Personal Watercraft Safety

With summer in full swing, you’re probably thinking about all of the great adventures you’ll have on your personal watercraft (PWC) in the coming months. At Nielsen Enterprises, we want you to have fun and stay safe when riding your PWC. That’s why we’ve created the following guide with personal watercraft safety tips. Read on for some valuable information, and give us a call at our Lake Villa, Illinois location if you want to buy a new craft. We are proud to serve Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Get the Right Gear

A big part of PWC safety is making sure you are wearing the proper gear. The most important piece of safety gear you should be wearing is a well-fitting lifejacket. Of course, you should know how to swim and float before you start riding a personal watercraft, but a lifejacket will be an extra layer of protection from dangerous waters. Attach the engine shut-off switch to your lifejacket or your wrist so the machine will turn off if you fall into the water.

In your PWC’s waterproof storage compartment, keep your phone with a charger, a radio, sunscreen, a first aid kit, signal flares, and bottled water. You may also want a whistle or horn that you can use to alert your approach to other people on the water.

Hauling Tips

Your personal watercraft needs a special trailer to get it safely from your home to your destination. Make sure your trailer can accommodate the weight of your machine. Overloading a trailer can create a dangerous situation on the road. Take some time to learn how to load your PWC into the trailer. When driving with the unit, practice care and increase the following distance between yourself and other drivers. 

Patience at the Ramp

Once you reach the ramp, you’ll need to practice some safety precautions. These will help you avoid an accident with other marine enthusiasts. Pull off to the side, turn the throttle one last time, and put in the drainage plug. 

Apply your sunscreen, put on your lifejacket, and prepare to launch. You want to aim for a quick launch. To keep yourself and others safe, give other riders plenty of space to launch their own personal watercrafts. You’ll need to practice these same safety steps when you’re coming back from your ride.

We hope this safety guide helps you to have a fun and danger-free riding experience on your PWC. If you have any questions or you want to check out some models for sale, reach out to Nielsen Enterprises in Lake Villa, Illinois today. From Chicago, Illinois to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, our staff is here to make your time on the water the best it can be!