From Motorsports to Watersports | FuelTech Everywhere Now Includes Marine Industry!

#FuelTechEverywhere is a mantra that exists in the computer boards and wiring harnesses and FuelTech continues to prove it with their latest endeavor. The renowned technology company is expanding beyond the asphalt, dirt, and sand to the water with the introduction of plug-and-play kits for Yamaha and Sea-Doo jet skis!

FuelTech recently hosted some of the biggest names in the jet ski market at its FuelTech USA headquarters in Georgia. The racers and shop owners were introduced to new products, contributed to the final R&D changes, and attended the FT Education program in preparation for the season. The sessions included time on the lake with testing, tuning, and product refinement and a week in the classroom learning the ins and outs of the PowerFT ECUs along with the best practices for wiring and installations. Adding a FuelTech ECU to Yamaha and Sea-Doo jet skis not only increases speed in stock form, but also allows the addition of turbochargers, various fuels, data collection, and much more.

The plug-and-play harnesses cover 2008-2017 Yamaha 1800, 2018-2022 Yamaha 1800, and Sea-Doo 300, allowing users to swap-and-play in the same day. The jet skis in this video utilize either the FT550 or FT600 and both are highly capable ECUs that have powered some of the wildest door slammers as well as setting records and claiming championships in professional motorsports. The PowerFT ECUs (FT450, FT550, FT550 Lite, and FT600) include sequential injection and ignition, O2 closed loop, Data Logger, Delay Box, and for the chemically enhanced combinations, the Nitrous Controller. And for those wondering, the jet ski packages include traction control to help the wicked water machines that are chasing after every last bit of performance.

The Laz Jet specialty shop works with all types of jet skis and owner Laz Martinez spoke with FuelTech’s founder, Anderson Dick, about the benefits for his customers. Martinez was quick to point the ease of installation and how it can be done in less than a day, basically start in the morning and hit the water later that day. He spoke highly about the O2 sensor and the ability to add a Flex Fuel sensor. The fuel sensor itself is inexpensive at $50 and it allows the use of pump gas, E85, or even alcohol for full-on race jet skis. Anderson bragged about how the same ECU can be swapped not only from ski-to-ski, but also from racecars, motorcycles, or any other application, showing the FT550s versatility and capabilities.

FuelTech also hosted JP Racing and its owner, Julio Paula, as the group discussed the gains by switching over to a plug-and-play PowerFT system over the factory electronics. He estimates that to be 7-8 mph with no other modifications on a 2022 Sea-Doo RXP-X. He also said the added benefit is the ability to add a turbocharger, nitrous, or other modifications in the future. Then toss in the data logging, O2 sensor reading, and Flex Fuel options and utilizing a FuelTech FT550 makes the most sense.

Working with shops like JP Racing enabled the FuelTech engineers to understand the unique dynamics of the Sea-Doo jet skis. The IBR and factory dash were two big hurdles to overcome, and Paula explains the solutions in the video.

The final interview is with Brian Kirchberger from the famed BK Built group and he’s best known for building the World’s Fastest Jet Ski. He talks with Anderson about a Yamaha jet ski he brought to FuelTech and it features a compound turbo setup. The support equipment for the wild combination includes 320 lb/hr FT Injectors, an FT600 engine management system, electronic wastegate, EGTs, and an assortment of sensors.

A hottopic of conversation was the growing professionalism in the jet ski ranks and the increased level of builds. The market is poised for serious growth over the next few years and advanced electronics will be on the forefront as the turbochargers, compound boost, and other modifications become normal. It isn’t just in the power department either, everything from hull design to more motorsport events point to the explosion in this watersport.

The collaboration with these leading builders and racers ensures FuelTech continues to be on the cutting edge that their customers demand. The new FuelTech 5.0 software update will include jet ski programming. The FT Education division is also prepared for the influx of jet ski builders and racers to help educate them on the vast capabilities of the PowerFT engine management systems and wiring techniques.

From 5,000 HP door slammers setting the standard on drag strips around the world to the fresh and salt water playgrounds for the jet ski community, there is a reason you’re seeing #FuelTechEverywhere