 words*
News articles published in May: 24
Feature articles published in May: 16
Total feature word count: 14,405 words*
*When this number is translated to print publication standards equals a 102-page magazine. Please note that this number does not include an average of two uniquely-written news articles published daily.
Unique by Dedication
We don’t ever “cut and paste” news stories. And those articles that we share with other content sources are properly edited as formatted. All sources are accredited when appropriate, and all contributors are provided headshots and biographies on our About Us page. We’ve never wanted for great content or subject matter. We maintain a staff of nearly a dozen contributors who provide us the best, most timely content on the planet. I am incredibly proud and honored to work with people willing to give us and you, our readers, their very best.
April
Total number unique readers: 18,809*
Total number of articles read: 40,789
Percentage of new readers: 67.8%
May
Total number unique readers: 22,423*
Total number of articles read: 47,468
Percentage of new readers: 70.0%
*This number is considered equal to an individual sale of a single copy of a magazine.
Unique by Reach
Funny how things change. Two years ago, there was what? Three, maybe four PWC media sites? Now there’s no shortage of PWC outlets happily shilling fetid intellectual dross backed with incredibly viral social media campaigns. Recently, we’ve streamlined our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and weekly newsletters, to only reach in the largest, most vibrant markets in the industry worldwide. While we’re not casting the largest net possible, we are netting literally tens of thousands of dyed-in-the-wool jet ski enthusiasts.
May Facebook readers: 13,158
May Facebook weekly reach: 12,068
Top Five countries: United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, France
Distinguishing the Distinct Difference The Watercraft Journal requires quite a bit more work than many might understand. From sifting through potential news topics, assigning articles, vetting potential contributors, copy editing submitted work, and writing our own unique content, combined with updating redundant editorial calendars, and hours in communication with our advertisers and procuring new advertising (not to mention test riding new watercraft, arranging photoshoots, editing images, producing graphics), there’s a lot that goes into The Watercraft Journal, and we’re not done growing by any stretch of the imagination.
“Ever thought of riding across Florida from the East coast to West? It’s about 150 miles or so each way. Gotta cross Lake Okeechobee to do it too.”
“Let’s do it,” was the reply and that started the planning. That conversation between Lee Micheau and Steve Chown, of the Jacksonville Jet Riders and Central Florida Jet Riders, kicked off the Five Locks Ride. The Five Locks refers to the St. Lucie, Port Mayaca, Moore Haven, Ortona, and the WP Franklin Locks that regulates the near 30 feet of potential elevation changes along the Okeechobee Waterway. After months of planning, the ride was presented to the members of both the Central Florida Jet Riders and the Jacksonville Jet Riders. A total of 21 intrepid riders from Florida and Georgia including Steve and Landen Dill, a father and 9-year-old son duo, made the trek on 18 skis, with one being a 2-stroke Sea-Doo RX!
The trip was set for May 16th with the return trip on the 17th. That meant about 300 miles of riding, sun and fun in just two days. The group set off from Sandsprit Park in Stuart, Florida. With ride leaders Steve Chown, Dana Callan, Tina Johnson, Brian Dill and Lee Micheau, we traveled down the St. Lucie River passing under seven bridges to the amusement of fisherman wondering what all the rush was about!
Taking in the beautiful scenery, we came upon the first Lock of the day, the St. Lucie Lock with its nearly 15 feet of lift proved to all the riders that this would be an epic trip. With boaters and on-lookers amazed at the mass of jet skiers, taking pics, giving well wishes and waves, we journeyed on to our first fuel stop of the day. Indiantown wasn’t very far from take off, but a welcome opportunity to top off before moving on to the next lock, the Port Mayaca Lock and then Lake Okeechobee.
The Port Mayaca Lock is the eastern gateway to Lake Okeechobee. Its 2-foot lift varies with the lake’s water level. The Port Mayaca Lock opens to the amazing Lake Okeechobee, or “Lake O.” With it being the largest lake in Florida and the 7th largest lake in the US, the day’s route covered the scenic rim route, which took us by natural sites galore, fishermen and kayakers, who were surprised to see that many skis under way. We made our way to the second fuel stop of the day at Roland and Martins Marina in Clewiston, FL for a much needed break, lunch and time to share stories.
With re-fueling taking some time and running a tad behind on schedule, the group picked up the pace along the rim route to the third lock, Moore Haven Lock. With its 2-foot lift like its sister lock to the east, the Moore Haven Lock was our middle lock of the day. The group quickly made its way through and passed under several spectacular bridges down the Caloosahatchee Canal. Passing by scenic farms and Lake Hicpochee to the south, we rode the near 15 miles to the fourth lock of the day, Ortona Lock.
Ortona Lock has 8-feet of lift and having been on the water for nearly 7 hours at this point, the group pushed on toward the third fuel stop of the day at Port Labelle, for some to empty auxiliary tanks and others hitting Calusa Jacks Marina for those needing a full top off. While pit-stopping, the riders shared the day’s details with the locals, getting a few bewildered looks and even a few “Oh my’s,” finally all juiced up we headed to the fifth and final lock of the day, the WP Franklin Lock
Slipping in to the lock with less than an hour to spare, the group breathed a collective sigh of relief. With smiles and excitement about reaching the hotel and dinner, the group made its way down the Caloosahatchee River. Passing through Ft. Myers and open water, the group traveled through some chop on the way to Cape Coral, FL.
The day wasn’t without casualties as a rider sucked up a strap and needed to be towed and another suffered an intermediate shaft failure, leading to nearly sinking before being rescued and towed to a boat ramp then drained. With help from local jet skiers, arrangements were made and the ski was trailered until a local mechanic could look at it the following morning. Finally calling it a long, long day, the group arrived at Casa Loma Hotel.
Still down one ski, the group utilized the boat lift with some members stopping by and others gathered around offering tools, encouragement, holding flashlights and forgoing dinner until the necessary repairs were made. With a one for all and all for one attitude, the bonds of group riding on such a trip showed through. Pulling off the lift, another rider, Avery, noticed his ski was sinking while tied at the dock. With some quick thinking, fellow rider Brian Dill got him on the lift, drained the ski and pumped the water out of the engine. With repairs running past midnight finally engines rumbling back to life, the skis were finally ready for the ride back.
With the 6am alarm signifying the start of Day 2, it was a bunch of achy, tired riders that ate breakfast and readied themselves for the nearly 150 mile return trip ahead of them. The Sunday morning launch came earlier than some riders had hoped. After a few prayers for the repaired skis, the group was off. Although being a return trip, the group vibe was different as all the riders shared a sense of accomplishment from the day before. With ride leaders, Brandon Ford, Brian Dill, Steve Chown, Dana Callan and Tina Johnson, the group was off and on to the first fuel stop at Ft. Myers Yacht Basin and the other half at Calusa Jacks Marina to save time.
When we told the fuel attendant the final destination, he replied, “Stuart? Stuart, Florida?” With laughs, full tanks, and as many snacks as could fit, the group made their way to the WP Franklin Lock. At this point, the various lock operators had advance warning of the Sea-Doo crew, jet ski guys, jet ski club or “all those guys on jet skis” that were coming!
We made our way through the 8-foot lift of WP Franklin Lock and back up the Caloosahatchee River and onto the Ortona Lock. Some lock locals were telling others, who weren’t there the previous day about this group of crazy guys and gals riding from Stuart to Ft. Myers and back which was then usually followed by a few “no way”s and several snapshots to commemorate.
From the Ortona Lock back up to the Moore Haven Lock we reached speeds in the 70’s as many had thrown caution to the wind and were enjoying the blue skis and smooth waters. Many boaters were slowing down, some waving at the riders which made for quite an experience where jet skiers were given the right of way. Now we were talking! Smiles galore, we passed through the Moore Haven Lock and on to the second fuel stop of the day at Roland and Martin’s Marina. Being behind several million dollar yachts, riders made great use of time grabbing a hot lunch, refreshments, and chit chatting while listening to the live lunch band. An amazed yacht owner after listening to the story and aided by some hush money from
Steve Chown, allowed us to skip in line and fuel up before crossing Lake Okeechobee on the open water route. With the saying, “We will try anything once, maybe twice” fueling the riders, that open water route fell soundly under the once only clause. Some weatherman should have lost his job that day as a light chop turned in to the occasional 2-3 footers. The radio channel was ablaze with boat captains chatting about those crazy jet skiers crossing Lake O.
Gas cans and racks that came loose needed to be secured, but these being seasoned riders they muscled through and regrouped at Port Mayaca Lock to check and make sure everything was still there. Hats go off to Michael Rodney on the 2-stroke Sea-Doo RX, who rode most of the ride to the front of the group proving that a well maintained 2-stroke with a capable rider was still more than adequate to handle the almost 300 mile trip. The lock operator waved us through and it was a mad dash to the final lock of the day.
Bypassing the 3rd fuel stop at Indiantown and carrying auxiliary fuel if need be, the riders rode hard to St. Lucie Lock in record time. We ended up with a long wait and a few boaters caught up and started sharing stories from their view points and congratulating the group for a job well done and the nerve to cross Lake Okeechobee. We entered the lock with less than an hour to spare. A few more pics and with thoughts of the St. Lucie River separating us from the ramp, we put the St. Lucie Lock quickly in the rear view. It was a final dash up the St. Lucie River past Palm City with a little of everyone in lead. Special care was given to observing the wake zones and to fellow boaters with the Sunday traffic.
With Sandsprit Park coming in view and the nearly 300 miles coming to a close, the riders shared a moment enjoying what they had accomplished as a group. After logging about 300 miles of travel in 2 days, using 60 gallons of fuel, riding 14 hours in the saddle, crossing Lake Okeechobee the group was finally in. What started out as an idea came through with 21 die-hards with one being only 9 years old!
Thanks goes to Steve Chown of Central Florida Jet Riders and Lee Micheau of Jacksonville Jet Riders for the many hours of planning over the months, calculating various fueling scenarios, phone calls, a pre-ride group conference call and hotel hunting for reservations. Michelle Chown for sacrificing her riding and leaving her ski at home to take pics of the trip. Brian Dill for making a comprehensive supplies list and ride leaders Brandon Ford, Dana Callan, and Tina Johnson for keeping an eye on the front and back of the group with the organizers.
Volunteers and competitors in the 2015 Yamaha Australian Jetcross Championships were met with harsh and difficult conditions when they turned up to Bells Beach, Redcliffe for the final round. 54km/h (35mph) winds tore up the waterway and pushed rolling swell towards the beach, unlocking an opportunity for those experienced in surf conditions to power forward in the field and perhaps change what might have been previously assumed championship results.
As a pre-emptive strike against possibly worsening conditions the day started with the Enduro moto. Some fresh competitors from Liquid Industries as well as the highly experienced Guy Greenland and returnee Christian D’Agostin joined the committed tour field. The Showroom Stock Runabout class was jumbled in the swell and saw Daryl Bone take first place from Kawasaki Racing Team Australia’s (KRTA) Cameron Martin in second and Dane Alberti in third.
Waverunner Performance Centre’s (WPC) Mitch Wayt performed well in the conditions and solidified his dominance with his fourth first place finish for the tour in Stock Runabout. In second place was fellow team member Brett Douglas followed by Jet Ski World’s reliable racer Ben Mountford. The Open Runabout class saw Guy Greenland take first place in his first enduro entry in the tour, followed by enduro specialist Christian D’Agostin (KRTA) and QLD’s Sam Burkett-Barratt.
Without any improvement in conditions on the water, race officials aimed for short, sharp circuit motos to see out as much of the day’s racing as possible. Lites Ski prodigy Tom Aiken finished his tour strongly with another first place and another AJSP voucher, followed by Justin Windsor in a class of only two after the withdrawal of a few competitors.
Yamaha’s Superjet Cup class saw the same competitor numbers, with only the most committed in Worx Racing’s Ryan O’Keefe and Anglom Oil’s James Xuereb braving the surf-like conditions. World Champion Xuereb provided some stiff competition but couldn’t wrangle first place from the ever-consistent Ryan, securing the presentation of a very heavy and very expensive prize at the presentation function later that night.
The AJSP-supported Showroom Stock class tour results came down to this event and KRTA’s Cameron Martin showed steely determination to take out both motos to secure a first place finish for the day. Second place might have been NSW racer Corey Styles’ if it wasn’t for a wayward wave that threw his ski directly at the rock wall. Corey luckily bailed out just in time but his day of racing was over with a visit to the hospital and a fractured rib. KRTA’s Dane Alberti took the opportunity to rise to second place with WPC’s James Rice closing out the podium in third.
With the absence of JSW Powersports’ Frank Waite, the Stock Runabout podium was up for grabs. WPC’s Mitch Wayt managed his clean sweep of the tour with a seventh first place finish, fending off NSW newcomer Gary Zaradic who surprised all with a second place finish. After AJSBA President Justin Belczowski decided he was of a vintage not suited to the conditions, good mate and WPC’s Brett Douglas graciously took his third place position for the day.
With a Lites Ski championship secured NSW young gun Tom Aiken decided to try his hand at Open Ski with the big boys, borrowing a ski from our current Veteran’s World Champ. With freakish skills and confidence in the surf conditions he ended up with a first place finish, followed by Sea-Doo Centre’s Jake Barker who suffered a breakdown in Moto 2. Step Into Zero’s Michael Stevens bowed out of Moto 2 allowing James Xuereb to take third place for the day, with Michael in fourth.
JSW Powersports’ Anthony Antees committed his weekend to the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show but had performed so consistently well over the tour that there was only space left in the second and third podium spots in the Open Runabout class. Queenslander Brendan Boyd made his second appearance in the tour and demonstrated the kind of threat he will be next year, winning the battle with Guy Greenland for first place. Dan’s Jet Power’s quiet achiever Paul Leven secured a third place finish against some stiff competition from an experienced field.
Unfortunately the day was cut short at two motos with concerns from both officials and competitors about the safety of the conditions; there was much agreement that it was too dangerous to precede. The AJSBA appreciates the support from the Queensland Personal Watercraft Club (QPWC) and competitors on this decision. Queensland’s sometimes-cyclonic weather has proven an obstacle for this tour but with huge competitor numbers and fantastic venues we all hope to be racing there often and long in to the future.
The AJSBA would like to thank the QPWC for hosting the event at the premier location of Bells Beach and all the volunteers who make these events possible. To our competitors, thank you for your commitment in doing what it took to attend the tour rounds and we hope to continue to build on the achievements of this year moving forward.
Special thanks to Tessa Phipps for the story and Timbo Ryan for helping out with the photos.
The latest innovation to pump new found life into personal watercraft certainly has to be the Flyboard. The impact of the Flyboard has been so big on the PWC industry that world championships are held annually in Dubai and a magazine dedicated to Flyboarding is in circulation.
And as Flyboards become more and more prevalent throughout the globe, it only makes sense that Kool PWC Stuff would create an innovative new rack to hold all of your Flyboard equipment that requires zero drilling or cutting to your PWC. Each rack is professionally powder coated and comes with adjustable legs to fit any runabout’s rear platform.
Likewise, each Flyboard rack installs in less than 2 minutes thanks to the strap-down-and-go installation, using your runabout’s eye-hooks. Be it a Sea-Doo, Yamaha, Kawasaki or even a Honda or Polaris, the Flyboard rack can work with any runabout (except for suspension-equipped Sea-Doos).
Made from durable stainless steel that has been powder coated black, the rack comes with 2 6-inch adjustable tie downs straps, 2 1-inch wide industrial strength Velcro straps, 1 1-inch industries strength safety Velcro strap, and 2 bungee cords. The Flyboard Rack can be yours for $510 and shipped today.
Andrew and Nick from Hook, Line, and Sinker compare lifejackets in this entertaining video that can be seen on Facebook. According to Andrew and Nick there are 100’s of lifejackets to choose from. Selecting the correct one to fit your needs and one to meet the proper standards of Victoria is the focus of this video.
Personal flotation devices (PFDs) are grouped into three classifications: Types 1, 2, and 3. The lifejackets are rated according to buoyancy and color. Type 1 pfds are for use in boats operating in coastal, enclosed, and offshore waters. They are designed with a collar that will roll you face up in the water in case you end up overboard. The jackets are rated at 100 Newton’s and are also inflatable, either manually or with a Co2 cartridge. These particular jackets must be serviced annually.
Types 2 and 3 have a Newton rating of 50 and are used for all other recreational activities such as jet skiing or kayaking. These jackets are typically bright colored so the person wearing them is easily seen. Jackets used specifically for paddling, have thinner shoulders to keep underarm chafing at a minimum.
A type 1 jacket can be worn for any water related activity. The same cannot be said for the type 2 or 3 because those jackets won’t keep you face up and they have a lower Newton rating.
Children under ten must always wear a lifejacket during boating and the most important thing is that the jacket has a proper fit with a fastened strap. An ill-fitting jacket is virtually useless. Make sure everyone onboard has the correct fitting jacket and that it also meets the guidelines set by law.
The boating motto in Victoria states, “Wear a life jacket or others wear the consequences!” A great website to visit for more information about boater safety in Victoria is wearlifejacket.Vic.gov.au
Listen, we’ve all wanted to see it come to reality and some of us (look directly in the mirror) have even made compelling arguments as to why Kawasaki should get back into the standup JetSki game (after mothballing the program in 2011). It all comes down to getting a reliable 4-stroke inside of the stellar SX-R, and doing so at a minimal cost. We’ve bandied about the notion of dropping the featherweight Ninja H2 998cc mini-Ultra engine into the standup hull so much so that Kawasaki has asked us to “move on” from the subject.
But how about shoehorning the massive 1,498cc naturally-aspirated four-cylinder 4-stroke from the entry-level STX-15F? The engine has definitely proven itself both recreationally and on the field of battle, but how would the hefty plant fit into a standup? Well, the geniuses at Speedmagic seem to have mastered it. OK, it’s very likely that many of you have seen this conversion before, but the company from Osaka, Japan has taken great strides to streamline the process. And they’ve added a very cool Kawasaki X2 to the conversion kit.
That’s right, whether it’s a standup SX-R 800 or a X2 800, you can get all 180 horsepower from Kawasaki’s 1.5L STX in a far smaller platform. From engine mounts, fuel tanks and pump setups, Speedmagic is cranking out everything to make the conversion that Kawasaki won’t build available at your fingertips. Prices on the conversion are a little hard to dig up as every conversion is a little different from the next, so just expect it to not be cheap.
By the numbers, the 11th Annual Norris Lake Couch Riders Cove Tour looked similar to every other year. More than 30 people and ski’s enjoyed seven days of sunshine, smooth water and camaraderie, evenings of fun by the fire, and friendly Texas Hold ’Em games on the cabin porch. More than 700 miles were ridden and hundreds of hours logged on all the skis. At last count, more than 300 wings were eaten. But one number stands out more than the rest: 800.
The first Watercraft For Warriors fundraiser was part of the annual Norris ride, and raised $800 for the Campbell County (La Follette, TN) Honor Guard.
For the first time, we thought about why we can ride on the beautiful waters of Norris Lake, Tennessee — or anywhere else.
“While we are playing on the water, thousands of men and women are protecting our freedom and ensuring that a war is not fought here in North America,” said Larry Burgess, one of the original Couch Riders. “My dad was a World War II vet who spent three years in Europe. I am amazed by what the military service members do for little money or thanks. I had the kernel of an idea to say ‘thanks’ by giving back to a local veterans group, but the execution came from a veteran and rider, Steve Kresko.”
“Larry called me about a month before the ride,” Kresko said. “He talked about the importance of giving back to the local community in La Follette, to a veteran’s group right where we ride and give 100 percent of donations to the organization. So I started making calls.”
Kresko, himself a highly decorated veteran (retired US Army Special Forces Sargent First Class and veteran of 12 combat tours; earning two Bronze Stars and one Meritorious Service Medal, among many others), made numerous calls, looking for information on groups in the area. La Follette Mayor Mike Stanfield, a US Army Vietnam veteran, called back with an idea: The Campbell County Honor Guard.
“The plan was to have everyone donate something — our goal was the amount of a tank of fuel per person, or whatever was comfortable, whether it was $1 or $10 or more,” Kresko said. “Our other goal was to get the marinas and marina association involved, asking them to give back a little bit of the money we were spending on the lake.”
There was a plastic tub of cash collected. This grassroots effort went directly to the Honor Guard with no interference; just a fistful of dollars handed to them by some grateful PWC riders. That most important number, $800, will be used for uniforms, US and Service Branch flags, and transportation costs for the veteran volunteers who make up the Honor Guard.
“It was a very emotional week for me,” Kresko said. “To see how surprised the Honor Guard was at how much we collected – to show respect to someone that has sacrificed so much – it can be just a hug or a handshake. But it must be from the heart, as this was, and I am amazed at the generosity shown, and proud of our Couch Riders group.”
“The Honor Guard attends more than 100 funerals each year,” Stanfield said, speaking to the t-shirt clad PWC riders. “It means so much to the loved ones of the veterans to have military representation at the funeral. It’s an honor for me to be here today to say thanks for this gracious gift to our local veterans.”
Accepting the Couch Riders donation were Honor Guard members Hugh Hatmaker, Master Sargent, US Air Force (ret.); Kenneth Paul, Sargent, US Army (vet); Gene Browning, Master Sargent, US Air Force (ret.); and Bob Rosia, Corporal, US Marines, (vet). All are Vietnam Veterans.
“We have about 20 members at each funeral, to fold and present the flag to the family members, give the gun salute, and honor the veteran’s rank,” Hatmaker said. “The service is performed regardless of rank or military branch. We have all branches represented at each memorial. This is provided free of charge, and we are supported by donations.”
“We also do presentations and color guard duty at parades and other events, and do flag burning ceremonies,” Browning added. “When we do a flag burning ceremony at an elementary school, and explain to the kids what the flag and the military are all about, you should see them. They sit still and quiet and listen closely to what we have to say.”
So while we were enjoying the lake on our vacation, thoughts of those who serve were not far away, and an idea occurred to us: to challenge every PWC group around this wonderful, free country to do the same thing we did. Pick one of your group rides, and support a veterans group in the area where you are riding. Keep it simple and easy for everyone, no pressure about how much to donate, no administration, just a handful of cash to help out. Join the Facebook group “Watercraft Community for Warriors” and post about your plans. And, the invitation is open for the next Couch Riders Cove Tour, May 15-22, 2016.
On Saturday, May 23rd, four riders met up with the San Diego group to go on a ride in Oceanside. At 8:30am, it was a bit chilly with a slight breeze, but they were ready to hit the water. Upon leaving the marina, there were lots of kayakers and boats launching. The weather report looked pretty good the night before but as always there were warnings for the potential of 3-to-4 foot swells and winds around 12 knots. However, not phased by this as usual, Ryan, Sophie, David, and I launched our watercraft at 9:15am and were on our way by 9:45am.
There were a variety of skis for this adventure. Ryan just got the new 2015 Yamaha VXR, I on my 2012 Sea-Doo RXP-X, and Sophie and David on their Kawasaki Ultra 300s. As we left the breakwater there was minimal chop. Everyone was keeping up even, Sophie who is just over 5-feet in height.
Along the way, we saw marine life and received a greeting from Val, a fellow rider who follows the West Coast Watercraft Club of Southern California’s website. As we continued south towards San Diego, the swells became much larger. David came up and asked if I wanted to switch skis and as the jokester that I am known to be, I politely agreed, but then sped away, followed by shouting, “Not!” Continuing on, we were traveling at a good pace of 40 MPH and airborne most of the way. My Sea-Doo would go up in the air, tilting to the left and straight back into the ocean for the remainder of our journey there.
Around Carlsbad, Sophie got ejected and her lanyard had been detached. Luckily, David had a spare and fortunately found the other one floating along as we all continued to help her back up. From Carlsbad to San Diego, we encountered a large kelp bed causing us to ride almost 3 miles away from the shore to keep it from cramming into their pumps. Upon arriving at Point Loma, it was a kelp nightmare, causing us to ride even further out of our way just to get into the bay.
We had originally planned on meeting with the second group in San Diego around 11am. They were at the edge of the bay awaiting our arrival. We received our hero’s welcome for completing the rigorous ride we just completed, and rode to the public dock in Coronado to grab lunch together. We all had lots of laughs talking about the ride down and teasing the waitress about me being a professional karaoke singer.
During lunch, two riders decided not to return to Oceanside but I wasn’t going to back out and let Ryan go back alone. At 1:30pm, Ryan and I got fuel and headed out to the washing machine water for our 45 miles of pounding. This was a great experience for Ryan, since he is training for the Oceanside-to-Dana Point race coming up later this summer. For me, it was “Oh please get me home safely.”
It was even more brutal than it had been on our way to San Diego. I found by using the ECO mode I wasn’t up and down on the throttle so much, wasting precious fuel. I was starting to sing “99 bottles of beer on the wall”, which made Ryan and I both laugh and feel ready to continue our ride home.
We arrived back in Oceanside by 3:30pm. We cleaned up our skis and headed home. The next day is when all the soreness started and two days later I am still recovering.
