Category Archives: Boating tips

Important Things to Know for First-Time Jet Ski Riders

Adrenaline junkies simply love jetskiing. The fun and excitement it brings are guaranteed to make you come back for more. But like with any other outdoor sport, you need to educate yourself about the basics and safety before getting on a jet ski for the first time.

There is no doubt you can do a lot of exciting things with your Jet Ski, however you also need to be careful especially if you don’t have enough experince in jet ski riding. Here are the important things to know before you hit the waters.

Safety is a Priority

Accidents happen even in ideal weather conditions. So, make sure to practice these standard precautions to guarantee your safety:

1. Always wear a life jacket – This is mandated by the Maritime Safety Queensland and, therefore, is a must when jet skiing.

2. Drink driving is also prohibited Driving under the influence is never a good thing even with a jet ski or other personal watercraft (PWC). Aside from causing accidents, it will also lead to the suspension of your marine license.

3. Check your surroundings – Despite the vastness of an open sea or massive lake, there’s always a chance that you could hit something. It could be a person swimming, navigation marks, or islets.

4. Learn to control your Speed– Novice jet ski riders have a higher risk of losing control of their vessel compared to seasoned jet skiers. So, take time to get the feel of your PWC and learn to control the speed.

Jet Skis Need Regular Maintenance

Like boats and other water vessels, PWCs require regular maintenance to ensure optimum performance and excellent condition. As an owner of a jet ski, you are responsible to keep it well-maintained to avoid engine break-down and getting stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Regular maintenance will also prevent fuel spills on the waters which can be damaging to marine life.

Parking is necessary

One of your responsibilities as a jet ski owner is providing a parking space for your ride. You need to find a place where to store your jet ski after every trip to keep it safe and protected. If you plan to use your jet ski frequently, finding a marina would be ideal. On the other hand, you can buy a trailer to store the jet ski in your garage if you’ll only hit the waters once a week.

Prepare for Emergencies

First-time or not, jet ski riders will benefit immensely by bringing a first aid kit, a distress flag, and marine navigation maps and charts. These will help you get out of sticky situations, should get lost or injured while jet skiing. It will also be very helpful to bring a smartphone with GPS to help discern your actual position.

For your physical protection, you should bring sunscreen and sunglasses with you. Enough water for drinking is also necessary for every trip. It’s also wise to save a soft copy of your license in your mobile gadget for emergency purposes.

Things to Avoid

Aside from drunk driving, you should also avoid jet skiing after sunset. Navigating the waters in the dark is dangerous, so make sure to go back ashore while there’s still light. Also, avoid starting your PWC when the water is still below waist-line deep because it could seriously damage the jet ski.

Another thing to avoid is overloading. Only carry the right number of persons recommended by the jet ski manufacturer to avoid any accidents. Check the user manual for your reference.

Buying the right Jet Ski

Lastly, you should also know the right type of jet ski that fits you. This is where some first-time jet ski riders fail. They tend to buy a model that’s popular or cheap even it’s unsuitable to their needs. So, make sure to consider your purpose for jet skiing, the water body where you intend to navigate, the number of persons you’ll be bringing along, and the frequency of your jet ski trips. All of these will determine the right type of jet ski that you need.

After determining the model of a Jet Ski that fits with your requirements, the next thing to do is to find the right marine financing. BoatLoans.com.au can help you with that. We have a wide array of loan products that can help finance your jet ski purchase.

Call us at BoatLoans.com.au now or enquire online and get a pre-approved boat loan for your new or used jet ski.

120 Years of Savage Boats

Time does fly when you’re having fun. In case you didn’t know, one of Australia’s most well-known boat brands, Savage Boats, is now 120 years old!

With humble roots building wooden boats at the very beginning of the company’s life, Savage was soon producing world-class boats and became the best-selling brand in all of Australia. Now, it’s the oldest and one of the best aluminium boat brands in the country. Continue reading →

2019 Boat Show Calendar

We know 2018 isn’t over yet, but we also know that for boaters, it’s never too early to prepare.

Recreational boaters and water activity enthusiasts are already looking forward to next year’s boating events and we’re here to give you a guide for what to expect in 2019. Continue reading →

Top 5 Fishing Boats in Australia

The Murray Cod, the Barramundi, and the freshwater Saragota are just three of more than 2000 saltwater and fresh-water fish species in Australia. The country is literally a fishing haven for recreational fisherman! If you want to join the club of over 5 million Aussies fishing for fun, then the next step is to gear up with a fishing boat of your own. For in-land water anglers and inshore fishers, a small motorboat or even a jet ski will do. But if you want to do some serious fishing off-shore, a more powerful sports fishing boat will be a great investment.

Aren’t sure on which boat to buy? No worries. Here’s our report on the top 5 fishing boats in Australia. Continue reading →

Basic Guide for Your First Jet Ski

Jet skis are a lot of fun. But buying them? Not as thrilling as riding them, that’s for sure. Especially when it’s your first time purchasing one. The experience can be quite overwhelming and it’s easy to make (expensive) mistakes if you don’t know what you’re doing. So to save you the time (and hopefully the money too), here’s our quick guide to buying your first jet ski. Continue reading →

Guidelines for Boat Navigation Lights

For all water vessels that are operating between sunset and sunrise or are in areas with restricted visibility, they are required by the Australian government to have navigation lights. The purpose of navigation lights is to indicate the size of the boat, the direction it is moving to, the angle where you see it, and whether or not it is anchored. To all the owners of water vessels in Australia, we listed the guidelines that you should follow about navigation lights. Continue reading →

Important Considerations when Getting Boat Insurance

Getting insurance for your boat is just as important as getting one for your car or home. It gives you the assurance that your property will be restored to working condition after an accident without shelling out a big sum of money. Boat insurance also covers any third-party liability that results from unwanted incidents. Whether you are a new boat owner or an experienced boatie, you should pay serious attention when shopping around for the best insurance deals for your vessel. You must know the important considerations when getting boat insurance. Continue reading →

How to Get a Boat Licence in NSW

Much like every state in Australia, New South Wales has its own established laws regarding boat licences. Residents have a total of two options: they can get either a Personal Watercraft (PWC) Driving Licence or a General Boat Driving Licence. Continue reading →

Boat Trailer Features You Should Consider

When it comes to purchasing a boat-motor-trailer (BMT) package, the trailer seems to be always the last in consideration. It might be the cheapest among the three, but it sure is just as important as the others. Think about the dream boat you’ve always wanted. Would you have that great boat carried on a poor trailer? Probably not. With the possible problems a poor boat trailer might have, you’ll just end up frustrated whenever you take your boat out. Eventually you’ll get tired and you won’t take it anywhere. So, save yourself from any hassle. Before purchasing a new boat trailer or your first BMT, make sure the trailer won’t damage your boat. Consider all the boat trailer features before making your purchase.

Continue reading →

How To Find Boat Fishing Spots

You get so used to fishing around your local area, knowing the best spots for the best time of year, that sometimes you forget how hard it was to come by those fishing spots in the first place.

That can put a bit of a dampener on things if you take your boat to a new location or off on a holiday. Continue reading →

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