Jet ski
Jet-ski is the most common colloquial term for a small motorized watercraft without a side wall that you can sit on like a motorcycle . In analogy to this, it is controlled via a handlebar . The hull consists of glaser reinforced plastic ( GRP ) and the propulsion is by means of a water jet propulsion generated.
Terms
Jet ski or jet ski is not an official name, but the protected trademark of the manufacturer Kawasaki , which markets such boats under this name. Other common terms are water bob , water scooter or jet bike . The name is derived from English to jet , which translates as radiate , eject , shoot out. This refers to the jet drive that emerges from the nozzle of an axial pump on the rear of the vehicle.
The official name is personal water motorcycle , which is also used in Spain as moto de agua and Italy as moto d'acqua .
The term “ Personal Watercraft ” ( PWC ) comes from the English-speaking world and is gradually becoming common in Germany. In addition to Water Scooter , the brand names Jet Ski , WaveRunner from Yamaha or Sea-Doo from the Canadian group Bombardier are also used.
In the French language , jet skis are referred to as motomarine , scooter des mers and moto aquatique in addition to the brand names . Officially, however, they are called "watercraft with motor" ( véhicule nautique à moteur VNM). In addition to jet skis , waterscooters are also in use in the Netherlands .
In the sporting competition area of the UIM (see section Motorsport ) all boats are called aquabikes and a distinction is made between a ski and a runabout or between “ standing ” and “ sitting ”. In the past, runabouts were understood to mean luxurious, open sports boats in which you could sit comfortably. Meanwhile, runabout has become the general term for the jet ski sitter . They are widely used in the leisure sector and are increasingly being used by the blue light organizations .
see also section: Related vehicles
history
_right_National_Motor_Museum,_Beaulieu.jpg)
Predecessor of the jet skis were developed in the 1950s in Europe Waterscooter the company Vincent . The flat and wide boat had a propeller as drive and had a seat with a handlebar. As Vincent Amanda , it could be exported in large numbers around the world.
In the 1960s, the idea was further developed in the USA and equipped with a water jet drive. The Japanese company Kawasaki presented the first series boats in 1972 as a standing model, which could only be used by one driver. They are considered the basic shape of all subsequent generations and are still made today. Both Yamaha and Kawasaki continue to sell standing models, but their market share is very small.
A variant from the 1970s is the wet bike , which could slide on the water like a skibob with two wide runners. But powered by a jet drive it was difficult to drive because it required a lot of balance. It achieved great popularity in 1977 through its appearance in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me . Wetbikes were produced by Suzuki until 1992 . In contrast, the PWC are much easier to drive because they have a complete plastic boat hull. With this, PWC gained more and more popularity and established themselves on the market.
technology
The vessel is equipped with a combustion engine operated, usually a four-stroke - gasoline engine . The vehicle is propelled and controlled by a water jet drive . Because this does not use an exposed propeller, but an impeller , this type of propulsion does not pose a threat to people in the water. With outputs of up to 257 kW / 342 PS (Benelli R Race), the boats are partly strongly motorized in relation to weight and displacement, very much agile and can reach high speeds of up to 130 km / h.
In order to dampen the loud engine noise, which can be heard very far above the water, so-called water boxes are installed for sound absorption through which the exhaust jet is directed. The box is initially empty and when the jet ski is submerged it fills with water and muffles the noise.
In the beginning, the jet skis and especially the stayers were equipped with two-stroke engines, which made them a little more powerful. They are still offered as used devices today. Due to the environmental pollution, however, such models have become 'out of fashion' or have been banned. Through the use of the direct injection of 2-stroke were BRP-Rotax environmentally friendly and, for example, in the skidoos of Bombardier installed.
In many countries, including Germany, a " dead man's switch ", also known as a "quick stop", is required on vehicles: a lane or spiral connected to the driver's wrist is released from a switch when the driver is thrown pulled, which automatically switches off the engine. Such a "Quick Stop" does not yet exist, especially with older models. Alternatively, a jet ski can therefore take a circular trip back to the driver while idling.
The nozzle at the rear of the stern throws a water fountain at an angle of about 3 m upwards when the vehicle is powered. It is referred to by Yamaha as "visibility spout" and improves the visibility of the vehicle for others.
Well-known manufacturers are or were Kawasaki (Jet-Ski), Honda (AquaTrax), Yamaha (WaveRunner), Suzuki (WetBike), Polaris (production stopped in 2003), BRP formerly Bombardier (Sea-Doo), HSR Benelli, Franky Zapata Racing (FZ 950), Rick Roy Products (Rickter).
application areas
.jpg)
Jet skis are used to transport people on inland and coastal waters . In the early years, the focus was on sportiness ( motor boat sport ), the small vehicles in the leisure sector were increasingly used. Today, PWC are increasingly used in professional use. Due to their low weight of approx. 350 kg, they are easy to transport on a boat trailer . Quads have proven their worth as a towing vehicle in the field or to the water . Due to the increase in performance, the PWC are getting bigger and, as a 3-seater, can easily reach the dimensions of small sport boats.
Recreational sports
Due to their small size and the optimized hull, the PWC are very manoeuvrable and can be driven safely and quickly. They are often used on the large waterways for leisure purposes. They are also offered for rent on the beaches by the sea, so that you can 'ride' the waves far out in front of the beach. In addition, they serve as a towing vehicle in front of the so-called “water bananas” or “water sledges”, on which there is space for several people and like to “take off” in fast curves. They are also used to pull water skiers , for which the boats in Germany require approval.
Fishing
Especially in the USA , the enjoying jet ski when fishing very popular because it significantly easier by their agility and speed the journey to the fishing spots and shorten. They are also easier to drive when exiting the surf zone . The jet drive is particularly advantageous for trawling because it creates less turbulence and noise in the water than an outboard motor with a propeller.
Bombardier was the first manufacturer to bring the “Sea-Doo-Fish-Pro” onto the market, a 3-seater jet ski designed for fishing . A special seat in combination with slanting gunwale -Fußstützen Unlimited Mobility in sideways-facing seat position. The equipment includes rod holders and a cool box on a platform at the stern, whereby up to 50 kg of fish can be transported. A GPS- based navigation and fish finder is available as additional equipment to localize fish.
BOS services
Due to the great speed and their excellent maneuverability, the PWC are increasingly used by the blue light organizations ( authorities and organizations with security tasks, in short: BOS services). Police and rangers use the boats for law enforcement and law enforcement on coastal waters, lakes and rivers. Instead of motor boats, the police authorities of cities with extensive bodies of water such as Venice , Miami or Dubai have been using such fast vehicles for years. In Hamburg , too , PWCs are on duty in order to be able to pursue the perpetrators in "water-related attack scenarios".
The rescue services of the fire brigades and the water rescue organizations such. For example, the DLRG are increasingly buying jet skis for rescuing people so that they can be quickly on the spot if necessary on the large rivers and bodies of water. The jet ski has an advantage over normal motor boats because its jet drive cannot endanger people in the water. By law, however, they are no ordinary recreational and sports vehicles, but “ Rescue Water Crafts ” ( RWC ). As professional rescue vehicles, they therefore belong to the BOS family of lifeboats . The procurement outlay of around 15,000 euros for an RWC is significantly higher than for a simple jet ski , which can be had for less than 10,000 euros.
Up to three water rescuers can be deployed with one RWC . A lifeboat driver must sit behind the wheel and all persons must be equipped according to the usual standards for current rescuers. This mainly includes a wetsuit , a solid vest and a helmet. However, the RWC can only be driven by one person, as the legal requirements are met. Thanks to the easy and quick transport to the water using trailers, they are very successful in water rescue . The shallow draft makes it possible to get to the river bank very quickly in order to drop rescuers on site. A storage box for storing medical equipment is located in the front panel. In the coastal area and for beach guard ( lifeguard ), fast jet skis are used to quickly bring abortive swimmers back, because they can be used in waves of up to two meters.
A RWC is extended by a special rescue board ( Rescue-Sled or Rescue Board ), which is carried behind or on the RWC . In contrast to the long boards of the water rescue services, these inflatable "water mattresses" are significantly shorter and have up to eight handles on which two people can hold onto. As a result, people in critical, life-threatening situations - even in strong currents or floods - can be brought out of the danger area without any problems. This happens many times faster than with a motorboat, in which the person first has to be pulled out of the water into the boat.
Our own development for coastal and archipelago Rescue has the Swedish sea rescue organization Swedish Sea Rescue Society operated (SSRS). In cooperation with the company "Safe at Sea" in Gothenburg , the Rescuerunner was created. This special RWC has a separate area with handles at the rear end for transporting people or equipment. A rescuerunner is also carried separately as a daughter boat on the larger lifeboats of the SSRS and the Norwegian Redningsselskapet (NSSR) .
RWC of the Spanish Red Cross
Rescuerunner - RWC of the SSRS
Motorsport
The Jet Ski Sport is from the UIM regulated and the IJSBA / EJSBA as the world governing body. Both associations organize a world championship, the EJSBA also a European championship. The UIM calls its event the Aquabike World Championship according to its terminology and has been hosting it since 1995. Separate competitions are held for the two types of ski and runabout .
Freestyle : Under the "Stehern" there is the competition category Freestyle, with which it comes to tricks with different degrees of difficulty. A driver is given a given amount of time - then a jury rates the drivers with points from 1 to 10. The national rules usually only recognize one class, the international rules differentiate between amateur and pro drivers. The devices in both categories are usually enormously modified in order to be able to perform the tricks.
Freeride : Freeride is the latest competitive discipline, although riding in the surf has a long tradition in jet boating. In freeride competitions, the riders' tricks in the surf are evaluated. In addition to the most spectacular jumps possible, the ability to surf the waves with the jet boat also counts here.
Racing : A slalom course marked out with buoys must be driven through as first as possible. Here speeds of over 100 km / h can be achieved. A distinction is made between different performance groups, depending on the scope of the permitted tuning.
Related vehicles
In a broader sense, the jet skis belong to the jet boats because they use the same propulsion system. However, a jet boat is much larger and has solid side walls. Boats up to 12 meters in length are used for canyoning , for example , as they are ideally suited for use in shallow water and can operate at high speeds even in fast-flowing waters.
A competition for the jet skis developed in recent years by the development of power Jetboards . The surfboards, which are driven by a petrol or electric motor, are ridden with one hand while standing. A rod or strong rope is attached to the top of the board, which the driver holds on to to compensate for the propulsive force. The handle on it also serves to control the motor. Direction is controlled by shifting your weight, similar to a snowboard or surfboard.
The latest development is the Quadski , an amphibious vehicle as a combination of a quad with a jet ski that can immediately switch from the road to the water. At the push of a button, the wheels fold in and the quad turns into a jet ski in five seconds . In addition to the Quadski, Gibbs Technologies also produces the Biski model , which can ride on two wheels like a motorcycle, and a three-wheel version.
The term waterbike is also used in connection with jet skis . However, it is more likely to be understood as a bicycle on the water, which is mounted on a surfboard or on two floating bodies. A propeller that moves the waterbike forward is driven by a pedal drive or an electric motor . A completely different waterbike is the water bike or aquabike , which is placed in a water basin for fitness training .
Bombardier has launched the Sea-Doo Aqua Master battery-powered scooter for children . Under an inflatable hull of approx. A kind of pod drive with an impeller hangs two meters in length . The "fun device" can be carried by two people and can reach a speed of four km / h.
Another opportunity for children to ride a jet ski is at the Plopsaland De Panne amusement park in Belgium with the Mega Mindy Jetski water carousel . Nine modeled jet skis hang as 'gondolas' on a ring-shaped frame and have their own drive, which dips into a ring-shaped basin and thereby sets the carousel in motion. Each individual jet ski can be moved to the left and right in the ring basin by means of individual controls.
Legal position
In Germany, driving a jet ski on waterways as part of tours and hiking trips is permitted at set times of the day, although the Diemelsee and Edersee reservoirs assigned to the federal waterways can only be navigated with a special permit for watercraft with combustion engines. The typical jet ski figure driving is only permitted on special so-called jet ski routes. On inland lakes such as Lake Constance , however, it is forbidden to operate personal watercraft to protect flora, fauna and bathers. The only exception is the Partwitzer See in Lausitz. For jet skis with an output of more than 15 hp, an inland or sea sports boat license is required for the driver in Germany .
In Switzerland , driving a jet ski is generally prohibited. The previous exemption for sailing on Lake Geneva was abolished in 2019.
In Austria , driving with jet skis on public waters is also prohibited with the exception of authorized sporting events. However, it is possible to register a jet ski (e.g. to use it abroad). For the Danube, the ban on the Strengberger Au area (district of Amstetten ) was successfully challenged in court, so that motorsport is possible there.
In the water-rich Netherlands , jet skis may only be brought into the water with Quickstop. A wetsuit is recommended and the wearing of faint-proof life jackets is mandatory. For this purpose, all waters may be used with jet skis if a speed of 20 km / h is not exceeded. The prerequisite is at least a small boat license 1, which is comparable to the German sport boat license inland.
In France , jet skiing is allowed in many places. The driver's license of the country of origin applies, i. H. German jet ski drivers must be in possession of the sport boat license inland or sea. The following safety equipment is required: safety vest, quick-stop (engine stop if the driver falls), one waterproof lamp per person on the jet ski and a mirror for giving light signals. The speed limits are strictly controlled, especially on the Mediterranean beaches.
Abroad, especially in busy resorts, most people of a certain age are allowed to jet ski . Sometimes a valid sports boat license is required.
Web links
- Official list of personal watercraft used as pulling vehicles for water skiing (WSV des Bundes)
- Personal watercraft on inland waterways with the approved routes (BM for traffic)
- Homepage of the world umbrella organization UIM
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jetski®, the. duden .de, accessed on July 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Regulations for driving personal watercraft on sea waterways (PDF) on WSA-b.de , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ What is a runabout? at boote.de , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ archive.wmlnj.org/var/www/TheWestfieldLeader/1956/1956-10-04/pg_0018.pdf The Westfield Leader in Webachiv (1956)
- ↑ books.google.com/books?id=iSUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA98&lpg=PA98 Waterscooter in Popular Science August 1956 on books.google
- ↑ Suzuki Wet Bike on jetskitips.com , accessed April 13, 2020
- ↑ ROTAX - Our company on rotax.de , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ The Sea-Doo-Fish-Pro from Bombardier on de.sea-doo.com , accessed on April 18, 2020
- ↑ The Hamburg police are now jetskiing on mopo.de , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ RWC - Rescue Water Craft on interschutz.de , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ Die Jet-Retter on feuerwehr-ub.de , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ New rescue equipment in the DLRG Bad Kreuznach on metropolnews.info , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ Lifeguards equip with jet skis at the Rostock water rescue service on rostock-heute-de , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ Lifesled LS1 Rescue Board on lifesled.com , accessed April 13, 2020
- ↑ NSSR -Staff-class with jet ski in the rear on redningsselskapet.no
- ↑ Gibbs' jet ski motorcycle
- ↑ Waterbike on schillerbikes.com , accessed on April 18, 2020
- ↑ The Sea-Doo AquaMaster on underwater.com.au , accessed April 18, 2020
- ↑ Ordinance on driving personal watercraft on inland waterways (Wassermotorräder-Ordinance) (WasMotRV) , dated May 31, 1995 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 769 ), last amended by Section 38 Paragraph 7 of the Ordinance of December 16, 2011 ( Federal Law Gazette. 2012 I p. 2 (1717)) has been changed.
- ↑ Jet-skiing is prohibited on Lake Geneva on nau.ch (Nau media AG), accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ Jet-ski banned in Austria , THE BELL
- ↑ Jet skiers can go back on the Danube at nachrichten.au , accessed on April 13, 2020
- ↑ areas of the Netherlands on skipper.adac.de , accessed on April 13, 2020
