With enough time cruising the water on a personal watercraft, even the most skilled rider is bound to rack up his or her fair share of scrapes and cracks over time. While a little bit of “breaking in” never hurt anybody, over the years, those scrapes and cracks can turn into actual hull damage, resulting in drag while you ride, and some major eyesores.

If, like many, the high costs of professional repairs make you think twice about ever addressing the fractures in your PWC, don’t worry, K-Speed offers an easy DIY repair solution that doesn’t mean cruising with a wad of duct tape on your hull!

MagicEzy’s watercraft repair sealants offer an economical, effective way to repair cracks and gouges of any kind. Their MagicEzy Hairline Fix is a colored sealant aimed at addressing spider cracks and hairline fractures in a matter of seconds, providing a smooth, glossy finish and preventing cracks from spreading. Their product requires no mixing or prep work and works great on fiberglass, plastic, and aluminum PWCs!

Five steps: Clean, Prime, Fill, Finish and Polish. It’s as easy as that.

Beyond that, though, the MagicEzy line of products can address significantly deeper damages.  

Check out the MagicEzy Hairline Fix from K-Speed, and their full video tutorial now!

There are people that are well-known in the PWC race family.  There are people that are popular, well thought-of and appreciated in the PWC industry. There are people that have contributed countless hours and untold effort to support, grow and promote the PWC community.

And then there is Mikey Young – who is all of those, and more. 

And now, Mikey Young could use a return of some of that blood, sweat, tears, energy, emotion and yes, cold hard cash. 

As many have heard, Young’s wife, Carrie, is facing medical battles right now, and the Young family needs the support of those in the PWC world – whether it is financial assistance, well wishes, prayers, organizing fundraising efforts, or other methods of giving back to someone who has poured so much of their life into this sport. 

A Go Fund Me page has been created to help the Young family with medical bills, and efforts are underway in the community to find other ways to support Mikey and Carrie.

Below is more detailed information, as provided on the Go Fund Me page and put together by Jan DeProspero of the PWC Racing Family Facebook page, with additional information about the medical challenges Carrie is facing, and about the Go Fund Me account. 

Dear Race Family,

I reach out to each of you with a heavy heart as we stand in solidarity during a challenging time for the Young family. Mikey’s wife, Carrie, has been courageously battling in the ICU for the past eight days, striving to recover from a severe illness. Initially admitted due to an inflamed pancreas, Carrie’s condition worsened into sepsis, resulting in complications that have impacted her kidneys, gallbladder, and other vital organs. Regrettably, doctors have informed us that Carrie will require permanent dialysis, with concerns lingering about sepsis affecting her bloodstream.

Many of you have expressed a heartfelt desire to help and without sharing the private details, Carrie’s medical bills continue to mount substantially and with the absence of medical insurance you can well imagine the strain the Young family is facing financially. Mikey has exhausted their savings in his unwavering commitment to Carrie’s recovery.

So, I humbly ask that we do what we do best – to come together as a family and surround them with love, support, and unwavering belief in Carrie’s healing journey. Let us unite in prayer, lifting up Carrie and the entire Young family, asking for strength, comfort, and healing. May each word of encouragement and every act of kindness serve as a ray of hope for Carrie, Mikey, and their loved ones. In this time of need, let us offer whatever assistance we can, knowing that together, we can lighten their burden and uplift their spirits.

Father, we lift up Carrie and the Young Family in prayer, asking for your blessing upon the hands and hearts of the medical team attending to her. Grant them wisdom, skill, and compassion in their care. Strengthen Mikey, Carrie, and the entire family, guiding them through this trying journey. May they continue to feel your presence and the outpouring of love and support from our community. While Carrie is unable to speak presently may she hear every encouraging word of prayer and feel every loving touch…….

If you would like to contribute, you can do so via this Go Fund Me page. Perhaps we can also organize an auction with the proceeds going to the Young family. I ask that you PLEASE SHARE THIS POST SO WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT QUICKLY

If you live in or have visited Europe, you’ve probably heard of a CE certification. If you’re considering moving here, or doing any watersports in the area for that matter, you’ll definitely want to make sure this important regulation is on your radar.

The CE Certification is a requirement for all recreational boats, yachts, and personal watercraft that are either sold or operating in European Union waters. Set up as a means to evaluate a boat’s seaworthiness, the CE certification has been around since 1998 and is used throughout the European Union to regulate where and when watercraft can travel.

The European Commission can give boats a ranking between A-D, based on a variety of factors including construction strength, stability, reserve buoyancy, and deck drainage. For reference, Category D watercraft are only permitted inland or within sheltered waters and to operate under winds up to force 4 (16 knots). Category A watercraft, on the other hand, are cleared to travel long voyages out into oceans, with winds over 40 knots and significant weather conditions/wave height.

Each boat is assessed independently, but in general, smaller PWCs fall within the C and D categories, limiting them to coastal and inland operations. While these limitations can be frustrating for some, there’s a good argument to be made for the importance of these tight regulations.

boatsales.com.au recently ran a piece on the unexpected sinkings of a large motor yacht off the country’s coast, and one of the findings of the coroner was that implementing a CE type system would provide greater security and accountability for watercraft regulated by Australian authorities. Offering a standard by which PWC owners and manufacturers can be held to may be one of the more effective ways to prevent such tragedies.

Of note: if you’re planning on importing an internationally manufactured PWC into Europe, it’s important to seek out an EU notified body to receive an officially recognized certification.

To find out what your PWC is rated, check out the International Marine Certification Institute website.

Whether you own shorefront property, a marina, or even a dock, finding the proper space to store and launch your personal watercraft can be a challenge. Steep shorelines, sea walls, or space limits can restrict a PWC owner’s ability to easily launch his or her craft out onto the body of water. That’s not just a capacity limit… it’s a fun reduction!

Luckily, Capria S.A.’s PWC launcher offers a nifty solution to this struggle. Their state-of-the-art launching system allows you to easily move your PWC from on-land storage to the water. All you have to do is place your PWC in a cradle system, which then can be used to lower it into the water or raise it into storage in as little as five to fifteen seconds! The launcher allows for maximal flexibility as well, with angles ranging between 20° and 90° and a maximum distance of 100 feet, making it extra useful in areas with significant tide fluctuations.

With over 50 years of experience manufacturing precision heavy machinery, and more than 20 years working with marina systems, Capria offers a secure and reliable solution to your PWC launching needs. See the full press release below:

Many marina owners know they can generate a modest income stream through daily personal watercraft (PWC) launch fees. More are discovering the real money is in drystack storage.

An all-electric PWC Launcher from CAPRIA S.A. is easy to add to any small, unused portion of waterfront—whether it’s a steep embankment, concrete seawall or second-story structure. The opportunity to increase customer satisfaction and owner revenue is now in place.

Perfect for incorporating into a new or existing drystack operation, CAPRIA PWC Launchers are CE-marked and built to ISO 9001 standards. They’re manufactured to accommodate virtually any location. Vertical travel can reach up to 100′ with angles between 20° and 90°. This makes the machinery especially practical for marinas with extreme tidal fluctuations.

Operationally, it’s no different from a standard drystack business. Owners contact the marina to book a pickup time. PWCs up to 1,500 lbs. are loaded onto the PWC Launchers using a CAPRIA semi-automated Stacker Crane or forklift. Then, it’s a mere five to 15 seconds until it’s in the water.

CAPRIA S.A. has manufactured precision heavy machinery for over 50 years, including marine systems for over 20 years. With low-cost drystack installations around the world, it has a proven record of solidly improving profits for its customers.

Contact CAPRIA S.A., Haendel 32, Centro Industrial Garin, CP 1619 Garin, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone: +54 3327 414470; [email protected]; www.thestackermachinery.com.

Last weekend was the 20th annual Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300, the world’s longest continual PWC race. Dozens of participants took to the water to race across a 10-mile loop encompassing Lake Havasu, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Among the athletes were several piloting Yamaha WaveRunners who snagged some impressive placing when the race was called shortly after the 4-hour mark.

Among those were Mike Neumann and Bill Austin brought home a victory in the Manufacturers Stock class aboard a unmodified GP1800R SVHO proving the potency of the factory-stock Yamaha. Other Yamaha wins came from Craig Kelling and Andreas Kubatzki who grabbed second in modified Runabout Vet Master Open class, and Jamal Reyes and Juan Lezcano earned second in the Runabout 1100 Stock class.

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA celebrated the turnout of top tier WaveRunner racers in a Facebook post stating the following:
In a stirring display of skill, endurance, and product reliability, Yamaha riders Mike Neumann and Bill Austin clinched victory in the prestigious Manufacturers Stock class at the 20th Anniversary Mark Hahn 300 Personal Watercraft (PWC) endurance race, held on February 24 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

In addition to the win in the Manufacturers Stock class, Yamaha riders Jamal Reyes and Juan Lezcano finished second in the Runabout 1100 Stock class, followed by Yamaha rider Arnold Martinez, who finished third.

Yamaha pro riders Tory Snyder and Christopher Landis finished third in the modified Pro/Am Four-Stroke Open class. Yamaha riders Craig Kelling and Andreas Kubatzki finished second in the modified Runabout Vet Master Open class.

The victory in the Manufacturer’s Stock class is particularly noteworthy. This class is designed to showcase the out-of-the-box performance and reliability of PWCs, directly comparing manufacturers’ products under the most demanding conditions. Unlike modified types, where extensive tweaks and enhancements are the norms, the Manufacturers Stock class requires competitors to race on watercraft as close as possible to what consumers can purchase from dealers. This means that the victory is not just a testament to the riders’ skill and determination but also the superior design, engineering, and reliability of Yamaha WaveRunners®.

“We are thrilled with Mike and Bill’s victory at the Mark Hahn 300. It’s a testament to their hard work and the unmatched performance and reliability of our WaveRunners,” said Yamaha WaveRunner Racing manager Bryce Parker. “Winning the Manufacturers Stock class is particularly meaningful to us because it reflects the real-world capabilities of our watercraft. We believe it’s essential for our customers to know they are purchasing some of the most reliable and high-performing products on the market.”

The Mark Hahn 300, known as the longest continuous PWC race in the world, challenges teams to complete 300 miles on the waters of Lake Havasu. This grueling test of endurance, strategy, and equipment draws competitors from around the globe, making it a benchmark event in the PWC racing calendar.