Getting the PWC onto the trailer is easy.
While one partner backs down the ramp,
the other gently drives it onto the bunks
and out you go!
ties for boating, and going by PWC makes getting on
the water easier than ever. We see verdant shorelines,
pure white beaches and some eye-popping cottages,
too. We navigate through locks, along narrow channels, over quiet bays, around picturesque islands and
down the broad expanses of wide-open lakes. We gas
up at marinas and eat at dockside restaurants. Our
PWC has even taken us over lift locks and across the
world-famous marine railway!
The beauty of owning a PWC is that all you need to
start playing is a hitch on your regular car, a small PWC
trailer, a road map and a navigable waterway. Well, almost
all…over the years I’ve assembled a list of must-take items
that make my PWC tours more comfortable and enjoyable,
so let me share them with you.
One of my first PWC insights was that appropriate gear
enhanced my enjoyment considerably. That starts with a
personal flotation device (PFD), which I wear every
minute I’m on my PWC. Any Canadian Coast Guard certified PFD suited for your body size will do, but if you’re
going to go PWC riding a lot, my advice is to shop around
for a new PFD that will be more comfortable than the old
one that’s been lying in the bottom of your dinghy for
years. I recommend one that’s bright and colourful for
maximum visibility to other boaters. And because you may
get splashed or decide to talk a quick dip with your PFD
on while riding your PWC, I don’t recommend those new
inflatables that fill automatically when they get wet,
although they are excellent for other boating applications!
First, you need to know where you’re going. Always
start with official navigation charts from Canadian
Hydrographic Services. Study them at home to plan the
trip. Have them plastic laminated at the local office supply
store and take them with you if they fit into the PWC stor-
age bin. They are critical to know
where underwater shoals, cables or
other hazards may lie. Once you
know where you are going, in popu-
lated areas, most waterways have cot-
tages or camps where you can always
stop and ask directions. Or you can
rely, as I do, on my Sea-Doo GTX’s
built-in compass. There’s always
GPS…and most popular riding places
have cell service, too.
The main factor to remember about riding waterways is
that it’s virtually impossible to get lost on a river, where
two approximately parallel and nearby shores keep you
on the straight and narrow. Similarly, every lake is contained by its shoreline, so if worst comes to worst, all you
have to do is follow the shore back to your starting point.
So at the outset, be sure to memorize what your starting
point looks like, to recognize it on the way back.
