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WAKE
ZONE
Be Aware of
PWC Ban Proposals
By Lori Wolak
Attention Personal Watercraft Owners
Are you aware
that several states have been asked to selectively take away your ability to
use your PWC on certain bodies of water? PWC owners need to be vigilant
about protecting our right to use America’s waterways. We need to make sure
that bans are not enabled which would prohibit the use of PWC’s on certain
bodies of water. PWC users have as much right to use the public waters as
any other boaters.
Background Information
Personal
watercraft (PWC’s) are small inboard boats powered by a jet drive propulsion
system. Personal watercraft, or PWC, is the common or
generic name for several brands, which use names such as JetSki, Waverunner,
Sea Doo, Wave Jammer, or Wetbike. Because of their relatively small
size and absence of a propeller, they can accelerate and turn quickly and
can be used in shallow water. Despite their small size, they are boats, not
toys. They are classified by the U.S. Coast Guard as Class A inboard boats
(boats less than 16' in length).
Bills giving localities the ability to impose PWC-specific bans have been proposed in several states recently, including Virginia, Maine and New Hampshire. Although none of these bills have passed, the issue remains. Legislature to prohibit PWC’s is being proposed, which would take away owner’s ability to use their PWC in certain places. Families who have invested in a personal watercraft as an enjoyable and manageable alternative to a larger, costlier powerboat need to be alerted to the possibility that their access to the lake is threatened. Discriminatory efforts being championed by anti-boating groups across the country could affect them.
The
Issues
PWC’s are the
fastest growing product line in the recreational
boating industry. You
might ask what could be wrong with this vessel? You don’t have to be wealthy
to own one.
They're easy to store
and maintain. They cost less than large boats, and get better gas mileage.
They can do all the things a small boat can do, such as tow kneeboarders,
tubers or water-skiers.
You don’t have to have a huge truck or SUV to tow a PWC.
An
attractive alternative to conventional powerboats, PWC’s have a lot to offer
the recreational boater.
So what is the problem?
In many cases the
bad reputation that PWC’s have is based on old data and ideas regarding
them. Noise levels, which were complained about in the early days of the PWC,
have been addressed and greatly improved by the manufacturers. Emissions
have also been reduced to lower levels than the strictest requirements.
Since
1998, PWC manufacturers have committed significant development resources to
design and build vessels that are cleaner and quieter to address the issues
brought up by the opponents to their use.
Today’s PWC is quieter and safer than previous models, so that they
are now one of
the most environmentally conscientious motorized vehicles on the water.
Every
new PWC sold today complies with all federal and state emissions and noise
level requirements.
Many are
compliant with the EPA's 2006 marine engine standards as well as those
outlined by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), which are the most
stringent emissions standards in the country.
The real issue seems to be that whenever there are different recreational pursuits in the same place conflicts tend to occur. One problem is the PWC image. Like any motorized vehicle, in the control of irresponsible or inconsiderate operators it could be dangerous. Thoughtlessness or carelessness by PWC operators can create a conflict with other waterway users, jeopardize public safety and cause environmental concern.
The Complaints
PWC
owners are frequently thought to be inconsiderate of
others. Opponents to the use of PWC’s complain that
drivers speed too close to swimmers. Complaints about noise and danger are
common when PWCs share popular waterways with other boaters.
Complainers also note excessive speed close to other
boats, and speeding through mooring areas, near jetties and boat launching
areas. These complaints are
symptomatic of the long-controversial relationship between the owners of
personal watercraft and traditional boaters.
Homeowners complain the machines make too much noise, and often gripe that the personal watercraft users ride recklessly. Dangerous and careless behavior, such as wave or wake jumping near other boats is often cited. Some personal watercraft can reach speeds up to 70 mph or more, so can be dangerous in the hands of inexperienced operators. In one case recently, opponents stated that a crackdown is needed because newer, more powerful machines are too dangerous for young riders. They were requesting the minimum age for driving a PWC without an adult to be raised from 14 to 16. This idea has a lot of supporters, however, I have not found any factual data that proves that drivers in the 14-15 year age group are responsible for more accidents than any other age group. Remember, the same people who are likely to have an accident on a PWC are probably also likely to have an even bigger accident with a larger, traditional boat.
What
Can You Do?
Whatever your
level of experience as a PWC operator, it is important to be aware of and
considerate to all other water users.
If you own a PWC,
please help make sure we can all continue to enjoy the fun. Besides being a
courteous and safe driver yourself, be sure to carefully train guests who
want to drive the PWC, and advise them of the local no-wake zones and other
regulations before loaning out your boat. Don't forget to warn them that
they must use throttle to steer! A useful checklist to review with them is
posted at
http://www.pwia.org/pdfs/PWC_Checklist.pdf. The more careful and
courteous riders are out there, the less likely there will be more anti-PWC
proposals.
The PWIA (Personal Watercraft Industry Association,
www.pwia.org) is an organization which represents the five major
manufacturers of personal watercraft. This organization actively advocates
for state and local governments to implement reasonable and sound guidelines
for PWC use. They recommend mandatory boating safety education for PWC
operators, as well as a minimum age of 16 to operate a PWC (18 to rent).
They advocate PWC use only during daylight hours, and the establishment and
enforcement of no-wake zones, operation at slow-no-wake speed within 100
feet of shore, anchored boats, piers, or swimmers, and strict enforcement of
all boating safety and navigation laws. PWIA has put together proposed model
PWC legislation which can be viewed at
http://www.pwia.org/issues/modelbill.html. Contact the PWIA (info@pwia.org)
if you hear rumblings of proposed PWC-specific regulations or bans. They
will be happy to provide information to share with the local town council or
other authorities. When local PWC owners write letters and speak up at town
meetings, elected officials listen. The PWIA can also get involved directly
when appropriate.
Boating Education
Many industry
insiders believe that an educated boater is a safe boater. In response to
the need to educate PWC operators, a free internet boating education course
has been developed jointly by the United States Power Squadrons, Kawasaki
Motors Corp., U.S.A., and the Northwest Personal Watercraft Safety Project,
according to a recent press release. The course can be found at
www.PWCSafetySchool.com and is a
complete boater education course. It is approved by the National Association
of State Boating Law Administrators. It is unique in two ways: it is offered
free of charge and it is the only online course that is specifically
tailored to the needs of personal watercraft education. It has an online
certification option for states and local governments to help promote safe
and responsible use of personal watercraft on our increasingly crowded
waterways. PWCSafetySchool.com is designed to educate PWC users and other
boaters about the safe and responsible use of their boats, as well as help
fulfill state boating safety education requirements. The site’s content is
based on the Jet Smart PWC boating education offered by the United State
Power Squadrons. More than five years in the making, the online course
consists of an education handbook and test with a series of multiple choice
and matching questions covering all aspects of safe and responsible boating.
The U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers a basic Personal Watercraft course. It is a one-hour introduction to the safety issues involved when operating a PWC. Because of its brevity, it is not approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) nor is it approved by most of the states which require formal instruction in order to operate a boat (the Auxiliary's Boating Safely, Boating Skills & Seamanship and Sailing Fundamentals courses are more appropriate for meeting legal requirements).
Other sites for more information on the safe use of PWC’s are:
Personal Watercraft Illustrated Online
Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA)
National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA)
United States Power Squadrons
Personal Watercraft Conflict Resolution
Northwest Personal Watercraft Safety Project
United States Coast Guard - Office of Boating Safety
American Watercraft Association
Americans for Responsible Recreation Access
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
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