Toledo Water Sports
 Personal Watercraft Checklists

Created 06/08/2003, Edit 6, 08/24/2003

Personal Watercraft is abbreviated to PWC, and Personal Floatation Devices to PFDs in this document.

These detailed checklists were developed with suggestions from fellow PWC riders, from various online resources and from learning the hard way!
These checklists assumes the following:

• PWC is trailered.

• PWC is used only in fresh water, not salt water.

• PWC is stored off season in below freezing environment.

• PWC is being handled by one person without help for anyone else.

While many items in these checklists may seem obvious and merely simple common sense, they are never-the-less, easy to forgot from season to season, and for some us, from ride to ride! 

These checklists are intentionally huge and are intended to be as comprehensive as possible. This format however is not very user friendly, and not practical to print out and take with you.  Therefore these checklists will be presented in a condensed and printable form some time in the future. Meanwhile, digest the information contained here, and use it to develop your own personal lists.

DO NOT rely solely on this checklist!  Be sure to consult other sources including your operators manual!

Pre-season checklist: (second draft)

• PWC preparation:

  • A month or so before you plan to ride, schedule your ski for a pre-season checkup, or follow your manufacturers instructions.

    • Review the trail checklist items below and in the "Pre-trailering checklist:" before delivering PWC for service.

    • Be sure to take a safety lanyard when PWC is serviced. Have an additional safety lanyard programmed if you do not have a spare.

    • Get a list of services performed to insure everything was completed.

  • Safety and emergency equipment: to be stowed in PWC: (many items here are required by surrounding authorities)

    • Flares, Mooring lines, Anchors and anchor line, Towing line, Distress flag, Fire extinguisher, Whistle, Horn, Strobes/Flashlights, VHF radio,  Hand bilge pump, Spare spark plugs, Tools including spare plug wrench and a muti-tool with cutting blade, Spare towing vehicle keys on a floating keychain, Spare batteries, Folding oars, Watch, First aid kit, Sunscreen, Insect repellant, Binoculars, Toilet paper, Garbage bags, Extra clothing, Weather radio, Whistles, Siphon hose.

      • Check expiration of fire extinguisher and flares and replace as necessary.

      • A better alternative to a CO₂ powered air horn is a tankless "Admiral Hornblower" that you blow like a whistle. 
        120 db! So far found only at West Marine. Similar function, but less durable units found elsewhere.

      • Mooring and towing lines are available that float, using polystyrene rope. Important feature to help keep lines out of the jet-pump area.

      • ARC Electronic makes the perfect combination Strobe/Flashlight for PWC use. Item #1916 is available at marine supply stores.

      • A unique siphon hose with a simple ball valve pump, called a "Magic Siphon", "Super-Siphon", or "Safety Siphon", from truck supply stores as Barjan item 34-501, or online as a "Super-Siphon".

      • Load electronic devices with fresh batteries, as last season's batteries should have already been removed disposed of!

  • Check condition of ski battery. Replace if at all questionable. (If you do not replace battery each season, consider using a conditioning charger. Most conditioners recommend using them if battery is not in use for more than a few days.)

  • Check PWC oil level. Special funnels are available with screw tops and bottoms, to help keep things clean. Found at marine and automotive stores. 

  • Keep bilge plugs closed to keep out flying, nesting insects.

• Check expiration dates for licenses, tags, registrations and insurance for your boat and trailer.

  • Boat registration, and safe boating certificate should be in plastic zipper bags and kept in waterproof container in PWC.

• Trailer:

  • Check PWC tie down action and strap condition.

    • Protect strap contact with PWC with towels or strap pads.

  • Check tire pressure, tread and side wall  wear, including spare wheel.

    • Consider a spare trailer wheel, as they may be very hard to locate when needed.

  • Check wiring harness, connector and lights and test.

    • Most trailer lights are waterproof if lens are property installed. Eliminates need to unplug harness when launching.

    • Use a dielectric protectant for connectors. Found at marine stores.

    • Plastic weather covers are available to protect the wire connecters when not in use. Found at marine and general stores

    • Plastic wire looming snapped over wiring harnesses protects and improves their appearance. Found at marine, automotive and general stores.

  • Check bolt and nut tensions

    • Hardware stores sell plastic caps for those exposed bolts. Save your legs and wetsuits!

  • Check winch action and cable strap condition.

  • Check tongue stand

    • Adding a crank-down wheel stand helps maneuver the trailer off the tow vehicle. Found at marine and general stores.

      • When using a stand, make sure ground is hard enough to support the weight of the trailer tongue and that if on unlevel ground that trailer wheels are chocked.

    • Adding a handle helps when lifting trailer tongue. Found at marine and general stores.

    • Use wheel chocks on trailer wheels when ground is unlevel. (A piece of two by four can suffice!)

    • Use a piece of plywood under stand when ground is soft.

      • Proper weight distribution will normally put around 10% of total weight of trailer and load at the tongue.

  • Inspect and lube the wheel bearings as necessary. (see trailer mfg recommendations)

    • Check waterproof bearing covers. (some trailer may not come with covers installed)

  • Check and lube hitch mechanisms

    • Teflon® ball hitch lube is a good choice. Found at marine and general stores.

  • Check receiver, hitch, trailer, and trailer storage bin  locks and keys.

    • Lube locks with WD-40® or a light Teflon® lube. Graphic lock lube is too messy.

    • Locking your trailer to tow vehicle helps insure you have a trailer when you get off the water.

    • Locking your trailer when not hitched to tow vehicle helps insure you have a PWC for the water!

      • Fulton® makes matching keyed alike hitch and receiver locks plus a good "Gorilla Guard®" lock for trailers. Found at marine and general stores. 

• Towing vehicle:

  • Check hitch condition, lube ball (Teflon® ball lube), cover with ball protector. (saves your legs and clothes)

  • Check trailer wiring harness and connector. (See trailer wiring checklist above)

  • Test back-up lights.

  • Seat covers for wet people and gear. 
    SeatShield® sells a great, quick use, alternative to expensive and impractical Neoprene seat covers. This water-proof cover slips on and off your seat quickly for those times you must get in your tow vehicle at the ramp while still wet!

  • Waterproof floor mats for wet people and gear.

  • Put  a spare tow vehicle key on a floating keychain for use on rides.

• Check clothing and PFDs condition:

  • PFDs should have secure straps and clasps.

    • A whistles attached to every PFD makes more sense than stowing them in your PWC.

  • Wet suits on hangers.

  • Water shoes/boots/sandals

  • Head wear

  • Gloves

  • Goggles/Eyewear

    • Unless you like to regularly buy eyewear, marine stores sell floating "Croakies®" to attach to them.

    • Some goggles are supposed to float. Add Croakies® or similar anyway.

• Water proof container for cell phone, keys, wallet, licenses, watch, GPS unit, charts, etc.

  • A inexpensive two quart insulated jug makes a convenient, waterproof, floating container.

  • If you leave your wallet in your tow vehicle, be sure to take your license, money/credit card, insurance info, and boating certificate on the PWC. A separate "water wallet" with a floating device is handy for this.

  • A small flattened roll of toilet paper or prepackaged towelettes are handy when headed to locations with questionable or unknown sanitary facilities!

• Install battery and test start ski a couple of days before first intended use. (Follow mfg recommendations for testing.)

Pre-trailering Checklist:

• Insure everything is A-OK in the "Pre-season checklist"

• Check weather and water conditions. (AccuWeather, Intellicast, National Weather Service, or Wunderground to name a few)

• Check sunset time (U.S. Naval Observatory)

• Review charts for destination. (Maptech is a great online source for reviewing and printing nautical charts.)

• Research information on facilities for launch and water destinations:

  • Refueling facilities and octane information.

  • Docking facilities

  • Eating facilities.

  • Sanitary facilities

• Review regulations for intended launch and water travel areas.

• Float plan - inform someone of when you're leaving, where you're going, when you expect to return, what to do if you don't, and a description of your PWC.

• The deal with keys:

  • Stow your regular keys in safe place in tow vehicle.

  • Use a spare two vehicle key on a floating keychain for trip.

  • Put the receiver, hitch, trailer and trailer storage bin keys on a floating keychain! (You may use them near water, so make them float!)

  • Keep a floating PWC safety lanyard on your PFD.

  • Stow a spare PWC safety lanyard in the tow vehicle.

• Load up PFDs , wetsuits, water footwear, head wear, gloves, goggles; and eyewear for each rider.

  • Hangers for PFD and wetsuits will help them stay in good condition.

  • Container or plastic bags for wet items.

• Load spare PWC oil as recommended my mfg, and funnel.

• Load spare gas container. (Fill at least minute to minimize gas smell.)

  • Stow gasoline in a trailer storage bin if available.

• Install tow vehicle seat covers

• Load towels

• Cell phone and/or VHF Radio (Cell phones fit nicely in one of those orphan socks in your sock drawer!)

• Load water proof floating container with cell phone, keys, wallet, licenses, GPS unit, charts, etc.

  • Leave this container in tow vehicle so that you can put last minute items in it once you launch PWC.

• Remove PWC cover.

• Battery charger/conditioner:

  • Disconnect power from charger before disconnecting from battery.

  • Never start PWC with charger attached to battery.

  • Disconnect from charger and battery before checking gas or oil.

• Check PWC oil level. (On many PWCs you can look at the reservoir tank to watch the level.)

• Check PWC gas level with gauge and with visual tank check if possible. 

  • Remember the rule of thumb for water travel. One third of a tank to destination, one third for return trip and one third for reserve.

• Test start PWC

• Re-attach floating PWC safety lanyard to PFD.

• Insure bilge plugs are in place!

• Replace cover on PWC.

• Check PWC tie down straps for proper tension.

• Hitching trailer:

  • If used, attach receiver and receiver lock.

  • Remove "Gorilla Guard®" from trailer and stow in tow vehicle.

  • Remove trailer hitch lock.

  • Hitch up trailer, and safety chains and reattach lock.

  • Connect wiring harness and test trailer and tow vehicle lights.

  • Re-stow receiver, hitch, trailer and trailer storage bin lock keys with floating keychain in tow vehicle.

Pre-launch checklist: (second draft)

• Avoid the wrath of other boaters by reviewing the particular launching procedures at the ramp site BEFORE getting in the way.

• Find a prep area to get your PWC ready for launching.

• Review weather and water conditions.

• Remove tie down straps from PWC and stow in tow vehicle.

• Remove the PWC cover.

• Disconnect winch strap from PWC.

• Prepare mooring line to PWC.

• Check bilge plugs  AGAIN!

• Test start PWC and return safety lanyard to PFD.

• Get dressed for weather and water conditions.

• Install tow vehicle seat covers..

• Load PWC with proper clothes and supplies for intended shore stops.

• Load waterproof container with cell phone, wallet and other items as necessary.

• Launch PWC according to traffic patterns and procedures.

• Put on PFD and moor PWC as much out of the way as possible for others launching and returning.

• Park the tow vehicle and trailer appropriately.

• Lock the tow vehicle and put key with floating keychain in waterproof container.

• Stow  waterproof container and mooring lines in PWC.

• Observe traffic and depart dock area safely.

Return to ramp checklist: (second draft)

• If possible, prepare mooring line for deployment before arriving at dock.
• Moor PWC at dock
• Remove waterproof container and go to tow vehicle.
• Proceed to ramp following traffic patterns and procedures.
• Ride PWC onto trailer, or winch if power loading is prohibited.
• Secure winch strap to PWC.
• Drive out of launch area to prep area.
• Remove bilge plugs.
• Start PWC to purge water according to mfg recommendations.
• Secure tie down straps.
• Install PWC cover depending on distance to travel and condition of PWC.
  • If distance is short and PWC is dirty, it may be better to leave cover off.
• Change clothes
• Remove seat covers.
• Depart area.
• Refill gas tank if next PWC use not more than a few weeks.
• Go home or to car wash.

Arrival at home checklist: (first draft)

• Rinse PWC and flush system, and jet pump if necessary.
• Replace bilge drain plugs.
• Reverse hitching procedures from previous checklist.
• Unpack PWC and let PWC and storage containers dry as necessary.
• Cover PWC
• Reconnect battery charger/conditioner if PWC will not be used a several days.
• Unload tow vehicle.
• Wash PFD's, wetsuits, and other water-wear with clean water.
• Replenish or note to replenish any used supplies from PWC.
• Take a shower.
• Take a nap.

End of season checklist: (rough draft notes only)

• Remove batteries from all electronics.
• Lubricate all locks and security devices..
• Apply dielectric grease to trailering connectors.
• Winterize PWC according to operators manual.
  • flush jet-pump
  • remove battery
    • put on conditioning charger

Testimony of need for checklists: (working draft)

Ok... now one may ask. Do we all really follow everything on these checklists all the time? Nope. Do we wish he had? Definitely!

Below are are number of incidents that we have personally witnessed or experienced over the past few seasons.

Some incidents listed are potentially dangerous while other incidents are merely personal annoyances.  Many also inconvenience others, in some way or another. Many of us enjoy helping others and think nothing of lending a forgotten item here and there.  

• Flipped a PWC over backwards by failing to remove tie down straps during pre-launch prep.
• Unplanned trips home because safety lanyard was not attached to PFD.
• Unplanned trips home because PFD's were not loaded into tow vehicle.
• 2 Incidents - Inadequate clothing for shore stops preventing entrance to establishments.
• Incident with authorities from failure to study and pack charts and note no wake zones prior to trip.
• 2 Incidents - Stopped by authorities to check age and education requirements of operator.
  • Youthful rider was able to present boating education certificate to authorites.
• Multiple Incidents - Safety equipment inspected by authorities:
  • Authorities who patrol the Northwest Ohio area waters.
    • U.S. Coast Guard
    • Canadian Coast Guard
    • Ohio DNR, Division of Watercraft
    • Michigan DNR, Division of Watercraft
    • Lucas County Sheriffs Department
    • Monroe County Sheriffs Department
    • Wood County Sheriffs Department
    • Toledo Police
    • Oregon Police
    • Rossford Police
    • Perrysburg Police
• 2 Incidents - Wasted water time from failure to study and pack charts to learn intended destination.
• 2 Incidents - Damaged wiring harness from failure to use dielectric protectant.
• 3 Incidents - Wasted water time from failure to study available facilities on water.
• Ran out of fuel on Lake Erie at sunset with 54° water temperature and 76° air temperature.
  • Failure to follow the "one third of tank to destination, one third home, and one third reserve" rule of thumb.
  • Failure to check a faulty fuel gauge.
  • Failure to check changing weather conditions.
    • Increased winds made return trip require more fuel than expected.
  • Failure to plan trip to end sufficiently ahead of sunset
  • Emergency use of cell phone was employed.
  • Emergency use of flare was employed.
  • Emergency use of strobe light was employed.
  • Emergency use of anchor and line was employed.
  • Emergency use of oars were used, but were infective.
  • Proper use of wetsuit prevented hypothermia.
• 4 Incidents - Not watching weather close enough to avoid dangerous lightning storms.
• Failure to pack suntan lotion.
  • Suntan lotion loaned by other more prepared skier.   
• Damaged engine from low oil level.
  • Emergency use of tow line was employed.
  • $1200 cost to repair engine.
• 3 Incidents - Remained on water too late, and was not able to return to ramp by sunset.
• Planning return to launch too late, and not able to arrive by sunset due to unexpected sea weed problem.
• 3 Incidents - Use of first aid kit.
• Immediate sinking of PWC due to inadequate pre-launch inspection of exhaust system.
• 2 Incidents - Gradual sinking of PWC due to failure to replace bilge plugs.
• Damage to trailer stand from soft ground with unchocked trailer at an incline.
  • $40 wheel stand replacement cost.
• Damage to jet-pump by not knowing reef locations.
  • $400 plus cost to replace jet-pump.
• 5 Incidents - Tow line used to recover a fellow boaters.
• 3 Incidents - Damage to jet-pump drive shaft from tangled water-skier line.
  • Use of cutting tool needed to free line.
• 2 Incidents - Inadvertent beaching of PWC by not knowing sand bar locations.
• 2 Incidents - Dead battery while riding by not replacing an old battery.
  • 1 Incident - Emergency use of  distress flag was required for recovery.
  • 1 Incident - Emergency use of tow line was employed for recovery.
• 2 Incidents - Keys locked in tow vehicle with no spare in PWC.
• Tow vehicle  keys lost in water due to no floatation device on keys.
  • Keys miraculously found using a magnet on wire.
• 2 Incidents - The wrath of fellow boaters invoked by failure to properly prep PWC before launch.
• Extensive cleaning of tow vehicle required from lack of proper seat covers.
• 2 Incidents - Extensive cleaning of tow vehicle required from failure to unpack wet gear.
• 3 Incidents - Premoistened towelettes used for inadequate sanitary facilities
• 5 Incidents - Lost goggles and eyewear due to lack of flotation helpers.
• Untold incidents - Multiple trips back and forth to vehicle because routine was not followed.