June 1, 1997
Getting from Point A to Point B
Transporting your personal watercraft (PWC), which can weigh as much as 500 pounds, can be an adventure in itself unless you have the proper equipment. Fortunately, there are an abundance of items on the market designed to make this task a little easier.
Trailers:
If you must transport your PWC, a rail trailer is probably your best bet. They are extremely lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and can be found in a variety of sizes ranging from single-craft capacity all the way up to six. They use a single anchoring pin in the bow eye to secure each machine to the trailer, and require a tie-down in the rear. The trailers provide the simplest means of loading and unloading a PWC (even by yourself) and require minimal maintenance. Trailers also come with features such as storage boxes, submersible lights, and carpeted banks.
A custom trailer can be designed to meet your specific needs. If you have a boat and a PWC, you can actually piggy-back your PWC on a boat trailer such as the Top Dek by Tibban Design.
One of the trickiest things to learn is how to back your trailer. Splooge's Corner offers some great tips. As Splooge explains, mastering this skill takes Practice, Practice, Practice. For an amusing look at the consequences of not practicing, read the humorous article by Phil Neil entitled, "Boat Ramp Follies."
Carts:
Most people will probably never need a cart, but if the need does arise, they can come in quite handy. The intention of a cart is to enable you to transport a craft over difficult terrain and into the water. But, they also have other useful purposes such as storage in the garage or for servicing your PWC. Aquacart is one example of a cart that can be used to launch your PWC when a launch ramp isn't available.
Lifts:
There are many different kinds of PWC lifts on the market. SKIMATE 1200 and MAXIMATE 1600, manufactured by The Lift Company, attach directly to a full-size boat, making it easy to transport your PWC on the water. Little Lift manufactures three models of lifts that can be used as docking stations for waterfront property owners. Jet Trax makes it possible for you to launch and retrieve your PWC into the bed of your pickup truck with just a flip of a single cable remote control switch, thus eliminating the need of a trailer altogether.
Regardless of how you get from Point A to Point B, have fun on the water and drive safe!
Catch you on the waves!
Karen Gough
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Personal Watercraft Illustrated
Comprehensive Online Magazine with informative Buyer's Guide
JetAction Power Watersports
Online Watersports Magazine from Australia
JetXpress
Online Magazine with information on PWCs and PWC racing
The Personal Watercraft Zone
Online Magazine with information about PWC's and PWC racing
Karen's Jet Ski Page
Home Page with information on great places to go jet skiing
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Jet Skiing
