PWC 101: Safety PersonalWatercraft.com October 15, 2010April 29, 2016 Shares Comments Righting and re-boarding, accident prevention and noise controlPersonalWatercraft.com has teamed up with BoaterExam.com to give prospective personal watercraft enthusiasts the tools they need to get started. This is the fourth article in a four-part series that we hope will teach potential PWC riders the basics about their craft and how to ride safely on the water. Righting and Re-Boarding a PWC It is relatively easy to right your PWC if it overturns. Most have a decal attached to the back of the vessel that indicates the proper direction to turn the PWC to the upright position. Consult your user’s manual if the decal is not present. Contrary to popular belief, there is a proper direction to turn it over, and you can do damage if you turn the PWC the wrong way. While righting a PWC is a relatively easy task, re-boarding can be more challenging. It is especially difficult to re-board a PWC when you are tired or in rough waters. Practice re-boarding a few times in calmer waters before putting your re-boarding skills to the test on the open water. Get the Flash Player to see this player. Accident Prevention When it comes to accident prevention, common sense is your greatest ally. PWC ride low in the water and as a result they are difficult to spot and are often shielded from view by other boats. Here are a few key points that should keep you safe on the water: * Keep your distance from other boats to avoid blind spots and to respect boaters’ space. * Keep a safe distance from other PWC. Because the vessels can turn so quickly and accelerate rapidly, it is even more important to leave yourself enough time and space to react to other PWC operators. * Take a look behind you before you make a turn, and please be mindful of your wake. A PWC can send a powerful stream of water from the nozzle that could distract, annoy or even harm other operators. * Be careful that your spray does not affect other boaters, swimmers or cause injury to passengers who have fallen off a PWC during a quick acceleration. Get the Flash Player to see this player. Noise Control PWC, like most watercraft, can be noisy. There is no need to draw attention to yourself when operating your PWC in heavy traffic, close to the shoreline, or at the dock. Be aware of your surroundings, and be considerate of those who are sharing the waterway. Get the Flash Player to see this player. About BoaterExam.com BoaterExam.com offers online courses approved by many state agencies responsible for boating safety education and recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard. Successful completion the BoaterExam.com course will allow you to meet mandatory boater education requirements. BoaterExam.com offers courses and instructional videos for all 50 states and Canada. Related Reading PWC 101: Getting to Know Your Craft PWC 101: Handling PWC 101: Things You Should Know Share Share Subscribe Like PersonalWatercraft.com on Facebook Related Stories PWC 101: Handling PWC Riding and Turning Techniques Inside Personal Watercraft Off-Throttle Steering Solutions Comments Most Popular Remembering the Sea-Doo XP March 16, 2016 2013 Yamaha VXR Review January 29, 2013 2025 Yamaha JetBlaster PRO 2-Up Review August 22, 2024 2024 Yamaha GP HO Review May 22, 2024 2017 Kawasaki Jet Ski Ultra 310LX Review June 5, 2017 2024 Kawasaki Jet Ski STX 160X Review June 14, 2024 Latest Stories Cool Weather Gear to Extend Your Season 2025 Sea-Doo FishPro Apex Review 2025 Yamaha JetBlaster PRO 2-Up Review The Toys Of Summer Kemimoto 4 Bow Bimini Top and Boat Bumper Review Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Newsletter