Jet skis the fastest-growing boat segment in 2019

However, the growth spurt has prompted authorities to repeat warnings to PWC owners to familiarise themselves with the rules ahead of the summer holidays so rogue riders don’t ruin the sport for those who obey waterway laws.

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Boating Industry Association President Darren Vaux says national sales of PWC last year eclipsed 6800, which is up by 47 per cent over the past 10 years, and there are now more than 76,000 registered across Australia.

Industry insiders say there has been year-on-year growth since the 2008-09 Global Financial Crisis, with 2019 is expected to be another record year of sales.

According to confidential industry figures, Sea-Doo remains market leader with about a 68 per cent share of PWC sales, ahead of Yamaha (27 per cent) and Kawasaki (5 per cent), although these figures vary slightly from state to state and are expected to change in 2020 with the arrival of new models from Yamaha and Kawasaki.

Part of the increased popularity of PWCs is the growth in the availability of three-seater models that appeal to families, the ease of storage and maintenance, and the growth in the recreational segment, in particular jet ski fishing. PWCs can also be towed behind much smaller cars than those that many boats require.

Given that summer is peak season for boaties and PWCs riders, Australian Recreational Boating Safety Committee Chair Angus Mitchell – who is also the general manager of Maritime Safety Queensland – has repeated earlier warnings about safe waterway behaviour.

Meanwhile, authorities in NSW, Queensland and Victoria plan to increase their enforcement of jet ski riders and have boosted their own PWC fleets in the lead-up to summer.

Queensland authorities recently added four brand-new Sea-Doo GTX155 watercraft decked out in Maritime Safety Queensland livery – to join the fleet of seven Queensland water police and four Queensland fisheries jet skis on patrol.

Police in NSW have just taken delivery of 12 brand-new Sea-Doo RXT-X300s, while Victorian authorities will be out enforcing new PWC restrictions in Port Phillip Bay that were introduced earlier this month.

“The majority of people who ride personal watercraft are people who are keen to do the right thing,” Mitchell said.

“There is a minority, however, who can cause a nuisance and that usually centres around speeding and not keeping a safe distance – especially from people in or by the water.”

Mitchell pleaded with all waterway users – on boats, tinnies, yachts and PWCs – to familiarise themselves with the rules before heading out, and for watch out for new speed limit zones in their areas.

“We want everyone to enjoy our diverse waterways, we also want everyone to be considerate of other waterways users during peak times and ultimately we would like to encourage safe practices while operating PWC this coming summer season,” Mitchell said.

Meanwhile, the Boating Industry of Australia says PWC manufacturers have dramatically reduced the emissions of their watercraft “by 90 per cent since 1996”.

“Technology continues to deliver improved environmental outcomes,” BIA president Darren Vaux said.

“They are now among the cleanest and most environmentally friendly power craft on the water. Noise emissions have also reduced by 70 per cent compared with 10 years ago through improvements such as the latest in sound-dampening technology,” he said.

Fast facts: PWC safety tips from the Boating Industry Association