What do you get when you strap a serious off-road vehicle like the Polaris RZR to two supercharged jet skis? You get the Shadow Six Typhoon or, more precisely, you get some serious Fun! With a capital ‘F’.
This one 100-mph water-bound beast tears up waterways. It's a custom-built machine that combines some serious off-road vehicle mechanics with jet ski technology, and in total you get 600 horsepower to play with on the water.
At first sight, the black and carbon machine looks like something from a Batman movie. You can just imagine the caped crusader chasing an evil foe along a street in the Bat car, running out of road and having to take to the water. At the press of a button, the Batmobile sheds a few panels, and our hero is ready to take chase on the water, in this awesome bit of kit.
The video below shows the Typhoon in action. You can't help feeling a little envious when you watch the guys at That Racing Channel (TRC) experiencing what it can do. This thing is a red letter day gift, and they get to not only passenger in the craft, they get to drive it.
The Story Behind The 'Typhoon'
The Typhoon is the brain-child of Ryan Goldberg, the CEO of Shadow Six Racing. He had a light-bulb moment when he was on holiday with his three-year-old son in Las Vegas, seven years ago. He took his son dune-buggying (as you do) in a Polaris RZR off-roader. Fascinated by the suspension of the gritty 4x4 and a big fan of jet skiing, he decided to try and combine the two to create a fun experience for himself and his family.
But as the project matured, so did Ryan's plans "We wanted a vehicle that can go into extreme surf conditions, with 20-foot waves, something that can be used as a rescue vehicle for swimmers or surfers, that can get into an area that’s difficult reach."
It has a custom-built Titanium frame that won't corrode over time or break under duress. And it has two hulls, customized Yamaha jet ski platforms which take about 100 hours to create. Providing all the power is a pair of GP1800R SVHO engines, each hosting 300 horsepower. The Typhoon's complex suspension is a dual-rate system from Fox, and it has a custom-made buoyancy skirt that maintains stability in the water. The whole thing weighs 2800 pounds. Ryan hopes to trim this down to 2400 for the production model.
"It's very agile, you can crank a 180' at full speed, and there's no risk of it flipping or rolling. It's far more capable in rough waters than a traditional wave runner or jet ski," says Ryan.
Ryan enlisted the help of Wamilton, a former champion jet ski racer and the guy that designed the first stand-up jet ski. He helped optimize its performance and create the custom hull. "It's capable of 100 mph, but the issue is reliability, to run it on a daily basis we limited it to 85 mph," says Wamilton.
Inside the cockpit, alongside a steering wheel that looks like it's straight out of the Batmobile, there's some interesting tech. There's an onboard computer which provides GPS Navigation, it has full wireless communications and controls for the jet nozzles. You can play with the suspension settings, listen to music and even watch live weather on a dash-mounted computer screen.
Ryan posted some pics of the prototype model on social media, and within 24 hours it received millions of views, along with lots of interested buyers. So, he later took the decision to turn it into a fully-fledged production vehicle, which you can purchase for around $250,000. This year he plans to deliver the first 7 production units, each one has a 12-month lead time.
On The Water In The Typhoon
Watching the Typhoon in action is just insane, it provides a sensory overload. When Ryan fires it up we get to hear the gravelly rumble of its 600 horses. And as he maneuvers it to the waters edge, the excitement starts to build, in anticipation of what this cool-looking power surfer can do.
The moment it hits the water and Ryan cranks back the throttle, it comes alive. The black cage rises above the water like a speedboat doing a wheelie, thrusting a stream of white water out behind it.
The TRC journalist has trouble holding onto his camera as the Typhoon tears off across the lake, but the smiles on both of their faces just says it all. Ryan is keen to show what it can do, so he opens it up on a long straight section. “This thing is 1000 per cent the coolest thing I’ve ever done on the water, we almost got up to 70 miles an hour right there, this is insane! This thing is a blast dude!” is the feedback.
But not only is it fast, it's nimble too. Ryan performs some sharp turns and then does a few doughnuts in the middle of the lake. "Wow! It's got great stability on cornering, this thing's a drift machine!” says his passenger.
As they circle the lake, the Typhoon looks like a ballerina dancing over the waves. And when they swap seats we get to see just how easy it is for a novice to get to grips with it. It's pure raw adrenalin-filled fun, and the lucky TRC journalist sums it up quite well: “This is wild! Next level is the most accurate way to describe the experience. It's an absolute game changer for water sports!"
One has to wonder what you'd do if you're in the market for a new Lamborghini and you live near water. Would you forgo the Lambo and buy a Typhoon instead? After seeing the Typhoon in action we definitely would!