As thousands of cars and trucks head down to the coast this weekend, so too will thousands of waverunners trailing behind them. What does this mean? A greater likelihood of accidents. Here’s a staggering statistic that brings everything into perspective—90% of all waverunner accidents are caused by inexperience, carelessness, and excessive speed. Since Pete's Cycles is a major retailer of waverunners in Maryland, which has excellent riding, we are committed to keeping the waterways safe for boaters and riders alike.
Here are five main safety tips, thanks to the US Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. If you observe these tips, there is a much greater chance that you will ride without accident.
Know your machine: This means know how your machine handles at high speeds and sharp turns. Experiment a bit and get a sense for its capabilities. If it is a new waverunner, perhaps your friend’s, then test it out for a bit before you open it up on the water. Every machine is different.
Learn How to Swim Well: This may be obvious, but you would be surprised how many people ride a waverrunner with a life jacket and think they will be fine. There are a lot of situations where you need to know how to swim.
Wear a Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device (PFD): This goes without saying. Remember that statistic that 90% of all waverunner accidents are caused by inexperience, carelessness, and excessive speed. Well, since these accidents are never going to go away, you need to protect yourself not if, but when, you get thrown off your machine and take a swim.
Don’t Go Alone—Avoid riding a PWC alone: If not for the reason that riding with friends is more fun, never ride alone. For safety reasons, riding with a friend ensures you will have help when you need it.
Avoid Consuming Alcohol: Alcohol and most watersports do not go together. Though it is always tempting, for safety reasons you need to avoid alcohol when riding on the water. Alcohol impairs your ability to make quick decisions, and numerous drowning deaths have been attributed to alcohol.
Obey the Area Rules: Take note of speed limits, water skiers and high traffic zones. It is extremely easy to be riding quickly into a slow area, and then not be able to correct yourself in time.
And of course, if you don’t have a waverunner or any of the gear, remember that we sell everything at Pete’s Cycles, from the newest Yamaha models to life vests and helmets.
