I hate jetskis.2 ladies and 4 kids hurt.

I have been on jet skis and I see why people get hurt and hurt other people with them.Money is the only reason they haven't been banned outright I believe.Grown people used to think it was fun to swamp us or capsize our small fishing boats and canoes.

2 Women, 4 Kids Hurt In Lake Keowee Jet Ski Wreck - WSPA.com

Even though I had one, I call them "yachts for rednecks". They're cheap, tow well behind the pickup, and the monthly nut is less than a family cell phone plan.

Rambler said:

Even though I had one, I call them "yachts for rednecks". They're cheap, tow well behind the pickup, and the monthly nut is less than a family cell phone plan.

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there not to cheap around here.they're just so popular here,usually out number boats.compared to a good boat,they are cheaper all around I think.

Seems the primary reason for jet skis is to operate erratically and fast.

The beauty of Jet Skies is the free surgery you get with every purchase, a frontal lobotomy and also the target you get to stick on your back so that rule 303 can be applied.

OK they do have their uses, surf rescue and tow in for surfing but it just about stops there.

Cheers

Now wait a minute. Jet Skis (technically, PWCs) are fun.

I'm not suggesting buzzing quiet coves, or jumping wakes right next to your boat, or any of the thousands of other annoying and unsafe things you CAN do with them.

But you can do those things with any small, fast vessel.

In the right conditions, and handled with a little common sense, they can be a blast. They're also handy for short trips that don't require getting the "big" boat underway.

I was looking for one for a while. I'd own one now if the folks selling used ones didn't have a seriously distorted view of their value.

They banned them outright in the San Juan Islands a number of years ago. I think the islanders are still celebrating.

markpierce said:

Seems the primary reason for jet skis is to operate erratically and fast.

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They use Brownian motion propulsion systems.

northern spy said:

they use brownian motion propulsion systems.

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lol!

Here's an excerpt from a recent post about a rescue during a recent boat trip. The mention of erratic actions of PWCs was certainly accurate for this area on that day. As mentioned below, I anchored directly opposite of the launch ramp to shut it down during the attempt to return the riders and the sled to the beach area. It worked!

... As I was passing the USCG Station Rio Vista, I noticed a stationary jet ski with no riders...then upon closer examination, found a teenage girl clinging to the side and 2 swimmers about 50 ft from the water sled.

All were wearing PFDs and appeared in no immediate peril, so I approached the couple first and asked if they were injured. They were not, but neither female could swim and this one was panicked. I brought the boat alongside them, cast them a line and shut down the engines.

I brought the female aboard and the male said he could swim to the sled and take the small girl to shore. I told him I'd follow them to Sandy Beach where he could return for his friend. As he started out on the sled with the teenager, it immediately capsized and remained like this. I approached them again and brought the girl aboard as the guy secured a line I provided to the sled. He then boarded and we towed the capsized sled toward Sandy Beach.

This place is a hornet's nest of activity on the weekend and Sunday was no exception. There was no room at the dock and I questioned if there was enough water, so I dropped anchor upstream and drifted back on the hook directly opposite the launch ramp, about 50 ft off the dock, to halt all launching and recovering during the transfer of people and sled.

Since I was towing my dinghy, it was readily available for shuttle duty. I started with the females and dropped them at the dock while the male remained onboard. I then returned for him and secured the sled to my dink. It took almost full power on the 15HP OB to move that sled to the shore. We approached the beach area and had to clear a path to the sand through all the swimmers and onlookers. Five strong young men showed up to assist in righting the sled and pulling it to shore.

Beats me how anyone can drive one > 5 minutes before suffering terminal boredom. Fortunately they are banned on Sydney Harbor. Now, where is that vid someone posted once of hitting them with heat seeking missiles fired from a Hobie.

Wish I had one this weekend on the delta. It hit 100 there today and wasnt much cooler yesterday either. Its not so much the jetski's i hate, its the way some people drive them.. or the way alcohol is involved with operating them.

bligh said:

Wish I had one this weekend on the delta. It hit 100 there today and wasnt much cooler yesterday either. Its not so much the jetski's i hate, its the way some people drive them.. or the way alcohol is involved with operating them.

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Alcohol plays a large role in much of the jet ski operation. But it's not the sole cause of problems. For some reason PWC operators tend to not think of them as boats at all, just toys. And enforcement is lax in most areas. Reckless and or drunken operators of jet skis and other boats should be a priority. Above checking registrations. Above checking whether you have a working horn or counting life jackets. Reckless operation causes far more injuries and deaths than registrations or safety equipment. If you have limited manpower, put them on the most critical issues.

And the thought that two women were operating under the influence, each with two children behind them, appalls me and the list of crimes I believe they're guilty of is long. But then you drive under the influence and kill your best friend when you wreck, and this after previous convictions and suspension, and then find yourself out of jail in 18 months, I don't understand.

I should ignore this thread rather than admitting that in my younger years (to me) we had a wonderful time with a couple of jet skis on Lake Michigan. Absolute ball, weekend after weekend.

But then Lake Michigan because of its size is different, a group of jet skis a mile off shore bothers no one. Going ten miles out only took 12 to 14 minutes and the waves were great to jump.

Being a group of 40 year old boys with lots of connections in town we were able to regulate the use of jet skis in front of our town's shoreline by informal action coordinated with the police. Even had our own jet ski path to get off the beach and past the swimmers/bathers.


I with others on this forum curse the jet skiers in the anchorages who weave between the boats with no concern for others, but then society has changed in 30 years.