How to Ride a Personal Watercraft (PWC)

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Securely attach the PWC lanyard to your life jacket which has to be approved by the Coast Guard;

   PWC engines can suck rocks and debris from the bottom in shallow waters resulting in a damaged or clogged impeller.
   
   Never operate a PWC in shallow water. ,,,,,, All boats which are underway and up on-plane are required to be AT LEAST 100 feet (30.5 m) from other boats and AT LEAST 150 feet (45.7 m) from shore or docks.
   
   The same rules apply to PWCs. , Boats generally travel in a consistent linear pattern whereas PWC operators often ride in impulsive, erratic "freestyle" patterns of S curves, circles and figure eights, which substantially increase the potential for collision with a boat and may run afoul of the "rules of the road".
   
   Spatial disorientation and inattention can quickly result by being lost in the moment but increase the risk of being hit by another boat after having quickly but unwittingly maneuvered the PWC directly into the path of another boat's immediate strike zone.
   
   Freestyle riding that includes radical maneuvers, high-speed spins, carves, jumps and tricks should be performed in a non-residential cove or remote area of the lake that is not subject to frequent boat traffic. ,,,,,, Many other people came to the same place for peace and quiet.
   
   If it appears that PWC usage is infringing upon the rights of others to have solace, then ride to areas away from other people where no one will be disrupted.
   
   Being a public nuisance puts the entire sport at risk for everyone to face PWC bans and heighten restrictions. , Respect begets respect.
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   Step 2: Insist that all operators and passengers wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets at all times.

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   Step 3: Insist that all operators know and observe the navigation rules of the state.

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   Step 4: Observe the age-limit rules for all operators to be at least 16 years old.

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   Step 5: Make sure that there is nothing in the water that could clog the water intake grate and that the PWC is started or ran in water AT LEAST 3 feet (0.9 m) deep.

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   Step 6: Like any other boat

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   Step 7: look around before starting and slowly leave the dock.

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   Step 8: Observe and pay attention to your PWC's fuel level.

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   Step 9: Idle in residential coves and slow-no-wake zones and do not exceed 5 mph (8.0 km/h).

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    Step 10: Pay attention to changing weather conditions

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    Step 11: such as thunderstorms that produce lightning

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    Step 12: hailstorms

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    Step 13: or winds that can produce huge waves and choppy waters.

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    Step 14: Pay attention to submerged rocks

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    Step 15: obstacles or hazards as well as currents and tide levels.

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    Step 16: Know the rules.

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    Step 17: Pay attention to your surroundings and be polite and courteous to other boats

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    Step 18: giving them a wide operating gap to navigate.

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    Step 19: Do not jump the wake of another boat or linger behind a boat similar to as if the boat was pulling a water skier.

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    Step 20: Do not spray other boats or docks with water while underway.

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    Step 21: Do not weave through congested boat traffic.

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    Step 22: When traveling with other PWCs

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    Step 23: consolidate together as a small operating unit when navigating congested traffic with the intent of staying clear of other boats as a pack.

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    Step 24: Do not harass or antagonize wildlife

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    Step 25: such as duck or marine animals.

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    Step 26: Be conscientious about how other users are using the reservoir

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    Step 27: lake or park.

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    Step 28: Be polite to other boaters: everyone has the right to be on the water together.

Detailed Guide

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