Yamaha PWC Safety

Yamaha personal watercraft are extremely popular and it’s no surprise why -- they offer you a high-speed ride over the water’s surface that gives you the kinds of thrills you won’t find anywhere else. Personal watercraft, or PWCs, are only safe if you are adequately prepared to ride them and you don’t take risks. Otherwise, you could cause an accident that injures you or other people or does serious damage to your PWC. 

Here at Abernathy’s Cycles in Union City, we take marine safety very seriously, so we’ve created this guide to PWC safety to help you operate your Yamaha WaveRunner in a responsible manner while still having fun.

Inspect Your WaveRunner

Before you even load your Yamaha PWC onto the trailer, you should give it a thorough visual inspection. Check the hull for any signs of damage that could make it dangerous to ride. Make sure that lights and signals work well and that the throttle functions. Fill up your gas tank with fuel before each ride, too. If anything seems amiss, don’t hesitate to call the Abernathy’s Cycles service department so that our professional mechanics can help you out!

Get The Right Gear

Riding any kind of powersports equipment means that you’ll need some safety gear to protect yourself and a personal watercraft is no different. The most important piece of equipment you should wear is a well-fitting life jacket that’s approved by the US Coast Guard. There are many styles available on the market at various price points so you’re sure to find one that meets your needs. Always wear your life jacket, even if you’re a good swimmer (which you should be if you’re out on the water!).

Other equipment you’ll need includes a whistle if your PWC lacks a horn to signal your approach to other water users, a set of flares, an emergency radio, your phone with charger, a first aid kit, a dewatering device and a rope to help you tow your watercraft in and out of the water. You can carry these things in your watertight compartment or get modular storage that fits on your PWC. Wear sunglasses out on the water even in cloudy conditions and always wear waterproof sunscreen. Bring water so you can stay hydrated.

Check The Weather

Another great step to take before you head to the water with your Yamaha PWC is to check the forecast. High winds, heavy rains, hail and lightning are all the kinds of adverse weather conditions you’ll want to avoid when riding a personal watercraft, since it offers you no protection whatsoever from the elements. So if the weather looks bad, you’ll want to reschedule instead of risking it.

Follow Best Practices

Since WaveRunners have powerful engines and can go at very high speeds, it’s vitally important that they be operated in a responsible manner. This means only using your PWC while sober; using drugs and alcohol before you ride will impair your focus and, in the case of alcohol, make you more likely to suffer from hypothermia if you fall in the cold water. Check with your physician if you’re on any medications or have any health conditions that might preclude you from operating heavy machinery.

When passing other crafts, head to the right and signal your approach with your horn or whistle where you can. Give swimmers in the water a wide berth and slow down when approaching other crafts so you don’t splash people or jostle them. Slow down well before you approach the ramp, too, so that you’re not coming into the dock at high speeds. Make sure that your watercraft is properly registered with all its markings visible, too.

Stop by our location in Union City to see our wide selection of Yamaha PWC, including new and used WaveRunner models. Abernathy’s Cycles serves the wider Memphis metro area, as well as the city of Nashville, Tennessee.