Cuba said late on Saturday it had thwarted a terrorist plot hatched in neighboring south Florida, according to a report broadcast on state-run media, after a man allegedly arrived on the island by jetski to commit acts of violence.
This sent me down a rabbit hole.
Apparently stock US market PWCs are limited at 65mph via GPS. A little tinkering can get them over 70, and some more dedicated mods and power will push 80+. But you need some major retooling if you want to get over 100. But that would be worthless on open ocean because the forced induction parts wouldn’t be very reliable when you’re in the air then slamming into the next wave for half the time.
I rented a PWC in the Gulf of Mexico once and it was miserable. When you’re in open water and going 50+mph normal swells become ramps that launch you pretty high up, and every landing feels like being punched in the gut. So you really need to go slow, probably less than 35 ish. So if you figure he probably started further north than the most southern point of FL, he probably had over 100 miles to ride. Couple that with the up and down distance of the waves and it was probably pretty grueling. Unless he managed to get perfect weather of course.
But the vehicles themselves are capable, if they don’t break down on you. Every person I’ve known who’s had one has them in for repairs constantly. I’m glad it didn’t break down on him though, otherwise we wouldn’t have this hilarious story.
I just accepted the likely reality he and the jetski were on a boat. But now I can dream he actually did a Florida man dialed up to 11 and rode his machine at ~35 mph all the way to Cuba.
This sent me down a rabbit hole. Apparently stock US market PWCs are limited at 65mph via GPS. A little tinkering can get them over 70, and some more dedicated mods and power will push 80+. But you need some major retooling if you want to get over 100. But that would be worthless on open ocean because the forced induction parts wouldn’t be very reliable when you’re in the air then slamming into the next wave for half the time.
I rented a PWC in the Gulf of Mexico once and it was miserable. When you’re in open water and going 50+mph normal swells become ramps that launch you pretty high up, and every landing feels like being punched in the gut. So you really need to go slow, probably less than 35 ish. So if you figure he probably started further north than the most southern point of FL, he probably had over 100 miles to ride. Couple that with the up and down distance of the waves and it was probably pretty grueling. Unless he managed to get perfect weather of course. But the vehicles themselves are capable, if they don’t break down on you. Every person I’ve known who’s had one has them in for repairs constantly. I’m glad it didn’t break down on him though, otherwise we wouldn’t have this hilarious story.
Thanks.
I just accepted the likely reality he and the jetski were on a boat. But now I can dream he actually did a Florida man dialed up to 11 and rode his machine at ~35 mph all the way to Cuba.