Personal Watercraft 101
You may think that boats are it when it comes to on-the-water recreation. But in recent years, personal watercraft (or PWC) have made some significant strides in terms of their popularity and usefulness for a number of marine applications, including as rescue vehicles. If you’re brand-new to the field of personal watercraft, then you may be curious to learn what these aquatic motorcycles can do and how they’re used.
Nielsen Enterprises, located in Lake Villa,Illinois, is proud to be your local personal watercraft dealer. Read on to learn the basics about personal watercraft and the various types that exist for different riding needs, both recreational and professional.
Definition
PWC are jet-propelled recreational marine crafts that the United States Coast Guard classifies as inboard motor vessels under 16’ in length. This means that PWC are governed under small motorized boat regulations. The jet propulsion system moves the vehicle forward via an intake valve that sucks in water, then propels it out the rear of the watercraft.
Personal watercraft may have seating for only the operator, or they may have more space for a few additional riders. Most modern PWC can hold two or three passengers at a time. There is some storage space available and some models have swim platforms that allow for easily entering and exiting the water.
Riding Style
You can ride a personal watercraft while either sitting down or standing up, and some models are geared towards one or the other. PWC that are geared towards beginner riders are generally sit-down style, while sport models are stand-up style. The watercraft is steered using handlebars and with the body weight of the rider leaning towards one direction or the other.
Types of PWC
There are five basic types of personal watercraft on the market, each with its own unique features and capabilities. The types are rec lite, recreation, performance, sport and luxury. We’ve outlined each type’s basic attributes below.
Rec Light PWC
This is probably the newest category of personal watercraft available. These PWC are perfect for performing tricks, thanks to their lighter weight and more nimble handling. You can perform flips, spins and tail-stands on a rec lite PWC, but these watercraft are best operated on calm waterways.
Recreation PWC
With a horsepower range of 110 to 165, the recreation personal watercraft models are designed to provide you with more comfort and speed. Most can get up to about 50 miles per hour, and provide you with neutral and brake switches in order to help with docking. The seating is more comfortable than on the rec lite models. These PWC are perfect for general leisure riding.
Performance PWC
If you truly crave speed, then you’ll want to look at the performance PWC. These machines are capable of achieving speeds up to 70 miles per hour. They also provide you with similar features to the recreational category.
Sport PWC
For those who are serious about PWC riding and want their watercraft to be able to do it all, a sport model is ideal. You can use some of these to tow wakeboarders and inner tubers, with useful features like cruise control making towing easier.
Luxury PWC
Finally, there are luxury personal watercraft with high speeds, towing capabilities, comfortable seating and flashy styling. These upscale PWC are perfect for those who crave the ultimate in safety and stability, along with features designed to improve comfort at every turn.
We hope that this personal watercraft primer has helped you to better understand how these marine vehicles operate and how they’re used. Ready to take one home for yourself? Come see us at our location in Lake Villa, Illinois, to take a look at our wide stock of new and used personal watercraft for sale. Nielsen Enterprises proudly serves greater Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.