Course notes:
The PWC BEAUFORT WIND SCALE
Force 1: Perfect for a long distance run
Force 2: Fun !
Force 3: Beginners will struggle
Force 4: Experienced hands only
Force 5: At the top end of PW driving. Hardened experts only. Very tiring and becoming dangerous.
Force 6: Forget it. Put the PW away for another day. You?ll only break it.
Force 7-11: Definitely do something else..!
TOWING
Use a bowline for towing. Tow at no more than a brisk walking pace as water can be forced into the engine if your speed to is too high. (Owners manual will tell you if it is possible to close off water intakes if a long tow is anticipated). Don't forget to check that they will not make salvage claims against you. This concern can be overcome by making a verbal agreement prior to the start of the tow.
PRE-LAUNCH CHECKS
LAUNCHING
Bung in?
Check impellor with a torch (all clear)
Remove lightboard, all straps etc
Test start and stop the engine using the kill-cord
Check fuel level
Check oil level
Check that you have all safety equipment on-board
RECOVERY
Flush PW with fresh water for a couple of minutes to purge salt water from the system.
Drain water by removing bungs.
Thoroughly wash down PW with fresh water and a mild detergent until all salt is removed.
Sponge down the inside of the engine bay & storage area (Check for oil leaks, or any other loose items).
Partially replace the seat, allowing the engine bay to vent if the PW is stored under cover.
Have your PW regularly serviced, lubricated (non-mineral based).
POST-RECOVERY CHECKS
CAPSIZE RECOVERY
- After capsize; make sure your engine has cut off; Check label on stern for way to rotate craft (you can damage the craft if you rotate the wrong way), whilst you are at the back of craft make observation checks of both the intake and jet parts to make sure there are no foreign objects or damage.
- Swim alongside (making sure you keep contact with the craft); Put one hand on the grill (avoiding the ride plate as this may be hot), one hand on the grab handle & toe/knee on rubbing strake. Roll the PW over so the water drains off.
- Move to the stern; climb over the back (beware not to tread on any of the jet parts); Keep body low (especially in choppy water), reattach the killcord, restart without choke but with slight throttle, if the engine does not restart the carbs may be flooded with fuel - leave it for a few minutes. Do NOT carry out repairs afloat. If the PW does not restart - call for assistance.
Passenger:- If you have a passenger, follow the same procedure but do not start the PWC until they are safely onboard. Ask the passenger to climb on after you are balanced keeping their body weight low.
Teaching capsize recovery: -
There are two obvious ways in which you can teach capsize recovery; firstly, it is always a good idea as with anything to give your students a demonstration, as mentioned in previous sections 'a picture paints a thousand words' therefore you will save time on your explaination. Also, there is alot of concern pinned to the capsize exercise by students, the 2 main concerns seem to be:- 1) That their ski will not re-start after capsize. 2) They will not beable to right the capsize.
You can solve both of these concerns immediately by demonstrating.
There are two obvious ways in which you can run a 'safe' capsize recovery exercise:-
1) Pick a safe, clear, open area (not too shallow) to run the exercise -then position your safety craft close by, but upwind/tide or parallel to the PWC so that you are in a good position to be heard and seen and of course so that you have a clear view of the PWC and your students. Ask any other PWC riders that you are training to keep a safe distance from the area.
2) In strong wind/tide it may be appropriate to attach a line to the front of the PWC that is going to be capsized and tie it off to a mooring buoy or similar, this way the craft & your students will not drift into any dangerous/hazardous areas during the exercise. It is however essential that you brief your students to keep a hold of the craft throughout the exercise. Remember not to secure your safety craft as you may be required to assist or recover a drifting student!
Position your other students/PWCs on other mooring buoys so that they can observe the exercise.
Group control:-
Teaching PWC courses creates an entirely new element to any thoughts you may have previously had on 'group control'. The main reason for this is the fact that you are looking after anything up to 3 PWC's and 6 students at any one time, all of which have the capability of going up to 70mph in opposite directions!
The key is in giving an effective briefing, but we are also going to have a look at the 'worst case scenario' and how you as the instructor can deal with this.
Prior to briefing - Answer the following questions to yourself -
- What is a safe area to operate?
- What type of course can I lay to keep my group safe, that I can be seen (& can see all my students), It needs to be out of any main channels & preferably away from the general public?
i.e. a box course means that you can be sat on your safety craft in the middle of the box - remember only 2 PWC's on a box course at anyone time, if you are doing 'an introduction to high speed' then only 1 PWC on the box at anyone time. The other students can join you in the middle of the box to observe.
- What is a safe speed to beable to effectively run this exercise?
- What is the ability/background knowledge of my students? (Never assume!)
Briefing -
Your student briefing needs to contain the following elements -
- Re-call signals - whistles etc cannot be heard over the noise of your students engine, therefore you need to create one of two scenarios - either set them a number of laps of the course to complete and inform them that they must slow down and return to you on completion OR brief them to look over at you on a regular basis, if you are giving them a hand-signal (i.e. arms ontop of your head or pointing & waving them in) then they must return to you at this point. For hand-signals to work effectively, you must position yourself in an obvious place, insight of your students.
- Course
- Direction of travel
- Safe speed awareness & the speed that you want them to carry out the exercise
- Road rules & byelaws (including slowing down to displacement speed i.e. 5 knots if another craft enters the operating area)
- Timings
- Key teaching points of the exercise, what you want them to achieve & why they are doing it.
What happens if my student does not stop when I show my hand signal?
- Move yourself into a more obvious area in direct eyeline with your student (not on a collision course!) so that your student can see you & show the hand-signal again, or just hold you hand up in a stop position.
What should I do if my student goes in far excess of the speed limit that I have set them?
- Stop the session immediately, recall your student & remind them of the initial briefing. Most PWC's have a speed guage onboard - for novice students, tell them a physical speed to follow i.e. 10 knots/mph/kmph - it is very difficult for new riders to know the difference between planing, displacement speed etc.
What should I do if my student does not follow the course I set-out for them?
- Stop the session immediately, recall your student & remind them of the initial briefing. You may need to demonstrate the course for them to have a full understanding of what is expected of them (especially with slalom exercises).
Another jetski/boat/craft is heading right towards my group & looks like it is going to cut through my course?
- Stop the session immediately, gather all of your students together in one group & wait for the craft to pass by. If your students paid attention to your briefing they should already slowed to displacement speed when they saw the other craft heading towards them.
Downloads you may find useful:-
PWC course syllabus
Layout of PWC
Personal equipment
PWC equipment
Pre-launch checks
Road rules, Byelaws & Courtesy to others
Waterski signals
(Faster, turning, stop, turn around, slower, back to dock, I'm ok)
Launching and recovery
Orientation -following a planned route (basic navigation)
Identifying buoys & marks
PW control at speed - Box course & Slalom exercise
Slow speed manouveres
Towing a PWC (knots)
Falling off & reboarding
Capsize and righting
Session 1:-
Medical forms/ administration, Tides & weather forecasts.
INTRO - Layout of PWC, Personal equip, PWC/safety equip, pre-launch checks, launching
Session 2:-
Importance of killcord, Basic PW controls & handling, use of reverse/Neutral at slow speed
Introduction to road rules, byelaws & awareness, stopping distances.
Session 3:-
Slow speed handling i.e. picking up a mooring, driving around buoys in a figure of 8 pattern, coming alongside safety craft etc
Slalom exercise (rotate from 1 to w/passenger) // road rules & waterski signals
Session 4:-
Towing (2 up if relevant, towing other PWs & boat if available)
Road rules, byelaws, route planning (basic navigation), tides, weather - LUNCH!
Following a planned route, use of a hand-bearing compass
Session 7:-
An introduction to high speed (box course)
High speed (box course, then slalom) - rotate from single rider to 2 up if relevant (show difference in handling techniques & considerations with additional weight)
Session 8:-
Capsize & righting, falling off and reboarding
Session 9:-
DEBRIEF & administration
For information on the below, please visit the 'news' page
A very simple explaination regarding PWC's & section 58 Merchant Shipping Act 1995