Heroes of the 2018 Plyniemy Polsko

HEROES

Sebastian and Ola are the heroes of the Płyniemy Polsko Rally.

The Plyniemy Polsko is patterned off the famous road race the Paris to Dakar. Only the Rally in Poland runs up the famous Vistula River, to the Baltic Sea and back down to the center of the nation on Personal Water Craft.

Płyniemy Polsko

TEAMS

Ten teams have joined to Rally to raise funds and awareness for children’s charitable causes for the Special Olympics, cerebral palsy and Autism.

On April 29th., Ola and Sebastian who represent the mascots of the charity focus rode a BRP Sea Doo Spark northward on the Vistual River at the starting point in Krakow.

They drove onward through Warsaw, Wcloclawek Gydnia and today the Rally starts in Szczecin on the Oder River. The Teams will continue until the end point in Rybink.

Heroes of the Rally

RACE FOR CHARITY

Although the Rally is also a race as well as a charity event, for Sebastian and Ola it is about personal dreams and achievement.

The Rally will be working to provide the funds for special diving equipment for people who are mentally and physically challenged to bring them opportunities to explore and become a reality of their own design.

They are fantastic representatives of the Special Olympics - Olimpiady Specjalne Śląskie

You can become a supporter by visting:
Special Olympics Facebook

K38 Poland Website

CONNECTED RIDERS

Plyniemy Polsko

The Plyniemy Polsko is a benefit Charity Rally that navigates through Poland from the Rivers to the Baltic Sea, having Connected Riders is a big part of the safety of the event.

The Plyniemy Polsko is fielded by ten teams of Personal Water Craft operators who are raising awareness for children’s charitable organizations.

The event is a week-long challenge with various stops at historical ports and waterfronts. This is an incredible project undertaken by the teams and a host of venerable sponsors.

Connected Boat is a significant part of the assurance of safety for this event.
Connected Boat

Connected Boat

STAGE 4

Gdynia to Darlowo
Each day is considered a Stage. Each day that passes fatigue, water and weather conditions and vessel fatigue can occur. Whenever long distance adventures are undertaken safety is the cornerstone of the success for the entrants and the image of the event.
The organizers spent countless hours preparing and ensuring that each team would be well prepared for the arduous journey.
Connected Boat is a GPS tracking device that is stored onboard the craft and the land chase vehicles. The GPS signal can be viewed in real time at a special landing page for the Rally.

Another great aspect of Connected Boat is that it gives viewers an update on the battery life along with the speed and location, the vessel direction is also given. Alerts can also be notified regarding the status of the vessel itself. It has a great feature for connectivity through social media.

Contestant Jacek Biskupek was running a great pace on his Sea Doo Spark and he had a technical issue with the craft, so he pulled up on the beach in Choczewo.

K38 Poland’s Yamaha Rescue Water Craft was pulling up the rear and stopped to check on Jacek.

You can see from the Connected Boat event page the tracklines, and the actual time of the stop and precise location. Jacek decided to wait for his support vehicle to arrive so he could make the necessary repairs and K38 Poland finished the final leg by water.

While all the Rally riders made it safe to port in Darwolo, Jacek had help on the way. It was challenging to get to Jacek’s remote location as there were no waterfront road access and the sand was restrictive.

His support vehicle made several attempts to get closer to his location on the beach. What is great about Connected Boat is that we could watch anywhere in the world to see the locations of the chase vehicles and the Personal Water Craft.

Connected Boat has a great profile page for each craft or vehicle. The APP also tracks the speed and exact GPS location in a timely fashion and records a trackline that is easy to read.

His support vehicle actually landed and they sorted everything out with plenty of daylight left to get back to the group and get some rest for the next leg of the Rally.

Beach Assist

SAFETY IS OUR BUSINESS

Fortunately for Jacek he is pretty handy with repairs and tore into the pump on the beach. A local tractor helped to move the Spark and everything was sorted.

The best part of this experience is that I am in America and I was able to watch on the Connected Boat event page and I could see how fast they were working out solutions from the time the Spark went down, to the time Jacek and his teammate made it back to the hotel for the night!

Our company K38 is a close group of water safety professionals. We are represented around the world and we work on a variety of waterways.

Safety is our business. As the founder of K38, its great to have the Connected Boat connection because I can track K38 Poland’s progress and the event safety from my laptop computer thousands of miles away. It’s a great evaluation tool for me to be able to track the capability of our team.

k38 Poland checks on Jacek on the beach

Darlowo to Kolobrzeg to Szczecin

The Rally participants get an early start out of Darowlo. Tomasz Kasprzak has been a front runner on the Rally since the first stage. Two of the chase vehicles moved ahead to the final stop in Szczecin because its often faster to travel by water than land.

Unfortunatley half way to Kolobrzeg Tomasz landed on the beach in Mielno. I of course am sitting in California watching this on Connected Boat. The overlay of Google maps gives great updates on roads and locations so I can easily track on Connected Boat the exact town or city they are in.

What I can tell from my laptop at this time is that Tomasz has his Personal Water Craft out of the water and he has landed in small town where he has access to support.

Great things happen when you stay connected! Safety is not a word, it is an action and an investment. We are thankful for devices that track our safety, help us find people when things go wrong and bring us home safe.
Follow K38 Poland

Additionally on the computer you can see the entire route of the route at the link: https://bit.ly/2HyljmL

K38 Poland
Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Safe on the shore

2018 Rajd Wokół Polski – Płyniemy Polsko

STAGE 2

STAGE 4
Etapu rajdu Płyniemy Polsko z Gdynia do Darłowa.

The rally Stage 4 route was from Gdynia Poland to Darlowa on the Baltic Sea. The teams field the event in partnerships of taking care of their rally needs throughout the route. The Rally began on April 29 in Krakow and the presentation took place on the 28th in Ustron.

We had rougher waters once we turned the peninsula point leaving Gdynia and heading westward. All the Rally riders hugged the coastline. There is a shallow shelf along the coastline that drops off to very deep water. The winds can come across very strong and agitate the water.

Our Plyniemy Polsko riders are setting pretty fast paces. They have gotten in to battle weary stride.

The hands suffer the most, from friction on the handlebars holding onto the crat. This is a long journey and the craft are going through strenuous paces. We have quite a few Sea Doo BRP Spark models on this rally.

K38 Poland is operating a Yamaha WaveRunner® and we have a rescue board and a K38 chase vehicle with the trailer.

We have arrived!

Another Stage Completed

The hands suffer the most, from friction on the handlebars holding onto the crat. This is a long journey and the craft are going through strenuous paces. We have quite a few Sea Doo BRP Spark models on this rally.

K38 Poland is operating a Yamaha WaveRunner® and we have a rescue board and a K38 chase vehicle with the trailer.

The Rally started up the Vistula River and we shall continue until we make a full loop of Poland, setting history for a charity ride to raise funds for people with cerebral palsy, and autism.

Beach Rescue of Spark

Yacht Club Rybnik

We have so far enjoyed a fantastic adventure! We started out by enjoying music from Znaki Czasu and are going to have more fantastic gatherings along the way since we began at the Wloclawek stage.

The organizers of the rally is the Yacht Club Rybnik and the PGE Energia Ciepla Foundation.

Before the stop in Leba we had one PWC go down and it had to be recovered from the beach. That alone was quite an epic adventure! We were fortunate to see to the safety of this recovery that a tractor locally was able to recover the PWC! It was a long day!

Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

2018 K38 Europe Meeting

K38 Europe Meeting

This year the Rescue Water Craft K38 Europe Meeting will be held in Mechelinki 26-27 May, 2018 and is hosted by K38 Poland.

Below, I present the content of our workshop organization. The Bay of Gdansk in Poland is very interesting, difficult, with dangerous places, wrecks, Islands and beautiful places and charming ports and scoped. It's here for the participants we've prepared a variety of challenges in this area such as patrol, navigation, indicative, search patterns.

The K38 Europe Workshop events will start at Morska Baza Szkoleniowa Mechelinki. Wypożyczalnia Kajaków. It begins right after the afternoon at the place where the conference on duty ends! Gdynia 2018.

The first day is part lecture based upon; team presentation, hydro, hydrology, navigation, map, GPS, checking units.

K38 Poland operating since 2015

SECOND DAY OF K38 MEETING

The second day will be conducted with water assignments. These will be dealt with by participants in up in gulf waters.

At the end of the workshop, discussion at the end of the adventure will take place for a debriefing.

Participation
• Teams double on their own Rescue Water Craft with platform;
• Fuel will be filled in its own range
• Route is planned so that it is possible to refuel, each crew must own its own fuel containers. 20 l fuel (transported by technical team operating workshop)
• Participants are non-commercial operators and are required to comply with standard standards in particular with regard to safety in this PPE
• Cost of participation is £ 500 per person, payable by 10 May
We already have a few declaration of participation from Poland as well as from abroad. Sounds like an interesting meeting and international work on water. See you soon!

K38 Europe Meeting - Mechelinki 26-27 Maja 2018
MIli Państwo

Poniżej przedstawiam akwen naszych warsztatowych zmagań. Zatoka Gdańska, to akwen niezmiernie ciekawy, trudny, z niebezpiecznymi miejscami, wrakami, wyspami, pięknymi miejscami i urokliwymi portami i przystaniami. To tutaj dla uczestników przygotowaliśmy zadania patrolowe, nawigacyjne, orientacyjne, poszukiwawcze.

Warsztat zaczynamy w Morska Baza Szkoleniowa Mechelinki. Wypożyczalnia Kajaków. po południu w miejscu gdzie kończy się konferencja On Duty! Gdynia 2018. Pierwszy dzień, to część wykładowa (prezentacja team'ów, hydrografia, hydrologia, nawigacja, mapa, gps, checking jednostek).

Drugi dzień, to zadania na wodzie. Konkretów nie zdradzam. Będą to zadania rozwiązywane przez uczestników na bierząco na wodach Zatoki.

Po zakończonym warsztacie omówienie przy grillu.
Uczestnictwo:
• team dwuosobowy ze swoim własnym skuterem z platformą
• paliwo tankowane we własnym zakresie - trasę zaplanowaliśmy tak aby była możliwość tankowania, każda ekipa musi posiadać swój kanister min. 20l paliwa ( transportowany przez team techniczny obsługujący warsztat)
• uczestnicy są operatorami K38 i obowiązani są przestrzegania standardów K38 zwłaszcza w zakresie bezpieczeństwa w tym PPE
• koszt uczestnictwa, to 500 zł od osoby, płatne do 10 maja

Mamy już kilka deklaracja uczestnictwa z Polski jak i z zagranicy (Włochy, Norwegia, wstępnie Wielka Brytania). Zapowiada się ciekawe spotkanie i międzynarodowa praca na wodzie.

Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

STAGE 2 PLYNIEMY POLSKO

STAGE 2

Stage 2 of the Plyniemy Polsko has be completed on 4.30.2018

The second stage of Plyniemy Polsko is now behind us. This stage was definitely less demanding compared to first stage and definitely faster.

Tomorrow we go to Gdynia, Poland. We are entering water with a completely different water conditions and characteristics.
Each Stage of the Plyneimy Polsko offers distinct water changes during the rally. Calmer waters allow us to travel faster and are much easier on the operators and the equipment.

We have arrived!

Zacumowaliśmy w Przystań nad Wisłą we Włocławk

Each Stage of the Plyneimy Polsko offers distinct water changes during the rally. Calmer waters allow us to travel faster and are much easier on the operators and the equipment.

Drugi etap za nami. Zdecydowanie mniej wymagający w porównaniu z pierwszym i zdecydowanie szybszy.
Jutro płyniemy do Gdynia. Zatem wpływamy na wody o słonym smaku i zupełnie innej charakterystyce.

Zacumowaliśmy w Przystań nad Wisłą we Włocławku.

Taking a break from a long ride today

MOTO-KOM Yamaha

My tymczasem zmuszeni byliśmy w trybie ekspresowym odwiedzić serwis MOTO-KOM Yamaha. Profesjonalna i szybka obsługa postawiła nasz sprzęt na nogi. Wielkie dzięki.

Podziękowania również dla WOPR Płock za szybką akcję telefoniczną, kontakt i zorganizowanie serwisu.
Dzięki Wam jesteśmy na trasie!!! Płyniemy Polsko dalej!
Meanwhile, we were forced to visit MOTO-KOM Yamaha. Professional and quick service by the company ensured that our equipiment was ready to go for the Plyniemy Polsko. Thanks a lot to their outstanding support.

Thanks also to WOPR Płock for a quick phone call, contact and organisation.

Thanks to you we are on tour!!! Płyniemy Polsko go!

Dzisiaj wspiera nas Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna - Ratownictwo Wodne, którzy w swoim gronie mają licencjonowanych operatorów K38.

Norbert Wysocki i Maciek Krok zabezpieczają cześć trasy rajdu Płyniemy Polsko. Wielkie dzięki za pomoc i wsparcie!!!

Today we are supported by Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna-Ratownictwo Wodne who have licensed operators of K38. Norbert Wysocki who is a k38 Qualified Rescue Boat Operator and Maciek step securing honoring the tour of Płyniemy Polsko. Big thanks for your help and support!!!

The start of the Rally began on the Vistula River by the Baltic Sea. Personal Water Craft operators navigated the river and returned to the city of Oder. The rally has 10 double teams participating.

On Staurday April 28 in Ustron, the safety presentation and orientation was completed.

The teams began the rally on April 29 (Sunday) from Krakow at 9:00am.

The Vistula river is the longest on in Poland. Event organizers decided they would start their campaign in Ustron and the teams would commence this arduous campaign. Kornel Pajak is the main coordinator of the project from the Yacht Club Rybnik.

Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

TRIM IS THE ANSWER

RESCUE WATER CRAFT TRIM

Let's consider how we are to determine a level and stable Rescue Water Craft trim capability.

It's not just the mechanical advantages that some make, models and year of production Rescue Water Craft have, sometimes it is simply operator knowledge or the lack thereof.

The pump plays a vital roll in trim and balance. Why? Because the Rescue Water Craft levels out easier under power than in a standing position where the likelihood of capsizing or falls overboard increases.

The type of water and the water conditions are a big part of the story.
How will we determine our specific Personal Water Craft jet pump maximum efficiency? Are you noting the type of water conditions?

1. Saltwater
2. Freshwater
3. Waves
4. Swell
5. Wakes
6. Current
7. Calm Water
8. Turbulent water

Operators and administrators or teams may ask; how can I increase my trim function, pump efficiency and forward movement or maintain a level steady boat of speed?

Water action and shifting weight.........

STEADY AS SHE GOES

That is not an easy question to answer. It requires introspection of several elements:

1. Helm and Throttle Control
2. Mindset of the Operator and their knowledge base, including vessel familiarity
3. Vessel type and specifications
4. Fundamental knowledge of trim packages/capabilities
5. Effective knowledge of environmental factors
6. Weight, drag, thrust and hydro dynamic affects
7. Directional turns
8. Wear and tear and replacement or preventative maintenance and inspection
9. Type of rescue board (Towable aquaplane device) and its attachment policy

As you can see, trim is a variety of technical advantages or disadvantages and it all leads up to the Operators.
Rescue Water Craft Operators are responsible for the safe transport underway and to deliver a level, steady and stable boat.

Don't rock the boat!

BALANCE IS THE POINT

Trim is essentially dependent on all of the above for consistent efficiency. It is also dependent excessively on operator knowledge of when to modulate the throttle for acceleration and deceleration from the changing phases of:

1. Displacement of water against the hull
2. Planing speed
3. High speed turns
4. Low speed turns

Hull Types
1. Flat Bottom
2. Semi-V
3. Deep V

There are a variety of variable trim systems for personal watercraft depending upon:
1. Make of Personal Water Craft
2. Year of Production
3. Model
4. Two Stroke/Four Stroke engine

Take a Course with us and discover your operational success. We are ready to take you to the fastrack of professional
operations by assisting you in your technical Rescue Water Craft Qualification.

LAW LOAN PROGRAM

PWC LAW LOAN PROGRAM

Yamaha and Kawasaki Public Safety Law Loan Program.

Personal Watercraft Industry Association Law Loan Program This program was set up through the PWIA for public safety agencies to receive loaner craft through participating dealerships

The following information is intended to help your agency to apply for use of Yamaha Water Vehicles in your boating related Public Safety work. The focal point of the program is the local Yamaha Dealer.

Once your documents are prepared you should contact the local Yamaha Water Vehicle dealer in your region.

They in turn will endorse the application and forward it to Yamaha Motors Corporation USA, with their approval to order the unit or units specified in your request. The exceptions to this otherwise straight forward process are the limitations of Yamaha's inventory (a seasonal consideration), and the willingness of the local Yamaha dealer whose participation is strictly voluntary.

In 2018, the PWIA Law Loan Program entered its 30th year supporting public and federal safety agencies with personal watercraft from Yamaha Motors Corporation USA, and Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA. The program began in 1989.

This program has essentially the same terms and conditions in 2012 that it had at its beginnings in 1989, when it was launched. In just the past year over 100 agencies acquired loan units through their local Kawasaki JET SKI® watercraft dealers.

K38 Training Kawasaki TS Jet Ski

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

In the 22 years of operation, the program has loaned approximately 4000 machines to well over 700 individual agencies. The value of these loans reaches over $20 million.

This program has been a big supporter of American communities saving taxpayers monies and supporting our local law enforcement and Search and Rescue groups.

K38 has been providing Rescue Water Craft boat operations qualification training for these agencies in concert with the PWIA Law Loan Program since 1989.

K38 has assisted hundreds of public safety agencies and thousands of personnel in competency training for these unique small boats.

K38 Training Rescue Water Craft

KAWASAKI PUBLIC SAFETY LAW LOAN PROGRAM

POINTS TO COVER

1. Contact Information: Name, Address, Fax, Email, Agency Name and Contact Person

2. Contact Name and Number of the day (hours of operation) office of the day-to-day officer responsible for the loaned units

3. A brief statement regarding the proposed use or application of the vessel(s), (units)

4. A statement that the agency will be responsible for the routine maintenance and repair of the craft

5. A statement that the units will be returned in a condition of normal wear. Any damages the dealership notes beyond that will be the responsibility of the agency to repair.

6. A statement that the agency will assume all liability for the operation of the craft while in their possession.
As mentioned above, take this letter to your local Yamaha or Kawasaki Water Vehicle Dealer. They will add their endorsement and forward it to our office here in California or Georgia so the machine can be ordered once approved.

You can find a local Yamaha or Kawasaki dealer through their respective websites. Use your area code to conduct a search.

With the recent economic downturn many local dealerships have moved or closed, or perhaps are not participating on the law loan program. You will have to be assertive in your search if your local dealership has closed.

You do not have to stay within your city, you can roam for other surrounding areas to contact dealerships. A dealership will only have so many units available for the program.

POINTS TO COVER

1. Contact Information: Name, Address, Fax, Email, Agency Name and Contact Person

2. Contact Name and Number of the day (hours of operation) office of the day-to-day officer responsible for the loaned units

3. A brief statement regarding the proposed use or application of the vessel(s), (units)

4. A statement that the agency will be responsible for the routine maintenance and repair of the craft

5. A statement that the units will be returned in a condition of normal wear. Any damages the dealership notes beyond that will be the responsibility of the agency to repair.

6. A statement that the agency will assume all liability for the operation of the craft while in their possession.
As mentioned above, take this letter to your local Yamaha or Kawasaki Water Vehicle Dealer. They will add their endorsement and forward it to our office here in California or Georgia so the machine can be ordered once approved.

You can find a local Yamaha or Kawasaki dealer through their respective websites. Use your area code to conduct a search.

With the recent economic downturn many local dealerships have moved or closed, or perhaps are not participating on the law loan program. You will have to be assertive in your search if your local dealership has closed.

You do not have to stay within your city, you can roam for other surrounding areas to contact dealerships. A dealership will only have so many units available for the program.

K38 RECOMMENDS: THINGS TO KNOW IN ADVANCE

Good thing you are reading this! I am going to save you frustration and give you what you need:

PERSPECTIVE

1. Trailers are not included, you will need to supply your own transportation and tie downs

2. You will need to supply additional lanyards for each person on your team and replace them if worn or damaged. If you have a Bombardier, Sea Doo, you will need to have each digital lanyard coded alike off their MPEM program so your lanyards can be keyed the same. Digital keys and lanyards are not interchangeable! If you lose or break them you will not be able to start your craft.

3. Bathing suits are not to be worn, your crew must be wearing full PPE protection, and a USCG approved lifejacket, properly fitted and sized

4. Enter into effective dialogue with your loaner dealership. Do not make any make any
assumptions. Your department is held responsible for any damages to the craft upon return. Put aside an amount of money for repairs or maintenance for your program.

5. Depending upon the make, model, year and agreement, your watercraft will need a tune-up and oil change every 30-50 hours of use. (Oil filter, spark plugs, oil change)

6. Your team will need to understand how to maintain and care for craft.

7. Keep hourly logs on the boats so you can keep your maintenance hours in check.

8. Your operators need to be physically fit. This is an active ride.

9. Your operators need to know how to swim and should be evaluated wearing their full PPE kit

10. Your operators need to have their basic boating skills and current credentials in order. Our K38/NASBLA/NSBC instruction program endorses certification for a period of three years upon expiration. This is a boating standard. No exemptions! Equipment, laws, rules and regulations change, you must stay current with all your operational needs

PWC Manufacturers
1. BRP Sea Doo
2. Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA
3. Yamaha Motors Corporation USA

ABOUT PWIA

Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) represents U.S. personal watercraft manufacturers. Founded in 1987, the organization was created to promote the safe and responsible operation of personal watercraft. PWIA provides a unified voice for the segment, and represents the interests of personal watercraft manufacturers in legislative and regulatory concerns.

Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Personal Watercraft Industry Law Loan Program

PUBLIC AGENCY LAW LOAN PROGRAM

In 2018, the PWIA Law Loan Program entered its 30th year supporting public and federal safety agencies with personal watercraft from Yamaha Motors Corporation USA, and Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA. The program began in 1989.

This program has essentially the same terms and conditions in 2012 that it had at its beginnings in 1989, when it was launched. In just the past year over 100 agencies acquired loan units through their local Kawasaki JET SKI® watercraft dealers.

The history of the Public Agency Law Loan Program began in Southern California. The champion of the Public Agency Law Loan Program came through the efforts of Mr. Roger Hagie. Roger was an employee of Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA (KMC) and determined in the late 1980's that this program needed to be implemented to serve public safety. He had the vision to determine that these unique small power craft would become a patrol and lifesaving mainstay.

He worked along with fellow Kawasaki staff member Ms. Jan Plessner in Public Affairs and Mr. John Donaldson from Yamaha Motors Corporation USA to support programs across the United States, of which K38 was an early participant as a supporting instructor.

K38 Surf Rescue Training Kawasaki TS Jet Ski

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

In the 22 years of operation, the program has loaned approximately 4000 machines to well over 700 individual agencies. The value of these loans reaches over $20 million.

This program has been a big supporter of American communities saving taxpayers monies and supporting our local law enforcement and Search and Rescue groups.

K38 has been providing Rescue Water Craft boat operations qualification training for these agencies in concert with the PWIA Law Loan Program since 1989.

K38 has assisted hundreds of public safety agencies and thousands of personnel in competency training for these unique small boats.

K38 Training Kawasaki Tandem Sport Jet Ski Sacramento Sheriff

KAWASAKI PUBLIC SAFETY LAW LOAN PROGRAM

Regardless if an agency has a seasoned marine unit or are at their conceptual program design, we can assist you in answering the question and concerns you have for the development of your RWC Marine Unit (Rescue Water Craft).

K38 along with the American Watercraft Association (AWA) have provided free training programs to select agencies nationwide through the H20 Responder Safety Days.

Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care

PUBLIC AGENCY LAW LOAN PROGRAM HISTORY

PUBLIC AGENCY LAW LOAN PROGRAM HISTORY

The history of the Public Agency Law Loan Program began in Southern California. The champion of the Public Agency Law Loan Program came through the efforts of Mr. Roger Hagie. Roger was an employee of Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA (KMC) and determined in the late 1980's that this program needed to be implemented to serve public safety. He had the vision to determine that these unique small power craft would become a patrol and lifesaving mainstay.

He worked along with fellow Kawasaki staff member Ms. Jan Plessner in Public Affairs and Mr. John Donaldson from Yamaha Motors Corporation USA to support programs across the United States, of which K38 was an early participant as a supporting instructor.

Here is information that I could discover regarding the Law Loan Program that was originally set up by Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA. This program became an integral program of the Personal Water Craft Industry Association (PWIA) and they promoted Wave Ranger training days for public safety personnel to attend across the nation.

Participating dealerships are doing this voluntarily. If can be challenging to discover a dealership that participates in the Law Loan Program. The best way to find out is to contact your local dealership and strike up a conversation over the phone.

K38 Surf Rescue Training Kawasaki TS Jet Ski

LAW LOAN PROGRAM KAWASAKI STATISTICS

Keep in mind these are outdated statistics but you can gain knowledge in the program facts:

 Program began in 1989
 Operational for 29 years
 5,750 Units since its inception in 1989
 207 units loaned annually across the United States of America on average
 Retail Value: $2.4 million USD annually for a $12,000 USD PWC
 Average Agency Annual Use by agency (not including on the law loan program)
 Program has been managed by the PWIA (Personal Watercraft Industry Association) originally and now in 2016 is conducted
independently through manufacturer’s participating dealerships
 Requirement: RWC Training Stage 3 Level

DEALER INCENTIVE
 15% off the existing Dealer Net (flooring incentive)
 650 Kawasaki Dealerships in USA participated out of 1,500

Kawasaki Tandem Sport Jet Ski Sacramento Sheriff

LAW LOAN PROGRAM CONCERNS

PROGRAM CONCERNS
1. Overdue Loans
2. Insurance Coverage
3. Understanding of client regarding terms and conditions
4. Damage to Watercraft
5. Repair Costs
6. Training Validation and Records
7. Product Familiarity

Compiled by Shawn Alladio
Originally published on June 12, 2016

Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care

Is Cavitation the Problem with your Jet Pump?

FLOW

Jet pump cavitation is oftentimes confused with the effects of ventilation regarding Personal Water Craft jet pump efficiency. For occupational operators this is a topic of interest for RWC use. We are looking at several aspects of jet pump security:

1. Aerated water conditions are Rescue Water Craft would operate in such as a surf zone or whitewater in a river
2. Damage to the jet pump unit and its components

Our Rescue Water Craft cavitation occurs when the results of extreme reduction in jet pump pressure on the back side of the impeller blades. This creates a loss of water jet pump pressure.

We enjoy two types of constructive materials for impellers, aluminum and stainless steel

Jet Pump

PWC Water Intake Screen missing bolt

Rescue Water Craft Cavitation

It is an interesting process that we cannot see while operating our Rescue Water Craft. We can feel the hesitation of the craft, loading up or stalling of the RWC as throttle modulation is applied at the helm. This is most apparent in white water operating conditions. Or if there is debris that is hung up on the water intake screen or beginning to ‘wrap’ around the driveline.

Water begins to boil at 212 degrees Farenheit. If we reduce the atmospheric pressure low enough, water can also boil at room temperature. These boils can effect jet pump efficiency underway.

As the Rescue Water Craft impeller begins turning through the water drawn into the jet pump at an ever-increasing rate of speed, the pressure on the back side of the blades is reduced, and if that pressure is reduced low enough, the water will begin to boil and form water vapor on the blades. This usually occurs near the outer or leading edge of the blade. There can also be damage to the jet pump guide veins on the backside of the impeller.

Jet Pump

Inspect your PWC Water Jet Pump for Debris

FLOW DON'T BLOW

Water vapor bubbles will migrate closer to the center of the RWC impeller blade within the Jet Pump. This is where the jet pump pressure is higher, and the boiling stops. The vapor bubbles will begin to implode against the impeller blade's surface.

This resulting energy release can be so strong that it can begin a process of chipping away at the impeller blade surface, leaving what is called a cavitation burn.

Cavitation can have a lot of different causes. Impeller nicks, dents or different types of damage to the leading edge of any of the impeller blades are often the highest contributing factor. If your Rescue Water Craft impeller no longer cuts through the water smoothly from the water drawn through the water jet, it will cause disturbances in the water flow, and this can result in the effects experienced from cavitation.

Ventilation can occur from the bottom hull of the Rescue Water Craft. At each training course or rescue episode we pre and post-inspect the bottom of the hull for any nicks in the gelcoat or substrate surface.

One of our inspection requirements is to check out the water intake screen, the pump tunnel, ride plate, impeller (both lead and trailer blade edges), pump guide veins to ensure there are no cracks, chips, breaks or scores. We also inspect the pump liner and are sure to fresh water flush after each use.

Typically the keel leading up to the dead rise of the bow is a key area for gelcoat damage from repeated groundings. Chines can catch the edge and fleck off small areas of gelcoat. Ventilation can be suspected to affect the jet pump unit if that area has any surface damage.

Jet Pump

Inspect your PWC Water Jet Pump Intake Screen for Debris

TRACTION IS SAFETY

Repeated groundings can change the blueprint of the hull bottom. It can cause a grinding away of the centerline of the keel. Not all agencies have the luxury of using boat ramps and trailers. Some must ground their RWC which results in the keel becoming misshaped over time.

Another problem we experience from ventilation is with the use of a Towable Aquatic Device (TAD) or what we commonly refer to in generic term as a ‘Rescue Board’. The more weight applied to the top of the rescue board forward surface, the more dead-rise against the bow will cause increased upward lift.

This is most noticeable when speeds increase or in rough water operations.

Our safety lies within our operational knowledge base. When we understand our pump efficiency and safety we can inspect, maintain and prevent further damages. It also helps us to determine when we have lost a pump or bearings to damage and need to ensure that we don’t stress the engine from overloading rpm.

Get to know your Rescue Water Craft. There is more to know than this story can tell. Start with the jet pump unit and review your owner’s manual for inspection tips. It really is the secret of our forward success!

Content Creator - Shawn Alladio cares most about her community and the culture surrounding the safety of event service providers and Rescue Water Craft operators, working hard and dedicated towards protecting their reputation, distributing safety information and continuing to train these amazing individuals to the highest standards of care.

Jet Pump

Personal Water Craft Impeller Inside the Jet Pump Casing