2018 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO – Long Haul Ep. 27

It’s pretty much identical to Yamaha’s performance-minded VXR, so why is the VX Cruiser HO priced $600 less? Frankly, we have no idea because we think it’s got more bells-and-whistles from what you’d expect from such a budget-priced runabout. It’s a fun, zippy performer that’s both stable and sporty – so what’s there not to […]

2017 Yamaha EX Deluxe WaveRunner – Long Haul Episode 13

Not content to simply build “their version of a Spark,” Yamaha WaveRunners designed a completely unique 3-seater runabout to compete in the ever-growing Rec Lite segment. The new EX series is light, playful and smart, and yet retains a lot of Yamaha’s standards in reliability and longevity. The Watercraft Journal reviews the top-of-the-line EX, the […]

Touring Tims Ford Lake With MTPWC – Long Haul Ep. 9

The Watercraft Journal joins the Middle Tennessee Personal Watercraft Club for a great day of riding the historic Tims Ford Lake and Reservoir in South Central Tennessee. Aboard a brand-new 2017 Sea-Doo GTR-X 230 (equipped with a Kool PWC Stuff cooler rack and Rotopax gas cans), we explore caves, cliff faces, sunken groves of trees […]

RIVA Racing’s Stage 1 Kit-Equipped 2017 Yamaha EX Deluxe – Long Haul Ep. 6

The Watercraft Journal test rides RIVA Racing’s all-new Stage 1 Kit-equipped 2017 Yamaha EX Deluxe WaveRunner. The newly minted Stage 1 Kit is without handling components, solely performance adders and turns this little rec rider into a super-fun go kart. Here’s a complete list of parts: RIVA MaptunerX Yamaha TR-1 Bundle RIVA Yamaha EX Power […]

2018 Greenhulk Mudbug – Long Haul Ep. 29

It’s one of the best and biggest personal watercraft events in the Southeast, and it’s our fourth time attending so of course we’d make our trip to the 2018 Mudbug an episode of “Long Haul!” We brought with us two of the most exciting personal watercraft in the marketplace today, the 2018 Yamaha GP1800 WaveRunner […]

A Swinging Time on Smith Lake Dam With The Aquaholics – Long Haul Ep. 11

The Watercraft Journal joins Alabama/Mississippi riding club, The Aquaholics for an awesome weekend of riding around the pristine Lewis-Smith Lake, dam and reservoir in northern Alabama. Again we charge along on our new 2017 Sea-Doo GTR-X 230, were we ride through a handful of waterfalls, explore caves, eye-over a few mansions, jump from cliff faces, […]

Three States Around on The MTPWC Ironman Ride – Long Haul Ep. 12

The Watercraft Journal racks up over 450 miles as it joins the Middle Tennessee Personal Watercraft Club on its annual Ironman ride. Last year they racked up over 200 miles in one day; but this time they spread it over 3 days and well over double the previous mileage. Aboard our trusty 2017 Sea-Doo GTR-X […]

Cruising 90 Miles On The Cumberland – Long Haul Ep. 4

On this episode of Long Haul, The Watercraft Journal’s Kevin Shaw takes us on a 90-plus-mile ride from Ashland City, Tennessee, down the famous Cumberland River (once canoed by frontiersmen and fur trappers, and even paddled by American folk hero Davy Crockett), into the middle of scenic downtown “Music City” itself: Nashville, Tennessee – all […]

JC Racing ’17 Kawasaki SX-R 1500 Mid-Sponsons Install & Test – Long Haul Episode 14

There’s no doubt that the Kawasaki SX-R 1500 is one of the most polarizing machines new for the 2017 model year – and racers and recreational riders alike are coming around the big standup. We’ve had one in our possession for a while now and we’re still getting familiar with everything this ski can do. […]

Behind The Scenes of The 2018 Skyway Ski Show – Long Haul Episode 24

It happens every year (for the past 6 years now), and The Watercraft Journal was on the beach with camera in hand to record a little behind-the-scenes action of the annual Watercraft Superstore Skyway Ski Show. Unfortunately, super strong winds muffled out ALL of our audio, but we thankfully were able to scribble down a […]