Make Safe Jet Ski Riding A Habit On The Water…
Related: More Safe Riding Tips
Operating a Sea-Doo, jet ski or waverunner personal watercraft on Ontario waterways, such as my best river rides or top 10 day tours, has much in common with riding a motorcycle or snowmobile on land, including avoiding alcohol and drugs. But water travel has its own unique challenges. So, here are the top 5 Sea Doo safe riding tips for experienced jet ski riders, PWC beginners or renters to keep in mind on a Sea Doo tour. Plus, I have many other personal watercraft riding tips for you…
1. 365˚ Situational Awareness…
The jet ski operating environment is not linear like roads or trails. Traffic can come from anywhere 365˚ around you. So I am constantly vigilant for others on a Sea Doo ride and always aware of my position relative to my immediate surroundings.
2. Look Before Changing Course…
Before changing direction while Sea Doo ridIng, I check my mirrors and glance over each shoulder to make sure no one is in the way or coming up beside me faster then I expected.
3. Refrain from Riding Side by Side…
If I spot something unexpected in the water ahead on a jet ski ride, I may need to make a sudden avoidance move, but if other PWC riders in my group are positioned too close beside me, I’ll have no room to manoeuvre quickly.
4. Red Right Return…
Many waterways are marked with red and green navigation buoys. Which side to ride on can sometimes be confusing, so I remember “Red Right Return”. Consequently, whenever I am “returning” (riding toward the source of the waterway and against the direction it flows) I keep the red buoys on my right side. When I am going with the flow (away from the source) the green buoys are on my right.
5. Idle Through Low Speed Zones…
Every recreational boater should respect any officially posted “no wake” zones by slowing right down to idle speed while travelling through to limit wake turbulence. The same goes for approaching locks, docks, marinas and cruisers anchored in sheltered bays.
If you enjoyed this post, check out my other riding tips.
The tips and advice in this article are the opinions of the author, may not work in every situation and are intended only for the convenience and interest of the reader, who has the personal responsibility to confirm the validity, accuracy and relevancy of this information prior to putting it to their own use.