Personal Watercraft Safety Tips

The use of personal watercraft keeps growing in number nowadays. The quick and highly responsive watercrafts can provide so much fun for operators. However, the fast, small and maneuverable watercraft can be very dangerous when operators are not familiar with personal watercraft safety rules on lakes. Now let us learn some rules about PWC operations.

▪All of the riders must use personal floatation devices, which means that both operators and passengers are required by law to wear a properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard approved lifejacket.

▪If engine stop lanyard is provided on the watercraft, attach it to your lifejacket or wrist and keep it attached all the time. If the watercraft doesn’t provide engine stop lanyard, re-boarding procedures should be learned by all riders onboard beforehand.

▪Avoid high speed when you get close to other boats or near shore. High speed can be rather dangerous both to you and to other people. Make sure to keep your speed under wake speed (the slowest speed your watercraft can go without losing maneuverability) within 100 feet of separation between boats and to the shore.

▪Stay alert! Constantly look in all directions for other boats, especially in the areas of busy traffic.

▪Keep your noise down! Noise near shore and other boats, if they are excessive, can be harmful because they will draw negative attention from other people.

▪Please don't wake jump. Wake jumping is very dangerous for you can be killed as a wake jumper in just a little accident.

▪Be aware of low tide to avoid ingesting seaweed and other vegetation, because low water level can expose vegetation such as grass beds. Your watercraft can certainly work much better in clean water than in seaweed-filled water.

▪Be aware of wildlife near shore because your personal watercraft can endanger animals, which can endanger yourself reversely. Disturbed wild animals can behave differently from their normal way, thus endangering the watercraft that disturbed their normal life. The easiest way is to avoid areas of high animal populations and be careful if you have to enter areas like this.

▪Do not use alcohol before or during operation. Consumption of alcohol before or during operation of personal watercraft is prohibited by law. And this is extremely dangerous for alcohol can cause you to lose not only control over the watercraft but also your judgment.

▪It is also recommended that operators wear eye protection, a wetsuit, footwear and gloves onboard. Although this is not required by law, wearing those extra protections can help operators a lot during dangerous time.

▪Operators must have passed the legal age limit before they can ride watercrafts. Almost all state laws have a minimum age requirement for watercraft operations. Some even require an adult onboard while minor is operating. This limitation should be obeyed all the time for your safety under all circumstances.

Personal watercraft can bring you lots of fun if you are careful enough. Follow the tips and you will have a great relaxing time! So get your watercraft and enjoy the sunshine onboard!