How to Ride a Personal Watercraft

With summer right around the corner, now is the perfect time to get a personal watercraft (PWC) and hit the water for some fun under the sun! But the key to a successful trip on the water is knowing how to ride your PWC. That’s why we’ve created the following guide with some PWC riding tips! Read on to learn more, and call Polaris of Gainesville with any questions. We are located in Alachua, Florida and proudly serve Gainesville, Lake City, and St. Augustine!

Safety First

Every time you take your PWC out on the water, it’s important to stay safe. The water can be unpredictable, and personal watercrafts are heavy pieces of machinery. No matter how strong of a swimmer you are, it’s important to always wear a life jacket when riding your rig. 

When riding, keep your eyes open for other marine enthusiasts as well as any debris in the water. Even a minor collision can cause a lot of damage. One more safety precaution you should take is to keep a safety shut off lanyard attached to the ignition and your life jacket at all times. This will ensure that the machine turns off if you’re thrown from it.

Starting Up

When getting ready to ride your PWC, you’ll want to be in water that is at least three feet deep so you don’t clog or damage your impeller. Make sure you are out of the way of other people and objects before you start up the personal watercraft. Start by cruising at around 5 to 10 miles per hour into an open space so you can begin to speed up.

Using the Throttle

Most PWC don’t have brakes. This means the rider has to use thrust from the throttle while turning away from an object in order to slow down. This can be challenging, so we recommend riding at a slower pace until you’re comfortable with braking.

Use Your Body to Steer

While you’re riding your personal watercraft, you’re going to need to throw your weight to the side in order to steer. As you lean towards the side you’re turning into, don’t let up on the throttle. Use your body weight to guide the craft in the right direction.

We hope these simple personal watercraft riding tips help you stay safe and have fun on every trip to the water you take this summer! If you want any more advice or you’re looking to buy a new craft, contact Polaris of Gainesville in Alachua, Florida today. We are proud to serve Gainesville, Lake City, and St. Augustine too. Our friendly staff looks forward to helping you make your time on the water more enjoyable!