How Your Personal Watercraft Works
One of the best ways to beat the heat in the summer is to get out on the water as much as possible. And one of the most enjoyable water-based pastimes for adventurous souls is to ride a personal watercraft. Ever since the 1980s, these speedy aquatic motorcycles have been dazzling their riders by providing a thrilling on-the-water experience. If you own one, you’re no doubt aware of all the fun yours can provide.
But have you ever wondered precisely how it works? Knowing how something works can increase your enjoyment of it and also help you to keep it properly maintained. Your local PWC dealer is Tracy Motorsports, serving Stockton, California. Whether you have a Kawasaki Jet Ski®, a Yamaha WaveRunner® or a Sea-Doo® PWC, they work similarly enough that we can explain their inner function to you here. Read on to learn how your personal watercraft works!
Learn How The Engine Functions
Your personal watercraft’s engine makes use of a drive shaft which is connected to an impeller. This small, rotating part is next to a small pump that pulls water into your PWC, which the impeller then forces out through a hole at the back of the watercraft, pushing your WaveRunner® forward. This process is called “jet drive” and it replicates Isaac Newton’s “action and reaction” law of motion.
How To Steer
PWC are steered using a set of handlebars, not unlike your average land-based motorcycle or bicycle. One handle has a brake and the other has a throttle so you can stop and go with ease. The throttle initiates the jet drive process and allows you to adjust the speed of the personal watercraft as you ride. Your Sea-Doo will be easier to steer at higher speeds, since the jet drive process happens more quickly the faster you go, which helps to keep the craft stabilized.
You’ll find an engine kill switch on your Jet Ski® that you should attach to your wrist or your life jacket. This handy device will instantly shut off your machine should you become incapacitated or fall off. Having this extra safeguard helps to prevent collisions and allows you to easily climb back onto your Jet Ski® after falling into the water.
Be Mindful Of Pollution Concerns
You should be aware that there are a few things about your PWC you should be concerned with. Personal watercraft can be noisy, damaging and polluting. But there are some steps you can take to mitigate these negative effects.
Installing noise-absorbing foam between your Sea-Doo’s engine and hull will help to dampen the sound it produces. You can also try installing a noise generator to cancel out the engine sounds with self-generated sound waves, or you can install a resonator that will pull in air in a maze rather than a straight line to diffuse some of the noise.
Make sure you don’t operate your Jet Ski® in shallow water, because you could cause real harm to aquatic plants and fish by disturbing the sediment. You may also pull rocks and sand into your impeller and damage it. Try to rinse out your PWC after every ride to remove invasive species that could be transported to another body of water on your next adventure.
Finally, it’s important to reduce pollution wherever you can by ensuring that your WaveRunner® is in good shape and doesn’t leak fluids. Upgrading your PWC from an older two-stroke model to a new four-stroke engine with a fuel injection system can prevent oil and gas from leaching into the water, too!
We hope this guide helps you to use your WaveRunner® more effectively. Still don’t have the right personal watercraft? Stop on by our dealership in Tracy today to check out our current selection of new and used PWC for sale, including Sea-Doo®, Yamaha WaveRunner® and Kawasaki Jet Ski® models. We offer financing services to help you get the personal watercraft you want! Tracy Motorsports proudly serves the city of Modesto, California.