Personal Watercraft (Jet Skis)

Personal watercraft, known as jet skis, water scooters, wet cycles, and other names are common, but so are accidents involving these nimble little boats.  They’re not any more dangerous than other watercraft -- it’s the way people operate them and a lack of common courtesy that causes many of the problems.  A personal watercraft is a motorboat under the law.  It must be registered, and must abide by all the rules that other boats must follow.  You are required to carry safety equipment which includes life preservers and fire extinguishers.  The personal watercraft is not a child’s toy -- if the child is not old enough to drive a car, they shouldn’t be operating a personal watercraft.

Safety Tips: Wear the proper safety equipment.  An approved life jacket is a must and it’s also a good idea to wear eye protection to keep water spray from obscuring your vision.  Tennis or deck shoes offer better control on your machine, and gloves and a wet suit offer protection from the elements.  A whistle attached to your life jacket is a good idea in case you need to summon help.  Never operate your personal watercraft without the safety lanyard attached to you.  The lanyard cuts the engine if you fall, and could save a long swim home.  Stay out of swimming areas and away from wildlife.  Never operate at night, or with two water skiers.

        Respect the rights of others.  This includes not following other boats closely, jumping another boat’s wake, and staying away from anglers and canoeists.  Be conscious of the noise your craft makes.  Remember, if you run it in a small area for a long time, the noise can be irritating.

        Keep a lookout for other boats and watercraft.  Collisions are the most common type of personal watercraft accidents.  Read the owner’s manual so you understand the controls and features of your personal watercraft.

        Don’t operate your watercraft after you’ve been drinking, and know the water you’re operating in so you can avoid weeds, rocks, and sandbars.

JET SKI SAFETY TIPS/PROCEDURES TO RE-BOARD A JET SKI

        Jet skis are maneuverable, faster than a speed boat in many cases and can provide fun and good times when used safely.  These compact, high-speed Personal Water Crafts (PWC) have been described by some as snowmobiles for the water--much less expensive than boats, which is one of the reasons for their popularity.  They can be dangerous if operators don’t follow a few common sense rules of the water, but they can also be safe if operated correctly.

        Although jet skiing can be fun, there are some inexperienced drivers out there who simply don’t know that they can get into trouble by improper actions.  Operator inexperience was responsible for 95 percent of jet ski accidents.  Two common factors in those mishaps were speed and improper operating technique, specifically in throttle operation.

SPECIAL LAWS NOW IN EFFECT CONTROLLING THEIR USE:

        (1)  All persons using or towed by a PWC must wear a Personal Flotation Device.

        (2)  Operate the craft only between sunrise and sunset.

        (3)  Stay at least 100 feet from other boats, divers, rafts, and designated swimming areas.  Some lakes have local rules.  Know and follow them and practice common sense “rules of the water.”  Avoid wake jumping, weaving in heavy traffic or coming too close to others.

        (4)  Youngsters aged 12 to 16 need a boating safety certificate obtained by successful completion of a boating safety course, or be accompanied by someone over age 18.

        (5)  It is illegal to operate a PWC under the influence of alcohol.  Those arrested for operating under the influence must submit to a chemical test or lose boating privileges.

PROCEDURES TO RE-BOARD A JET SKI AFTER IT HAS FLIPPED

        (1)  Locate the jet ski and swim over to it.  The farther you are from the craft, the bigger the chances of other boats hitting you while you are in the water.

        (2)  After you have reached the jet ski, the pilot must first grab the re-boarding handle at the end of the machine with one hand.  The pilot’s other hand should be placed on the back of the craft for leverage.  If there is no handle, place both hands on the back of the jet ski.

        (3)  Next, you must give a flipper kick, or a thrust, to boost yourself on to the jet ski.  As you push, you must use you hands to pull yourself up (they should be on the handle).  The faster you do this, the easier it is.

        (4)  Since you are partially on the craft, you must now get to your feet and stay in a catcher position.  This prevents the jet ski from flipping again.  If the jet ski begins to tilt to one side, you must place weight on the opposite side to balance the craft.

        (5)  By now you should be in a position to sit down on your jet ski.  You need to hold the handlebars for extra leverage.  VERY IMPORTANT—DO NOT REATTACH YOUR SAFETY LANYARD.

        (6)  After you are sitting on the jet ski again with your hands on the handlebars ready to go, you can attach the safety lanyard.

DON’T KEEP THESE RECOVERY TIPS IN YOUR GLOVE COMPARTMENT OF YOUR JET SKI—LEARN THESE TECHNIQUES OF RECOVERY BEFORE YOU HAVE TO APPLY IT!