- Sea-Doo 2009 Jet Ski Operator's Guide

SAFETY EQUIPMENT
PFD Type V, We arabl e must be worn.
When i nflated, it provides buoyancy
equivalent to Type I, Il or III PFDs.
When it is deflated, however, it m a y
not support s om e people.
Helmets
Some Important Considerations
Helmets are designed to offer som e
degree of protection in case of im-
pact to the head. In most motorized
sports, the benefits of wearin g a hel-
met clearly outweigh the drawbacks.
However, in the case of mo torized wa-
tersports s uc h as riding personal wa-
tercraft, this is not necessarily true a s
there are som e p articular risks associ-
ated with the water.
Benefits
A helmet helps to reduce the risk of
injury in case of a head impact against
a hard surface such as another craft,
for example, in the case o f a collision.
Similarly, a helmet with a chinguard
might h elp prevent injuries to the face,
jaw, or teeth.
Risks
On the other hand, in som e situa tions
when falling off the watercraft, hel-
mets have a tendenc y to catch the
water, l ike a “bucket”, and put severe
stresses on the neck or spine. This
could r es ult in choking, severe or per-
manent neck or spi ne injury, or dea th.
Helmets may also interfere with pe-
ripheral vision and hearing, or increa s e
fatigue, which could contribute to in-
crease the risk of a c ollision.
Weighing the Risks vs Benefits
In order t o decide whether or not y ou
should we ar a helmet, it is bes t to con-
sider the pa rticular environment you
will be riding in, as well as other fac-
tors such as persona l experience. Will
there be a l ot of traffic on the water?
What is your riding style?
The Bottom Line
Since each option minimizes som e
risks, but increases o thers, before
each ride you must decide whether
to wear a helmet or not based on your
particular situation.
If you decide to wear a helmet, you
must then decide what type is the
most appropriate for the c ircum-
stances. Look for helmets that meet
DOT or Snell standards, and i f possi-
ble, choose one designed for motor-
ized watersports.
Racing
Due to the na ture of competitio n and
the proximity of other crafts, BRP rec-
ommends w ea ring a helmet in clos e
quarter PWC racing activities. Always
follow the helmet requirements of the
sanctioning organi zation.
Addi ti onal Recommen ded
Equi pment
It is re co m m ended that you acquire
additional equipment for safe, enjoy-
able cruisi ng. This list, which is not all
inclusive, includ es item s you should
consider acquiring.
– Paddle
– First aid kit
–Charts
– Sunblock
– Emergency s upply of drin king wat er
and food.
A cellular telephon e in a waterproof
bag or c onta iner has also been found
to be be neficial to boaters when in dis-
tress or just fo r contacting someone
on shore.
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SAFETY INFOR MATION
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