Wyland Reden: Race Ready for World Finals Ride by Day, Wrench by Night

Today’s episode is a special one, we are focusing on getting the most performance out of your jet ski using tricks and tips from one of the best in the business, 2020 Vintage Class World Champion Wyland Reden! We’ve saved some of his top engine
and handling tips for this episode to help you get ready for the World Finals! If you want to race with the best in the sport or just enjoy riding with your friends more, this episode is for you!
YOUR JET SKI
01:00 So tell us about your ski: dual 46 carbs, reverse jets that’s tuned well, west
coast cylinder with hand done porting, Kaufmann full pipe, for a good top and bottom
end. Full length, hand ported intake manifold. 03:15 What head do you use and under what compression? West Coast head at 195
compression, 200 and over just damaged the engine. 04:40 We use a normal but lightweight crank. 04:50 We replace the PJS pistons every 6 months of racing. 05:30 Waterbox and exhaust. 06:24 Pump: I use a Rhaas 750 conversion kit bored to almost 800 with a big swirl
prop, impellers at a high angle as well as an 800 pump nozzle that automatically
drops as you turn. 07:17 We have settled on a flat ride plate extended 3 inches out and size 21 rings. 08:10 Top end vs low end performance. 08:44 Advice for people getting into the 550 class. 09:21 It has become necessary to have a 750 pump to be competitive. 10:36 What did you use before the 750 pump? 12:00 It’s very difficult to weld anything onto a ride plate. 13:08 We use 2 washers on the ride plate to angle it slightly down. 14:25 How do you fill the gaps between the ride plate and the hull?. 15:14 That’s a good way to stop the ski from bouncing around too much. TOP SPEED
15:43 They used to use a radar gun on the back straight to measure top speed, how
do you measure it today? We use the GPS data from a GoPro, a phone as well as
using a radar gun. 17:09 Your highest ever speed on a 550: 56mph. 18:24 You have to choose between acceleration and top speed. 19:12 Picture of Jeff Jacobs going 57mph. 20:15 Top speed run:what intake grate do you use? Rhaas top loader. FUEL
22:02 How much do you put in? ¾ tank. 23:43 Which fuel do you use? VP 110 Racing Fuel that is kept super cold. PREP FOR RACE
24:30 What is your process of prep to get ready for the start line with your holder? 26:43 What do you do on the line to get your jet ski ready for the race? 30:48 How do you prepare yourself for the start of the race? 30:39 Reading the conditions and mentally preparing. 34:38 Troubles in the season: narrowly avoiding a fire. 36:26 I turn on the bilge pump at the last minute because it uses battery power. 38:13 Ignition system and flywheels, don’t play with reverse magnets. GET READY TO RACE
39:48 Why do you rev before the race? To clear the water. 40:47 How to time the start. 42:26 I prefer the inside split, it’s tighter and shorter. My ski turns sharply or not at all. PRIZE MONEY IN RACING
44:05 No money in the US but some good cash prizes overseas like in Thailand. 45:08 My team is a big part of my racing. 47:00 Did you see Harry Goatcher and Jeff Jacobs? PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR
47:57 I won’t leave the 550’s but I’m moving to the Pro Class. 49:42 We are trying to start a stock spec class, no modifications and far cheaper. 53:31 There’s something special when you go back to how things used to be.