Note: An observer MUST be carried on a PWC engaged in tow-in surfing activities UNLESS there is full compliance with EACH of the following conditions.

1.  There must be no paddle surfers in the area

2.  The PWC operator must:

    a) Have a current PWC licence

    b) Have a current First Aid Certificate

    c) Have attended any course or passed any examination required by NSW Maritime

    d) Tow only one person at a time

    e) Wear an appropriate lifejacket all times

    f) Carry dive fins and a safety knife on their person

    g) Give right of way to all other boating or ocean recreation activities

    h) Remain at least 200m from all other craft/swimmers etc

3. The PWC operator must ensure that the PWC is equipped with:

    a) A rescue sled - minimum of .9m wide, 1.2m long and 7cm thick, with a minimum of 5 grip handles, 2 on the port side, 2 on the starboard size and 1 at the bow of the sled.  The sled is not to exceed the load capacity recommended by the manufacturer.

    b) Tow kill switch lanyards - one worn on the wrist of the PWC operator and a second kill switch lanyard wrapped around the handlebars of the PWC

    c) A two-way communication device (note: International Distress Phone Number from mobile phone is 000 or 112)

    d) A toolkit

    e) A torch

    f) A quick release floating tow rope with a minimum length of 7m (23 ft)

    g) A bow tow-line with a minimum length of 7m (23 ft)

4.  The person being towed must

    a) have a current PWC licence  

    b) have a current First Aid Certificate

    c) Wear an appropriate lifejacket suitable for tow-in surfing

    d) Have attended any course or passed any examination required by NSW Maritime

 

Tow-in tips

Before you start, a few tips:

 

• Charge battery (or you won’t be going anywhere).  A slow overnight charger is good so you are ready early. 
• Bungs in
• Fuel and oil full
• Test start your ski before you leave home and re-start before you take the ski off the trailer at beach (rock the ski in the water pushed down the beach to get sand out of intake). 
• Observe rules of waterways for towsurfing      
• Check sled and ropes are secure
• Get your towing partner to double check all equipment

Equipment checklists

Tow-in equipment

jet ski (PWC)

Rescue sled

tow rope

handle for rope

quick release system for rope

bow tow rope

tow board

tow fins

straps

leg rope

knife

spare lanyard for ski

spare fuse and spark plugs

tool kit for ski

lube spray

communication device (marine radio or mobile phone)

bottle of water

sunscreen

 

Equipment in car:

duct tape

jumper leads

spare battery for ski

spare tool kit for ski

waterproofing bag

various lengths and sizes of rope

 

Personal equipment

Wetsuit

booties

life jackets (PFDs)

gloves

helmet or hood

sunnies

 

Wave Judgment

The key to successful towsurfing is the ability of the PWC operator (driver) to constantly judge and assess wave conditions.   

Before entering any large surf conditions make sure you are wearing appropriate safety equipment and that all equipment is properly secured to your PWC.

When operating your PWC in large surf conditions it is common that the PWC will experience cavitation.  Cavitation is when the PWC does not accelerate as normal due to the increased amount of air bubbles present in white water. 

Cavitation is a major concern when operating your PWC in large surf conditions, and when punching the PWC through broken or breaking waves.  Whenever you experience cavitation you should immediately let off the throttle, then pump the throttle quickly to regain momentum. 

If this quick pump technique does not prove effective after a few tries, which is commonly the case in large surf conditions, you should let off the throttle completely, then slowly and steadily accelerate, feeling for a “bite” on the water.

Always observe and evaluate the conditions you are entering.  Study characteristics of the waves, timing of sets, intervals between waves and any lulls.  Also be aware of any rips or longshore currents and any back off spots. 

Identify areas and hazards that need to be avoided, such as shallow reefs, coral heads or rocky outcrops, whitewater turbulence, debris in the water, people or other watercraft etc.  Beware of shallow sandbars that might suck dry as you cross them.          

When operating the PWC in surf, it is essential that the operator know where the safety zone is for maneuvering the PWC between the waves.  All breaking waves have an interval between them.  The halfway mark between waves that have already crested and broken is the safety zone.    Operations in this area allow the operator time to maneuver and execute pick ups before the next wave breaks. 

If you are behind the halfway mark, your chances of successfully completing a pick up are decreased proportional to the distance away from the mark.  This is due to the approach of the next wave and the need to achieve adequate speed to safely outrun the next wave. 

If you are in front of the halfway mark there will be more time to maneuver and execute your pick up.  However if you are too far in front of the halfway mark, you may pass by your towsurfer in the water, have to abort the pick up, and try again.         

Avoid hesitating unnecessarily and missing opportune moments to execute a maneuver.  Anticipate cavitation problems in broken (white) water surf zones.  Deal with any cavitation by proper throttle control (see above)

Going over broken waves

Body Position -  When going over broken waves keep knees bent, shift your weight back (move your foot position rearward in the footwells), and tuck your head down (so that the force of any water passing over the craft will not separate you from the PWC). 

In larger surf conditions, move your upper body as low to the craft as possible, so as to avoid getting separated from the PWC.  Anticipate the jolt if impact with the wave to minimize the chances of injury from contact with the craft.  Wear your helmet at all times.   

Speed – when nearing a broken wave, slow down, match the speed of the PWC to provide sufficient momentum to counter the force of oncoming whitewater.  Experience and practice in successively larger surf conditions will help develop this type of judgment. 

Excessive speed or acceleration will tend to “launch” the craft high into the air, increasing risk of injury to operator and passengers, as well as the possibility of damage to the PWC. 

Positioning of PWC – In order to create the least resistance, keep PWC as perpendicular as possible to the oncoming whitewater.  This will allow the best possible penetration through the wave. 

Attempting “quartering” maneuvers to ride over oncoming whitewater of more than a few feet in height is a risky technique and should be avoided. 

Always consider the safety of any passengers and yourself.  Control the urge to use excessive speed.  The slower the maneuver can be successfully executed, the less chance there is of injury or damage. 

PWC Troubleshooting

Your PWCs should always be equipped with a toolkit and spare parts contained in a waterproof pouch and properly stowed.  The kit should include:

·         a plug wrench tool

·         adjustable pliers

·         multi-tip screwdriver

·         wrench

·         spare spark plugs

·         plastic ties

·         long-handled pliers

·         small can of WD-40 or equivalent lubricant

Starter - The starter mechanism must be allowed a minimum of two seconds delay between starter activations.  This delay allows the starter solenoid to reset the starter pinion to the starter pinion.  Failure to allow for this two second delay will inactivate the starter solenoid. 

Temperature – major damage can occur to the PWCs power system if the engine overheats.  The manufacturer installs a thermostat on the engine that senses excessive temperature.  When temperature becomes too high the thermostat will cut the engine power to idle speed.  If this occurs you should immediately shut down the PWC then either a) tow the PWC to shore or b) wait until the engine temperature reaches operating levels, restart, then proceed to shore.  Failure to heed this warning may result in total seizure of all internal engine parts. 

Engine operating temperature can be determined by opening the engine compartment and feeling the exhaust manifold (muffler box) with the back of your hand.  A manifold that is warm to touch indicates normal operating conditions.  One that is too hot to touch indicates serious overheating. 

The table below lists symptoms of, reasons and solutions for some common PWC engine related problems.  

 

Reason		Solution
Engine running sluggish a)      overheating, jet intake clogged b)      fouled spark plugs  c)       spark plug cap not seated/loose d)      crank case filled with fuel e)      crank case filled with water f)       poor carburetor adjustment Engine won’t start a)      kill switch not in place b)      fuse burned out Starter motor doesn’t turn over c)       battery run down d)      battery connections loose e)      starter jammed by salt or corrosion   f)       starter component faulty Engine turns over, but doesn’t fire a)      Fuel cock in “off” position b)      Fuel contaminated c)       Water or dirt in fuel d)      Pressure build-up in fuel tank Engine loses power a)      Cavitation, jet intake clogged b)      Engine overheating, rev limiter safety kicks in due to cooling lines/system clogged Craft won’t pick up speed a)      Impeller damaged or worn b)      Impeller clogged or jammed Steering system gone awry a)      Cable connectors loose b)      Cable kinked or frayed/broken		Clean out intake Change plugs Fit properly Take to service Remove spark plus, crank engine until clean Adjust needle valves     Insert kill switch Replace fuse, check wiring     Check battery, recharge/replace or jump-start Tighten connections   Tapping on case may loosen; service as soon as possible   Service by mechanic     Check and turn “on” Check fuel filter and tank, change filter, drain tank Drain tank, refill Open fuel cap     Clean intake of debris Check and blow out cooling system lines       Check and replace impeller Remove pebbles or dirt     Re-fasten and tighten connectors Replace cable
Note: steering the PWC by dragging a foot or leg over the rail on the side in which you want to turn can compensate for steering control breakdown in an emergency.

Source: Adapted From:  Hawaiian Lifeguard Association. (1998). Personal water craft rescue training manual. Honolulu: Hawaiian Lifeguard Association.

   

Capsize drill

Sooner or later you will find yourself in a situation where the PWC has capsized.  When that happens, approach the PWC safely from the rear or side, depending on the surf conditions.  Be aware of the location of rocks, reefs etc and make sure not to get between the PWC and such hazards.  Make sure engine is not running by looking, listening and feeling.  If it is running, keep hands and other objects away from the intake grill and shut down engine with kill switch.  It may be necessary to lift the button near the kill switch to shut down the engine. 

If the PWC is in the surf, point it either toward shore or into surf.  Climb on top of PWC from right side, reach over craft and grab rails with both hands (the presence of the sled makes it easier to flip from the side).  Pull craft towards you using your feet or knee for leverage, and your body weight to sink side of craft.  The craft must be rotated clockwise (from the rear) to reduce the chances of flooding the engine.  The longer it takes to right the craft, the more likely you are to experience engine failure. 

Once craft is upright, mount it from the rear, then move up to the riding position.  Reinsert kill switch and start engine.  A spare kill switch should always be attached to the handlebars of the PWC; use it if necessary.  Once craft is started, resume your activities. 

If engine will not start, do one of the following; a) swim craft to a safe area using fins and rescue tube.  Put your fins (flippers) on, then clip your rescue ring on to bow strap and swim craft to safe area. B) surf craft into shore by lying down on sled, holding handles and letting surf push craft to beach.  Keep craft as straight as possible by dragging your legs and maneuvering the sled.             

  

Source: Adapted From:  Hawaiian Lifeguard Association. (1998). Personal water craft rescue training manual. Honolulu: Hawaiian Lifeguard Association.