In yesterday’s news report on Art Burgess training on his amazing $50,000 custom-built freestyle ski, we attributed much of the evolution of the sport of freestyle to the machines themselves. While that might be true, it is slightly disingenuous particularly towards the level of athletes that populate modern jet ski competition.
To really hammer the nail in this argument, we want to present what we consider possibly one of the greatest feats of pure athleticism, talent and skill – the double backflip. Executed by France’s most famous freerider Pierre Maixent, he was filmed in 2008 successfully performing the first double ever landed on a jet ski.
Even today, few can perform the double backflip, and all honor Maixent for being the first to master it. Even as machines become lighter and more powerful, the double backflip eludes many and it’ll probably be a good while before we see another do so with Maixent’s flare.
Oh how things have changed since the early days of Freestyle. In fact, it’s only in the world of closed course racing that people decry where the sport has gone. Freestyle, freeride, offshore racing and many, many other branches of jet ski performance have evolved into new and exciting sports in their own right. But we have to say that we see an exponential maturation within freestyle unlike anywhere else.
The machines of today’s freestyle athletes are unlike anything imagined twenty years ago. Made from lightweight carbon fiber and Kevlar composites, weighing fractions of what skis once did and delivering far more thrust and torque than even the gnarliest of close course racers years earlier, freestyle is an acrobatic dance that defies gravity and astounds crowds with each backflip, barrel roll and scarecrow.
World champion freestyle rider Ant Burgess was recently caught on camera training on his insane $50,000 custom-built machine over the Easter weekend at Kingsbury Lakes. Mind you Burgess is merely testing the ski out, gaining a feel for how it behaves. But in this routine, Burgess impresses all with a sequence of flips, 360s and six backflips in a row.
Where did the last six months go? Believe it or not, it was half a year ago that The Watercraft Journal was first launched to the world, and since that time we have seen a staggering – and we mean that without any hyperbole – amount of people coming to the Internet’s only daily personal watercraft magazine. Not only has our booming readership surpassed those who want to claim us as competition, but The Watercraft Journal is homing in on readership numbers that rival message boards and forums.
And why is that a big deal, particularly if you’re a business owner considering advertising with The Watercraft Journal? Because as an advertiser, your brand is guaranteed significantly more and immediate access to more potential customers – both new and returning – through our digital advertising and endemic and attention-grabbing feature content and professionally-written daily news stories.
Advertising in magazines, be it in print or digitally, has always been about marketing your name, product or brand and it’s only smart business to find the outlet that will provide you the most access, the greatest return on your dollar, and for the lowest fare possible. Because The Watercraft Journal is free to its readers, and thereby entirely advertiser supported, we ensure that our rates are lower, our turnaround is faster and our readership larger than anybody else. And if today’s “By The Numbers” has anything to say, it’s exactly that.
November 2013 Through April 2014
April 2014
More Of What People Want
Frankly put, the days of sitting idly by waiting for the mailman to drop off the latest issue of our favorite magazine are all but over. We don’t rely on a few pages of print for late-breaking news, entertaining pictures and video, or needful information. That’s what the Internet is for, making print magazines a novelty. On the other hand, The Watercraft Journal publishes originally-written content on a daily basis; articles that are timely, sharp and professional.
Total Feature Articles Published in 2nd Quarter: 41 (excluding daily news)
Total Articles Read in 2nd Quarter: 68,700
Highest Read Article in 2nd Quarter: 4,775 views
Total Feature Articles Published: 83 (excluding daily news)
Total Articles Read: 128,748
All-Time Highest Read Article: 4,775 views
Feature articles published in April: 15
Total word count: 14,041 words*
*When this number is translated to print publication standards equals a 112-page magazine. Please note that this number does not include an average of two uniquely-written news articles published daily.
Real Readers, Real Numbers, And More of Them
Readership for an online magazine is very easy to evaluate – if you know what you’re looking for. Many companies are thinking all they want is a few “click throughs” on their ad, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Getting your name, your company’s look and brand in front as many eyes as possible is where The Watercraft Journal shines. Throughout our six months of publication, we saw a steady increase in both return and new readership. And although we’re excited about our new international readership, The Watercraft Journal still remains the clear favorite for domestic PWC enthusiasts, meaning our advertisers have access to more potential customers than with any other publication.
Total Readers in 2nd Quarter: 34,716
Total Unique Readers in 2nd Quarter: 21,911*
Top (5) Nations in 2nd Quarter:
United States – 19,778
Australia – 3,155
United Kingdom – 1,628
Canada – 1,542
New Zealand – 802
All-Time Total Readers: 63,663
All-Time Total Unique Readers: 37,793*
All-Time Top (5) Nations:
United States – 37,269
Australia – 5,624
United Kingdom – 3,092
Canada – 2,622
New Zealand – 1,447
Total Percentage of Mobile Device Users: 39%
*This number is considered equal to an individual sale of a single copy of a magazine.
More Readers With a Wider Reach
It’s been a nice compliment that so many media outlets are doing their darnedest to either match, mimic or even surpass what we accomplish here at The Watercraft Journal. But since the launch of our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube pages, The Watercraft Journal has made it a point to use social media to its fullest extent to bring the PWC enthusiast industry all of its daily content in fastest ways possible.
Total Facebook Followers: 7,506
Total Twitter Followers: 114
Total Instagram Followers: 240
Total Weekly Newsletter Subscribers: 697
And It Only Gets Better
Let’s take into account that we’ve just surpassed 10,000 individuals reading The Watercraft Journal a month. Let’s take a second to consider that in six months we’ve reached out to nearly 40,000 individuals. And lastly, realize that it’s only May 1st, and that it’s just becoming riding season here in the States. In the last three months we were the only magazine to publish full-length, in-depth coverage of the Daytona Freeride, the Champion Timepieces Mexico Freeride weekend, Pismo Spring Break Freeride and the Crescent City Spring Break Freeride, not to mention our massive Mark Hahn Memorial 300 coverage. And that was the “off season!” Can you imagine what we’ll look like another six months from now? We can. And that’s why we’re excited – and so should you.
Here’s a weird conundrum: recreational fishing is a huge, multi-multi-million dollar industry in the United States, yet the number of fishermen failing to use personal watercraft – particularly in light of the overwhelming cost of a new fishing boat – is staggering. There are some who have mastered it, like our own “JetSki Brian” Lockwood (expect another update shortly), but for the most part, PWC fishing is an art absent to most Americans.
Well, the father-and-son team from Fort Myers, Florida that originated Kool PWC Stuff (watercraftstuff.com) are the original designers of the universal JetSki fishing and cooler racks. Engineered to fit virtually any personal watercraft runabout available today, the easy-to-use and easier-to-install rack is possibly one of the best accessories on the market today.
Requiring a minute or two to install, the Kool PWC Stuff rack is just a part of the company’s repartee of fine PWC accessories and tools, including rod holders, gas can holders and lightweight saddle bag-style jerry cans, and much more. Best of all, all of Kool PWC Stuff’s products are designed for the least – if not zero – intrusion imaginable. No drilling. No cutting.
New to their roster is the Flyboard rack, which has quickly caught on with those using full-sized personal watercraft as the powersource for a Flyboard. All of Kool PWC Stuff’s racks feature individually adjusted legs provide a flat, secure surface for their rack to rest.
All of us at The Watercraft Journal are very excited to welcome Kool PWC Stuff to the family and look forward to getting to test out their awesome rack and even try our hand at some exciting PWC fishing!
One very close call between a high flying stingray and professional surfer Stephanie Gilmore and her Yamaha FX thankfully resulted in little more than a acrobatics show rather than something far worse.
As reported by The Australian, the altercation was captured during the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro held at Snapper Rocks in Australia’s Gold Coast, cameramen captured the short second-long encounter between the female surfer and the ski’s pilot aboard her tow-in runabout and the stingray.
Gilmore was being pulled out for her quarterfinal showdown at the Roxy Pro when the winged stingray leaped several feet in the air, it’s barbed tail whipping in the air close enough for the rider to raise an arm to shield himself before the stingray dove back down into the water.
Personal watercraft riders have had countless encounters with wildlife while riding. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but this close scrape is a reminder of how to always remain vigilant while riding. You never know what’s going to jump at you.
When discussing the Cargo Wave with Paul Thomas, he explained that the goal behind the Cargo Wave was to develop unmatched durability so that rescue, life support and even military organizations would want to put the Cargo Wave to use. Now, as the seasons finally drift into some suitable riding weather, Cargo Wave has leaked out the next generation of PWC trailers.
In a recent Facebook post, Cargo Wave published a handful of images showing a new design in the development stages: “A little boat building going on today at Cargo Wave. Two new prototype “Dual Hatch” units going together. One unit set up for Commercial – Search and Rescue / Red Cross use, the other dialed in for personal use / marketing. Plans completed already for tooling mods. There will also be a single “Full Access” model as well. Here’s some pics!”
Rest assured, when the new dual hatch Cargo Waves hit the streets, The Watercraft Journal will be one of the first to test it out. Until then, stay tuned!
Today’s top-of-the-line personal watercraft come from the factory performing at such levels that could outpace the craft that competed in the World Finals less than a decade earlier. It’s astounding the rate of progress we’re receiving from “out of the box” runabouts these days. The handling, cornering, acceleration and added amenities of modern runabouts are truly amazing – but that’s not to say that there isn’t room for improvement.
RIVA Racing’s Pro Series steering system not only replaces factory plastic with billet aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel, but improves steering response, stiffness, durability and adjustment.
RIVA Racing’s Sea-Doo RXP-X 260 Pro-Series Steering System is designed as a direct replacement for the factory OEM steering neck and shaft, as well as the handlebars and grips. The system replaces plastic system with a significantly stronger piece providing variable tilt positions, precision feel, and improved dependability.
The replacement steering shaft is constructed of aircraft grade aluminum tubing for maximum strength and rigidity, and stainless steel construction ensures no rusting or discoloring in fresh or salt water. The engineers at RIVA made sure that the hollow steering column would accommodate the OEM wiring harness, tucking away the sensitive wiring. Additionally, the bar clamp accepts any 7/8-inch handlebar or 1 1/8-inch bulge bar.
Altogether, racers and performance lovers have cheered RIVA’s inclusion of the factory “Off Throttle Assisted Steering” system and the adjustable “quick-turn” settings on the billet aluminum steering arm. And as one has come to expect from RIVA, all of the aluminum parts have been anodized to further prevent corrosion.
Installation of the complete Pro Series Steering System took only a couple of hours and required a handful of basic tools. The certified technicians at WMF made short work of the project and you should too. The steps are easy to follow so we made it a point to break them down in an easy-to-follow format:
Step One: When dealing with electronics in any form, always disconnect the battery first. Next, organize yourself to have your tools, lubricants, and instructions from RIVA nearby.Step Two: With an Allen driver or wrench, remove the iTC and iBR control panels from the handlebars.Step Three: Removing your handlebar pad next will allow you access to move the handlebars themselves.Step Four: Accessing the complete steering neck and linkage requires removing the fixed gauge pod bezel.Step Five: Removing the factory steering neck is made easy once you disconnect the steering linkage and feed the factory iTC and iBR loom through it.As a quick comparison, you can see how the RIVA Pro Series steering system is far superior to the plastic factory unit. The Pro Series also allows for quick ratio turning adjustments.Step Six: Because the Pro Series system is designed to be a direct replacement, there is no cutting or modifications required to install the new aluminum neck.Step Seven: RIVA’s engineers thoughtfully designed the new neck to be hollow, allowing for the factory loom to be fed up through just like the factory.Step Nine: The new billet head unit attaches effortlessly to the neck, and allows the use of any 7/8-inch handlebar or 1 1/8-inch bulge bar.Step Ten: With a pair of new ODI grips, the direct replacement RIVA Pro Series Steering System radically changes the look and feel of your RXP-X 260 with only an hour or so’s worth of time.Bonus: Because WMF Watercraft always goes the extra mile, the crew had a custom Athena cover made so adjustments to the aftermarket Athena computer could be made on the fly.
Over the weekend, Yamaha Watercraft USA released a pair of upbeat YouTube videos comparing the all-new Sea-Doo’s Rec Lite Spark watercraft to Yamaha’s decade-plus-year-old VX runabout.
In light of the whimsical tone and lightheartedness in the videos – titled, “Sea-Doo Spark: How Much Does It Really Cost” and “Sea-Doo Spark: How Durable Is It?” – they pose a strong comparison between the new Sea-Doo budget watercraft and their tried and true VX three-seater. In the videos, Yamaha’s host points out the Spark’s polypropylene plastic construction, modular design and pricing structure, and other characteristics that ought send up red flags, according to the clips.
Upon their release on YouTube and immediately thereafter on various social media channels, the court of public opinion took the ball and ran with it. There were plenty who sided with Yamaha’s claims as well as those who voiced concern or displeasure with Sea-Doo’s latest entry, while others challenged the comparison claiming the two models aren’t “apples to apples” and even biting back at Yamaha.
Either way, it’s a bold move for Yamaha. Admittedly, The Watercraft Journal’s review of the Sea-Doo Spark was enthusiastic, but in as much as the lightweight, entry-level craft was used and operated within its limits.
Because of the heated nature of this ongoing debate, we are not taking an official position, but rather would present the two videos and let you make your own decision:
Here’s something you might not have considered: improving your personal watercraft traction mats. It’s literally a Saturday morning project that not only adds some very nice aesthetic beauty to your runabout or standup ski, but also significantly improves your footwell and swimstep traction. It’s one of those “you won’t appreciate it until you do it” sort of things that you just have to take our word for.
Prior to only a few years ago, factory traction mats were thin, slick and often flimsy – that is, of course, if they even had mats! Many runabouts didn’t have mats, but just textured gel coat. No exactly comfy stuff to rest your feet on. That’s why a new foam traction mat kit from HT Premier is such a smart decision.
HT Premier has been around for over 25 years making custom seating and coverings for a variety of motor and powersport vehicles. Owned by Hydro-Turf the biggest name in personal watercraft traction mats and seat covers, HT Premier put together this great little video showing how surprisingly simple and fast a new traction kit can be installed, replacing your faded, cracked and weathered factory kit.
From the “We Promise We’re Not Making This Up” Department, Austrian company E-Volution has introduced what they are calling the “jet ski on wheels” – the Jetflyer. But don’t get your hopes up too high. From what we can see, there’s little to no DNA linking the two.
The single-seater cart seats the driver high off the ground over an electric motor and battery array that touts a 50 mile range on a single hour and a half charge, with a top speed of 30 miles per hour. That’s right. There’s no jet pump further distancing the Jetflyer from its jet ski familiar claim. Rather, the steering console pivots akin to a runabout, but that’s where most of the similarities end.
But before you pass judgement, know that E-Volution has been purportedly “flooded with requests – and are now working round the clock to meet demand.” Company manager Michael Ritt said, “This year we are going to increase production of the Jetflyer up to 700 vehicles, most of which will be going to customers in Switzerland, Spain, Austria, and also with significant numbers going to Germany and Turkey.
“One of the popular things is our promotional offer ‘Move my own vehicle’ where the customer gets to help with the building of the machine by making all the individual requirements that they might need.” The latest numbers state that production of Jetflyer vehicles now will be as high as 1,700 units.
In addition to the Jetflyer, E-Volution offers the Jetflyer Mooove, a customized company vehicle idealized for courier and deliveries, looking much like a four-wheeled Vespa scooter with a pizza delivery rack on the back. Other clients have included golfers, the German Post Office, the Vienna airport and even local firemen.
In yesterday’s news report on Art Burgess training on his amazing $50,000 custom-built freestyle ski, we attributed much of the evolution of the sport of freestyle to the machines themselves. While that might be true, it is slightly disingenuous particularly towards the level of athletes that populate modern jet ski competition.
