Personal Watercraft (PWC)

A PWC is a small vessel that uses an inboard jet drive as its primary source of propulsion, and is designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than inside the vessel.

PWCs are subject to all of the same laws and requirements of any other vessel plus a few laws specific to PWCs.

Learn more about the parts of a PWC with this interactive Flash animation.

Stern: Back of a vessel

Bow: Front of a vessel

Draft: Depth of water needed to float a vessel

Intake: Opening in the hull that draws water toward the impeller

Intake grate: Screening cover over the intake, which prevents large debris from entering

Drive shaft: The long stem connection between the handlebars and the impeller

Impeller: Device used to force water in a desired direction under pressure

Steering nozzle: Device used for directing the water to the left or right at the stern of the PWC, which steers the PWC .