A list of essential safety equipment & considerations to make before going afloat. Jetski safety kit, PWC safety kit

Safety & personal kit for your PWC:

Personal Equipment
Wet or drysuit
Buoyancy aid/ Impact vest (correctly fitted & a minimum of 50N)
Goggles
Kill cord (plus spare)
Sun-block
Foot protection
Gloves
Whistle

 

Do you know the difference between a wetsuit & drysuit? Do you know the difference between a lifejacket, buoyancy aid & impact vest? If the answer is no to any of these questions, please scroll to the bottom of this page for the answers..

 

PW Safety Equipment

 

Full tank of petrol and oil
Fire extinguisher
Inshore flare pack (2 x red pin point & 2 x Orange smoke flares)
Knife
Rope
Anchor
Torch
Tool kit
First aid kit

 

Legal Requirements
Insurance certificate
Registration certificate
Hull number displayed
Is your PW allowed in the area?

 

Safety Procedures for Personal Watercraft (PWC)

Pre-Launch Checks
Is the weather forecast OK?
Are the tides OK for launch & recovery?
Is the hull intact?
Are the bungs in?
Are the seats and hatches sealed?
Does the engine runs and stops & is the killcord functional?
Do you know the local rules? (Byelaws)
Do you have a chart of the area (with a compass)?

 

Offshore Cruising
Compass
VHF radio or mobile phone
Charts

ALWAYS cruise in company, make a passage plan, inform someone of your route and destination ETA, not forgetting to let someone know of your return ETA.

 

Recovery Checks
Light board secure and working, PW strapped to trailer, lightboard on and working.

 

  • What is the difference between a wetsuit and a drysuit?

A wetsuit is a neoprene suit that insulates by warming water with body heat and holding it next to the skin to provide an insulating layer. For a wetsuit to be effective it must be tight/close fitting.

 

 

A drysuit is a waterproof nylon suit which usually has latex or neoprene cuffs, neck seal and waterproof zip. A drysuit provides thermal insulation to the wearer whilst immersed in the water but to be effective must be worn with appropriate under-garments such as thermals or a 'wooly bear' suit.

 

 

  • What is the difference between a lifejacket, buoyancy aid and impact vest?

A lifejacket will in effect 'save your life' if you are knocked unconcious it is designed to roll you onto your back so your airway is clear from the water. Lifejackets can either come with fixed buoyancy i.e. similar to a buoyancy aid but with a collar or as a inflation type which contains a C02 cannister. They can be purchased as either manual or auto inflate - manual inflate requires the wearer to pull a cord to inflate it, auto inflate means the C02 cannister will go off on contact with the water. This type of personal floation device (PFD) is not appropriate for use on a jetski/PWC.

  Fixed buoyancy    Inflation

A buoyancy aid is exactly as described, it will aid your buoyancy, usually worn for activities like dinghy sailing and windsurfing where you will be close to shore and in company of others or a safety craft.

 

An impact vest is much like a buoyancy aid in the fact that it will aid your buoyancy, it is ideal for jetskiing/PW riding and other high speed activities such as wakeboarding, waterskiing etc where there is a chance that you may fall off your craft at high-speed. It is designed with tough materials including multiple heavy-duty straps/buckles and with a longer design that will sit down to your waist covering and protecting your vital organs.