Jet Ski Safety Guidelines for Beginners

Jet skiing is incredibly fun… That is unless someone gets hurt. We don’t want anyone to get hurt on the water, which is why we give all of our riders a training course in jet skiing before heading out on the open bay. No experience is needed to ride our jet skis while renting in Ocean City, Md but you do need to pay close attention to our safety guidelines!

Prior to heading out on the water for fun with your family and friends, one of our employees will give you and any other jetski operator in your group, a safety course. Here’s a sample of the guidelines we’ll talk about before you begin your jet ski adventure.

Always wear a life jacket. We’ve got a ton of them, and we make sure that all of our jet skiers don a life jacket before they jet away. We’ll also ensure that it’s strapped on tight and fits you properly, as life jackets that are too big or too small won’t work as effectively.

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Keep your distance from nearby jet skis and other watercraft. Keeping a safe distance from your fellow jet skiers, as well as all other watercraft, gives you enough time to stop in the case of emergency and avoid a collision. Avoid wake jumping, splashing, and passing close to any other vessels. Odyssea Watersports has a rule of keeping at least 200 ft away from ANYTHING on the water.

Stay alert and aware of your surroundings. Continuously scope out every direction for nearby swimmers, jet skiers, boats, and other vessels. Do not get Tunnel Vision! Tunnel Vision is when you only see what is directly in front of you and you become unaware of what may be next to you or behind you. Always look in all directions to prevent any accidents.

Check your speed. Maintain a slow speed until you’re in the open water and away from shore. Always operate at a safe speed and be prepared to slow down or stop in the case of an emergency. You control the speed that you are comfortable with. If you want to just cruise at half speed, that is totally ok. Once you are comfortable you can speed up but only if you want to. There is no speed limit while renting jetskis in Ocean City, Maryland but you need to drive responsible manner.

Never drink and drive. Drinking while boating or jet skiing may not seem as serious as drinking while driving a car, but alcohol consumption is actually one of the leading causes of boating and jet ski accidents. Just as it does in a car, drinking impairs your judgment behind the wheel of a boat or jet ski, which is why every state has laws against BUI. Even if you don’t end up in an accident, Boating Under the Influence can have serious legal consequences.

We have your back. Our highly trained jetski guides will be on the water with you for the duration of your jetski rental. They are there to help keep you and the other customers safe and help answer any questions. You do not need to follow them around and are free to jetski anywhere within our specific riding area.

Don’t let our safety rules and regulations intimidate you; again, we’ll give you a safety course before you sit down on the jet ski. As long as you follow the safety guidelines and use common sense on the water, you’ll be sure to have a fantastic time. We look forward to seeing you on the water with us and please do not hesitate to ask us any questions.