As a harbinger of things to come, Yamaha WaveRunners took the top spots in each of the Pro Runabout classes at Round 1 of the Pro Watercross Tour held in Panama City Beach on May 9-10, echoing the brand’s sweep during last year’s tour. The Pro Runabout Open, Pro Stock, and Pro/Am Normally Aspirated podiums bled with Yamaha Blue (although most of the 2015 FZRs on the field we red).
In Pro Runabout Open, Yamaha FZR WaveRunner racers Abdullah Al-Fadhel and Troy Snyder finished first and second respectively, as Al-Fadhel rode “flawlessly during the two-day event” clenching wins in all three motos, according to Yamaha’s press release.
The drums of war beat on, as Brian Baldwin charged the Pro Stock class on his FZR, going 3-1-1 for the overall win. Baldwin was joined on the podium with Al-Fadhel, who finished third overall.
It was defending national champion Rob Greenwald who held tight to his iron rule over the Pro/Am Normally Aspirated class aboard the newly redesigned Yamaha VXR. Greenwald was untouched all weekend, finishing 1-1-1. Drew Allen of Greenville, SC – also aboard a VXR – tallied some Round 1 points with third place overall finish.
Of course, big congratulations go to Dean’s Team, RIVA Racing, and all the sponsors supporting these talented racers, who battle week-in and week-out to put Yamaha WaveRunners at the top of the food chain. Hang tight for more Pro Watercross Tour action, with Pensacola Beach, FL this next May 16-17.
“The days of 50 mph top speeds and ‘better lean to the outside or you’ll spin out’ handling are long gone in the personal watercraft market.” This is quote from Jeff Hemmel’s article in Boating Magazine proves to be true. Today’s performance watercraft flirt with 70 mph, have 0-to-60 times comparable with modern day sports cars, and turn on a dime with the aggressive lean of a superbike.
We at The Watercraft Journal wanted to give our take on Hemmel’s criteria only as the original story primarily focuses on Sea-Doo’s RXP-X 260. Wanting to be a wee bit more general want to define high performance skis by the following:
Hull design plays a major part in how a ski performs. A flatter hull, like the one used on the Yamaha FZ series, will be aimed more towards flat water speed and planing quickly. A deep-V hull, similar to the Kawasaki Ultra will cut right through the chop, as the exaggerated keel of the Sea-Doo RXP-X permits a narrow running plane.
Sponsons play a key role in giving a craft its handling characteristics. Yamaha and Kawasaki offer fixed sponsons. Currently, Sea-Doo is the only manufacturer to offer adjustable sponsons off the showroom floor. They are offered by aftermarket companies as well for all three manufacturers. Adjustable sponsons tailor a craft’s personality to the rider’s preferences for operation. Lower the trailing edge, or move it toward the stern for aggressive handling. Raising the sponson, or moving it forward, softens the response for a more playful ride.
Trim adjusts the nozzle, pivoting it down to lower the bow and put more of the hull in the water for sharp turns or pivoting it up to get more of the hull out of the water during straight-line, high-speed runs. Today’s PWC have large jet pumps with diameters of 155-to-160mm. These watercraft are making more than enough power to turn these big props. A large pump is essential to make sure you can keep the ski hooked up on takeoff with upwards of 310 horsepower.
The Big Displacement Engines of today’s performance craft are liquid-cooled and feature displacements ranging between 1,494 and 1,812cc’s. Kawasaki and Sea-Doo both use 1.5 liter engines in their flagship models, while Yamaha has the highest displacement of the three manufacturers with a 1.8 liter engine.
And finally, those big motors all benefit from superchargers. These “power adders” pack more air into the combustion chamber. More air (and more fuel) means a larger, more potent explosion. Superchargers are the big key to making as much power as these skis are making. Yamaha and Sea-Doo use direct driven centrifugal superchargers and Kawasaki uses a belt-driven roots supercharger.
In late January, I had a unique opportunity to I film a “UGC” (user generated content) piece Motosurf/Freeriding for GoPro. Under the direction of Edward Lacayo and with Brian Town on the edit at GoPro HQ, the quality of the content came out great.
I drove up to Half moon bay the other day to preview this film and meet up with my GoPro friends Eddie Lacayo, Brian Town, and the rest of the creative team at the office. I was blown away by how supportive everyone was and how genuinely stoked they all were about the production.
Like with all good things, if it goes really well, there is always room for growth and more productions down the road. Continued productions I have already been brainstorming and the team likes the ideas. This all being said, this is a huge opportunity to leverage this exposure into some great new opportunities with the right push from the people who support me the best in this email list including you.
Having GoPro posting this video directly on their YouTube feed is unreal cool. This video should hopefully drive positive attention to our sport, my sponsors, and the industry all together.
I have noticed that when these videos do well, GoPro has then made bigger social media pushes that multiply the exposure and outreach of the video. This is why I need everyone’s help to get this out there this week.
It’s incredible to think that the Sea-Doo Spark will be two years old this Fall. First introduced publicly to the media and dealers in September of 2013, the Spark pulls heavily from the spirit of the early Sea-Doos produced from 1988 to 1993, explains Denys LaPointe, Spark’s Executive Vice President of Design and Innovation.
LaPointe is featured in the “Sparking a Dream” video discussing the creation of the Spark. Similar to those early craft, he says the Spark is not too fast but is light and playful, great for the recreational rider. And key to the launch of the Spark was to make an affordable machine that introduces the public to Sea-Doo’s line of watercraft.
LaPointe’s goal in bringing the Spark to life was to create a completely new design while adhering to the acronym, CAFÉ: Clean, Affordable, Fun, Easy. The machine is lightweight because of its Polytec composition; a high impact compound that is superior to basic plastic and can withstand a beating.
It is both fun and family friendly, available with Sea-Doo’s iBR on-water brake, which helps give the novice rider a sense of security. Sea-Doo offered convenience pack that includes a front bin kit for storage and rear step for easy boarding. There are plenty of graphic kits to choose from so the craft can be customized to your liking.
Moreover, the ski may be fitted for two or three passengers and is capable of recreational pulling. A buyer also has a choice of engine tunes from its Rotax 900 ACE 3-cylinder 4-stroke; the first being 60HP, the most fuel-efficient, burning 7.3 liters of fuel per hour or the 90HP option, offering the driver better acceleration, greater top speed, and uses 9 liters of fuel per hour.
LaPointe points out that he wanted to get back to the roots of personal watercraft and that meant bringing back a raw experience, happiness, and a lightweight easy to use machine.
The Spark appeals to a wide demographic with its cool features, yet it remains affordable and easy to maintain. The personal watercraft is a reliable stable boat that is not only easy to ride, but easy to tow. The Sea Doo Spark is being billed as the new watercraft for a new generation.
The 2015 Pro Watercross Hidden Trails National Tour’s first round of racing action commenced this weekend in picturesque Panama City Beach, FL. With over 120 entries you could tell this was the racers’ favorite. A who’s who of PWC racers littered the white sand, center stage in front of the Boardwalk Beach Resort. With perfect surroundings and perfect emerald blue surf, closed course racing for 2015 is off to a big beautiful start!
There are a few things developing on the 2015 Pro Watercross Tour we thought deserved mention before we get into the racing action. First, this is the first time in years, anywhere other than Lake Havasu’s World Finals, we have seen any class large enough to have to run qualifying heats. Pro Ski GP riders did it this weekend: two qualifying heats leading to a main in Sunday’s “Pro Show!”
Speaking of the Pro Show, in anticipation of the live television coverage coming later in the season, and because most of these guys were/are Pro Racers, Sport GP is now a feature in the Pro Show for the 2015 Pro Watercross season.
Finally, we are seeing an attempt to move towards a more stock runabout or what some would call a “manufacturer’s class.” Pro Watercross is now offering an Amateur and Pro Box Stock Runabout Class. We are interested to see if it grabs hold in closed course racing like it has in other racing disciplines, and if the old adage “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” will ring true for the PWC manufacturers.
Amateur Runabout Box Stock racer Jeff Thornton told The Watercraft Journal, “My first national tour stop with the Pro Watercross tour was full of a lot of ups and downs, from my ski having problems, to getting the first couple holeshots on Eric Francis’s Kawasaki. It was a great to experience racing with good competitors to spar with, choppy and challenging conditions and seeing a lot of great talent and racing legends!”
Pro Ski GP Class was one of the best shows of the weekend. Or should we say, watching Chris MacClugage school the field on how to ride a standup was a great show! We witnessed the GOAT flawless, smooth and relaxed all weekend as he rode to all firsts in Pro Ski GP and Pro-Am Ski Stock. The rest of the riders in both classes were left fighting for second! Jimmy Wilson, and Dustin Motzouris of Team Komander, battled increasingly rough water conditions on Sunday to round out the podium in 2nd and 3rd for the weekend in Pro Ski GP.
As noted, MacClugage took all first in Pro-Am Ski Stock motos 1-3, followed by Rob Flores who had the fastest heat time aboard his Factory Yamaha SuperJet and Wilson in third on the podium. We met up with Flores who said, “What a great event Round 1 of the Pro Watercross Tour was… two heats of Pro Ski GP, and lots of Yamaha SuperJets all over the beach!”
In Pro Runabout GP, Saturday’s story was top Sea-Doo rider Erminio Iantosca with major mechanical issues taking him out of Saturday’s Moto 1 early on. Unfortunately, after one blown motor in the race and another blown motor after swapping the first motor out, we didn’t see Iantosca on Sunday.
Abdullah Al-Fadhel made a strong comeback to US closed course racing this weekend and picked up right where he left in 2013! Both Al-Fadhel and his Dean’s Team Yamaha teammate Troy Snyder took the top two podium spots, followed Dylan Osborn in his Pro Class debut in third.
Osborn stated, “Panama City Beach is always a great season opener with the nice blue water and fast skis in the surf. Glad to bring home a podium finish for the first time ever racing in the pro level.” Snyder noted the absence of corporate support, telling WCJ, “Without the presence of Factory Yamaha and their support riders, I feel the presence of runabout racing at the first round of the Pro Watercross Tour wouldn’t have been much… The ski and [Sport classes] had a very impressive turnout.”
Saturday in Pro-Am Runabout Stock Class we saw Al-Fadhel taking another first place finish, and Eric Francis and Brian Baldwin in the second and third positions. After Sunday’s Motos 2 and 3, things got turned upside down in the overall standings when Al-Fadhel came off in Moto 2. The top podium spot was occupied by another Dean’s Team Yamaha rider Brian Baldwin in first, follow by Eric Francis and Al-Fadhel. Baldwin echoed, “It was a great weekend, with challenging conditions and great competition!”
As mentioned earlier, for the first time this weekend in Panama, the Hidden Trails National Tour included Sport GP in the Pro Show. Making his Pro Show debut on top of the podium this weekend was Team Faith’s rider Kelly Smith. We are excited to watch the competition heat up even more in this class throughout the rest of the 2015 season. Next stop is Pensacola Beach, FL. for Round 2 of the Pro Watercross Hidden Trails National Tour this coming weekend.
Clay Barbee, ‘84 World Cup Ski Champion, World Freestyle Champion, competitor in Runabout Stock and NA in 2012-14, now spectator and friend of everyone summed it up best: “Congratulations to everyone, and great seeing the race family. I’m enjoying the weekends and watching all my friends battle it out in Pensacola!”
It’s readily understood that most people wear their hearts quite literally on their sleeves, at least in the form of dressing to meet or emulate a certain interest, lifestyle or fashion. We often joke that you could plop yourself on a bench in any high school in America and easily identify kids who were interested in skateboarding, heavy metal, drama, football, or dang near everything else just by observing how they dress.
So tell us, what does a jet skier look like? That’s right, if you visualized anyone, it was likely back in the old neon-hued t-shirt days of hairsprayed waves, short OP shorts, slip-on checkered Vans sneakers, and wrap-around Oakley sunglasses. Sounds pretty dated, huh? Well, that’s why we’re looking forward to ww.PWC.life. The apparel brand is looking to re-establish the “jet ski look” and is doing so with their first three t-shirt designs.
Created as an appendage of mega-popular PWC performance forum, Greenhulk.net, PWC.life is preparing a massive catalog of apparel and accessories over the coming months and year. We’re pretty excited to see what comes next, but until then, check out Greenhulknet’s own Jerry Gaddis’ announcement here:
Everyone has been asking for shirts for quite some time now and I have finally made it happen. Not only do we have Greenhulk.Net shirts available, but we have many other cool designs. We have PWC related designs as well as designs for Stand Up’s and Flyboard.
These shirts are made from high quality quick dry material and come in white, black, or gray and come in sizes from Small through XXX-Large
Please be sure to check out the PWC Life Apparel store at www.PWC.Life
We offer FREE domestic shipping on all orders and $21.95 flat rate international shipping.
We are extremely excited about this new line of clothing. I hope you enjoy the shirts as much as we enjoy making them for you!
“Hey, want to know how to make a small fortune by buying a boat?” the old deadpan joke begins. “Start with a big fortune!” While this was probably some sidesplitting stuff back when Coca-Cola still had cocaine in it, there’s the familiar stigma that still rings true: boats (and thereby personal watercraft), are an expensive, superfluous purchase. We’ve even joked that a motorcycle could be justified as a way to cut fuel costs or shave precious minutes commuting. But a PWC? Nope. It’s a toy.
And while people will always want toys, the extravagance of purchasing a new watercraft makes wringing the most value from one’s dollar all that more important. Highlighting what features improve the ride, comfort, use and overall experience are necessary to elevate one brand or unit above the others. Sea-Doo of course, rocked the entry-level price point with the introduction of the Spark late last year. And while the lightweight Rec Lite unit is a fantastic entry point for many (so much so that it earned The Watercraft Journal’s 2014 Watercraft of The Year award), it doesn’t fit every need.
Considering the price of modern watercraft, weighing a vehicle on its value is key to making a quality purchase. Sea-Doo’s GTI 130 is aptly equipped and priced below many competitors’ craft.
The second highest-equipped unit in the Recreational segment for BRP, the GTI 130 enjoys the benefits of sharing good genes with the aforementioned units. Beginning at $9,299, the 130 goes without several additions that the SE (Special Editions) offer, such as VTS (Variable Trim System), folding swim step or a depth reader.
Above left: Storage on the GTI is ample, with 30.8 gallons split between the large bow stowage and the deep glovebox. Above right: The glove box is big enough to fit a couple bottles of water, a bottle of sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses.
Rather, the 130 remains explicitly frills-free, that is for a Sea-Doo. All Recreation-and-up units come standard with Sea-Doo’s iBR (Intelligent Brake & Reverse), iTC (Intelligent Throttle Control), and a GPS-informed speedometer. The GTI also shares the same single-piece saddle, smartly contoured narrow at the knees and broader in the seat. A gentle bolster breaks up the bench into a slight tiered arrangement, elevating the second and third riders for stadium-like seating. For the rearmost rider, a smartly designed handrail rises up to meet their grip without rubbing on legs.
Riding on a 132.6-inch long platform first introduced in 2011, the GTI’s hull is a reliably stable three-seater, managing to be both steady and playful when directed. When engaged in “Sport Mode,” the 1,494cc Rotax 3-cylinder answers the call with sharper throttle response and a lively torque curve that hides its entry-level pricing. The moderate V-hull features a strakeless bottom, freeing up the three-seater for more playful slides and horseplay. But when cruising is the course, the GTI quickly comes to plane and tracks true even through mild lake chop.
Sharing the same platform with the supercharged Sea-Doo GTR 215 and top-of-the-line GTI Limited 155, the 130 enjoys comfortable ergonomics and an enjoyable ride.
While operating under “ECO Mode,” we’re all but certain you’ll run about of daylight before the GTI will empty its 15.9-gallon fuel tank. The GTI’s default “Touring Mode” is also notably conservative, but offers a nice medium between the aforementioned Sport and ECO settings. And don’t worry, this naturally-aspirated machine runs happily on 87 octane “cheap stuff,” so there’s no fear of breaking the bank while filling it up.
A new addition for 2015, is the new RF DESS key that improves upon the outgoing design with a new ball-and-socket mount, allowing for easy and quick starts every time. Even at full throttle, the only sound resonating in your ears will be the whipping of wind and the laughter coming from your passengers because Sea-Doo’s D-Sea-Bel system (decibel, get it?) combines a “series of resonators and vibration-absorbing components” to mute the GTI’s exhaust note, allowing for a quiet, enjoyable ride.
Above left: Two of Sea-Doo’s most praised features include the use of digital “fly-by-wire” electronic throttle control, iTC, and iBR. Above right: iBR, Intelligent Brake & Reverse allows riders to come to a halt in half the distance of non-brake equipped watercraft.
As is with all of Sea-Doo’s 2015 lineup, most dramatic changes to Sea-Doo’s Recreation series were the addition of very polarizing color schemes. Available in either Manta Green or Maldives Blue, the GTI 130 is splashed with some vibrant hues sure to catch your eye. The blue is broken up with a black hood and Manta Green highlights, and we actually found the Maldives Blue very pleasant in person and find it a fun departure from the typical primary colors found on so many other machines.
We expressed concern whether sales of the Spark were “cannibalizing” those of the GTI, to which America’s Motorsports Chris Watts assured that, “while the Spark is a great seller and gets people in the door, many find that they want a more stable craft with more storage. We almost always get these people on a GTI. They love it.” And sure enough, the GTI lineup remains some of Sea-Doo’s most popular watercraft for those same reasons.
In case you missed it, a lot of good stuff happened this weekend at the first round of the Hidden Trails Pro Watercross Tour in Panama City Beach, Florida. Besides the triumphant return of 18-time IJSBA World Champion Chris MacClugage to Pro Ski Open, besting the likes of Dustin Motzouris and Rob Flores, the Pro Watercross witness history as Pro Freestyle’s Daniel Martin came roaring back from a successful bout in Hollywood to wow attendees both on the beach and beside the pool… Wait, what?
That’s right, Martin, owner and operator of 9 Mile Motorsports, took his Team XScream Open class freestyle ski to local nightspot, Club LaVela to show off his backflip prowess in the swimming pool. Reminiscent of Lake Havasu’s long-running tradition of carrying the party over to riverfront club Kokomo’s, Martin wowed the Pro Watercross party with five consecutive backflips, which might not sound like much when a standing record is set at over 30 by Lee Stone, but this was within the confines of a swimming pool!
Martin, who is also a supported athlete of Jet Renu, recently graced a newly produced advertisement for the total PWC care company and their new Jet Pak Essential Kit, including Protector, Purple and Pink wash, wax and quick shine sprays. Although we couldn’t embed the video posted to Pro Watercross’ official Facebook page here, we did manage to hyperlink it. So click the highlighted sentence to watch Martin in action.
Recently, The Watercraft Journal was able to chat with Pope about his plans for 2015. He began, I will be competing in the 300 class of the P1 AquaX in the UK, and the European championship, World Finals and King’s Cup in Thailand alongside many one-off championships.”
In regards to returning to AquaX for another championship, Pope continued, “The organization is amazing at the P1. They treat every level of pilot with the highest respect, the racing is always close and the conditions are hard. This makes great racing for the racers, anyone that thinks the AquaX is easy racing, I suggest getting your ski out of the garage and head down to the next race meeting. You will love it!”
“My P1 ski will be a 2015 Yamaha FX SVHO. This will be to the 300 specifications but will have me handling and pump set up,” Pope teased. “My GP race ski is a full 100-percent carbon fiber Yamaha FZR top deck with a Sea-Doo bottom, but it is not the same as a standard Sea-Doo bottom. [We] have changed so many parts of the hull, it runs a 1800cc turbocharged motor that is putting out over 550hp.”
The two skis will feature all-new custom-designed vinyl kits from IPD Graphics and feature all of Pope’s sponsors: Jet Porda, Yamaha Europe, Ripp n Roll, MyProtien, Rock Oil, RP Race Clothing, Hydro-Turf, www.aysharensink.com, CMJ and of course, IPD Graphics.
Listen, it’s time to get out and go riding. The snow has melted. The sun is out. The skies are clear (unless you’re in the Midwest, which is being pummeled by tornadoes), and the water is warming up and Saturdays spent mowing your lawn sounds absolutely terrible. To help get you out on the water and having the most fun you can get for the biggest bargain is Yamaha WaveRunners who recently introduced a quartet of awesome pricing and financing programs.
First and foremost, let’s just get it out there: Yamaha will sell you a V1 for less than your cell phone payment. That’s some pretty big news. Through Yamaha’s financing, you can get your hands on a 1,100cc, 110-horsepower runabout for less than (gasp!) a Sea-Doo Spark. Yup. Pretty cool, huh? Next, Yamaha is also offering smoking low interest rates on two of their supercharged FX models: the SVHO Cruiser and the SHO. Oh yeah, and they toss in an extended 3-year warranty to boot!
Lastly, Yamaha is continuing their super successful leasing and guaranteed buy back programs. Similar to the deals offered by your local auto dealers, Yamaha WaveRunner dealerships are now making incredible offers on leasing a new WaveRunner for 36 or 48 month terms, and promising that if you don’t love your new WaveRunner, Yamaha will buy it back from you. These are huge deals, guys and pretty much eliminates any excuse you’ve got not to pick up that new WaveRunner you’ve been drooling over all winterlong.
*Offer available on approved purchases of new V1 and V1 Sport models made on the Yamaha Card issued by Capital One, N.A. Valid through 5/31/15. Your account must be open and current to be eligible for this offer. Based on your creditworthiness, you may qualify for an intro APR of 2.49%, 8.99%, 10.99% or 14.99% with Minimum Payments of 1.23%, 1.83%, 1.94% or 2.29% of the purchase price are effective for 24 months from the purchase date. Some options may not be available and other terms may apply. The estimated Minimum Payment is based on the product and purchase price shown, excluding taxes and applicable fees. The amount of your total Minimum Payment will change if you make additional purchases or have other account balances. Thereafter, your standard APR (either 12.99% – 22.99% or variable 14.99% – 22.99%) and regular Minimum Payments apply to the remaining purchase balance. Your Penalty APR is either 28.99% or variable 28.99%. Variable APRs as of 12/1/14 and apply to accounts opened on or after 11/6/09. Minimum Interest Charge $1.
*The Guaranteed Buy Back Program is provided by cynoSure Financial, Inc. Certain terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please see Customer Agreement for complete details. Guaranteed Buy Back included with select finance offers. On approved credit. See participating dealer for details
Applicants must satisfy certain additional underwriting requirements in order to be approved for a lease offer. See the Motor Vehicle Lease Agreement for complete lease terms and conditions.
