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It’s about that time of year again, temperatures are on
the rise and the last remnants of winter are fading away. This can mean
only one thing – it’s almost BIKINI SEASON! Time to get your PWC ready for
some aquatic fun!
General Tips on How to Prepare Your Personal Watercraft for
Summer Fun
The following pre summer fun inspection assumes that your PWC had proper
winterizing service performed. Performing a quick pre and post ride
inspection will help ensure that you have a fun and safe time on the water
this summer.
BATTERY – Check the water level of the battery
and add DISTILLED water as necessary (not required on maintenance free or
gel type batteries). If the battery has not been on a
Battery Tender Jr. over the winter months or the battery has fully discharged
and been subjected to freezing temperatures, you may want to consider replacing
it. (Floating aimlessly in the middle of the lake with a dead battery and
not a boat in sight, does not promote aquatic fun) Inspect the battery cable
and starter connections for signs of corrosion and clean as required. Apply
a thin coat of dielectric contact grease, if available, to ensure a better
electrical contact and help reduce future corrosion. Place the battery on
a low amp, trickle battery charger to ensure it’s fully charged.
Please Note: Jump starting your personal watercraft off a car battery
can cause serious damage to the electronics - If you MUST jump from a car,
(i.e. bikinis have been sighted) make sure that the car engine is not running.
CONTROL SYSTEMS - Make sure all operating controls
including the steering controls, start/stop button, lanyard and throttle
are working properly. The steering and throttle should move freely without
any evidence of sticking or binding. Be sure to check the throttle in all
steering positions. If your watercraft is equipped with a reverse system,
make sure the reverse lever operates smoothly without binding and the reverse
bucket drops down over the jet pump nozzle. Lube or replace cables as required.
Note: you will need a special tool called a cable luber to lube the cables.
FUEL – The fuel in the gas tank (without fuel stabilizer)
will tend to degrade over time and depending on how long the ski has been
sitting you may want to siphon out some or all of the gas and replace it
with fresh gas before trying to start the beast. Dispose of the old gas
in an ‘environmentally friendly way’ or save it for future use in your weed
whacker or lawn mower. Inspect the fuel filter. Fuel filters are cheap insurance
for the life of your engine if yours looks questionable, replace it.
OIL - If your PWC is equipped with an oil injection
system be sure and top off to oil tank. If you have a 4 stroke engine (4-Tec,
etc), check the oil level using the dip stick. It’s generally best
to stick with the oil recommended by your watercrafts manufacturer. Please
note that not all “2 stroke oil” is the same and using the incorrect one
can damage your pride and joy’s engine.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT – Grab a bright flash light
or shop light and spend some time inspecting the inside of your engine compartment
for evidence of fuel or oil leaks, broken or missing hose clamps and tie
wraps, loose or frayed wiring, and worn or cracked hoses. Give all hose
clamps, hood, seat, sponsons and tie down bolts a quick once over with a
screw driver or wrench to ensure they are tight.
HULL – Inspect the outside of your PWC for any damage
to the hull. Minor chips and scrapes are usually not a problem. Inspect
the jet pump intake grate area for any lake debris (wood, plastic bags,
alligators) that may have become lodged there last riding season. While
you are under your PWC, check/tighten the bolts securing the intake grate.
Shine your light source in the exit nozzle looking for signs that your PWC
may have ingested anything other than good ole H20.
FIRE IT UP! – If you went a little over board with
the fogging oil last winter, you may want to remove the spark plugs and
hold a shop rag over the plug holes while bumping the starter a few times.
Remember to properly ground the spark plug wires before trying the starter!
When the shop rag doesn’t look like it was used to clean up the Exxon Valdes
oil spill, replace the plugs and turn the fuel selector on.
Try the starter for a max of 5 seconds at a time. Allowing time in between
try’s for the starter to cool. Tip: If you’re having a hard time starting
your jet ski you may want to try spraying some WD-40 in the intake while
cranking to help it start. (WD-40 is less harsh on the engine than ether
starting spray.) Once you get the watercraft running, turn the handlebar
all the way to the left and right to ensure that the idle speed does NOT
change (i.e. checking for a binding throttle cable). Run the engine for
a max of 15-20 seconds then allow the engine to cool completely.
Great it’s running, time to head to the lake!
Before packing up the ole’ tow vehicle with life vests and sun block
take a few minutes to check your safety equipment. Check your fire extinguisher,
horn / whistle, life vests, tow rope, trailer safety chains, extra lanyard,
etc to see if it’s in proper working order.
PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE (PFD) you and each of your
passengers must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device
(Life Vest). Anyone being towed by the PWC (tube, wake board, etc.) must
also wear an approved life vest.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER U.S. Coast Guard approved fire extinguisher
must be on board. If this is the first outing of the PWC season, you may
want to test the fire extinguisher with a quick squeeze before heading to
the lake (just remember to avoid pointing it at children, small animals
or the wife/girlfriend during test firing) Most PWC fire extinguishers do
not have pressure gauges and may seem full with even though they have zero
pressure inside.
WHISTLE or HORN PWC laws require you to carry a whistle
or horn for distress signaling and warning other PWCers/Boaters. Most states
require that the sound making device (whistle or horn) be “immediately available”
– i.e. attached to your life vest or lanyard.
EYE PROTECTION wrap around sun glasses will suffice
but goggles offer the best eye protection. (Tip – Buy some cheap sun glasses
that you wouldn’t mind watching sink to the bottom of the lake and save
the expensive Oakley’s for on land activities.)
PERSONAL PROTECTION shoes, race boots or “water socks”
will not only give you added traction and control but protect your feet
when boarding and unboarding. You may also want to consider purchasing a
good pair of watercraft gloves to ensure a tight grip on those wet controls.
Finally, if you plan to ride in colder weather a good wetsuit or dry suit
would be a wise investment.
TOW ROPE / DOCK ROPE always keep a strong, well maintained
rope in your personal watercraft.
WATERPROOF BAG or CONTAINER for important documents
such as registration information, ID, wallet, and owner’s manual.
WATERPROOF FIRST AID KIT Its a very good
idea to carry a basic first aid kit that includes bandages, gauze pads,
antiseptic towelettes, adhesive tape, Povidone-Iodine Betadine, triple antibiotic,
sunscreen, tweezers, Acetaminophen, latex gloves, sting relief pad, single
edge razor blade and First Aid instructions (such as Part Number 59-3419)
BASIC WATERCRAFT TOOL KIT you don’t need to bring
along the entire Snap-on tool chest! Just a few commonly used tools you
might need. Screw drivers, spark plug wrench, crescent wrench, allen wrenches
and such. In fact keep the good tools on shore and buy a cheap set that
you wont mind losing or lending to fellow PWCers in mechanical distress.
Also, toss in some extra hose clamps, spark plugs, tie wraps, electrical
tape, pocket knife, and the universal fix it tool – duct tape.
POST RIDE CARE
Remove your personal watercraft from the water.
Remove the drain plugs to drain off any water remaining inside the engine
compartment. If the boat ramp isn’t busy, try pulling the drain plugs on
the ramp since its incline will help allow for more complete drainage.
Start the engine and give it a few quick throttle squeezes. This will
help purge the exhaust system of any excess water. run the engine for a
max of 10-15 seconds.
Once you get home, use a garden hose to rinse out the engine compartment.
Avoid using high pressure water (car washes) or spraying electrical components.
If you have been riding in salt water, rinse the engine compartment and
the whole boat thoroughly with fresh water and use products like Salt Away
or Salt Terminator.
Wipe the engine compartment dry with a clean dry rag.
After the engine has completely cooled, spray a corrosion-proof lubricant
such as Bombardier Lube (or equivalent) on the engine, on the electrical
wiring and jet pump assembly. Do not use WD40, its a solvent.
Unlatch the hood and seat and prop them slightly open to help encourage
air circulation and prevent condensation.
Toss on the spiffy PWC cover and you’re done.
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