Hutchwilco Boat Show - This Weekend
It's that time of year again - the biggest and most popular boat show is setting up for the four day show starting this Thursday. We are expecting the 3 PWC distributors to have their best on display - Yamaha, Seadoo and Kawasaki. It's a good chance to cast your eye over the new models which will be the main sellers from now until Christmas, pick up those brochures and have a read of the lastest features on offer. Also, we are expecting the Lowrance distributor to have their products on display with some exclusive 'boat show' specials - and it's a good chance to go and get some technical advice from the specialists. Show times are 10am - 6pm with an extra few hours on Friday night til 9pm. Check out the show plan on the website to make sure you get your moneys worth.. www.boatshow.co.nz
The Best Event With The Worst Ending
The Australian Watercross Nationals is an event we make the annual trip to Ausi for every year. This year we heard that a professional organiser had taken the reins and the weekend was to be held right in the heart of the Gold Coast, not far from Sea World. The promotion lead up attracted riders from all over the world including a handful of New Zealanders, and riders from Thailand, South Africa, Indonisia and USA.
We would like to congratulate the organisers, Gee Racing and the Australian Jet Sport Boating Association for arranging a magnificent venue where local spectators were easily able to get involved and watch the action. This is not an easy task in this day and age where so much regulation makes it almost economically unviable - such as the hundreds of meters of safety fencing around the shore line for crowd safety. The course was brilliant from the spectator aspect - with the ramps and log jumps for the pole ski's and a long narrow race area meant the riders were never too far out of view from any vantage point on the beach. Put all of this together with the Gold Coast sunshine and the enthusiastic crowd - it doesn't get much better. We managed to click off a few hundred photos, which we have selected a summary of (under the photos page).
The weekend ended in the most tragic way following an accident on the race course on Sunday afternoon, resulting in the loss of Australian rider, Joesph Scaturchio aged 22. An accident on the first turn as the race started left 4 riders in the water and Joesph suffered a heavy impact to his chest causing an rare injury which he could not recover from. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Joesph, and the many people in the industry around the world that this horrific accident has affected.
Westpac Chopper Appeal Now On
http://www.chopperappeal.co.nz/show-your-support
It's that time of year to show your support to one of the operations responsible for saving a lot of lives where there is no other means of rescue. It was only a couple of years ago, the Westpac Chopper rescued South Auckland pole ski rider at the Waikato River after a freak accident left him with a serious head injury. Click on the link above and toss your coins in the kitty - you never know when you might get pay back.
Jetski Shooting Season
The first weekend in May is the best weekend all year to keep your jetski in the garage as Duck Shooting Season begins. Be very afraid of wandering down any of your local rivers and water-ways. Technically Duck Shooting season runs for 3 months but the inital party atmosphere of booze, boats and guns is mostly on the first couple of days.
6 Days, 600 kms - Are You Up For The Challenge?
Jeremy Burfoot is at it again - our greatest jetski adventurer and multi-world-record holder is setting the challenge for jetski owners to participate in an action packed adventure seeing some of New Zealands most amazing scenery by jetski of course! This is an opportunity to be snapped up quickly - Jeremy has extensive long distance riding experience - and will be an excellent guide.
Check the details out via the Melanoma Foundation link - all participants will be donating to skin cancer research.... http://www.melanoma.org.nz/News/Ski-nZ-2013/
Herald Reports "Jetski's Saved Boaties Lives"
Jetskiers in Auckland saved the lives of two men recently who were found to be sinking off Mairangi Bay in a craft which was said by Police Maritime Unit to be too small for them and both men were not wearing life jackets. Now why is it we have PWC registration but nothing for boats??
King Of Jetskifishing #5
Despite the shocking conditions and 35 knot winds, nearly 50 PWCs made it to the start line on the 25th of March to compete for the title - "King Of Jetskifishing". This is the fifth competition Andrew Hill (www.jetskifishing.co.nz) has organised and the first with a pending cancellation last week. But Saturday afternoon it was decided to go ahead with only 14 entrants choosing not to brave the challenge on the day. The weigh in mid afternoon didn't bring out any beasty fish and the ultimate winner came from an average snapper, rewarding its angler Graham Wallace from Tauranga with the new title of King Of Jetskifishing and $1000. There were plenty of smiles as the rest of the $6000 worth of prizes were drawn, and our congratulations to Mark Greenfield for winning the Ski M.D voucher!
Inaugural Jetskifishing Experience Weekend Attracts 28 Jet Ski's
A total of 28 jet ski's arrived on Urupukapuka Island in the Bay Of Islands for two full days of fun and fishing lead by Jetskifishing guru, Andrew Hill. Andrew is expanding his services this year to include exclusive 'Jetskifishing Experience's' for registered members.
A number of great fish were caught with the heaviest being a 19.2kg Kingfish and the largest snapper weighing in at 16.5 lbs. The weather was fantastic and sea conditions perfect, with all participants being a credit to the jetski community by being responsible operators on the water. Everyone stayed the two nights at Otehei Bay where they were fed and watered to overflowing (see links below to view the amazing photos).
Everyone had a fantastic time and the plans are now for this trip to be an annual event, with everyone saying they will be back next time. More informtion will be posted on the www.jetskifishing.co.nz website and see the stunning photos on the jetskifishing Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Jetskifishing/89298411113?sk=photos
Burfoot Teams Up With Yamaha For 2 World Records
Jeremy Burfoot has smashed the 6 hour distance record on the VXR in just 5 hrs 3 mins, AND the 1000 km record in 9 hrs 48 mins. CONGRATULATIONS to Jeremy, the whole team and YAMAHA NZ for achieving two huge records in one day on a naturally aspirated jet ski!!
Images & video for viewing on our Facebook site; search Ski M.D Personal Watercraft
Late last year Jeremy Burfoot announced his new partnership with Yamaha NZ and a date for an attempt at breaking two more Guinness records. Jeremy is known for his 28 day ride around NZ, his attempt to ride from London to Australia and last year his record ride to beat the highest distance ridden on a PWC in 24 hours.
On WEDNESDAY 8th February 2012 at 7am on Lake Karapiro, Jeremy will attempt to break two more Guinness records - the highest distance travelled in 6 hours and the 1000 kms in less than 10 hours. Yamaha have provided Jeremy with two new VXR - their new 1800cc naturally aspirated model in a 'VX'hull - gaining popularity for being extraordinarily quick without the fuel consumption or expenses of a super-charged craft. Jeremy is well aware that both records are going to be a big ask on a naturally aspirated model considering the orginal records were set on super-charged models.
The motivation behind Jeremy's madness is raising health awareness and support for the Melanoma Foundation in the battle to fight skin cancer.
Fishing Vid For Newbies
** Please view Ski M.D notes below for additional safety items.
This awesome little video has some good content but we are adding caution to a few items from personal experience;
Never carry flares on a jetski, I have seen them go off bouncing in storage to the loss of a nice 1999 Seadoo GTX. We suggest a rescue streamer of course available at Ski M.D.
Seadoo craft have closed water cooling systems and therefore no salt water in the engine BUT the exhaust manifold, waterbox and intercoolers on supercharged models all use salt water to cool so you better flush and use Mac's or pay the price of neglect.
Carry an anchor but wrap it up tight and secure it to something or it will smash your storage to bits while in transit.
Fuel economy of the chosen craft is questionable compared to the oppositions offerings (Yamaha FXHO and Kawasaki LX with superior storage and fuel consumption) and all the electric brakes bits and bobs may leave you, as he states, digging out that anchor! Choose a craft, new or used with care and gather all the info you can before spending your money!
The one big one and in the case of being rescued once all that emergency kit has done its job is a "Emergency hose pincher" or a "Main waterline shut off tap" as the situation will go from bad to worse if your craft is towed in due to a failure at sea only to also find you have filled your engine with water while towing it back. Thats a double :-(
Watch our website for more PWC bits and pieces as we dig them up for your information.
Keep an eye on these little videos as the fishing side of jetski usage is sure exciting and gaining popularity in monumental leaps and bounds. Awesome in my books.
North Island Winter Series Axed
For the first time in many, many years the winter racing series in the North Island will not go ahead in 2012. After a couple of years with very poor participation, the NI Winter Series Race Director has announced that all who intended racing this coming winter must put their hand up - with a total of 9 responces - which has lead to this terminal verdict.
Keep Up With The New Stuff
If you haven't done so already, put a 'LIKE' on the Ski M.D Face Book page and get first look at the new gear, accessories and parts which arrive weekly. Also reminders about events and all general jetski stuff. https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ski-MD-Personal-Watercraft/107312877672
Ski MD Catalogue -264 Pages Of PWC Parts!!
The latest parts/accessories catalogue is available from the shop or viewing online - displaying 264 pages of the most popular jetski parts and accessories available world wide. This catalogue is essential viewing if you love to modify your jet ski or have an older ski that just needs a bit of a make-over. The first 67 pages are dedicated to late model 4 strokes (Kawa/Yam/SD) and all the latest or most common 'go faster' parts. The catalogue is available in store now for viewing or view in the comfort of your home http://www.hotproductsusa.com/Catalog.cfm
Send your selected part number/s for pricing to orders@skimd.co.nz Orders are arriving every few weeks so we can now offer fantastic service for PWC parts in NZ.
Kawasaki 300HP In Production - Check This Out!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi4ejb1Y2BQ&feature=related
The first of the Kawasaki 300X's are now on the water dominating the race scene and proving very successful as a jetski fishing platform. View the photos of the 300X in action at the recent racing around the North Island on our 'Photos' page.
2012 Kawasaki 300X - now in stock at your local dealer.
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