Safety information
9
EJU30774
Operation requirements
All riders must wear a personal flotation de-
vice (PFD) that is approved by the appro-
priate authorities and is suitable for
personal watercraft use.
Wear protective clothing. Severe internal
injuries can occur if water is forced into
body cavities as a result of falling into the
water or being near the jet thrust nozzle.
You must wear shorts with neoprene (wet-
suit material) to keep water from being
forcefully injected into the rectum or vagina
during a fall backward. Riders not wearing
neoprene shorts have received severe rec-
tal, vaginal, and internal injuries resulting in
permanent damage. Normal swimwear
does not offer adequate protection.
Eye protection is recommended to keep
wind, water, and glare from the sun out of
your eyes while you operate your water-
craft. Restraining straps for eyewear are
made which are designed to float should
your eyewear fall in the water.
Footwear and gloves are recommended.
Helmets meeting Snell or DOT standards
are required for IJSBA-sanctioned races.
You must decide whether to wear a helmet
while you ride for recreation. You should
know that a helmet could help protect you
in certain kinds of accidents and that it
could injure you in others.
A helmet is designed to provide some head
protection. Although helmets cannot pro-
tect against all foreseeable impacts, a hel-
met might reduce your injuries in a collision
with a boat or other obstacle.
A helmet may have potential safety haz-
ards, as well. Falling into the water could
risk the chance of the helmet catching wa-
ter, commonly known as “bucketing”, and
the resulting strain on your neck could
cause choking, severe and permanent
neck injuries, or death. A helmet could also
increase the risk of an accident if it reduces
your vision or hearing, or if it distracts you
or increases your fatigue.
How should you decide if a helmet’s poten-
tial safety benefits outweigh its potential
risks for you? Consider your particular rid-
ing conditions. Consider factors such as
your riding environment and your riding
style and ability. Also consider the likeli-
hood of traffic congestion, and the water
surface conditions. If you decide to wear a
helmet based upon your riding circum-
stances, choose one carefully. Look for a
helmet designed for personal watercraft
use, if possible. Consider a helmet meeting
Snell or DOT standards. If you will be en-
gaging in closed-course competition, fol-
low the helmet requirements of the
sanctioning organization.
Never operate the watercraft after consum-
ing alcohol or taking other drugs.
For reasons of safety and proper care of
the watercraft, always perform the pre-op-
eration checks listed on page 36 before op-
erating the watercraft.
The operator should always keep both feet
or knees on the riding tray when the water-
1
Authority-approved PFD
2
Wetsuit bottom
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