Perhaps the most important gear one can have when enjoying a day out on their watercraft is a quality life jacket. Whether you’re a casual user who takes your jet ski out from time to time, or a competition professional seeking to squeeze the maximum possible velocity out of your racing rig, a life jacket is an undisputed necessity when on the water for everyone. However, the eagle-eyed among us may have noticed that these watercraft staples have received a small but important update in recent years.
The update comes in the form of a label redesign, which seeks to make the information on the life jacket more easily legible and universally understood. Replacing the old life jacket tag design, which was written in paragraph form in small text, the new Coast Guard-approved tags lean more heavily on symbols and illustrations, with a few basic words, allowing international audiences to better understand. The tag design also minimizes consumer strain, as the most important information is printed in large format, allowing consumers to quickly find the jacket that most adequately suits their needs.
Perhaps the most important update is the prominent display of the jacket’s buoyancy, shown as 50, 70, 100, or 150. The majority of current jackets available in the U.S. have a buoyancy of 70, which is the lowest buoyancy approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. Another prominent symbol featured is a circular arrow, which signals whether or not the jacket can properly turn an unconscious person face up—an important feature, especially for those participating in higher-risk water activities. Lastly, the new design features a list of water sports for which the life jacket is not suitable, an imperative thing to know for those seeking to use these jackets for watersports and high-speed boating.
Check out the full breakdown in this article from the BoatUS Foundation to make sure you’re fully up to date on what these new updates mean for you!
On the functional side, they offer a number of bags, coolers, and apparel items to keep you cool and comfortable, your cup holders filled, and to ease the hassle of bringing everything out to the lake.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are more luxury vehicles like the Kormaran K7, a high-end watercraft that transforms between a speedboat, catamaran, and trimaran, even while on the move. It features hydrofoils for smoother, faster rides and boasts luxurious design and advanced controls.
Now don’t get us wrong, the Kspeed 2-degree pump wedge is a great option for those looking for extra bow lift, but it comes at a cost. By “bending” that water coming out of the jet pump, you are causing a slight degree of parasitic loss.
On top of that, the impeller boasts a sophisticated blade design and a large interior housing volume, ensuring smooth and efficient operation. Plus, the lightweight billet impeller is precision balanced, so you get reliable performance every time.
IJSBA is pleased to announce the opening of VIP and combined pit opportunities for the 2024 Short Block Technologies WGP-1 World Finals. As with all years, IJSBA is enacting policies, procedures, and opportunities intending to make the World Finals pit environment more efficient, more fair, and, hopefully, more enjoyable. IJSBA has completely sold out of these opportunities since 2001 and interested parties are advised to reserve early.
I was a spectator to an event that I didn’t even know existed a year ago. I met Austin Jones out of the Buffalo, NY area and his family welcomed me with open arms. I honestly didn’t even know how to accept it. It’s a small world, mysterious I guess you’d say. I was messaged last year by Kris VanWie who’s in the race scene with his son Kris “Krash” VanWie Jr. out of B’Ville and he invited me out for some ride time. Kris put me on a Yamaha Waveblaster and I couldn’t even take off lol. I thought damn… I’m not going to be able to race without a ski. Then Kris said “Race yours”? I laughed at first and then said “really dude”? A bone stock 20yr. old ski out there racing lol – Then ‘Krash’ chimes in and says “Send it”! I put some thought into it, then some more and decided to send it. I was invited out by Joe DeMario who also races in the P1 AquaX to practice and I was grateful for all the advice as I was preparing for Plattsburgh.
There are so many people I want to thank – Big big shoutout to the ECW STAFF and Director Shawn Dudek the ones who make it all happen. Always want to give thanks to the Course Marshals for assuring the safety of the racers. Thank you Andrew Freeman for getting me in the water. Thank you to Steve Hotchkiss for the time you took to chat with me. I met so many people, so if I forgot to personally thank you please know I am very very thankful. Until we meet again in the Glen, I’m ecstatic to be a part of the R8 family.
His video starts with an overview of the pieces included in the Stainless Steel Exhaust Kit, which cover the full range of necessities for the job, including the stainless steel tube, silicone adapter, exhaust tip, O-rings, hardware, and a few more bits and bobs to get it all done. Along with that, you will only need a few Allen keys, socket wrenches, and a torque wrench to complete the installation.