If you are learning to ride a jet ski for the first time, it can be intimidating; jet skis speed up to seventy miles per hour, and that can be a recipe for disaster for beginners. But learning how to ride a jet ski doesn’t have to be intimidating if you have the following tips:
Be prepared
Get everything ready for a ride; for example, get enough fuel, get the right documentation on board, and have life jackets readily available. Some states require jet ski riders to wear life jackets and have riding licenses. It is fair to know everything needed ahead of time.
Understand jet skis
Controls in a given brand can be different from another one. Get to understand the controls well before you dive. Know where the throttle is and emergency cut out. It would be best to connect the emergency cut-off lanyard in a rare case you fall off the jet ski. Know where the braking system is located too, it will be helpful in case of an emergency with your ride. As said earlier, brands differ in operationalization; you should familiarise yourself with the watercraft you will use beforehand.
Get started
First, sit down comfortably and put your hands on both handlebars. Start the jet ski and push the throttle slowly as you swing into motion. Cruise between 5 and 10 miles per hour until you are farther away from the shoreline. Some riders prefer to remain close to the coastline until they are familiar with the throttle’s sensitivity.
Turning
Once you are off the shoreline, you can increase the cruise to the speed you are comfortable with, and please make turns at slower speeds to avoid overturning. You must lean in the direction you want to turn to if you are riding with high speed and make sure your passengers do the same if you have any. Always remember that some jet skis don’t have a rudder, so it requires you to turn at high speeds, but modern ones can allow you to spin at low speed.
Riding wakes
Once you are comfortable riding a jet ski, the best part starts – jumping wakes. It is the most exciting part of jet ski riding. Remember when jumping the wakes, your jet ski should be at manageable speeds. Jumping wakes at high-speed forces it to push through instead of jumping over it. Learning how to jump wakes takes time, and it requires a lot of patience and practice.
Final tips
When you are a pro already, there are a few more tips you should know. Take into account legal requirements, for example, if you are allowed to ride a jet ski or not before jumping into the water. Anybody can ride a jet ski, but some states require licensing before riding. Also, there is an age requirement, and most states have this requirement, but it goes in tandem with the age of consent. The next time you want to enjoy jet ski riding, check into the legal requirements and make sure you are compliant before riding.
Another important tip is to take note of your surroundings. Riding a jet ski is the same as riding a motorbike, which requires you to look out for yourself while riding. Waterways are wide open and uncrowded, but that does not rule out accidents from happening. It is best to choose a jet ski hire Gold Coast that is prepared to deal with injuries and accidents.