Personal watercraft (PWC) — aka, the “Jet Ski” — is a popular form of summer recreation. These types of vehicles are similar to boats but have some significant differences.
If you’ve ever seen someone standing up on what appeared to be a tiny motorboat, you’ve seen a personal watercraft. Personal watercraft are scooters you ride in the water. Depending upon the model, you stand on them or straddle them like a motorcycle. They are usually motor driven and steered by the user. You can also change the speed by controlling the propulsion. Personal watercraft are similar to jet boats but are much smaller.
Although these small boats have become very popular recently, they’ve been around for more than half a century. The first personal watercraft boats appeared in the 1960s and first caught on in 1973 when Kawasaki began offering a single-rider water scooter and branded the machine “Jet Ski.” Today, both single-rider and multiple-rider PWC are popular. You can purchase a personal watercraft that seats three or four people.
Environmentalists prefer these PWC to motorboats because they use jet propulsion to move smoothly over the water, which is safer for wildlife because of their lack of external propellers. In addition, these boats have greater fuel efficiency, which saves valuable natural resources.
PWC have several benefits for people who enjoy boating and related activities.
— PWC are both speedy and fairly easy to maneuver.
— PWC are usually cheaper to purchase than motorboats and can do many of the same things.
— PWC are easy to master. The controls are not difficult to operate, so almost any adult can learn to drive one.
— PWC emit less toxic fumes than other types of vehicles. They are built according to strict emission standards, making their engines more environmentally friendly.
