First, to be sure that we understand what we are talking about, let’s define a few words often used when talking about jet skis.
Definitions and Questions
PWC– Any jet ski. This stands for Personal Water Craft
Jet Ski– This is the common name used for PWC’s. It is also the trademark for Kawasaki (jetski with no space) – So while everyone refers to PWC’s as jet skis, in reality only Kawasakis are actually jetskis.
Waverunner– This is the trademark to Yamaha. All Yamaha PWC are Waverunners.
Sea Doo– This is the trademark to Bombardier. All Sea Doo are Bombardier and visa versa. Neither are the model of the ski, just the brand.
AquaTrax – The trademark name for Honda PWCs.
SeaLion – The trademark name for Polaris PWCs.
Tigershark – The trademark name for PWCs manufactured by Arctic Cat.
How fast does a jet ski go?
The fastest jet skis will go almost 70 mph. Skis with engines strong enough to go faster are sold with a governor system to make sure that they don’t. If someone says that their stock ski goes 80mph (or 71 for that matter) it just isn’t true.
Of course there is a plethora of hot rod equipment available, and the governor system can be bypassed (1-5mph increase), and other kits can be added to make a properly modified ski run in the 80’s.
The most popular recreational skis run in the 50’s and this is totally adequate for most people.
Do you need a license to operate a jet ski?
The short answer is yes. A person must be at least 14 years of age to operate a PWC in Florida. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 is required to either have successfully completed a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approved boating education course or have passed a course equivalency or temporary certificate examination and must have in their possession a boating education ID card and a photo ID card when operating a vessel with a motor of ten horsepower or more in Florida. Jet ski rental businesses and other states may have other requirements or laws.
Read here for more information on jet ski laws. Laws
Can a jet ski tow a tuber?
In Florida, as is the law in most other places, you cannot tow more people than you can fit on the vessel, and you must have a spotter or a wide-angle rear view ski mirror to allow the operator to observe the towed person at all times. This means if you have a three person jet ski, you cannot tow more than two people (two being towed and the driver), providing you have the correct mirror.
Read more about jet skis and tow tubes here. Tow Tubes
Can you tow a jet ski?
The short answer is yes, but very carefully. Check your owners manual for instructions. It is very much in your best interest to have a tow valve installed.
Read more about how to tow a jet ski here. Towing a jet ski
