A personal watercraft (PWC) will provide you hours of exhilarating adventure. Before you go riding those waves, however, it’s crucial you make all the necessary preparations, among them acquiring the right Powersports F&I products to ensure your safety.

Here are some tips for PWC beginners:

Buy the ideal PWC

Since you’re new to riding, it’s important you purchase a beginner-friendly PWC. These may be slower and less powerful than the models experts use, but they’ll keep you safe as you learn the ins and outs of riding.

Bring all the necessary equipment

If you’re going to ride a PWC, you must, without fail, bring with you a life jacket with an air horn or whistle attached; a safety lanyard; a dry bag containing your identification and other essentials; a fire extinguisher approved by the coast guard; registration numbers; and mirrors for your PWC if it doesn’t have one.

It’s also imperative you bring a GPS-capable smartphone, first aid kit, sunscreen, anchor, bilge pump, distress flag, skier down flag, shock tube, and solar charger.

Wear the appropriate gear

During rides, you must always wear your life jacket, wetsuit shorts, gloves, water shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and dry bag.

Observe the do’s and don’ts

Don’t drive drunk. Don’t drive when the sun’s gone down. Don’t ride dangerously close to other PWCs. Don’t bring more passengers than your PWC can carry.

Do obey all the PWC rules in your given state and practice good etiquette. Do start your watercraft in waist-deep water.

Undergo training

Whether your state requires it or not, take a boaters safety course. This will teach you how to keep yourself and other riders safe during rides.

You should also undergo a PWC training course to learn all there is to know about your PWC and the skills you need to become a safe and effective rider.

Practice

Find an area that’s light on traffic and practice all you’ve learned. For now, only jump small waves, so avoid getting close to big boats.

Purchase a Powersports F&I product

Last but not least, protect yourself financially by purchasing Powersports F&I products. These can help reduce a variety of expenses, such as maintenance and repair costs, and the cost of purchasing a new PWC in the case of a total loss.

For more information on Torque Group’s Powersports F&I products, kindly visit our Powersports F&I products page. Feel free to contact us at (800) 859 0590 or via email if you have any questions!