Boaters, jetski, or PWC owners

So, i just got a new Sea-doo GTX 260 Limited. I haven't ever boated or similar in AZ but always wanted to, and have wanted a PWC for 20+ years. So now I can...well almost. Waiting for a couple mail order accessories.

Any other folks in the AZ taco nation into watercraft?

 

No other water nuts in AZ?

 

Ken,
Congrats on the watercraft purchase. I have been boating on Az waters all my life .
Game and Fish has a boating/watercraft safety course. Great introduction to lots of good info.

It's always best to use common sense even when others don't .

July 17,2014

Personal watercraft rider knocked unconscious, kept afloat by life jacket

Arizona Game and Fish officers stopped a personal watercraft rider on Lake Pleasant on Independence Day weekend for not wearing his life jacket, and that may have saved his father’s life.

On the morning of July 4th, Game and Fish Officers Bryan Marshall and David Mayer saw 19-year-old Hoy Lam on a red Sea Doo personal watercraft (PWC) leaving the Lake Pleasant boat launch area without a life jacket and heading towards the main lake at a high rate of speed. The officers stopped the driver and cited him for not wearing his life jacket and for exceeding “wakeless speed” in the boat launch area.

“After citing him, we watched the PWC driver return to his camp on shore where he put on his life jacket and went back out on the lake,” said Officer Bryan Marshall of the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). “But, as it turned out, that wasn’t the end of the story.”

About two hours later, Officers Marshall and Mayer got a call on their radio about a multiple PWC crash in the open water of the main lake. A red Sea Doo had “t-boned” another PWC at a high rate of speed. At the scene of the crash, other AZGFD officers and Maricopa County Sheriff deputies found the driver of the red Sea Doo thrown from his PWC but conscious.

“We quickly recognized him as Hoy Lam, the same man we had stopped earlier in the day for not wearing his life jacket,” said Officer Marshall.

The driver of the second PWC, Hoy’s father Phong Lam, was floating face-down and unconscious. “Witnesses on a nearby pontoon boat saw him floating in the water and jumped in to right him,” said Officer Marshall. “Officer Mayer also jumped into the water to assist in transitioning the injured operator to a back board.”

The injured boaters and passengers were taken to the boat ramp and transported to the hospital by helicopter. Phong Lam suffered a broken leg, and passengers on both PWCs had minor injuries, but they all survived the crash because everyone was wearing their life jackets.

“It was our first time riding jet skis, and we didn’t know that life jackets were required,” said Phong Lam. “I’m glad now that I was wearing a life jacket because it saved my life.”

“Had we not stopped this PWC rider and made him wear a life jacket, the other people in his party might not have known to wear their life jackets. There could have been one or more fatalities on the Fourth,” said Officer Marshall. “Instead, life jackets bought them time enough to be rescued. It’s why we say ‘Life jackets save lives.’”

Arizona law requires that all PWC operators wear a life jacket and that they attach the PWC’s lanyard-type ignition safety switch to their person. Game and Fish recommends wearing a life jacket anytime you’re on the water.


Be Safe and Have fun .

 

Thanks for that. I'm a safety guy so all that did is reiterate how I feel. I have been reading up on AZ law and boating practices. Three major things stood out in that story. "No pfd", "First time on a craft" and "t-boned the other" obviously the 60 foot rule was not being heeded.These guys where Darwin winners out the gate. Give them the keys to a ferrari and they would total it firrst time out. They will die because they are dumb.

I had to order the PFCs we wanted so we are waiting on those to get here along with eye protection. We found short wet suits we liked locally. So while we wait the new toy waits in the garage.

I am signing the wife and I up for a weekend safety class. While it's mostly a refresher for me. I have boated in several other states and most rules are the same across the board. When I was in the service to rent boats I had to take the classes.

We dont live to far from Lake pleasent so that will be our main hangout. but I will try to visit allot of the waters in and around the area.

 

Previous owner of a waverunner 1200 lx, waverunner fx ho, and a waverunner fx sho all good skis. Get your boaters license, I rode for years without it and my old man talked me in to it. It teaches you a lot if stuff

 

Ken,

I try to get out to Pleasant every other week or so. Love riding early, but I'm always open on the weekends if you want to HMU.

I have a Kawa STX-12F.

Ron

 

I've got three PWCs, '93 Yamaha Waveblaster 700 (my little racer and favorite), '95 Yamaha Waveraider 700, and '96 Kawa SXI 760. The two Yamas run like damn champs. The Waveraider easily does 50mph with two riders and the single seater Waveblaster does 65+ running trick fuel or AV gas/gasoline blend and hooks corners like a street bike. The Kawa is so-so, not as reliable as the Yamas.

 

Just picked up a Sea Doo Spark last week. Drove down to Phoenix to get it. I have only had it on the water for three hours now. I have ridden them a lot in the past, and have always wanted one of my own. There are two smaller lakes both within 15 min of my house, so I think it will take over my fun time, at least until it cools down. That thing is a blast, but im still being nice to it for the "break in period".

 

Same pic that I posted in a towing thread, sorry but its the only one I have taken of the new steed. Now has a little over 6 hours on it after today. Officially "broken in" according to the owner's manual. This thing is an absolute blast now that I can give 'er the onion.

 

So, who is going to Roosevelt for labor day Holiday?
I two have 2 PWC; 99 GTX Limited and turbo 4 stroke Honda

 

Why would you go to Roosevelt for water action? got family there or something? just curious. Im working that weekend, so no fun for me. I tend to stay away from places where people gather during holidays anyway. Too many tards running around. I dont wanna get ran over by some drunk idiot in a boat. Same reason I dont go to dunes during holidays weekends.

 

I got buddies in phx and pinetop, and im in tucson so its pretty central to all of us. when we get together we have 2-3 boats and a 4-5 of PWCs

 

Nice! Makes sense to meet up in a central location. Enjoy and stay safe!
Wait... The Roosevelt in AZ My bad, I was thinking of the one here in UT. I was unaware of the one in AZ until I googled it, looks like a way better place to enjoy some water sports than the one in UT.

 

Owned several Waverunners, most recently was an FX SHO. I got out of that gig, more of a money pit than the taco.

 

Thats funny, I was totally thinking, man this guy must really like that lake cuz that a pretty hefty drive from UT! HAHA

But I would love to check out Powell one of these days

 

Here's my toys!!!!!!