Let the big dog eat R&D Yamaha FZR Pro Series Ride Plate - £200 The R&D Yamaha FZR Pro Series Ride Plate was developed using many of R&D’s race proven concepts that have powered Factory Yamaha Race Teams multiple Pro Open World Championships. The new R&D FZR Adjustable Ride Plate delivers a balance of increased top speed performance, improved cornering capabilities, and superb straight-line stability. The new adjustable design uses kit supplied shims to fine tune the performance for a perfect balance of speed/handling for rider weight or water conditions from drag to surf. Increased top speed performance up to three miles-per-hour over stock and compromises nothing when turned loose in rough water conditions. “Let the big dog eat,” as they say - the R&D plate loves rough water! The design uses the vital OEM hull protection stainless steel pads, which safely disperse the pressure loads from the ride plate over a larger area on the hull. The new R&D FZR Adjustable Pro Series Ride Plate will meet the demands in performance whether being used for weekend recreational riding, closed course racing, surf, or offshore competition. Used exclusively by Chris MacClugage to dominate the 09’ APBA Pro Stock Runabout National Championship. Made in the USA from cast aluminum and powder coated for corrosion resistance.
www.lineonedist.co.uk / 01285 713888
Ruck it to me Jansport Essence rucksack - £45 This bag is rugged enough for a good rough and tumble. Lugging heavy riding gear around is no big deal with this bag’s double padded shoulder straps. And it has all the technical features that you’d expect (laptop case, padded base protection, vertical front pocket, mesh pocket for easy access) and a good amount of space too. Pack it!
www.jansport.com
Wear a buffalo Burton Buffalo hat - £35 Ear flaps are an enormous welcome as the long cold winter beckons. But why let Jack Frost rape your ears with his icy wick? This hat has style and comfort in abundance. Ice man’s face not included.
www.burton.com
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WANT YOUR COOL STUFF FEATURED HERE? EMAIL SPICER@JETSKIER.CO.UK
High octane ATP high-octane fuel line - £3.45 per metre Translucent and flexible, this fuel line from Air Time Products will withstand extreme temperatures (-65oF to 223oF) without deterioration. It installs easily with scissors and clamps or ties, comes in a cool range of colours, while also being able to see the fuel/ water flow. They can be used with all fuels, including high-octane racing fuel, alcohol and nitro. The lines are flexible and can bend and curve up to 90 degrees in 2” without loss of flow, while also being strong, tough, and kink and abrasion resistant. ATP claims the lines will not harden or crack even under extreme pressure. A matching translucent waterline is also available with the same spec.
www.airtimeproducts.co.uk / 01491 839100
The Good Life Burton Cardi - £70 Ok, so Felicity Kendal may be getting on a bit now, but back in the day . . . So on the off chance that your neighbours are anything like Tom and Barbara, you’re going need to invest in some serious knitwear if you’ve got any chance of ‘getting in her garden’. And a cool cardigan like this from Burton is going to have her marigolds blossoming in no time.
www.burton.com
Show your identity Jet Pilot hoodies ‘Fives’ and ‘Monarchy’ - £60 It’s getting cold out there, there’s no two ways about it. Lucky for you lot Jet Pilot has got a wicked range of hoodies to keep you warm. The ‘Fives’ hoody is black with a strong Jet Pilot logo emblazoned across the chest, defining you as a jet skier. The second design is the ‘Monarchy’, with the classic JP emblem with a crown on it one side, then with a crown print all over it. Both tops are 100% Cotton with double lined hoods, and sewn-down front pockets. A ladies O.G. hoody is also available.
N & C Jet Ski 0151 691 0006 / www.ncjetski.co.uk
Team Beanie Kawasaki Unisex Beanie Hat - £14 Essential paddock wear featuring Team Green logos inside and out, so you can show your colours both on and off the lake. Wear it rolled up or pulled right down over the ears. One size fits all.
N & C Jet Ski 0151 691 0006 / www.ncjetski.co.uk Sell your ski now at www.jetskier.co.uk
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Tow Toys Guide
Last month we looked at towing with your personal watercraft. We skimmed the surface of the many available wakeboards and waterskis. This month we take a look at a much simpler way to tow your friends and family. Blow them up, tie them on, and hang on for dear life - to tow toys.
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or those who don’t fancy the hard work associated with learning a discipline such as wakeboarding, or those who want to drag large groups of their friends around a lake, this could be your answer. Inflatables, tubes, tow toys - call them what you like. From the simple ringos or donuts (pretty much a modern take on a truck inner tube), to the wild and complex, multi-seated spaceship-like craft that you can ride on or in. Ideally, towing should take place with a three-seater PW. With a seat for driver, spotter and tow toy rider - should they need to come on board. Of course this will not be possible for the toys with more than one seat but a rider and spotter are essential. Recent PWs are more than up to the job of towing, but not everywhere allows towing and some locations do have specific times, areas and rules.
1 Yamaha Funtube
Some other key points to take note of as you hurtle round the lake . . . Tow toys are basically air wrapped up in some material. They have advisory speed restrictions for a reason. When cornering watch out for the whip. Yes, it’s great to see your friends’ faces as their eyes bulge from the G-forces as the tube accelerates, but be aware of what’s around you at all times and keep a good distance from other craft and particularly the bank. Doing a search on You Tube for videos of tow toys will give you a good idea of what not to do. Towing is great fun for both ‘tow-er’ and ‘towee’. It’s not expensive for a simple tube and so long as you have plenty of space, little more is required than a firm grip and trust in the PW driver. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
2 Jobe Boomerang Rider Capacity: 1 Size: 221cm x 406cm / 87” x 160” Features: Full nylon cover / heavy duty PVC, three comfortable neoprene pads, six EVA foam soft-grip handles with neoprene knuckle guards, five air chambers, separate moving half pipe air chambers, seven water drains and covered speed valves, and a quick connector.
Rider Capacity: 1 Size: 137cm / 54” Features: Heavy-duty PVC inner with welded seam, four deluxe handles with neoprene knuckle guards, Boston valve for quick inflation and deflation, double-stitched nylon cover, internal tow harness, and drain floor
RRP £179.95 www.jobesports.com
RRP £69.99
www.yamaha-motor.co.uk/accessories 3 O’Brien Le Tube Deluxe Rider Capacity: 1 Size: 142cm / 56” Features: PVC bladder with 840-denier nylon cover Four handles with EVA knuckle guards Quick-connect harness with single center towing 1 Boston Valve for Easy Inflation/Deflation
RRP £89.99
www.actionwatersports.co.uk
4 Yamaha Meteor Rider Capacity: 1 Size: 137cm x 89cm / 54” x 35” Features: Heavy-duty nylon cover, two deluxe handles with neoprene knuckle guards, Boston valve for quick inflation and deflation, internal tow harness, an a repair kit included.
RRP £69.99 www.yamaha-motor.co.uk/ accessories
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tow toys guide 5 O’Brien Tangent Rider Capacity: 1 Size: 142cm / 72” Features: 30 gauge PVC bladder with 840-denier nylon cover, six handles with EVA knuckle guards, one Boston valve for easy inflation and deflation, and one bottom drain.
RRP £239.99 www.actionwatersports.co.uk
6 Jobe Hotseat Rider Capacity: 1 Size: 152cm / 58” Features: Full nylon cover, heavy duty PVC, four EVA foam soft-grip handles with neoprene knuckle guards, one air chamber, water drain, covered Boston valve, buoyancy chamber, and a handy quick connector.
RRP £99.99 www.jobesports.com
7 Yamaha Capsule Rider Capacity: 1 Size: 170cm x 129cm / 67” x 51” Features: Fully covered nylon tube, two deluxe handles with neoprene knuckle guards, Boston valve for quick inflation and deflation, three air chambers, heavy-duty PVC inner with welded seams, water drains and equipped with a Boston valve.
8 O’Brien Wake Warrior II Rider Capacity: 2 Size: 188cm x 178cm / 74” X 70” Features: 31 gauge PVC / 24 gauge backrest and seat, fully covered nylon, backrest, one bottom drain, one Boston valve, four economy valves, and four handles with EVA Knuckle Guards
RRP £219.99 www.actionwatersports. co.uk
RRP £139.99 www.yamaha-motor.co.uk/accessories
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With the push of a button, air ballasts in the hull deflate, causing the Scubacraft to submerge slowly - turning it into an underwater flying machine
Scubacraft First look at a revolutionary new watercraft capable of rapid surface performance combined with the ability to operate while fully submerged underwater. Spicer introduces the Scubacraft.
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f this doesn’t get James Bond warm in his Y-fronts then I’m a monkey’s uncle! The Scubacraft is an entirely different kind of personal watercraft, featuring technology that allows it to transform from a boat, into a submersible underwater vessel in minutes.
ON THE SURFACE Looking something like a cross between a Thundercat and a small jet boat, the Scubacraft is a twin-hull boat with air cushions fitted inside the twin
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tubes of the hull, to give it buoyancy while on the surface. Measuring 4.5 metres long by two metres wide, it is slightly longer than a personal watercraft, and can hold a driver plus two passengers comfortably. Boasting good low and high-speed stability, Scubacraft is built from strong but light composite materials. Powered by a 160hp engine, it translates power to thrust using a jet pump, making it manoeuvrable on the plane and capable of speeds of over 50mph. The Scubacraft weighs 400kg, roughly
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the same as a regular PW (the Sea-Doo RXT iS weighs 430kg), so has a decent power-to-weight ratio and is said to deliver blistering acceleration. At top speeds, the company says it has dynamic lift because it is jet powered and rides on air cushions.
SUBMERGED Onto the exciting bit . . . With the push of a button, the Scubacraft deflates the air ballasts within the hull, slowly sinking the vessel and transforming it into an underwater, hydrodynamic flying machine.
new craft special - scubacraft
The jet powered Scubacraft is highly manoeuvrable on the plane
“How do I not drown?” might be a question on your mind right now. Well, unlike a submarine, there is no watertight area or sealed cockpit for the driver and passengers. Instead, it is fitted with SCUBA equipment, with oxygen tanks and regulators (breathing apparatus) for breathing underwater. There are enough regulators for the three passengers, with an onboard air supply and reserves. It is reassuring to hear that the Scubacraft has automated depth control (ADC), so that you cannot accelerate your negative or positive buoyancy (go down or up too quickly). This means that you will have time to equalize when descending, and that you are unable to ascend too quickly. Important, as a quick decrease of pressure during ascent is dangerous and can result in decompression sickness. While sunken, four electric thrusters located respectively on the sides - at the front and rear - power it to speeds of up to 5-knots. Controls are said to be ‘intuitive’ and from the images, it appears to have a steering wheel and various other buttons. Lithium batteries power the electric thrusters, which allow it to dive down to depths of up to 30-metres. Meeting James Bond’s high standards, it also has an onboard GPS and a dive computer so that you can measure your depth and time underwater. And the Scubacraft is capable of multiple dives in any one session. The Scubacraft is capable of over 50mph on the surface and around 5-knots while submerged
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OVERVIEW We do have some questions, such as, will you need to have any diving experience or PADI qualifications to operate a Scubacraft? Also, the primary reason for diving is usually to observe underwater life. This looks like a hell of a lot of fun but would a huge yellow thing with whirring propellers not frighten off the fish? We would hope that its performance while submerged is relatively quiet. Currently, the company is in the process of completing an extensive testing program on the three-man model (pictured) and also a six-man version, which will result in Scubacraft meeting international certification. The company claims that safety and reliability are paramount to the development of this craft. Scubacraft will be available to buy towards the end of 2010. The price tag is a cool £100,000. Order books are now open. www.scubacraft.com / 08450 563863
SCUBACRAFT SPECIFICATION Capacity Engine type
3 persons 4 stroke, inline 4 cylinder DOHC Maximum power 160hp naturally aspirated Range 100 miles Surface performance 50 mph Weight 400 Kg Maximum depth 30 meters standard (50 meters optional) Overall length 4.5 meters Overall width 2.1 meters Overall height 1.8 meters
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Momentarily unveiled at Havasu during a recent testing session, Rick Roy’s all new sports craft made its world debut. We take an unofficial look at the Rickter RC1.
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uring a brief test ride at Body Beach in Lake Havasu city, Rick Roy took his all new sports craft out for a spin. Looking something like a Kawasaki X2, in size and with a small seat, yet more ergonomic and definitely more modern in its styling. The design is almost reminiscent of HSR-Benelli – angular and aggressive looking – with black, red, and white livery and a smooth grey seat and knee padding. Comparisons have been drawn to the Yamaha Blaster 1 and the X2. In length it is akin to a Superjet, and it is also quite narrow, like a Superjet. There is speculation that the hull is of a similar design to the Hydrospace S8, with an original RRP top deck design. While
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seated on it, Rick Roy’s legs curve with the shape of the craft, so you are always in a low racing position, with feet planted - ready to stand. And as with most sports craft, the usual riding position is standing.The Rickter RC1 is fitted with a shortened RRP handlepole, which is unusual for a craft of this nature. When you look at a Blaster or X2 they have fixed handlebars, like a motocross bike, and JS&PW is wondering what the advantage of having a moving pole on a sports craft is. Presumably it is to allow the rider the choice to actually sit down, as you wouldn’t really do on an X2, and stand up so the pole rises with you. It would also allow boarding and starting the craft easier because the bars are lower to the waterline – making it simpler to reboard and get going after a fall. As
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opposed to the tricky Blaster and X2, where you need a good technique, luck and the wind behind you! Speculation on the engine has suggested that the RC1 was powered by a 701cc engine that was bored to 780cc, although no official technical specifications had been released at the time of going to press. Onlookers said: “The handling and speed look great,” and, “it handles like a sports bike”. First hand observations from bystander Lisa, said: “We had ridden over from practice at Crazy Beach to see if anything interesting was going on at Body Beach. When we rolled up to the beach I saw a guy railing around on what appeared to be a black Superjet, but it initially looked like he was riding on his knees. Then I noticed it was Rick Roy...he bobbled and
new craft special - RICKTER RC1
lost his Croc clogs (yes...we was actually riding in those!) That’s when I said, “is that Rick?!” He just grinned from ear to ear and continued giving us a neat little demo of his newest invention.” “Rick said it was one of his custom RR hulls with simply a super small seat. It looked like it came off a pocket road bike, and had a very short RRP handlepole set to a very stiff pivot point threshold. I tried to raise it and it barely budged. It reminds me a lot of a fixed handlepole Superjet I saw at the Daytona Beach freeride a
couple of years ago . . . but man, the fit and finish on Rick’s new toy is impeccable.” The new Rickter RC1 certainly looks exciting and has really got people talking. Questions are already being asked over what the price tag is likely to be. Everyone would hope that it will be within reach, but with something as unique as this and without a wide-ranging dealer network, which major manufacturers such as
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Yamaha and Sea-Doo have in place, who knows what it will retail at by the time it reaches the UK. An official announcement about the RC1 was expected in the week subsequent to this issue of Jet Skier&PW going to print. Watch this space and JS&PW will bring you the latest information as soon as we know more.
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Venom
A new company – Venom Design – has started customizing personal watercraft with an ultra luxury finish. Spicer catches up with the team.
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irector of Venom Design, Harvey Stephens, and business partner Charlie Fennell came up with the idea to customise personal watercraft and boats in 2008 when they noticed that the car industry was streets ahead in designs and innovation, with companies such as AMG, Overfinch, and Jembella growing at a phenomenal rate. With motorboats moving away from traditional colours and design, Venom believed that there was also a niche market in designing bespoke watercraft. Travelling lots, the team saw numerous super yachts with bright yellow and green personal watercraft on the back, and decided that this was completely out of
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Chromo paint gives the Sea-Doo a luxury finish
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new craft special - VENOM
Complete with mobile phone . . .
The RXT iS 255 with full deck suspension - now with chromo paint . . . and Garmin sat-nav
place when everything else was following a simple colour scheme. And it is the owners of these boats, along with those with a discernible taste for the finer skis in life, that Venom is aiming at. The aim is not to build faster or more powerful machines but to create something individual at the luxury end of the market. The watercraft model used as the base for the Venom customisation is the Sea-Doo RXT iS 255. Adding to an already impressive selection of gadgets that come as stock on this model, the Venom team re-spray the Sea-Doo in chrome, re-upholster the seats with black diamond tough grip (with the Venom skull logo), add lighting, a top of the range mobile phone system, an iPod dock and waterproof speakers, and a Garmin satellite navigation system. After much research, Venom set up a workshop in Miami and built two prototypes then, due to warranty issues, they also founded a British workshop. Venom is a UK-based company although the work they do is split between Britain and Florida. Stephens says: “We have
Waterproof speakers with iPod dock inside glove compartment
chosen the new Sea-Doo as our donor unit as we feel it is the best available product on the market with its build quality plus innovations such as a brake, reverse, suspension and the new hull. Our motto is ‘making the best better’, and we show people that we are capable of this by adding new colour, sat nav, a phone, lighting and an iPod music system. All of which is completely waterproof.” There are several new designs being developed at the moment, which eventually will create a whole range of Venom watercraft. Official prices have not yet been released, as the company are in negotiations with a major retailer, but a ball park figure will be around double the price of the new Sea-Doo - depending on the level of modification required - to the onboard stereo, phones, and mood lighting. Not cheap but as you can see, these watercraft are pretty special.
Black diamond highgrip seat covers
www.venom-design.com
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