 By Chief Tom Rau, Coast Guard Group Grand Haven It is the hottest topic on the water personal water craft (PWC), commonly known as jet skies. These highly maneuverable water craft that slip, spin and dart about like provoked bumble bees are considered by many as pests that should be exterminated or at least confined to innocuous areas like the high seas or the middle of Lake Michigan.
In some areas personal water craft have indeed been exiled. In a recent Washington State Supreme Court, 7-2 ruling, jet skies have been banned from the vast water ways north of Seattle in the San Juan Islands. The National Park Service proposed rules banning PWCs from many , if not all, national parks. In Florida, the Monroe County Commissioners recently approved rules prohibiting ‘water bikes’ from operating at high speeds within 1,200 feet of shore in parts of the Florida keys. Other areas working toward tight regulations are Lake Tahoe, the Coast of Maine, Monterey Bay, and Malibu.
With the proliferation of jet skies, nearly 200,000 a year sold and adding to the already million or more on the market, more and more areas across the land undoubtably will express displeasure with jet skies. So what is all the fuss about?
One of the big concerns is the noise level. PWCs produce noise levels in the range of 85-105 decibels (dB) per unit. The American Hospital Association recommends hearing protection for occasional sound above 85 dB. The concern is not only for humans but wild life which can also be traumatized by the excessive noise. The Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) is taking an aggressive stance to reduce sound: current PWCs are significantly quieter than models from a year ago. Sophisticated exhaust system design and exhaust silencers promise to reduce sound emissions even further. The PWIA reports that new models are up to 50 percent quieter than the corresponding 1997 models
Some complain that it’s not only the sound but the swarming factor- that is the high concentration of jet skies in a given area- that contributes to a noise level that irks shore side residents and beach goers. Carol Ford who works in an art gallery overlooking the harbor in the San Juan Islands, said she hardly notices the buzz and drone of state ferries and pleasure boats. "They are usually coming or going," she said, "and run at low speeds."
In contrast, the occasional ‘water bike’ spin, noisily around the harbor for hours at a time, she said.
Another concern addresses water pollution. According to one report, jet skies spill the equivalent of 4 Exxon Valdez tankers worth of raw petrochemicals into U.S. waters. Most jet skies run on a two stroke gasoline engine, which means during a two hour ride a PWC could dump as much as 2.5 gallons of gas and oil into the water. Some feel the Federal Government should require the switch to quieter and less polluting 4-stroke engines, such as those now found on motorcycles.
Certainly concerns regarding noise levels and water pollution are valid and in all fairness to PWC manufactures, they are aware of these problems and are actively pursuing solutions. What manufactures can’t address is the human operator factor. Jet skies, which now represent 12 % of all recreational watercraft, are responsible for up to 40% of all boating injuries. Worse yet, according to latest Coast Guard recreational boating statistics, PCWs represented 10 percent of all recreational fatalities during 1997. Is it fair then to conclude then that the fault lies not with the PWC but with the operator?
When you read the State of Michigan’s latest Personal Watercraft Safety Act regarding personal water craft you would think so. The bill pursued comprehensive educational programs designed to advance boating and safety amongst personal water craft users, in other words getting them to boat smart.
Boat Smart is now on the internet: www.boatsmart.net (includes Lake water temperatures and weather).
Channel 16 is for safety and emrgencies, Channel 09 is for calling fellow boaters
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Boat Smart 
