Lake Powell Boat Rentals: Personal Watercraft Safety

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Lake Powell Boat Rentals: Personal Watercraft Safety

Before actually buying a personal watercraft (or PWC), many people often rent one from a Lake Powell boat rentals shop. PWCs are less than 16 feet in length and use internal combustion motors for powering water-jet pumps. There are different brands of personal watercraft, including Jet Ski, Wet Jet, Sea Doo, Tiger Shark, and Wave Runner. All of these PWCs require successful completion of boating safety courses in order to legally operate them. PWCs have been disproportionately involved in boating accidents in general, and many of these avoidable tragedies were caused by inexperienced operators who didn't keep a proper lookout and who operated recklessly.

PWC mishaps are quite often more serious or fatal than are other boating accidents. Most PWC accidents and injuries deal with collisions with other boats and result in concussions and head trauma of other kinds. One common danger of the typically vigorous and physically active PWC use is that of dehydration, which can impair reaction and awareness time and increase accidents. Another common result of PWC time is that of severe skin damage from the sun. And many PWC users are injured by getting too close to the water in-take on the hull's underside.

There are a number of basic safety guidelines that should always be adhered to: always wear a Coast-Guard approved, properly fitting lifejacket; always use whatever engine-stop mechanism is provided to automatically kill the engine if you fall overboard; keep a good distance (minimum 50 feet) from other boats and the shoreline; keep a constant lookout for swimmers, skiers, divers, and other boats; do not use wakes and waves as ramps; always adhere to the legal operating age limits; never use any amount of alcohol or drugs when operating the PWC; keep hydrated and sun-screened; do no stand up when in motion; keep away from the hull's underside; and turn off the engine when people are in the water.

Most accidents on PWCs happen with operators who are renting or borrowing the craft. This suggests that a lack of knowledge and unfamiliarity with the techniques and etiquette of riding contribute to the accidents. If you choose to lend your PWC to someone, it would be a good thing to give an actual demonstration. Many operators don't initially know that PWCs take quite a bit of time and distance to completely stop and that they can't stop instantly or be steered when the power is turned off. Also, there are illegal behaviors that increase the danger on a PWC: turning sharply close to another boat; jumping another vessel's wake within 100 feet of it; following other boats too closely; chasing other PWCs in small circles; and operating after dark.

Other safety hints to remember include keeping alert for weather conditions; becoming aware of the rules for right-of-way; making loose items secure within the boat; having a person onboard as a spotter for skiers; and maintaining a fire extinguisher. When you're going to rent a PWC from Lake Powell Bullfrog Marina, please make time to review the safety rules.

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