One of the many highlights from the weekend’s event was JetPilot’s “Battle of the Best” showdown. With many of the pros pushing themselves to the limit executing flawless tricks, massive airs and huge carves, it was Southern California’s Mark Gomez who proved unstoppable, besting the likes of Brandon Lawlor and Pierre Maixent, and took out the title of Jet Pilots’ Best of the Best.
The Watercraft Journal had an exclusive opportunity to chat with Mark after his ride, telling us, “That was the best I have ever rode in my life.” Although the contention was tight, Gomez reigned supreme, leaving second place to Mick Anthony and a close third to Pierre. Below is a short but sweet recap of Gomez’s domination and some of the amazing aerial action that transpired at Cronulla. Enjoy the short video below, and make sure to read the full recap from this year’s Rip N’ Ride HERE.
Y’know what the biggest problem is with personal watercraft racing? OK, OK, there’s a few things, but one major issue is getting the action in front of spectators and the mastermind behind the Hydrocross Watercraft Racing Tour, Brent Venderley has figured it out! New for 2015, the Hydrocross Watercraft Racing Tour will be adding two new venues to their traditional closed course racing schedule: PWC Arena Racing.
The inaugural event, scheduled for March 2015, the “Naples Grand Prix, Power Sports Festival” will be held at the Florida Sports Park in Naples, FL. The first race of the 2015 season will be the IJSBA sanctioned showdown held in 8000 seat, enclosed outdoor arena ideal for spectators who want to be close to the racing action at all times.
According to Brent’s original announcement, “There is a paved food vendor alley, vendor areas for Powersports displays, dedicated racers pits, stage in front of the main grandstand for awards and racers meet and greet, a 7000+ square foot air conditioned pavilion with a stage… and much more!
“Originally built for swamp buggy racing, the Florida Sports Park is the perfect venue for an arena (SuperCross) style watercraft racing event. It will include Closed Course racing, Hydrodrag racing and Freestyle in the evening in front of the main grandstand’s stage and under the lights!”
The all-new Hydrocross Tour will include IJSBA-sanctioned classes for Pro and Amateur Runabout and Ski, Sport, Freestyle, Amateur runabout horsepower based classes, and the fastest PWCs on the water… the Hydrodrags! Wait, what? That’s right, kiddies. The HydroDrags are coming to arena racing!
Not only that, but super-exciting HydroDrags will be joining the Hydrocross for 2015. Brent wrote in an announcement, “We are excited and thankful to Mike for giving us the opportunity to take the Hydrodrag Series to the next level. We are passionate about Watercraft Racing and share in everyone’s vision of where we all want this sport to go. The entire Hydrocross team is looking forward to implementing many of the ideas the racers and the PWC industry are looking for, and that will put Hydrocross Closed Course Racing, PWC Arena Racing and the Hydrodrags among the top watercraft series in the world!
“A full schedule of the 2015 Hydrodrag Series events, along with dates for all Hydrocross Racing events is coming soon. In the meantime, you will able to stay up to date on what’s happening by visiting www.hydrodragseries.com as we build the website, and by staying in touch with all the excitement via Facebook and Twitter @hydrodrags.”
All of us at The Watercraft Journal are excited about Brent’s efforts for 2015 and are happy to commit to covering all of the upcoming HydroDrag and Hydrocross arena events. Together with Pro Hydro-X, we will be offering live streaming links throughout race day to keep you all up on the action. Of course, there’s plenty of good news to come before March, so stay tuned!
The gods of personal watercraft giveth and the gods of personal watercraft taketh away. Two days ago, The Watercraft Journal was excited to announce how BRP, through their BRP Powercraft Equipment Grant, has recommitted to supporting Surf Life Saving (SLS) in its effort to improve emergency response along Australia’s coastlines. By providing SLS with a state-of-the-art Sea-Doo GTI personal watercraft, Can-Am off-road vehicles and even Evinrude outboard engines for their boats.
Unfortunately, that brand-new GTI Rescue craft was recently involved in an accident where a female volunteer sped through a no-wake zone, racing past families on PWC and boats and narrowly missing fellow SLS lifesavers standing on a floating dock who were on-site to oversee the rescue of a sunken jet boat. The SLS volunteer, aboard the recently acquired Sea-Doo ran the ski squarely into the dock, ramping it up and out of the water and bringing it to a halt.
Thankfully, nobody was hurt and the volunteer was taken by EMTs to the hospital for shock. Authorities are investigating whether the matter was due to a “mechanical issue,” but the video below clearly shows the volunteer piloting the Sea-Doo with her left arm dangling straight down only seconds before colliding with the dock. Of course, this flies in the face of Sea-Doo’s entire intent of the iBR system, wherein riders will never have to remove take their hands from the handlebars. Clearly, this volunteer didn’t grasp the concept.
The Colwyn Jet Ski Club, based at Porth Eirias in Colwyn Bay [a “seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea,” according to a 4-second Google search – Ed.] have recently been recognized by the prestigious Royal Yachting Association as a Personal Watercraft Training Centre.
This will allow the Jetski club to train members and non-members at the Porth Eirias site. The one-day course will teach how to use a personal watercraft (PW) safely, responsibly and with confidence, ensuring the rider gets the best out of the craft. Weather, safety and courtesy to others, launching and familiarization, personal watercraft handling, emergencies, rules of the road, essential navigation, recovery and aftercare will all be covered which in turn should make the rider more proficient and safer with other water users and Self-sufficient in good conditions, aware of limitations of themselves and their PWC.
Six members of the Colwyn Jet Ski Club, including four living in North Wales, have also recently successfully completed five days of training with the RYA to all achieve Personal Watercraft Instructor status.
The club, formed in 1996, meet every Sunday at the Porth Eirias slipway between Easter and October with members not only from North Wales but traveling from all over the North West and as far down as the Potteries. The Clubs RYA Coordinator, Jakki Bates said, “We hope to start the first Personal Watercraft Proficiency courses next year. With Colwyn Bay Promenade undergoing such dramatic changes these are really exciting times for the Club and Porth Eirias and we look forward to Easter when the season starts again.”
[If you want your PWC club mentioned in The Watercraft Journal, feel free to email us any upcoming events or club news at [email protected] – Ed.]
Once again sanctioned by the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA), the 300-mile endurance race, in memory of fallen PWC endurance racer Mark Hahn, is expected to attract a record number of international teams and top PWC racers from across the United States. Not only will each team compete for top honors in one of six classes, but many will no doubt be pushing themselves and their pit crews to the limits in efforts to break the existing record time set in 2014 by Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Craig Warner.
“The race is returning to Crazy Horse Campground’s main beach site for this very important event,” said DSM Events owner Jim Russell, “and the 10-mile course we have approval [on] from the Coast Guard will pit all the teams against the wind, rough water and long runs that this event has become synonymous with.” In addition to the weather conditions, crews will be expected to pit their watercraft and perform several safe refuels and rider changes during the four- to six-hour event.
The 2015 race will again feature the mandatory use of electronic transponders on each race craft. The “team format” will allow up to two alternating riders per runabout (sit-down), and up to three riders per stand-up, with solo “Ironman” racers welcome in either category.
Entry forms and entry information sheets are scheduled to be released soon on the Mark Hahn Memorial 300 website. In the meantime, you can check out the full press release at www.pwcfun.com
While this 24-foot long by 11-foot wide, 3.5 ton behemoth isn’t what you might call a “personal” watercraft, it is remarkably similar in its design (from the bondline down) to a good ol’ PWC runabout. Designed and built by the founders of the Italian Jet Capsule Company, Luca Solla (CEO) and Pierpaolo Lazzarini (Chief Executive Designer), their latest creation is the 2015 Jet Taxi is soon to be made available for major waterfront cities.
Quoted at being “just the first of many next generation water taxis,” the Jet Taxi is projected to become a mainstay of popular cities such as Dubai, Doha, Moscow, Miami, and Saint Petersburg. Able to accommodate 12 passengers and a single pilot (13 persons in total), the Jet Taxi is available with either a single 370HP diesel engine or a pair of 250HP gas engines, though Solla and Lazzarini are working adapting hybrid or even fully-electric power plants into future iterations.
Propelled by a Hamiltonjet waterjet, which delivers a top speed of 32 knots, the Jet Taxi stores an impressive 92-gallon fuel reserve that provides enough go-juice for trips as far as 195 miles. And since its RINA CE certification rates the pod to sail in up to 6-foot-high swells, we’re wondering how the Jet Taxi might fare in next year’s Long Beach-to-Catalina Offshore enduro.
Oh, and don’t worry about being comfortable, the Jet Taxi can be equipped with two rear carbon doors to maintain a constant temperature, be it in one of the coldest cities in the world or one of the hottest. Recently, the Jet Taxi was OK’ed for a public water taxi service in Italy some time next year, which will only pave the way for future cities as well.
BRP continues its commitment to supporting its partnership with Surf Life Saving (SLS); in an effort to improve emergency response at dangerous “Black Spot” locations along Australia’s coastlines, BRP recently provided SLS with its state-of-the-art Sea-Doo personal watercraft, Can-Am off road vehicles and Evinrude outboard engines as part of The BRP Powercraft Equipment Grant. In association with Surf Life Saving Australia’s national partnership with Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), the grant has delivered $1.26 million worth of essential lifesaving equipment to more than 160 Surf Life Saving clubs and services around Australia since commencing in 2009.
In a report by JSW Powersports, “‘Black Spots’ are locations SLS has specifically identified with having a high concentration of coastal incidents and a high risk of ongoing reoccurrence. SLS has targeted the most treacherous locations, and part of the strategy to help reduce drownings at coastal danger spots is to ensure lifeguards at these locations have the latest technology in rescue craft at their disposal. In 2014 alone, the subsidy based grant which was launched in January, has allocated $360,000 worth of powercraft equipment including the Can-Am Commander 800 all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and the Sea-Doo GTI 155 rescue water craft (RWC). Surf Life Saving is Australia’s major water safety, drowning prevention and rescue authority. It is also one of the largest volunteer movement of its kind in Australia, and a not-for-profit entity that exists only through community donations, government funding, fundraising and corporate sponsorship from companies such as BRP.”
Surf Life Saving Australia Coastal Safety Manager, Anthony Bradstreet was quoted, “All-terrain vehicles and jet skis are powerful lifesaving tools. They enable surf lifesavers and lifeguards to move around the beach and water quickly. This means patrolling and rescues can be performed with greater efficiency and there’s better chances of saving lives on the coast. It’s important to remember that Surf Life Saving is a charity and relies on the community to save lives. BRP assists the SLS movement on a grassroots level. They understand our core business of saving lives and help us in our delivery of this emergency response community service at an operational level.”
Kym Pardey, Marketing Manager for BRP Australia, continued, “There is fantastic alignment with our brands including Sea-Doo and Evinrude with SLS’s rescue equipment needs. We can see no better way in which our company can support the community than by providing SLS lifesavers and lifeguards with products that will help save lives on Australian beaches”. Pardey further commented, “The Page partnership also enables us to showcase how our products offer fantastic performance yet are sensitive to the environment; for example our Sea-Doo PWC’s are exceptionally quiet, provide industry leading fuel efficiency, and offer innovative technology such as our unique on-water braking system that delivers real safety benefits. More than just a great rescue craft, Sea-Doo PWC’s offer families the freedom to have a fun and safe time on our amazing waterways.”
Vice President and Regional General Manager – BRP Asia-Pacific, Gregoire Dupont, was pleased with how the BRP Grant participates in assisting Surf Life Saving, stating, “BRP is proud to extend its support in our sixth year of the Grant. We see no better way for BRP to promote its brands such as Sea-Doo and Can-Am, than by having our product in the community and assisting the many dedicated SLS members perform their important patrol duties.”
It’s hard to argue with results. We got this great note from Marty James stating simply, “I wanted to show you guys something too. It’s a removable fishing rod holder.”
The Queensland, Australia native walked us through what it takes to convert your weekend cruiser into a dual-purpose fishing rig with just a little bit of elbow grease and an extra hour’s worth of time.
“I purchased this 2012 Kawasaki 300LX in February of this year at the JetSkiShop with zero hours, brand new, grey import. I was pissed off when they sold out locally in the white and the ’13 and ’14 didn’t do anything for me.
“I use it for bass fishing at the local lake – Lake Somerset – north of Brisbane. That rod in the picture is my surf rod; I pull up on a beach and have a fish. I just have a kayak fish net for landing anything. I wanted everything to be all removable as we tow tubes more than anything else, and this was a nice package that was low profile when removed.
“[The installation is] very simple, [and allows for] many installation options. The quickest is to use the backing plate it comes with. The profile is about 10mm higher, but all it requires are (4) screws (provided) and you’re done.
“I went for the low profile option which meant die grinding out a recess for the base. Then, I used (2) screws and it was done. I did silicone mine as well so it wouldn’t rattle. You can do rail mount, deck mount, or side mount, so possibilities are endless.”
It’s often a very gray line that separates a full-blown performance watercraft from a top-of-the-line luxury watercraft. While some lean to hard to the prior (Kawasaki 310LX) others list too far in the other direction (Sea-Doo GTX Limited 155). Striking the right balance is not only imperative to establishing the appropriate tone with the vehicle itself, but also communicating to the desired audience.
According to a recent study by Info-Link, the average age of the new PWC buyer has increased nearly 10 years since 1997 (49 years of age); throw in that statistically, those drawn to full-tilt luxury craft rank considerably older, we’re looking at a mature audience. This is why most manufacturers maintain more reserved, adult coloring options for their luxury lineup. Even Sea-Doo’s controversial 2015 color palette retains some very conservative hues for its GTX line.
If a Yamaha WaveRunner could ever be called a “sleeper,” this would be it. With the all-new NanoXcel 2 hull and deck and SVHO powertrain package, this machine looks like a luxury cruiser but packs all the punch of a closed course competitor.
Yamaha Motor Corp‘s fresh batch of luxury watercraft are equally classic in their appearance. For 2015, the surprisingly popular Pure White jumps from the naturally-aspirated FX High Output Cruiser to the top-of-the-food chain SVHO. Equipped with a corpulent amount of bells and whistles, including Pull-Up Cleats, Cruise Assist/No Wake Mode, Command Link instrumentation controls and tiered stadium-style Cruiser seat, we immediately pegged the the the Super Vortex High Output-powered Cruiser was part of the brand’s luxury lineup.
Unfortunately, we erred in thinking so and were quickly corrected by Yamaha Product Manager Scott Watkins, “The Luxury units max out with the SHO (Super High Output) engine. Anything equipped with the SVHO is definitely part of our Performance line.” And right he was. Yamaha’s Performance lineup outweighs its Luxury and Versatility models by no less than two units, and the FX SVHO Cruiser isn’t all that removed from it’s sportier FX SVHO doppelganger.
The FX SVHO Cruiser offers dual screw-top watertight storage bins, the rearward being a removable unit and a carrying handle.
Nevertheless, by wielding the company’s most powerful powertrain as well as nearly every accessory package available, the 2015 FX SVHO Cruiser hardly suffers from a lack of luxury. Of which, the SVHO powertrain remains unvaried from last year’s model, improving the Super High Output (SHO) engine by increasing overall efficiency by 110-percent.
The SVHO engine impressed many with its new 8.5:1 compression forged pistons, larger 60-pound fuel injectors, and a larger intercooler (providing an impressive 22-percent increase in efficiency), and a large 86mm HKS supercharger with a 6-vein impeller presses out 60-percent more boost. A racy 8-vein pump housing hosts a 160mm impeller, churning gobs of thrust.
Thick charcoal gray Hydro-Turf mats cover the wide swim platform and footwells. The folding swimstep has a unique rail that ensures a flush fitment when at rest and a flat surface to step on.
Although the powertrain hasn’t changed, overall performance has increased nominally due to Yamaha’s all-new NanoXcel 2 hull and deck material. The new lightweight material shaves off nearly 50 pounds off of the FX platform, optimizing the runabout’s power-to-weight ratio for quicker acceleration and throttle response.
The weight savings is noticeable too. When unleashed, the FX SVHO Cruiser erupts from a standstill like a cannonball, launching a single rider (with only a gallon or two of fuel in its 18.5 gallon tank) from 0-to-30 in 1.5 seconds, and to 60mph just a blink over a second past that. Of course, once properly broken in (a factory-suggested minimum 10 riding hours), the SVHO-powered FX has been said to creep past 70 miles per hour.
The big news for 2015 is Yamaha’s new RiDE dual-throttle reverse and braking system. The left lever engages immediate reward thrust, which when used gingerly, can be employed in cornering as well as close quarters maneuvering.
Of course, the big news for 2015 is Yamaha’s all-new RiDE dual-throttle brake and reverse system. Rather than acting like a gear lever, left trigger immediately engages reverse thrust, dramatically improving docking, braking and loading/unloading from a trailer. Calibrated for the FX’s 140.2-inch beam and stout 260 (unconfirmed) horsepower, the RiDE system progressively decelerates without pitching forward or lurching suddenly.
When deployed at speed, the braking comes on as hard as you hit it. With some finesse, RiDE actually can be operated intuitively, providing precision braking through turns without overriding the forward throttle like Sea-Doo’s iBR. That being said, RiDE rewards those with a gentle touch, particularly in tight confines like a dock or rocky shore. The dual-outlet reverse bucket directs thrust horizontally, aiding in performing tighter zero-point turns.
Happy with either 87 or 91 octane, the SVHO is one of the few supercharged machines that still manages some pretty civilized fuel economy when the throttle isn’t pinned to its stop all day long (which is a lot harder than you might think it is).
Directional “gears” (Forward, Neutral and Reverse) are displayed in a new LCD screen flanking the centered, white-faced analog gauge. With the new RiDE system also comes Yamaha’s first-ever electronic trim control, which is indicated in the opposite-side in-dash LCD screen.
The FX SVHO Cruiser’s 33.2 gallons of storage is spread throughout the craft, from its large bow galley to twin strew-top watertight bins found in the dash and beneath the rear passenger seat. The “wet storage” is ideal for tow ropes, diving goggles or masks or just a pair of flip flops, which of course, opens up to the large swim platform and wide, folding boarding step.
Supplemental storage is found in the rear of the runabout while the bow is still large enough for a pair of backpacks, some towels or other needful things.
As we’ve come accustomed to, Yamaha’s Cruiser seat is amply cushioned and positions most average-height riders within comfortable distance from the five-way tilt handlebars. The RiDE system does require some added width to the bars (less than an inch total), but carries over its pistol-grip hand grips. Ergonomically, the cabin is thoughtfully designed, requiring very little contorting to reach any in-dash buttons or handlebar controls.
As we hinted before, the RiDE can come on strong if you’re a little too ham-fisted like us. We also found the seat is a little too wide at the knees for our taste and the bolsters are a tad too forward for anyone 6’2″ and above. Additionally, we hoped for slightly more responsive toggle controls, as we found the Cruise, trim and No Wake a bit slow to inputs. But we need to emphasize that those were the only parts of the FX SVHO Cruiser that could ever be called slow.
Possibly the best iteration of the FX platform that we’ve seen to date, the FX SVHO Cruiser pleases on almost every front. For those wanting a little more oomph out of your luxury machine, this is it.
Throttle response is so quick, it’s precognitive. The FX SVHO Cruiser will pin you back into its scalloped seat with pleasure, and happily devours long, sweeping arcs across the water, hungrily accelerating out of the apex when prompted. The FX hull has never been better than under the power of the brutish Super Vortex High Output 1,812cc four-cylinder. And whether sluicing through Pacific Coast chop or serene lakeside glass, the FX tracks smooth and masterfully.
Also available in Torch Red Metallic (although we could never see anybody wanting anything but the Pure White, in our humble opinion), the FX SVHO Cruiser rings up the cash register at $15,799. Again, it’s the very most that Yamaha WaveRunners brings to the table, so be very aware of everything that comes with it. The top of Performance lineup, the FX SVHO Cruiser, with all of its accommodations and refinement, handily owns top billing for Yamaha’s Luxury lineup as well.
It definitely takes a lot for us to want to ride something more than the SVHO-powered FZR, and the FX SVHO Cruiser kept having us come back over our two-days of testing.
Chances are you’ve already seen this video: a fun, first person view of a daring personal watercraft rider shooting the canyons at Lake Powell aboard a turbo-powered Honda F-12X. Powell’s towering walls overshadow thin veins of crystal blue water stretching out like tendrils into the brown desert. Sadly, water levels at Powell continue to slump to record lows. In fact, most all water levels in the Southwest are slinking back because of the ongoing drought in California. Despite warnings, penalties and fines issued by local and state government, Californians seem to be defiant that they’re running out of water.
We mention this not to bring up any sort of political slant, but to prime the pump for what we witnessed in the video’s comment section. Normally, any person who values their sanity avoids the comment section of any YouTube video like a lice-ridden burlap sack full of bubonic plague. The video is fun and we’re sure any one of us would love the chance to recreate it, but a depressing amount of commentators are calling for the public execution of this rider, GoPro, the manufacturers of PWC and well, just check ’em out for yourself.
Particular highlights include, “Good job killing the environment. Go play in traffic, stupid Republican,” “This video is fake. This is a game and no human can drive a Jet Ski this well. You may fool other people uploader but not me. Just take down this video,” and our personal favorite “white people look for new and interesting ways to kill themselves.” We’d pull the racism card but he does kinda have a point. The number of African American males between the ages of 18-to-25 who have died by jumping a snowmobile off the roof of a barn in 2013 is exactly zero. White males? Three.
Anyways, enjoy the video and get a good laugh out of the comments. We did.
