Jet Ski accident....

[Julian]

Didn't see anyone post this one....but goes to show how kids need lessons and guidance when they get on the water....this could have ended very badly. Luckily...no injuries this time!

 

[NewBoater]

I saw that I think I read the kid said the sun was in his eyes and didn’t see him until the last minute.

Lot of people saying he cuts at the end which looks like he was trying to be an a$$ and splash the guy in the boat on purpose, but cut it too close and slammed into the boat.

Either way, lesson learned the hard way for this kid.

 

[Shuck Water]

It looks like when the kid realizes he's heading for a collision he panics, kills the throttle (you hear it drop off) then tries to steer away which as us jet boaters know too well no thrust = no control. This kid almost got a Darwin award, but glad no injuries.

 

[geohil]

We had a stand-up vs. stand-up decapitation on our river a couple years ago. I'm glad in our state that they now require license to boat/jetski. Gives us a polite way to say no to novices.

 

[Wayloncle]

I didn’t expect
The kid to be without injury!
I thought for sure his leg was going to be
Messed up at the least!

 

[Bruce]

We normally have one or more fatalities on local lakes each summer. More often than not a jet ski is involved.

 

[Ronnie]

I have not seen this until today. I will show it to my 15 year old as he has been solo jet skiing for a few years now and rides them better/more safely than most adults i know but i dont want him to get complacent. Hopefully the guy in the video has learned the lesson and wont be back for a refresher course.

 

[captras]

I think you should have to have a license to operate a boat just as you do a car. I know in Texas, if you are born after a certain year you have to have some kind of boater safety course, but I dont think that is enough. But hey....you cant regulate STUPID....so rules may reduce, but there will always be those few!

 

[Ancient canoe]

That sounds good in practice but I don't know how much real world change it would have. I mean even the licensing process for a car is pretty lame. It can't get close to covering actual real world situations. I took a multiple choice test I could have passed when I was 10, and I drove around in my small town with an instructor for a few hours total. We paralleled parked in a parking lot with cones. Then I was licensed to drive anywhere, but really no more prepared to handle danger. That just comes with experience and not being an idiot. A boating license would be even more dumbed down.

 

[geohil]

Living in a state that does force boaters to get a licenses I will say it is a big deal. I would say only 1/3 of the questions on the 60 question test applied to me. There were a bunch of "How far out to sea do you need to be to dump raw sewage?" type questions - but is does convey the weight and responsibility of operating a watercraft or boat on public waters. Makes it tougher, but not impossible for a person that has never sat on a watercraft to just take off and go. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the watercraft/boat owner to determine the skill level and competency of the driver.

 

[Ronnie]

This is how the great state of California will address this. I will be taking a boating class , a refresher for me, with my son soon. The things we do for our kids.

 

[Ronnie]

Check this out, a good Sam in action.

 

[buckbuck]

Did you notice that PWC continued to idle in circles. Didn't he attach the lanyard?

 

[txav8r]

I remember the first time I rode a jet ski, a stand up. It was before I even remember skis you could ride on. It was a fast lesson that throttle off meant NO STEERING. Probably one main reason Jeff invented the steering for them. Having a safety course is a good start and certainly should be a must. But educating anyone using or driving a ski, or boat, should be primary for anyone who takes to the water...or the road for that matter. More regulation? Seller responsibility? Owner responsibility? Y'all be careful out there!

 

[haknslash]

Did you notice that PWC continued to idle in circles. Didn't he attach the lanyard?

Doesn't look like he attached it. Scary stuff!

 

[Ronnie]

I dont think the lanyard was the proximate cause of his accident, looks like he wasnt expecting to get so much air and blew the landing. Its a good thing that Sam was around or he would have drowned being passed out face down like that.

 

[haknslash]

I don't think he meant the lanyard was the cause of the accident. I think he was just wondering why the ski kept going in circles. One big glaring reminder in that video was that a PFD is NOT a lifejacket. A lifejacket is designed to turn over an unconscious body and keep the head above water. Of course Lifejackets aren't comfortable or as stylish as a PFD so it's easily disregarded for cool points instead. I'm guilty of it too doing water sports but it's a scary reminder of what could happen if you're knocked out and no one is around.

 

[Beachbummer]

I think what you are calling a lifejacket is also called a Class I PFD by the Coast Guard. It's a vest that will turn most anybody face up when in the water.

I think what this guy was wearing (likely a type 3) still saved the guys life by keeping him afloat, allowing the other gentleman to pull his head out of the water. No PFD, if he goes under.. how are you getting him out? I ask (demand) anyone doing water sports while I'm captain to wear a PDF (but not type 1) Here in Houston once you go 3 inches under water, you are GONE and cannot be found. water is MURKY.

I have worn some Type 1 PFDs mostly at the store and during drills on ships as a passenger. They are extremely uncomfortable. In my humble opinion, If they were mandatory to wear while riding you would sell 2% of the jetskis sold today. (Or better jackets would be made)

Everything is a balance of risk/reward. Inflatable device may be best suited to save you in all circumstances while being very comfortable...as long as it deploys. I'm not sure how much water it can take before it inflates, so using it on a jetski may not be possible.

Based on the likelihood of an accident and the discomfort it causes, I cannot recommend a type 1 jacket. It's just mean. But, to each his own...they sell all kinds. (No implication you are recommending a Type 1 either, but the warning is very valid. It alone will not save you if left unattended and unconscious.)

 

[haknslash]

They make Type 1 life jackets in a PFD vest style that are more comfortable to wear than a typical Type 1 collar style life jacket http://www.landfallnavigation.com/s...MIx764w96j2AIVlLrACh3jSwCdEAQYDiABEgIXlvD_BwE. I wasn't necessarily recommended any type to anyone. Just observing that had that guy been wearing a legit life jacket he would have a better chance or surviving if he was riding alone and the same incident happened.

 

[Buckeye Boater]

In Minnesota you have to basically be 14 or older to operate a PWC. I see kids on my lake all the time driving around that are obviously under that. There will be 3 kids on a ski at a time flying around too close to other boats and shore, only a matter of time. Not sure where the parents heads are at.