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PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE – ENGINE EXHAUST COOLING SYSTEM

Posted on June 29, 2019June 29, 2019 by K38 Rescue

WHAT IS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE?

It is a thorough understanding regarding relationship value of care and inspection.

Three Suggestions of interest:

1. Conduct proper water flush procedures for the exhaust cooling system and purge the lines.

2. Drain/dry all remaining standing water out of the engine compartment and bilge area. We like to use a reverse dry/water vac when the engine has cooled down, or simply sponge by hand and towel dry, ventilate with the seat off, or slightly cracked for airway flow.

3. Inspect and tighten hose clamps. Inspect gaskets and hoses for pressure release.

Corrosion inspection for the exhaust system

Observe your hourly maintenance chart per the make, model and year of product of Rescue Water Craft you are operating.

I have suggested to you before to make a binder for your Jet Ski to maintain your inspection records and engine hours, so if you haven't gotten after that now is the time!

Metal sitting in water can corrode from salt contact

That binder you maintain accurately can save you $$.

Regarding cleaning/flushing: Some folks like using Salt Away, some use Simple Green and some use Dawn Detergent, regardless, effective preventative maintenance is your Jet's Skis best friend both internally and externally.
I make my own flush/wash.

Kawasaki Ultra LX 2018 Muffler system

Make sure you take care of your muffler system

You cannot go wrong by keeping your bilge dry!

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Posted: June 29, 2019

Content Creator of Rescue Water Craft and Personal Water Craft boating international education standards: Shawn Alladio is the world’s foremost authority and leading subject matter expert. She 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.

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Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

HOW TO CHANGE AN OIL FILTER CARTRIDGE

Posted on June 26, 2019June 27, 2019 by K38 Rescue

KAWASAKI JET SKI® OIL FILTER INSPECTION

In our K38 courses our students are conducting the tune ups on their training Jet Skis. They will change the oil and when needed replace the oil filter cartridge. I'll run you through a quick review of what we have them do.

Sometimes the cartridge wasn't set right the previous time and it can be challenging to remove. Don't stress, you can get that project done with a little advice.

The inspection discovers there is oil leaking from the oil filter. Do not use the Jet Ski®.

Immediately take it out of service. If you see oil in the bottom of the engine compartment, or notice oil splaying around the oil filter or leaking, or the warning indicator light on the LCD flashes the code: OIL), the ECU will place the craft in ‘safe mode’ due to low oil pressure (3 000 rpm).

ENGINE OIL REVIEW (Marine Grade)

It is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. If the craft is under warranty have the dealership maintain the craft during this period.

However, it is important to know how to change the oil and oil filter in case of water immersion or ingestion. You will need specialty tools.

Oil it to be replaced every 50 hours. Engine Oil Filter every 100 hours or as needed

First Step
You will need to complete an oil change.

• Remove the engine cut off switch from the ignition post.
• Level the Jet Ski® on the trailer or shop cart.
• Remove the oil dip stick (When you replace make sure the O section of the finger pull is facing the cylinder)
• Place the oil removal tube (straw) down the dip stick opening.
• Four Stroke SAE 10W-40 Marine grade oil, 5 US quarters or 5.0 L.

When you drain the oil, make sure you replace as much oil as you removed. Do not overfill!

OIL FILTER REMOVAL TOOLS

The manufacturer recommends that you use the following tools for oil filter installation and removal:

1. Funnel
2. Eye protection/gloves
3. Ratchet
4. Oil filter removal tool

TROUBLESHOOTING

When the oil filter is frozen in place and is difficult to remove you will have to take aggressive removal measures.

Due caution must be used to not damage the threads of the lower-case unit.

You will struggle a bit to do this procedure. (Put some muscle into it!)

You will have to use the stubby claw hammer and ram the Philips head screwdriver through the can, and the can will have to be crushed.

You may ruin the screwdriver so don’t use a high-quality tool This is being done on an angle.

Make sure you are working on the angle of the threads to the casing to not cause damage.

Remember to hold the oil filter in an upright position because residual oil may be inside the cartridge.

Place an absorbent pad below the working area of the oil filter cartridge.

TOOLS FOR REMOVING A STUCK OIL FILTER CARTRIDGE

1. Phillips head screwdriver
2. Stubby claw hammer
3. Channel Locks
4. Fuel/oil spill bibs

When replacing the oil filter use the torque specifications: 18 N-m (1.8 kgf-m, 13 ft-lb)

Replace oil as stated above. Test the water craft using the water flush mount and flush instructions.

Warning: Refer to manufacturer’s settings and recommendations. Use at your own risk.
This review is not to be relied up 100%, have a qualified Kawasaki mechanic perform all inspections and maintenance on your Personal Water Craft to ensure a safe operable vessel. Reference materials: KMC

______________________
Posted: June 26, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

100 FOOT WAVE

Posted on June 24, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

StormSurf.com clinical analysis of Storm #8 of the year 2001

Reference date: November 21, 2001

Storm #8 generated the largest swell on record. Beating out the huge Hawaiian El Nino swell of 1/28/98.

Forecast to be a rather local and moderate storm that was to track over buoy 46006 (SE Papa). Like Storm 1 in 1999, what actually hit was beyond imagination.

Days earlier 2 storms were forecast to move in quick succession into the Gulf of Alaska.

As expected, the first one developed and followed the forecast track. Generating a swell that started to hit the outer SE Papa buoy (46006) on 11/19 at 11 AM with seas in the 20-23 ft @ 17 secs.

This swell reached Mavericks the afternoon of November 20th with seas 13-14 ft @ 14-17 secs with swell 10.5 ft @ 15.5 secs, holding through the night. Nothing noteworthy but defiantly rideable at Mavericks. While the first storm took up residence in the Gulf and slowly faded. A second storm followed quickly in its tracks on November 19th.

It developed a small but relatively intense fetch area in its south quadrant with winds at 55-60 knots blowing due east. Carried by the Jetstream and fueled by the moisture left behind by the first storm. These winds found lots of traction at the ocean’s surface, already agitated from the earlier storm.

K38 at Mavericks

The new storm also tracked east at a very fast pace. Not allowing the developing seas to escape the influence of its winds, piling more wave energy on top of an already large swell (virtual fetch).

By the morning of 11/20 winds were still being recorded with speeds at 55-60 knots.

The northern component of the resulting swell hit buoy 46006 at 9 AM and held through 7 PM with seas ranging 38.5-41.9 ft @ 17-20 seconds. Very large but not off the scale.

Clearly, this buoy did not get hit with all the wave energy this storm had produced. With much of it passing south undetected. And buoy 46059 located 350 nautical miles off Pt. Reyes was out of service, it was ripped off the ocean floor from large swell activity. Further reducing the effectiveness of the normal early warning system.

Nearshore the situation got interesting. On the morning of 11/21, the swell from the first storm was still present at buoy 46012 (Half Moon Bay) with decoded swell at 12 ft @ 15 secs. As expected, by 10 AM the second swell started to build in with combined seas 16.4 ft and the new swell at 11.1 @ 20 secs and increasing rapidly.

The paddle-in crew was out cautiously catching some bombs as the swell jumped in size with each passing set. The tow teams waited in the channel for their chance to strike. By noon they got their chance as the last paddle surfers were cleaned out and increasing south winds took a toll on conditions.

Combined seas were 19.6 ft @ 20 secs with solid energy out to 25 secs and swell 14.1 ft @ 19 secs.

One hour later swell was up to 14.9 ft @ 19 secs. By now the tow teams were only shoulder hopping the huge sets that were pouring over the reef while south winds set up a strong northerly cross chop.

Even so, Carlos Burle managed to snag the biggest wave of the year, measured at 68 ft on the face.

Shawn working rescue at Mavericks

The swell was interacting with the 15 second swell already present, creating huge waves breaking way outside the normal outermost reefs. By 2 PM the new swell was up to 16.3 ft @ 19 seconds, then up to 19.3 ft @ 21 second one hour later.

Shawn Alladio (K38) was out in the channel on a Jet Ski® at Mavericks and reported nearly being taken out by a set of waves. The largest being upwards of 100 ft. Based on the buoys, even larger waves followed after she made it safely to shore.

By 5 PM the largest decoded swell reading hit, with swell at 19.9 ft @ 19.4 secs and combined seas to 23.98 ft.

Whitewater was visible out to the horizon at most coastal locations. And longtime locals reporting breaks they had never seen were going off, but way beyond anything that would be classified as rideable.

Carlos Burle towed into a wave early in the swell of November 21, 2001 at Mavericks. Even larger and meaner waves broke that afternoon, with no one in sight.

Story posted here: http://stormsurf.com/page2/papers/history.html

______________________
Posted: June 23, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

THE VOICE WITHIN

Posted on June 24, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

Have you ever had an inner voice that rose up from a shadow area within your mind, and it shocked you during a rescue? You listened to the words presented and took the advice. It worked in your favor.

Do you think about it later and wonder if you are crazy? I have.

I’ve had this voice many times lend outstanding advice in a moment of peril. It is a simple determination of words. Albeit nothing complex or drawn out. It’s an actionable prompt usually.

This parallel voice, is it an echo of the mission or a position of the current experience? Is it an alarm to risk and changing dynamics?

There are things unknown taking place that didn’t happen in training, perhaps this is the inner permission to continue out of the scope of boundary.

It’s not the same thing as everyday thoughts that jump up like kernels of corn popping and then lay down, it is a more prominent alert.

The intuitive voice tends to orient me towards positive actions. Not ones that would cause me harm, although I could see a path to that could be fed for obverse reasons.

It seems as if its an integration of the risk assessment and a knowledge base. And this unconscious unified guide arises to help with a positive orientation. It’s a choice to make, I think.

I have listened to this unconscious awareness that is alerting my conscious behaviors.

I don’t know any other way to address this loud guiding voice.

I have given this a lot of thought and retrospective consideration. Do we call this intuition, gut instinct or a protective angel? I think that there is reason for these descriptions as well.

On November 21, 2001 at a large big wave spot called Mavericks at Princeton California, I had a memorable inner voice experience.

This was one of the largest recorded days of waves that were documented at Mav's. I was there working this historic swell on a Yamaha WaveRunner.

I had 4 of my WaveRunners being used at Mavericks, 1 by Jonathan Cahill, 1 by Paul Schulte and the last one being used by the Brazilian big wave champions Carlos Burle and Eraldo Guieros.

As the swell filled in towards the shelf off the Central California zone, the face of the waves began their temperamental approach. Outstanding big wave surfers from around the world were there proving their talent in this hectic watery plain, this is their rapture.

Approximately 1:45pm the wave faces were in stride with 70-foot faces.

The harbor department closed down the jaws of the harbor mouth for recreational boating traffic. I had a final conversations with Cary Smith a harbor deputy and I headed out again.

I got underway again, driving out to conduct another recon parallel to the jetty wall. Then across the channel, out to Mavericks and making calculated triangular search pattern for any mishaps that may have occurred.

I had conducted quite a few rescues this day and I was nearing exhaustion.

As I made another pass outside of the jaws, turning to my starboard quarter, I bounced along the jetty wall towards the inside section of the lagoon behind Sail Rock. I had a very loud and strong voice say to me in my thoughts ‘TURN LEFT NOW’.

This voice was loud. It shocked me. In fact is startled me even physically. I attributed it to fatigue and shrugged it off.

A few seconds later the voice returned “TURN LEFT NOW’.

When I looked down Blackhand Reef, it was angry and boiling.

Truly I didn’t want to go there; I had already experienced a mishap in that area before this day and I was not wanting to risk my Rescue Water Craft.

The voice returned for a third time, and it shook me. I turned left towards Blackhand as if following a command.
The water was rocking and white capping. I was alone and uncomfortable with this decision; nervous I was hoping to turn back.

Right before my decision to retreat a black head popped up. ‘Is that a seal?’ I said to myself. It was a surfer.

He did not have a surfboard. He had a black neoprene hood covering his head, his head was low in the water.

I did our trademark Johnny B and assisted him to slump over the rear seat on the re-boarding platform. I slowly drove out of the threat zone keeping an eye on him. We didn’t talk.

I passed the safety of the harbor mouth and headed over to the path that takes surfers to the dirt parking lot. The harbor water surface had a crosshatch texture to its surface from the wind, it stung my face, this cold wind chill. I could feel the cold shrug off as my adrenaline settled.

When I pulled up to the inside of the jetty wall and landed, he climbed off the PWC. He crawled his way out of the water, stood up, waved and at me at started his slow walk back to his vehicle.

He was trapped in his thoughts and my internal dialogue was waking up. We didn’t talk.

I was having a vivid conversation in my mind about this experience as I drove away. I looked back at his shadowy form to affirm he was not an apparition and this was a true experience.

I would never have gone down to Blackhand Reef on that day. Waves were barreling at 30’ all along that edge. I was alone, with no backup.

That voice has visited me often throughout my life. Is this what makes heroes? Is this the evidence of integrating experience with the choice of believing that everything will be okay if there is trust?

That voice saved his life. And mine many times.

I have been fascinated with the internal universe of our mind. As a trainer this is what I have done my best to make friends with to gain understanding of others to become a better instructor. To become a better woman.

I would encourage you to explore the decisions you make. Why do you make them? How have they benefited you and others? Did you clearly see results that stopped a mishap or prevented tragedy? Is it noticeable?

I believe that awareness becomes a part of a purpose driven life. Isn’t that where the essence of ‘a calling’ derives from?

Possible, at least I would like to think so.

______________________
Posted: June 23, 2019

Sidenote: On 11.21.2001 the largest set came through Mav's later on this day. I was on the water with my dear friend Paul Schulte and Jonathan Cahill during that time. Carlos Burle and Eraldo Gueiros surfed the largest wave that year on this day. They won the XXL Big Wave category. The photo is from Pablo, whom has saved my life in many ways. I am indebted to his spirit.

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Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

PERSONAL WATER CRAFT TOWING SKIERS

Posted on June 24, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

Personal Water Craft used for the purpose of towing and aquaplane device are to be of the three-seater capacity.

Three-seater Personal Water Craft designed for towing will have rear-view mirrors. Single and Tandem use Personal Water Craft are not permitted or designed to tow an aquaplane device with.

Some of the equipment types defined as a towable aquaplane device (TAD)

1. Foils
2. Inner tubes/floats
3. Wakeboard
4. Water Skiers

Do not drive or reverse back over the tow line. It will foul the driveline and cause damage to the water jet pump and the vessel will have to be placed under tow not faster than 8 miles per hour to prevent engine damage for some models.

All occupants on board must be wearing a USCG approved properly fitted and sized lifejacket.

Towing can only be done with 3 persons for a 3-seater Personal Water Craft and not exceed the manufacturer recommended weight load. For instance, as example a Kawasaki Ultra LX Jet Ski is 496 lbs. or up to three persons on board.

Towing can be accomplished with 4 persons with the older two stroke 4-seater watercraft which are no longer manufactured (date of this publication 6.23.2019).

In some states the Observer or Flagger is to sit reverse on the rear seat to maintain observation of the safety of the towing person and equipment. They are to keep a lookout. They are to have a required safety flag ready to display in case of traffic, an emergency or recovering the towable aquaplane device and person in the water.

Be mindful of the tow rope snapback and wrapping hands and fingers, which can lead to serious injury.

Wear protective equipment and a wetsuit to protect vaginal, orifice or rectal tears and impact from the water jet thrust. Pay attention to all the manufacturer’s warning labels of the towing equipment and the Personal Water Craft.

A few more suggestions for safety underway:

• Take a safe boating course
• File a float plan
• Learn how to right a capsized Personal Water Craft
• Keep intake clearing tools on board
• Bring a waterproof GPS and communication device
• Monitor weather on the NOAA weather channel

Make sure the people you bring on-board your Personal Water Craft are briefed on safety and the boating rules and regulations in your area. Practice in a safe area, observe for boating traffic and practice good communication skills with your team.

Inspect your equipment for damage. Inspect your rope and attachment points. Clean, wash and stow when completed.

Does your state allow Personal Water Craft to pull water skiers?

If answered "Yes" to the previous question, are there any restrictions?

Alabama Yes Must have 2 mirrors, with a minimum viewing area of 10 square inches each, measuring a minimum of 2.5 inches tall and 4.0 inches wide. These mirrors must be mounted, one on each side, on the body (not the steering mechanism) of the PWC in such a way as to maximize the rear viewing of the operator.

Alaska Yes

American Samoa No

Arizona Yes Watercraft cannot be overloaded. All requirements apply.

Arkansas Yes Must have onboard an observer at least 12yrs or older and the PWC must be able to ride 3 or more persons. Mirrors are not allowed in lieu of an observer.

California Yes There is no exemption from having an observer with a ski flag that must be available for use on board the vessel.

Colorado yes An observer must be onboard the PWC and a skier down flag must be used.

Connecticut Yes 3 and 4 person PWC's only - must have a backward facing observer

Delaware Yes yes

District of Columbia Yes Must have a mirror and an observer facing the skier

Florida Yes PWCs must have a person, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the progress of the skier or have a wide-angle rearview mirror mounted in such a way as to permit the operator to see the progress of the skier.

Georgia Yes Must be a three-seater with one observer.

Guam Yes Same as any water ski operations

Hawaii Yes same as any vessel towing water skiers

Idaho Yes Cannot exceed capacity, skiers must wear PFDs, and must have an observer and flag.

Illinois Yes PWC must have seat for skier (no overloading) and PWC must have lifejacket onboard for skier if not wearing it...

Indiana Yes PWC must be at least 9 feet in length and designed for 3 occupants. Must also have observer on board when towing a skier or tuber.

Iowa Yes Must be a three passenger PWC.

Kansas Yes Must have an observer or mirrors to obtain a maximum view behind and hoist skier down flag

Kentucky Yes A wide-angle mirror or observer

Louisiana Yes must have a mirror or an observer

Maine Yes In addition to the operator, must have a person onboard at least 12 years of age, who is in a position to continually observe the person being towed.

Maryland Yes PWC's must be able to carry operator, observer and skier (at least 3pob capacity)

Massachusetts No

Michigan Yes Must have an observer and everyone wearing a PFD.

Minnesota Yes Must have observer or factory installed or factory authorized rear view mirrors.

Mississippi Yes Must have observer

Missouri Yes Must have an observer aboard.

Montana Yes must have an observer

Nebraska Yes skier counts as part of the capacity of the vessel/PWC

Nevada Yes Vessel must be rated to hold 3 people

New Hampshire Yes Must have an operator and observer on board.

New Jersey Yes follow all ski laws, including ski flag, observer must face aft to tend to skier. PWC must hold at least 3 people

New Mexico Yes Mandatory PFD wear, observer on board, seat for skier.

New York Yes must be a three person or greater machine

North Carolina Yes No person shall operate a personal watercraft towing another person on water skis, a surfboard, or similar device unless: (1) The personal watercraft has on board, in addition to the operator, an observer who shall monitor the progress of the person or persons being towed, or the personal watercraft is equipped with a rearview mirror; and (2) The total number of persons operating, observing, and being towed does not exceed the number of passengers identified by the manufacturer as the maximum safe load for the vessel.

North Dakota Yes Must have an observer on board and must not operate between one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.

Northern Mariana Islands No none

Ohio Yes Must have an observer at least 10 yrs. old on board.

Oklahoma Yes Must be designed to accommodate two or more persons and must have proper observer 8 YOA or older or two convex rear-view mirrors so placed so the operator can face the direction traveled and observe the progress of the person being towed.

Oregon Yes PWC must be able to carry operator, observer, and skier

Pennsylvania Yes one skier only must have an observer

Puerto Rico No

Rhode Island Yes observer over age of 12 required- must be designed for and capable of carrying the skier and observer and operator

South Carolina Yes PWC must have wide angled rearview mirrors or an observer. PWC must be rated for 3 people if and observer is on board.

South Dakota Yes

Tennessee Yes Observer and/or mirrors

Texas Yes Must not exceed passenger capacity

Utah Yes same law as traditional boats

Vermont Yes Must have an observer.

Virginia Yes Capacity of the PWC must be able to legally accommodate the operator, passengers, and those being towed.

Washington Yes None.

West Virginia Yes Must have an observer or mirror

Wisconsin Yes PWC's designed for 3.

Wyoming Yes No. Same as boats

When referencing the rules above, please check in with your State Boating Law Administration to see if any changes or updates have been made.
______________________
Posted: June 23, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

PWC WAKE JUMPING LAWS BY STATE

Posted on June 24, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

Are you familiar with your State rule regarding Personal Water Craft (PWC) wake jumping?

Each State has different regulations referring to this activity. The ruling came about due to unsafe and negligent operations of Personal Water Craft riders. They would misjudge andjump into the back of the boat they were following.

Risk are heavy and complaints were numerous from boaters who were intimidated by this behavior. Striking a boat, man overboard or the operator causing serious injury to themselves and passengers.

Here is a list of USA States boating law regarding Personal Water Craft / Rescue Water Craft wake jumping.

Be sure to check in with your State boating law administrator to ensure the rulings are updated and you are current in your knowledge base.

Alabama
33-5-51(d) ....jumping the wake of another vessel travelling in the same direction in close proximity to the vessel...crossing at right angles in close proximity to the stern of another vessel or when visibility around the other vessel is obstructed...

Arizona
A PWC cannot head into the wake of a motorboat that is within a zone of proximity closer than sixty feet and cause one-half or more of the length of the personal watercraft to leave the water.

Arkansas
Unsafe PWC operation shall include but not be limited to: becoming airborne or completely leaving the water while crossing the wake of another vessel within 100ft of the vessel creating the wake.

California
No wake jumping within 100 feet of the another vessel creating the wake.

Colorado
Careless boating is defined to include wake jumping at an unsafe distance or whenever visibility is obstructed.

Connecticut
can't jump within 100' behind a boat if it causes you to go airborne.

Delaware
must be 100 yards slow no wake in incorporated area, no jumping shore break

District of Columbia
No operator of any personal watercraft while underway and within one hundred (100) yards of another vessel shall jump any other vessel´s wake while operating or in physical control of watercraft while on the District of Columbia´s waterway. When two (2) or more personal water operators are operating at a speed greater than ten (10) miles per hour, the operators shall steer their craft so as to be at least twenty-five (25) yards apart from any vessel to include any other personal watercraft.

Florida
Jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably or unnecessarily close to such other vessel or when visibility around such other vessel is obstructed is prohibited.

Georgia
Within 100 feet of another vessel

Hawaii
per federal regs

Idaho
Can be considered negligent operation under some circumstances

Indiana
It is unlawful to jump the wake of another watercraft.

Kansas
Must maintain a reasonable and prudent distance behind the vessel.

Kentucky
A person operating a PWC shall not jump a wake in a way tha endangers human life, human physical safety or property.

Louisiana
Careless Operation

Maine
A person is guilty of imprudent operation of a watercraft if that person engages in prolonged circling, informal racing, wake jumping or other continued and repeated activities that harass another person.

Maryland
Pwc's may not jump or attempt to jump the wake of another vessel within 100' of the vessel. This is considered negligent operation

Massachusetts
The "unreasonable" jumping the wake of another boat is prohibited.

Minnesota
No wake jumping within 150 feet of the stern of the other boat.

Missouri
Jumping the wake of a vessel when visibility is obstructed. Becoming airborne while crossing the wake of another motorboat within 100 feet of that motorboat.

Montana
crossing or jumping the wak of another vessel when within 100 yards of the vessel or within 100 yards of a waterskier being towed by a vessel

Nebraska
PWC cannot jump the wake of a boat pulling skiers or tubers. PWC cannont jump wake of a boat within 50 yards of the boat.

Nevada
Vessels must stay 5 lengths away from longest vessel.

New Hampshire
Vessel cannot be totally airborne when jumping wakes.

New Jersey
cannot jump wake w/i 100' of vessel creating wake

New Mexico
within 150 feet of any other cruising vessels.

New York
g. Every personal watercraft and specialty prop-craft shall at all times be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner. Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarily endanger life, limb, or property, including, but not limited to, (i) weaving through congested vessel traffic, or (ii) jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably or unnecessarily close to such other vessel or when visibility around such other vessel is obstructed, or (iii) swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision shall constitute reckless operation of a vessel.

North Carolina
A personal watercraft must at all times be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner. Maneuvers that endanger life, limb, or property shall constitute reckless operation of a vessel as provided in G.S. 75A

North Dakota
Jumping the wake of another watercraft within one hundred feet of the other watercraft.

Ohio
Becomming air borne while crossing the wake of another vessel within 100 ft or unsafe distance.

Oklahoma
No person shall operate any vessel in a reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger life or property of any person. No person shall operate any vessel at speeds over ten MPH while within 50 feet in proximity to another vessel.

Please check in each year with your State in case new laws are regulations have been udpated.

http://uscgboating.org/regulations/state-boating-laws.php

______________________
Posted: June 23, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

DAY OF THE LEG DRAG

Posted on June 23, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

I was racing at Long Beach at the Marine Stadium with the world’s greatest Jet Skiers. Many of my friends know this place well as first generation Jet Skiers; that was our hallowed ground for RPM loads! We all have race stories. This is one that helped me climb the ladder we call life.

To be on a track during that time was high energy! The competitive spirit and drive was a birthplace of everything that came after in Personal Water Craft racing.

New engines, pipes, pumps, anything you can think of was being engineered, designed and tested, curiosity was a fever. Development was a weekly high. This was part of the Jet Ski Fever.

I was a weekend stand up Jet Ski® racer; meaning I was a mother first, had my own business and was working hard to get the time and funds to compete on the weekends. And how we raced!

We had qualifiers, heats, last chance qualifiers and main events. Easily up to 50 women would vie for the limited top positions for the mains. Every main event was earned.

Racers with amazing talent across the nation would drive hundreds to thousands of miles to compare themselves to others. They represented 50% of the equation, the powerhouse gamble was their custom build and race teams.

Women were on these tracks. Lots of women!

These women opened the door for motorsports. They are Jet Ski icons and mavens. They gave a gift to this generation that should be determined in honor and gratitude.

Some day this current generation of female racers needs to do the same for those coming up behind them and we encourage them increase and not decrease the worth of our efforts. We gave a lot to this sport for 'future generations'.

We determine this to represent a code of honor for racing to rest upon. And for those who built it before me, I thank you.

Prominent Race Names come to mind:
Brenda Burns, Celeste Peterson, Bonnie Burns (Brenda's mother), Kelly Koster, Bonnie Gordon, and Cindy Coffman.

There was a race every weekend in California. BC Racing was our Region 1 promoter and I would enter 4-5 events. Whatever they had to offer I signed up: freestyle, closed course, obstacle, slalom and the gran prix (long distance).

My Jet Ski® was salvation. It kept me sane with the hectic pace of life I adopted as an adult juggling a lot of responsibilities. This was therapy for me. My Jet Ski® taught me about myself, racing was the delivery of tempered emotions, responsibility and dedication.

This was my right of passage. Mentorship came from those on the sides; my husband, my daughters my race mechanic, a variety of great holders and Kawasaki Motors Corporation and finally the IJSBA and it’s promoters. Those promoters worked very hard to put on their events. Even harder today with the reduced participant numbers.

Interesting fact which is the basis of this story. I did the first leg drag at the BC race at the marine stadium for us gals in my division. I was just starting to get into a race groove regionally.

At this race I had the pole position on the start in the main I had earned through the qualifiers.

The week prior I had been practicing the leg drag at WOT and got really good with it. I was competent and strong. I decided to use it in the next race. The men had been doing this for a while and I aspired to race like they did because I admire their power and aggressive drive.

It is race day, I'm on the pole. I get a fair start.

We are heading to the first turn buoy pretty much lined up in a stack off my starboard side. I will take advantage of the pivot on this turn to get the clean water ahead. I feel good.

I throw out my left foot and start the pivot to drag my foot on WOT.. However.......with that being said...........

When a leg drag is thrown the subsequent pitch of the hull offsets the flat bottom and makes a V off the gunwale angle. And guess what? Planing with a deep vee on a sharp edge throws a significant plume of whitewater like a garden hose. Yup, that’s' what it does on a stand up.

The first four riders closest to my starboard side, the first inside racer freaks from the water which I believe they thought I fell (appropriate assumption and a fearful one in a first turn). It's not fun having a blast of water at speed hit your face. This is blind faith to negotiate through streams of water.

Fear of getting hit on the first turn buoy and the next 5 are the highest risk of the race. Positions are challenged with skill and horsepower. Contact with another Personal Water Craft is a legitimate fear. It's real, people have died on race tracks.

Instead of holding their line and braving the turn, they turn sharply to their right and create a 4 boat pile up. I race away into beautiful glass water ahead and negotiate 2 more turn buoys to be faced with a red flag coming at me by a pursuing head on Course Marshal. It was probably Brad Southworth haha.

My happiness and joy I experienced for throwing down a foot was replaced instead by the color of danger. Red was my punishment.

My historic maneuver was diminished in disgrace and my pride slipped away. I was shocked. What the heck happened? Everything was perfect on that first turn! I didn't push anyone! I felt pigeonholed; men would never be given a red flag for a leg drag on the first turn! The guy who pushed the pack however would be! Rats! Suck it up Shawn, own it.

I track back towards the starting line wondering what happened and how that crash happened since it was behind me and not in front of me, I had no idea. I reset my mindset to get back on the track in my head and make a repeat stellar performance. I am not hoping for this. I want the win. Goals!

I get on the line with my holder and the rest of the racers recollect. The Course Marshal drives up to my pole position and places his hand to his head and taps it. What? What? He points to me! What? Nobody else?

I have been assessed the penalty on the start! I received this due to my fellow female racers not ready for the change and pushing through the risk. Which is not easy in a motorsport.

I was ready. It was time we climb one more rung in the race ladder. Change does not come easy or with acceptance, it comes from friction against the status quo.

I have 30 seconds to figure this out and not dwell on disappointment. My holder walks away. Dead start with no holder and a hand on my head signals absolute defeat. It is obvious I'm in a pinch. I am not going to waste the money I invested.

There is a level of shame involved in being the recipient of an infraction, sometimes it's worthy. It’s usually temporary because racing has no place for emotions, feelings are distractions. Racing only has a podium that dominates the waterspace.

Everyone there knows it’s me, I'm the one to dispute. There is no way to protest. 'Racer's fire up your engines'; so helmet down, refocus. Have fun and ride smart.

Spectators love drama, crashes and negativity.

Race teams like winning. These spectacles are to revel in the disaster by enjoying the setback one experiences.
This is the gladiator in the coliseum and we are all mere entertainment. People prefer damage to success. Essentially, we reduce this to one word ‘drama’.

Feeding drama is pointless and a distraction to race success.

Races have lots of drama. I decline to participate. It's back to the rule book and what it says for dead engine starts.

I have no holder now. I am alone on the start line standing in hip deep water. My fellow sister racers are all on game with their pumps out of the water revving up their pipes red hot. Damn! That sound is beautiful!

It wakes me up and I smile, I love that compression sound. That is why I am here.

They load their boats into the water for their final push and level out the hull as their holders strains to control their crafts straight, their heads are tucked and ready to battle the first turn.

I look over at them in their game. I notice the first four to my right. They are intent on the first turn buoy and not distracted. They are waiting for the Course Marshal to turn the card. The hold their breath waiting for the band to snap. Boats are fully loaded.

I make a decision that I will meet them on the track and dominate their track lines. I will pass every single one of them I tell myself. That is my goal. I am going to let myself go.

I thank them for my race ahead. In my mind I run a quick win on fast forward.

The rubber band snaps. They are off on that wonderful ‘wot wot wot’ sound with the tell-tale whitewash that is the signature of thrust and super stock power.

As they race away, I start my Jet Ski loaded sideways on my hip to not overload the back pressure of the exhaust and drop the hull into the water.

I pull my throttle drawing a left knee into the tray, I stand up and tuck down and I pin it to win it. I’m tracking over their wonderful trailing jet wash wakes. I race as if there are 11 race boats at my side.
They have all crossed the first inside line buoy and are fighting for the hierarchy structure on the track.

I ride my race on my terms. I unleash permission and I let my race boat do its job. I don’t interfere. I let my boat do all the work and I stay in step with it. My breathing is calm and steady.

I am in that space of wonder. That internal mind. That hidden area that is given permission to awake where before slumber was comfortable and convenient in the middle of the pack.

The track is tight, with a lot of buoy turns and laps. I pick off every single racer on the track one by one. I win the race. From dead last I was number 1.

I knew I was going to win that race. In my mind, I had won that race before I started the boat. I cannot say that about any other race I had been in prior to this one.

I am a bit surprised honestly I am doing this. I never imagined I would pass this many race boats or even have the talent to do so, let alone competitive horsepower.

I won that race because of my sister racers. They also won with me.

If that call was not made against me, I would not have tapped into the hidden mind of permission. It was this race that I became an Apex Predator. I finally figured it out in my head! But it took the color of red to guide me and a failure.

I learned from that race a valuable lesson: Give Yourself Permission

This lesson is mindset through spirit. I teach this capability to my Rescue Water Craft students. One must wnat it and not be afraid to succeed.

It can be used for anything in life. Not everyone has it or wants it. This is something developed inside the internal will of a human who has a hunger for greatness. It is a passage.

My sister racers are my champions. They are my personal race heroes.

Without them I would be nothing. With them I am something.

They are part of my team, not adversaries. If we are not pushing one another towards greatness we are holding one another back and that my dear friends is the most selfish act of all in competition.

Keep in mind that we also had up to 4 log jumps and sometimes mini ramps on the closed course race track. Not like today where race tracks have reduced women's stand-up racing to a token of risk in a reverse discrimination against everything us first generation racers fought for. And loved!

We weren't afraid of ramp jumps or log jumps, they were equalizers of talent just like the slalom event.

Racing today is a fragment of the raw excitement it used to be. We can thank promoters and track design for that disaster. Runabouts do not belong on our closed course tracks. Yes, quote me because evidence is my master and it should be yours as well. And the evidence does not lie, but people do.

Runabouts are best suited for endurance and offshore race events due to mass weight, distance of travel and speed vs risk and safety. I'll save that for another story.

Moral of my race story:
Racing isn’t fair and neither is life.

We earn our effort and sometimes it’s taken away. But we keep on keeping on.

We respect our competitors and honor them.

They are us and we are them.

______________________
Posted: June 23, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

HULL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

Posted on June 23, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

A Hull Identification Number (HIN) signifies that the vessel is certified and meets all the standards required by law for production.

All manufactured craft and motor vehicles have identification numbers. USA boat manufacturers use the HIN since 1972 when Federal regulations required recreational vessels to be determined by a numbering system. We will be referring to Personal Water Craft constructed after 1988.

The HIN is used at the Department of Motor Vehicles for sales, transfers, customs and retirement notification of all power craft vessels.

In 2012 the vessel manufacturers petitioned the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to adjust production dates allowing them an extra two months of production to label craft as next year’s model. This helped them with their marine production schedule and subsequent sales for the industry.

Your Hull Identification Number is referred to as a HIN. In some countries it is referred to as a Craft Identification Number (CIN) held to an ISO standard (International Organization for Standardization. In the USA our term will be referred to as HIN.

HINs have 12 digits in the United States including numbers and letters. The European standard will have 14. Each product line has its own unique HIN and location. The HIN will appear on your registration documents and title.

KAW12345B919

MIC Code: KAW -These will be the first three letters that you see that the United States Coast Guard assigned to the manufacturer; in this example Kawasaki.

SERIAL NUMBER: 12345, this 5-digit serial number is assigned to your Rescue Water Craft (Personal Water Craft PC) by the manufacturer. Sometimes you may see letters and numbers, however Q, O and I will be excluded so they are not confused with numbers.

B is the certification for the month which the construction began

9 is the year of the certification this digit represents the last year the craft was constructed.

19 represents the boat model year.

K38 has advised you in past tutorials and in your training course to write down your HIN and your ESN (Engine Serial Number), and to take photos and place in a file for records.

This is important for the following reasons:

1. Future sale of the Rescue Water Craft (RWC)
2. Theft of the craft
3. Warranty needs
4. Identification of the craft

Country Code – This is an optional addition to the Hull Identification Number. Manufacturers of boats have the option of adding the prefix – i.e. “CA -“ (block capitals and a hyphen) in front of the HIN number. This is a mandatory requirement for manufacturers who are exporting to another country (such as the European community) however this is not a part of the accepted mutual recognition of Hull Identification Numbers between the US and Canada.

Character nine if the last numeral of the Year during which construction or assembly began. Use the letter designations for each month as follows:

January – A
February – B
March – C
April – D
May – E
June – F
July – G
August – H
September – I
October – J
November – K
December – L

Character itemized on the HIN representation will be the last numeral of the Year during which construction or assembly began.

Characters used in the example; one and nine are the last two numerals representing the Model Year for which the boat was built.

LOCATION

Your HIN on your Kawasaki Ultra LX Jet Ski® will be located on the starboard quarter side astern on top of the re-boarding deck. It will appear on an angle up against the rear facing foot rest on the outside edge of the Hydroturf traction deck pad.

HIN's can be damaged if a Towable Aquaplane Device (TAD) is improperly installed is the friction between the two surface can damage or break off the HIN tab.

Hard strikes, accidents or moored up against docks with bock wakes drawing the gunwale and re-boarding deck below the dock can damage the HIN.

Please take a photo of your HIN and place in your craft documents.
Refer to all maintenance records using the HIN.

If you need to look a HIN up there are lots of online resources from the manufacturers, you can conduct an online search.

https://kpp.kawasaki.com/Vin-Finder

Keep your records and maintain the database on all your craft. It will help you when it come stime to conduct online orders and sale of the craft. Most people are not aware of the age of the craft. Its simple!

Walk to the back of your Rescue Water Craft and observe the last 2 digits!

______________________
Posted: June 23, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER

Posted on June 23, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

Write down your following:

1. Manufacturer of the craft
2. Model Number
3. H.I.N. Number
4. Engine Serial Number
5. Registration Number

Do this right away, don’t put it off, it will save you time in the future and allow your maintenance schedule to stay steady.

______________________
Posted: June 23, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

FUNDAMENTALS

Posted on June 18, 2019June 24, 2019 by K38 Rescue

If program directors or worse yet their developers are not fundamentally astute in our boating safety culture, they would be better off with a conservative approach for the path of moving forward that would generate the least amount of error.

However, we see an extreme forward movement that creates a great amount of harm.

Otherwise, confusion and a lack of established operational goals are a given. And they will happen.

Our boating traditions should be adhered, this means you become a mariner or you were one already.

What does ‘being a mariner’ mean? Seamanship skills, not rescue skills! Rescue is just one little corner of what we do when we go to work. And our field preparation is 85% of that role.

A large majority of these lifesavers are not going to study seamanship skills, and will not put time into developing them.

Especially in their group if the one they follow resists our culture, they will resist in concert. Instead they will protect the comfort of ‘getting by with it’ until a mishap forces them to face our maritime reality.

The problem we have is the inherent cultural worth is reduced people will give that up to get more for less.

Our ancestors gave us meaning for boating and water safety. When we define the facts and the objectives of what our water safety reality is, we make agreements on constraints of what we should do.

We conduct ourselves with rules and regulations and what we should do evidenced by prior mishaps.

Do not wait to create a mishap and then review it and prompt the trite comment of ‘we will learn lessons from this’. We already learned and we won’t create an accident. They have it backwards!

Social connection has created groups that protect their territory rather than look at our true heritage. In fact they ignore it at all costs drawing attention back to themselves. They are not community based.

They look at their department, their team vs. the other team, even if they have mutual aid, the dominance of one group over another smothers our safety reality under perceptions of competitiveness.

They have lost the structure and the ethic of acting in a professional manner that keeps us away from mishaps.

Instead these groups prefer to stay comfortable in potential risk and will do anything to stay there. Who doesn’t know that it’s a law to wear a USCG properly fitted, and type of Lifejacket? Yet we see many who resist this basic life support and they call themselves lifesavers!

How many get underway with a painter line hanging on their bow? The list is long like an infection these poor habits spread in migration of others not knowing what a maritime community is, and therefore they are not part of it.

What is our objective? Is it the structure of protecting their ego for the sake of service that important? It is when there is no agreement in a shared reality of objective facts that we have two different ways to look at how our community functions on optimal stability. This has been going on for centuries.

Children will negotiate and they do it by getting together and playing with one another, they look at other viewpoints, and they start to play pretend roles and they act it out, and they all play the game together to learn.

Watch how you act. Tell your story. Observe the story consequence.

Be willing to play with one another and see other viewpoints.

Play together.

Play Fair and Listen.

______________________
Posted: June 18, 2019

__________

Have any questions? Join the Rescue Water Craft Association
and discover what your community is doing to modernize standards, safety and reduce liability!
Join the Rescue Water Craft Association

Use at your own risk. Please take a qualified Rescue Water Craft training course and maintain proper records and respect all the PWC, RWC, PPE, and gear OEM manufacturer warning labels and cautions.

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE – ENGINE EXHAUST COOLING SYSTEM