What not to do.

Caber-Feidh · **Posted:** Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:38 pm

My sympathy, and prayers to those involved.

Never the less, a reminder that water jet drive has near zero helm when the thrust is off. It's an un-natural act to open the throttle when your craft is aimed at something you don't want to hit. Getting the proper response engrained in your mind to the point it's nearly a muscle memory, and you don't think "what do I do", is of critical importance.

Early reports seem to place the PWC in a high speed turn, colliding with a "ski-boat".

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/16/th ... latestnews

Dave Grason · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:40 am

I saw this on the news myself. Very sad. I thought: "Wow, I'd like to know the whole story on this one." Unfortunately, PWCs are yet another one of those toys that are getting a bad rap because of the high incidence of accidents. I've ridden these things and I love them. One thing that I've noticed is that people turn themselves loose on them way before they are fully ready to do so and this has to be at least a subcause of the rap.

I agree with you on the jet propulsion. The very first time I piloted one I was approaching a friend's pontoon boat that was anchored in a cove and being used as a base of operations for everyone in the crowd that day. As I closed the throttle to settle down off of plane, I lost all steering and the craft didn't imediately start slowing. Mind you, this was my very first time. I had to mentally force myself to turn the steering and gun the throttle or I would have had a similar fate as these girls. I have to say that it very much made me sit up and take notice.

Like motorcycles, airplanes or any other vehicle, there are certain inherant risks and we owe it to our loved ones not to let them out without the proper training and safety considerations. But with all that said and done, there is nothing to suggest that these are any more dangerous than any other watercraft. Used with maturity they can be a huge source of fun.

Roberta Hegy · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:51 am

I agree, Dave. A few reckless, irreponsible, and/or uneducated people can make anything dangerous. And they are the ones that get everyones attention, unfortunately.

Roberta

jamundsen · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:57 am

Well said.

upspirate · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:42 am

The only thing good I can say about them is they make good donors for Squirts and TNT"s!!! :wink:

Iggy · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:08 am

So many lives and property damage seems to stem from PWC these days. Driven safely most anything is safe, but it does not seem to take much to tip the scale to 'unsafe' for PWC.

Up north, we have snowmobiles that go so fast they 'plane' on the snow like a boat planes on water. Crazy fast, and all it takes is one hidden root or stump and its all over, your flying off the thing at (litterally) break-neck speed. Lots of injuries... deaths... every year... even experienced drivers who simply get too comfortable and lose respect for the speed they are travelling at. Nature is unforgiving in those situations.

It pains me to hear 3 family members died in a crash like that. Who knows, it might have been the speedboaters fault also (not paying attention)... but with a PWC there is little to cushion the blow.

Caber-Feidh · **Posted:** Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:24 pm

New name for them... "donor skis"

The PWC mfgr's don't help with the ever increasing performance of new craft either. for 15 grand you can buy a ultra-performance vehicle, that is very suseptable to load balance instability, has unusual handling characteristics, then you can turn it loose with 3 inexperienced riders on a lake full of craft many times heavier... most of which are operated by people incapable of even backing the trailer into the lake straight-before those 12 bud lights.

Is it any wonder they are donor-skis?

psychobilly · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 2:57 am

we call them lake lice! and I HATE them!!! I've too been hit by one years ago... luckily the kid wasn't injured and he only hit the stern of my buddies boat, ripping the ladder off... I was the DD at the time and the kid was coming towards us WOT and not looking....

DaveLott · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:51 am

On a trip to the Caribbean, my boys and nephews rented some for an outing near shore of the Cayman Islands. My boy grew up on the water and handled these most of their lives so they were very familiar. My nephews, on the other hand, were not. So my nephews promptly ran over my oldest son trying to get close and spray him with water. No one was hurt but 2 jet skis were damaged.

upspirate · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:35 am

I had proposed two new Olympic Summer games a few years ago.....PWC wake jumping behind a big power cruiser, and skeet shooting at the same time off the same power cruiser!!! :shock:

Glen-L.com

What not to do.

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