Yamaha WaveRunner FX SVHO Cruiser and Sport

Yamaha has always been at the forefront of the PWC race and led the field with their WaveRunner FX-SHO models which stood out amongst the crowd especially in the performance department.

We recently had a chance to look at the FX upgrade in the SVHO which is available in either Cruiser or Sport models. The new model tag stands for ‘Super Vortex High Output’

Ostensibly these craft are the same, save for some slight changes in cosmetics.

The manufacturer has retained an engine capacity of 1.8 litres but is claiming a power output increase of 20 per cent. We will look at how they achieved this shortly.

The Cruiser features a fuel management gauge in the instrument panel and a reinforced seat set-up that offers a higher lumbar support for the skipper, both of which are not found on the Sport model. While the high back will be appreciated by those who need back support, it will also help keep the body in position when the horses are unleashed.

A front boot with a hinged rubber-sealed lid opens to a compartment that should keep most water at bay and a fire extinguisher may be stowed here in a purpose-built retainer. The gas strut on the lid has a rubber concertina seal over the ram which protects it from the rigours of the marine environment.

Under the most rearward section of the saddle, another stowage bin is located. It has a screw top with an o-ring and may be lifted out to take ashore and to access the cranking battery which is nestled low in the hull to reduce the centre of gravity. Behind this section, a grab rail is available for aft-facing passengers observing skiers in tow.

Below here a panel held by two clips is released to reveal another hatch in which ski ropes may be stowed while still attached to the tow ring on the craft. Also found in here is a flushing port on which a standard garden hose may be attached. Your neighbours will appreciate this feature when you get home for a clean-up!

Firstly, the injector system has had a make-over and larger nozzles have been fitted for the compulsory premium unleaded fuel.

A remodelled supercharger is now fitted which features a seven-blade impellor compared to the five-blade item that was found in the old model, and the diameter has been increased from 82mm to 86.

The newly-designed forged pistons for higher performance means that theoretically you can run it harder for longer with less wear and tear. An increase of 30 per cent in the pistons’ inherent strength is the basis for the claim of their increased longevity. This will be welcomed by all PWC owners as blown pistons would have to be one of the main reasons for engine failure in this style of watercraft.

One of the issues with this type of craft has always been the amount of performance that is wrung out them and the ability of the engine to stay cool and well lubricated when under that stress. Yamaha claims to have addressed this in part with a newly-designed oil cooler which they say has increased the oil cooling efficiency by 110 per cent. A larger intercooler featuring twin cooling lines instead of a single as seen in the old model has been fitted with claims of a 22 per cent increase in efficiency.

The pump has come in for more than a little of a make-over as well. Yamaha has taken the six-vein rotor and increased the vein count to eight while taking the pump diameter from 155 to 160 diameter on the same 75mm hub. They’ve also increased the hub strength with a four-bolt cone rather than the three bolts of old. Now this increase in pump capacity is all well and good but if it cannot ingest enough of water then any modifications are pointless. It needs to be fed -- and quickly -- and to that end the boffins in the R&D department have redesigned the intake grate in conjunction with the ride plate to enable water to be force fed more easily with more volume compared with the SHO models.

The hull, liner and deck are constructed from Yamaha’s proprietary NanoXcel.

The throttle system is by wire and super responsive and the ergonomics of the steering may be changed to suit the skipper by manual adjustment of the handle bar angle.

Nothing much has changed in the handling characteristics of the new models compared with old but with so many refinements in the technology associated with supercharging, water pumping and oil cooling the benefits to the end user are many; the most beneficial being the increase in the longevity of life of such a high performance machine such as the FX-SVHO.