PWC DIGEST
IS BLUEWATER TAKING CREDIT?
Don’t think that the Bluewater Network has faded into the background now that the organization’s efforts to keep PWC out of the national parks is proving to be a losing battle. In a recent news release, the San Fransisco-based Bluewater noted the departure of Polaris Industries from the PWC industry, and included the comment that PWC sales have been in a “freefall” since 1996, the very same year that Bluewater came into existence.
Guess they haven’t read the news of the market’s stabilization in recent years, nor the actual uptick in recent sales.
While we’re on the subject of Bluewater, dealers and any other interested parties would be wise to occasionally look at the association’s Web site, bluewaternetwork.org.
The group continues to portray PWC as “thrillcraft,” and ignores the great strides made by the industry, and the incredible popularity of new four-stroke models. Recent court victories for PWC may have made the organization seem like much less of a threat to personal watercraft access, but their efforts are ongoing.
PROFESSIONAL RACING TOUR IN 2005?
Professional-caliber racing may have been on the backburner in 2004, at least in the United States, but that all changed this month as racers and fans descended upon the familiar confines of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., for the IJSBA World Finals. Whether any tour appears in 2005 is uncertain, but it sure was good to see racing action once again on U.S. waters, and featuring the stars of the sport. Congratulations to the racers…and the IJSBA…for pulling it all off. And please, give us some good news for next year.
