Jet Ski Safety Tips to Live By

Summer might be drawing to a close, but it’s never too late to review some Jet Ski safety tips that might just save your life. Unfortunately, too many people don’t take the necessary safety precautions before they hop on a jet ski. Case in point, singer Sean Kingston, who crashed his personal jet skin into a bridge three years ago. And just last week a 14 year old Appling, Georgia boy who was airlifted to a hospital due to injuries sustained when he fell off a jet ski and was run over by another. Fortunately, Sean Kingston made a full recovery and we at Jet Ski Plus hope the boy 14 year old Appling, Georgia boy does as well. These incidents are reason enough to brush up on a few Jet Ski safety procedures.

While riding a Jet Ski ranks up there as one of the most exciting things you can do on the water, mom’s old adage still applies – “It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” You’ve seen the thrill seekers on the lake. You know, the ones going superfast and bouncing up and down on the waves. Some of us are too scared to go that fast and for good reason. What if the Jet Ski tips? What would we do? Our fears stop us, or at least many of us, from performing certain stunts or riding above certain speeds. Here are some Jet Ski safety tips to live by.

First and foremost anyone riding or driving a Jet Ski needs a life jacket. And no excuses that you’re a Michael Phelps caliber swimmer or a life jacket will interfere with your tan lines. Save the drama for your mama and put the darn vest on!

Before you board your Jet Ski you should review your PWC’s safety precautions. For some PWC’s safety comes in the form of a lanyard placed around the driver’s wrist, attaching the operator to the handlebars of the Jet Ski. This lanyard is also known as the kill cord and operates a kill switch that deactivates your ride should the operator go overboard. Without a kill cord, your PWC could continue to operate without you and collide with someone else in the process.

Stay alert. Accidents are more likely to happen when we’re over confident and not paying attention. Get caught up in the moment and the thrill of high speeds on the water and it’s easy to forget about other boaters, skiers, divers or swimmers out on the lake too. So if you feel yourself getting tired, time to call it a day.

Pardon the pun, but for too many Jet skiers, a PWC and a can of beer go hand in hand. Taking a ride after a few beers might seem harmless, but the risk of injury out on the lake is the same as it is out on the road. Do yourself a favor and don’t drink and jet.

Don’t forget your manners either. If a boat or neighboring PWC is overtaking you in speed, slow down. When entering the marina, slow down to avoid disturbing your neighbors and colliding with other boaters also coming and going.

When it comes to passing motor boats and the waves left behind, don’t get too cocky about using the waves as a ramp or launching point. Jumping waves from passing motor boats is dangerous business, so dangerous it could send you and your Jet Ski flying out of control and even upside down.

Finally, when you get your Jet Ski get familiar with the model you’re riding. Take an experienced Jet skier with you, one who’s familiar with your Jet Ski model who can help you make the most of a test spin. We all know what happens when we assume. So don’t assume you’ll just “get the hang of it.” This is an assumption that could cost you your life.