A Course for Safe Boating

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California Boating A Course for Safe Boating 91
Chapter 4 u Personal Watercraft
Restrictions Applying to PWC
It’s important to know that personal watercraft are subject to the same boat
operating and navigation rules as other powerboats. Ignoring the rules does
not excuse you from the law. To help make PWC a safer form of boating, the
law doesn’t allow the operator of a personal watercraft to:
ƒ ƒ Use unsafe or reckless practices.
ƒ ƒ Jump another vessel’s wake within 100 feet of the vessel creating the wake.
ƒ ƒ Operate at more than 5 mph within 200 feet of a beach or within 100 feet
of swimmers.
ƒ ƒ Operate so fast and close to another vessel that they cause the other
operator to swerve at the last minute to avoid a collision.
ƒ ƒ Operate the PWC toward any person or vessel in the water, and turn sharply
at close range in order to spray that vessel or person.
ƒ ƒ Alter the self-circling device on a PWC that is equipped with such a device.
ƒ ƒ Operate the PWC without a properly attached lanyard that runs from the
cutoff or “kill” switch to the operator’s body.
ƒ ƒ Operate the PWC between sunset and sunrise.
See Chapter 2 for more details on boating law.
REMEMBER
Operating a personal watercraft after
dark is against the law. As a general
rule, never ride a personal watercraft
between sunset and sunrise or at
other times when it’s hard to see.
This law does not apply to
people in professional exhibitions,
regattas, races, parades and other
similar activities.
OPERATING A PWC
Before Leaving Home
Check that the trailer:
ƒ ƒ Is registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
ƒ ƒ Lights and hitch are working.
ƒ ƒ Tires are in good condition and are properly inflated.
ƒ ƒ Tie-downs are in good condition and secure.
ƒ ƒ Has no loose bolts, cracks or broken joints.
ƒ ƒ Bearings are lubricated and adjusted according to the manufacturer’s
recommendations.
ƒ ƒ Gas cock on the PWC is in the “off” position.