Personal Watercraft – A vessel less than 16 feet in length which uses an inboard motor powering a water jet pump, as its primary source of motive power and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel, rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel.

Staggered registration is similar to motor vehicle registration. Decals issued will be the color of the year of expiration and will display the month and year of expiration. If ownership of a watercraft changes, the new owner must notify the Arizona Game and Fish Department within 15 days. A boat owner must also notify the department within 15 days with an address change or if a watercraft is stolen. No number other than the one issued by the department may be displayed on the forward half of any watercraft. The certificate of number must be aboard when a watercraft is in use. If a certificate of number is lost or destroyed, a duplicate may be obtained from the department for a $2 charge.

All undocumented motorized watercraft operated, moored or anchored on the waterways of Arizona must be numbered. The owner must file an application for number with the Arizona Game and Fish Department on forms provided. The number issued must be displayed on each side of the bow along with the current registration decal issued by the department. Nonmotorized watercraft are exempt from registration requirements.

Consumers who choose to shop for PWC, personal watercraft insurance coverage without providing their driver’s license or social security numbers should know that there is certain information that is needed in order for carriers to provide as accurate of a quote as possible.

Motorists who wish to obtain quotes will most likely be asked to provide their name, address, age, and year, make and model of their vehicle; these items are necessary to calculate premiums. Drivers will also be asked to give a description of their driving history and in some states their credit as well.

Personal watercraft (PWC) are a type of recreational boat that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Manufacturers estimate that about 200,000 PWC are sold each year and that more than 1 million are in current operation. Although the overall number of recreational boating fatalities has been declining in recent years, the number of personal watercraft-related fatalities has been increasing.

PWC are the only type of recreational vessel for which the leading cause of fatalities is not drowning; in PWC fatalities, more persons die from blunt force trauma than from drowning. The National Transportation Safety Board initiated this study to more closely examine fatalities and injury in addition to accident  characteristics associated with PWC accidents.

The study was not designed to estimate how often PWC accidents occur, nor are the results of the study necessarily representative of all Personal watercraft (PWC) are a type of recreational boat that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Manufacturers estimate that about 200,000 PWC are sold each year and that more than 1 million are in current operation.

Although the overall number of recreational boating fatalities has been declining in recent years, the number of personal watercraft-related fatalities has been increasing. PWC are the only type of recreational vessel for which the leading cause of fatalities is not drowning; in PWC fatalities, more persons die from blunt force trauma than from drowning. The National Transportation Safety Board initiated this study to more closely examine fatalities and injury in addition to accident characteristics associated with PWC accidents.

The study was not designed to estimate how often PWC accidents occur, nor are the results of the study necessarily representative of all PWC accidents. The Safety Board analyzed 814 (one-third) of the 1997 reported accidents and examined all of the data for the 1996 reported accidents, which the Board believes provided a substantial number of accidents to identify the most important safety issues associated with PWC accidents.

The safety issues discussed in the report include (a) protecting PWC riders from injury; (b) PWC operator experience and training; and (c) boating safety standards. The study also addressed the need for recreational boating exposure data. Safety recommendations concerning these issues were made to the manufacturers of PWC, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the U.S. Power Squadrons, BOAT/U.S., the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the Personal Watercraft Industry Association, and the States and Territories.

Personal watercraft are a type of recreational boat designed for riding entertainment.  Because PWC are powered by an engine and intended for the transport of person(s) on water, they fall within the Coast Guard category for motorboats. Although the Coast Guard tracks statistics on a recreational vessel type (Class A inboard motorboat) that includes personal watercraft, the Coast Guard has no official definition of personal watercraft.11

The first commercially successful personal watercraft, the Jet Ski, was introduced by Kawasaki in 1974. Models from the late 1970s and early 1980s were designed for a one-person, stand-up operation. During the mid-1980s, the sit-down style became popular, and it now accounts for 97 percent of the units sold. Most PWC sales are controlled by five companies12 that actively market between 30 and 40 different models designed for one, two, or three persons. Current PWC sales run about 200,000 units per 10

The Marine Index Bureau Foundation is a nongovernmental 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity. Its work on the Recreational Boating Accident Register was funded by the Coast Guard and by the insurance industry. 11 The Coast Guard boating accident statistics report for 1996 describes personal watercraft in the glossary: “Craft less than 13 feet in length designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing or kneeling on the craft rather than within the confines of a hull.” (U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard. 1998. Boating statistics 1996. Washington, DC. 39 p.) The Coast Guard has no regulatory definition of personal watercraft. 12 The major manufacturers of personal watercraft are Kawasaki, Yamaha (WaveRunner), Polaris, Bombardier (year, and the 1998 models range in cost from $4,799 to $9,399.

PWC constituted more than one-third (36 percent) of all new recreational boats sold in 1997 and represent $1.2 billion of annual sales.13 Engine power of the 33 different 1998 models of PWC ranges from 62 to 135 hp, engine displacement ranges from 639 to 1131 cc with two or three cylinders, and the vessels range from 87 to 126 inches in length.14 Most models are designed to accommodate two or three riders, but results of a PWC owner survey15 indicate that 68 percent of PWC riding is done alone. The typical personal watercraft sold in 1997 had a dry weight of about 450 pounds and a fuel capacity of 10 gallons.16

With a single rider, PWC operating weight would be about 700 pounds. The PWC owner survey was commissioned by the Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA)17 in early 1996. Owners from all 50 States who purchased their vessels between 1991 and 1995 were surveyed; a total of 11,500 surveys were mailed and 2,800 persons responded. Survey results indicated that PWC owners (a group not synonymous with PWC operators) average 41 years of age and have an average household income of $95,400.

In addition, 71 percent are married, 40 percent are college graduates, 85 percent are male, 68 percent have owned a powerboat prior to their PWC purchase, and 73 percent of the time the owner is the operator. The PWIA survey reported that the average owner uses the vessel about 7 days per month during the boating season, and on a typical riding day an average of three different people operate the vessel. In a different survey, of the readers of Watercraft

Steering difficulties were evident in many of the PWC accident reports examined for the study.22 For example, a 15-year-old male was operating a PWC and his mother was a passenger. The Florida Marine Patrol accident description states, “[Operator] was attempting to make a turn south through a cut in the mangroves . . . .

He was not real familiar with operating a jet ski with a passenger. When he attempted to make a left turn he let off the throttle which caused the PWC to lose steering capabilities. The forward momentum of the PWC took [operator] and passenger into the mangrove shoreline. [Operator] received a puncture wound to the left side of his neck . . . .”

Another accident involving a mother and son on a Texas lake illustrates the consequences that can result from steering difficulties. The 24-year-old PWC operator attempted to spray water on his onlooking mother, lost control of the watercraft, and the vessel hit her in the back. She died the next morning. In a Minnesota accident, the investigator wrote: “He [operator] let up on the throttle, lost ability to steer, powered up again, but too late.” Examples of investigator or witness statements on boating accident reports confirm steering problems, although the statements are not recorded in any systematic manner. Several operating characteristics distinguish PWC. It is expected that PWC operators will fall overboard as a normal part of operation. For this reason, most models have safety lanyards or “kill switches” that are connected to the operator’s wrist to ensure that the vessel stops when the operator falls off. It is also expected that PWC will roll over in the water; in effect, they capsize on a regular basis.

PWC owners manuals include procedures for uprighting a capsized vessel.23 According to an international group working on PWC guidelines, in traditional boats, falling overboard would be considered the first event of a boating accident, and capsizing and swamping are also considered to be boating accidents or emergency situations. But for PWC, these are expected events; consequently, PWC are designed and constructed with somewhat different objectives than traditional boats.24

The American boat, Team Alvimedica, took the lead in the fifth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, a nine-month offshore event. The fleet is expected to round Cape Horn on Monday.

Getting a new boat may be one of the most exciting things in your life experience. You’re excited and you want to celebrate by inviting all your friends to join you in the water. Wait a minute! Boating can be about fun, but there are a lot of tasks that need doing, and rush out into the water can be a big mistake!

It is better to try to contain your excitement until you’ve at least take into account the working paper. There are three main aspects:

1) The registration of certificates and documents.
2) Pay the outstanding taxes.
3) Get adequate insurance.

An alarming number of accidents appear to involve new boats, sometimes even before they have been used. If you have not done the job boring and you have good insurance, which owns the boat dream can quickly become a nightmare.

Once you have completed the paperwork to invite your friends would still be an error. Why? Because this is a new boat that you have no experience with. If you want to see impressive, then you have to know exactly what you’re doing.

Of the thousands of items packed into Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s $150 billion budget for New York State, one in particular seemed to float to the top: a tax credit for buyers of luxury boats.

Though the word “yacht” is never used, the budget contains a tax break for anyone in the market for a “vessel” valued at more than $230,000. Specifically, buyers will not have to pay sales tax beyond that amount, regardless of the final price tag. A vessel is defined in state law as “every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water

Water safety should always be your number one priority. If this is your first boat, and then take a short safety course is desirable.

You may have previous experience in boat, but this boat is new and unique. Wherever possible, should be your first trip with an expert who can talk through the basics. Such as berthing and turning maneuvers in tight spaces require practice, and mistakes can be expensive! Make sure you are comfortable in the head before taking passengers on board.

At this point, you could invite some friends to join you, but there is one last thing to think. You’ve spent a lot of money on his boat, now you need to make sure your investment is well cared for and protected. You may already know where they are stored when not in use, but have you thought about how? Without adequate protection of the rapid deterioration of his boat. Maintenance is a lot of time, effort and money. Preventing problems occurring is much easier than fixing them to get good habits from the beginning.

The key to protecting your boat is the right cover and places it correctly. There are many different shapes and sizes of the coverage available, but to be truly effective you need to be a tailor-made for your boat. There are several fabrics to choose from, and this also makes a big difference.

There are several ways to get a better rate on your boat insurance. Some of them are beyond our control, but others are a matter of personal choice. With a little patience and research can improve the rate at a good level and save a good amount of money in the long term.

Basic improvements to their type of boat insurance is not all that difficult to achieve. The main thing you need is patience. All good things to those who wait as the old saying. If waiting is not a problem then there is no reason why it should not be able to obtain a decent boat insurance.

The first thing a good choice on boats. Like a car, a sport boat is the most expensive is the insurance. For basic purposes have to do everything possible to choose a boat that is as safe as possible. This means that extreme power, giant engines, and lightweight design speed increase should be avoided. A pleasure boat is going to make an insurance company far less nervous than the speed of a real devil to cut water and weak in the wake elderly. There are many beautiful boats on the market that have all the amenities and nominal speed capabilities that will not make your agent cringe.

Boat value is another factor. If the boat you choose has an extreme need to ensure that you then can have a high insurance quote. To protect against this, make an informed decision when buying a boat. Checking various vendors to make sure you are getting the best deal possible. This, in effect, make your insurance rate drop considerably as the company will have less to cover in the event of an accident or theft.

Being safe is another matter. Most agencies offer insurance discounts to customers who complete a safety course and navigation. This will make you a better sailor and decrease the chances that you will make a fatal error or trial will end costing the insurance company a lot of money. This work also to protect those at various levels. Not only you and the people to be in better hands with someone who has adequate training, you will also have part of the mind that will not make a wrong opinion at a crucial moment that could cause the loss of their boats. Insurance companies are not the only ones with something to lose.

Finally, you should contact the company that handles your car and home insurance. Most times, companies offer discounts to those who use them for all your insurance needs. This will help protect everyone involved and can simplify things from a viewpoint and billing. The end result will be more money saved and less complication when time for payments to be made.

America’s Cup teams have voted to reduce the size of boats to be sailed in the 2017 regatta in Bermuda, a cost-cutting move that could lead the two strongest challengers to drop out.

In a statement Tuesday night, organizers said that a majority of teams favored the move from 62-foot catamarans to ones in the 45- to 50-foot range. They also said the majority of challengers favored all racing being held in Bermuda rather than having a qualifying regatta in Auckland, New Zealand.

Luna Rossa, a top challenger to the cup holder, Oracle Team USA, said last week that it would “be obliged to withdraw” if the race boat was downsized midcycle. Another top contender, Emirates Team New Zealand, supported the Italians.

The Italian team Luna Rossa pulled out of the 2017 America’s Cup and criticized decisions by the organizers, calling them unprecedented and illegitimate. Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand voted against reducing the size of the catamarans for the second time in less than a year. Both teams were overruled by a majority of teams, led by the two-time defending champion Oracle Team USA. Under the old procedures, America’s Cup class rules could be changed only by unanimous consent, but Oracle Team USA led an amendment to change the class rule to a majority vote.

Physical Damage Coverage protects your PWC in or out of the water. This will protect your PWC while it’s in storage in case of theft, vandalism, fire or natural disaster. It will also protect your PWC while you take it from the dock to storage or from storage to the dock.