Ride Stand Ups : You’ve had quite a career in the watercraft industry and racing scene; what made you choose racing stand ups and what is your greatest riding accomplishment? 
Chris Hagest: Racing came naturally to me, 1992 was my first year. I spent 2 years in Novice, 3 more in Expert and then went Pro in 1997, back down to Expert in 2012. Currently, I consider myself an amateur. My favorite accomplishment has to be always coming from the back of the pack and winning. I did that a lot. I think my all-time favorite trophy is winning Novice slalom at the 93 world finals. 

Ride Stand Ups : What inspired you to build your own custom hull and handling parts at Pro Watercraft Racing?
Chris Hagest:  I’ve always had the desire to develop the PWC. Since I started racing I always was confused about how one turn was perfect and the next was so not. When I met Kanamori he became my inspiration, I owe a lot to him and I loved my job at Kawasaki for many years. The ProForce is not a slight spin-off of another model. I worked almost every angle to improve the interaction with the rider and the water. I wanted it to be the best possible in my mind. 

Ride Stand Ups : What problems have you faced and overcome in this industry, and what do you do outside of skis? 
Chris Hagest: Finding the right balance, struggling with time invested and financial support. It was a very challenging 3 years. No time for other hobbies, family, and work, this is my current life. I love it. 

Ride Stand Ups : How is today’s jet ski scene different from years ago? 
Chris Hagest: So much has changed hard to list it all. What I can say is those that love the sport are the ones that are still here. 

Ride Stand Ups : Is there anything you would like to see done differently/add to in the current ski industry/racing world? 
Chris Hagest: Yes, for sure more respect for the riders. The effort put into a Pro racing program vs. the return is not balanced. The organizers could put more effort into highlighting the winners. I think this could just benefit all involved. 

Ride Stand Ups : Who is your greatest role model? 
Chris Hagest: Do I have to have just one? Jacob for style, Macc for grit, Rius for being French, Rob Flores for finally hanging it up. Just joking overall there’s no better role model than my wife. 

Ride Stand Ups : Chris, thank you so much for your time! A bonus question here for the readers: what advice would you give to other racers and people learning to ride? 
Chris Hagest: Follow chixwithtrix! Hang out with those that make you smile a lot of good times come from this. 

The post Interview: Chris Hagest of Pro Watercraft Racing appeared first on Stand Up Jet Ski.

This is the first ever coverage of a ProForce 2.0 build, so glad you are here to follow along as the project progresses.

Chris Hagest at Pro Watercraft Racing has put in countless hours, research, and detail into developing a completely new aftermarket racing stand up jet ski hull. That effort shows in the quality carbon & fiberglass work, how accurately everything lines up, and most importantly – how the ski performs on the race course.

This ProForce 2.0 features:
Full carbon fiber build with a visual carbon center
Bottom hull formed for Kawasaki 1500cc four stroke power plant
Medium metal flake paint
Custom Jettrim mats
Optional rear fuel tank
Front F1 inspired bumper
Ultra handlepole
Dual exit exhaust

Take a sneak peek at this ProForce 2.0 as it comes together at Chris’s shop in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Yep – that is right – hand made in the good ‘ol USA!

Stay tuned for future parts of this build, she is a beauty!

The post Build: ProForce 2.0 Part 0 – Sneak Peek appeared first on Stand Up Jet Ski.

Started my racing, heck – even my stand up riding career in general, on a stock class 2011 Kawasaki SXR 800. Took 10th place in the only race I was able to ride at my first IJSBA World Finals in Lake Havasu City, Arizona in Women’s Limited Ski. Not too shabby for a stock class ski and only riding stand ups for 6 months! The poor SXR would not start on the line for the second race so my top 10 contention was over.

Rewind to the early days – my husband bought a 2015 Yamaha Superjet the day after we rode my SXR 800 for the first time. At first I did not like the Superjet. It was just too different than the SXR and I did not have enough skill to swap back and forth from ski to ski.

Fast forward to installing Blowsion Destroyer front sponsons, a mat kit, shortened the pole, handlebars and steering, and rear sponsons on the Yamaha Superjet – I fell in love. The Superjet steered from the nose rather than the Kawsaki SXR’s style of steering from the rear, and it was more predictable. Boy that Superjet could carve a corner!

Sold the SXR, my husband bought a ProForce (Build Part 1, Build Part 2) and I took over the Superjet.
Took the stock engine (still had carb chokes – yikes) Superjet to World Finals in 2017 and managed to earn a 6th place finish in Women’s Limited Ski.

In 2018 the IJSBA stock class was dominated by the new four stoke Kawasaki SXR 1500cc. My little two stoke 701cc Superjet was out powered so Lites class it was!

I’m not a master builder or ride by any means, but my husband and I had a great time learning the ins-and-outs of building a working Lites class ski including:

Installing 760cc cylinder and pistons
Removing carb chokes, drilling EPA needle stops, and rejetting
Exhaust insert
Impeller
Older Superjet nozzle
Water routing

Sadly due to health and life issues we did not make it to the 2018 World Finals and eventually sold the Superjet in the winter of 2018.

Despite the sad ending, the Superjet lives on with a local junior rider and we learned some valuable skills to put towards the next project!

The post Project: Ski Lites Superjet appeared first on Stand Up Jet Ski.

Seriously the nicest build quality I’ve ever seen. Tray is enormous, hull is actually pretty big too. Should be a monster!

The freight company missed the delivery time so instead of letting them try again we went down to the hub and picked it up ourselves. No freight damage thankfully.

Since my Krash came inside for the final build the ProForce went straight in. All the parts were bubble wrapped inside the hull.

Crank came back from being rebuilt so we assembled the bottom end in the wash bay haha.

Now comes the good part. Dropped the bottom end into the hull and everything lined up beeaaaauutifully for test fitting.

Pump, driveshaft bearing support and coupler install was mint. No shims, lined up like an OEM hull. Craftsmanship is amazing.

After Mother’s Day festivities we spent part of the day assembing the top end and tapping the manifold and exhaust chamber. Damn it is a big ‘ol 2 stroke!

Head is on and just need to mask for paint now.

Engine assembled, in and run for the first time. Maiden was yesterday. Wow. What a machine!! Video below.

Follow along with the build here and my social media on Facebook & Instagram

Check out part 2 here!

The post Project: ProForce GP Ski Build Part 1 – Assembly appeared first on Stand Up Jet Ski.