There are many marine recreation activities, and one great way to enjoy your marine recreation is owning a personal watercraft. For most people, jet skis are the most common watercrafts they'd like to own. But for first time buyers, you may not know all the things to consider before your purchase. For this reason, here is a guide to help you.
Licence Requirements
Buying a jet ski is not simply about getting into a shop and leaving out with one. There are some things concerning licences that you need to know. You must comply with any laws in your state or even your local council concerning the ownership of watercrafts. In most cases, the laws will dictate the minimum age as well as the safe operation of the jet ski, which usually requires training and even a personal watercraft licence before your operation of a jet ski is deemed legal. In some cases, before you obtain a personal watercraft licence, you need to have an existing marine licence. Therefore, finding out from your local council or your jet ski vendor the kind of licences you will need is the first step to buying one.
Size
The size of your jet ski will affect some aspects of the watercraft in terms of performance, so there are some things you will have to give top priority when choosing the size. Size correlates with the number of passengers your jet ski can accommodate. Single rider jet skis are the most common but have two types. There are those without a seat (solo crafts) where you have to stand up when riding, and those fitted with seats (sport crafts). Solo crafts usually require some level of athleticism for proper control, so it's best to go for these if you have been jet skiing for a while. Otherwise, a sport craft should suffice. Jet skis are also available in two- to four-seater models. What you need to understand is that larger jet skis tend to be more stable. On the downside, manoeuvring larger jet skis, particularly when making turns, may not be as easy compared to smaller jet skis. Therefore, when choosing size, know what you have to compromise between stability and ease of control.
Stroke Type
This refers to the type of engine. Generally, jet skis come with 2-stroke and 4-stroke types of engines. The former is what many of the old jet ski models have, and most are even being phased out. The advantage of 2-stroke engines is that direction control is much easier. That is, direct starting as well as reversing is simpler. They may also require less maintenance and tend to be more reliable. However, since they are being phased out, finding parts, especially when your jet ski develops an issue, can be a hassle. The 4-stroke option would therefore be the ideal alternative.
For more information and help with buying your first jet ski, contact a marine services shop in your area.
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