What do you use your WaveRunner for?

[musubi]

I'm curious to know what people use their WaveRunner's (or any ski really) for. Did you buy it for cruising, exploring, racing, life saving etc?

I'm in Hawaii and I bought mines for fishing related activities. Around where I'm at I see people mainly using them for fishing, tow-in surfing, and for lifeguarding. Recreational areas here are limited to certain zones and riding beyond these recreational areas are restricted as well. You can't come closer than 500 ft to shore and, in a lot of places, it's 3000 ft from shore. Top speed runs are hard, since most areas are choppy and open waters. I would think recreational riding in Hawaii would get old pretty quick, and I see a lot of newer SVHO's for sale.

[pro1200]

I NEED to ride-it's the only reliable way to remain happy for me. But-there needs to be interesting water to ride on. I ride around my house in Minneapolis MN and vacation home in Fort Myers FL. In Minneapolis we have three major rivers and one very large lake with many bays. In Fort Myers there is the Gulf of Mexico and many barrier islands and rivers to explore. I have skis at each location that are suitable for the conditions. If I only had open water (like the ocean) I don't think I would enjoy riding as much.

[SAB]

Beer and pizza runs from the boat

[TXDroneRacer]

My wife and I like to be on the water. We could have a boat instead, but the skis are more exciting for me. I like to be moving on the water... The faster the better.

[K447]

…WaveRunner's … for cruising, exploring …

We mostly ride distance touring on inland lakes, often large inland lakes, rivers. Not so much about winding up the odometer and hour meter, more about seeing the scenery and exploring new-to-us places.

This video was from ten years ago but shows some of the scenery in our region.

Typical single day ride is 100-200Km (you guys can figure out the conversion to bananas), sometimes farther. If there will be no marina on the route we will carry extra fuel if there are concerns about fuel range.





We ride in a wide zone of temperatures. Sometimes the water is barely liquid



We ride two PWC as a team, 4 or 5 skis as a small group when we ride with others. Rare occasions maybe eight PWC maximum.

Larger riding groups with the type of touring we do tend to be less fun and more administrative. People forgetting things, needing things, having issues with the ski. Frequent stopping. So we tend to keep the head count fairly small on most rides.

The Harsen’s Island riding area is a few hours drive away. Shallow water for miles with many winding reed lined trails. We used to go every summer for a week.

Interesting riding begins about in 90 seconds in, then again at about 3:20.
Taken in 2015, that area will look very much like this again this summer.

We have done larger group rides, mostly for charity events. This particular ride event has faded in recent years. Photo taken while transiting a century+ year old lock.

[K447]

We do not race competitively but several of our friends do.

http://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=296285&p=3156764&viewfull=1#post3156764

https://youtu.be/ZrCbL_3BqEk

Recently on a Lake Ontario tour cruise we happened across several champion racers just enjoying a sunny autumn day.

[K447]

We are willing to trailer our PWC longer distances when there is opportunity to ride different waters.

Lake Michigan and Harsen’s Island are west of us, Lake Nipigon farther in the north west of Ontario, Red Lake even farther north. Lake Nipigon and French River areas, the Temiscaming to Temiskaming Ottawa river sections, and the Ottawa to Montreal stretch on the same river. Thousand Islands and the Saint Lawrence River. Ontario cottage country including Lake Muskoka area and Georgian Bay, Temagami lakes and more.

Some winters we haul the trailer to Florida.
This video was near Pensacola when we departed into fog.
We have Garmin chartplotters and knew the fog would dissipate as we headed south.

https://youtu.be/9xYOj-SqoKc[/QUOTE]

[K447]

We frequently ride somewhat remote waters and often when there are few or no other boats around.

We carry a lot of self-rescue gear and have modifications to each ski to make it easier to tow or assist another ski, should the need arise.

http://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=293254&p=3130923&viewfull=1#post3130923

https://www.northernontario.travel/search?index=default&keys=Marion%20Knaus

[musubi]

We mostly ride distance touring on inland lakes, often large inland lakes, rivers. Not so much about winding up the odometer and hour meter, more about seeing the scenery and exploring new-to-us places.

This video was from ten years ago but shows some of the scenery in our region.

Typical single day ride is 100-200Km (you guys can figure out the conversion to bananas), sometimes farther. If there will be no marina on the route we will carry extra fuel if there are concerns about fuel range.

We ride in a wide zone of temperatures. Sometimes the water is barely liquid

We ride two PWC as a team, 4 or 5 skis as a small group when we ride with others. Rare occasions maybe eight PWC maximum.

Larger riding groups with the type of touring we do tend to be less fun and more administrative. People forgetting things, needing things, having issues with the ski. Frequent stopping. So we tend to keep the head count fairly small on most rides.

The Harsen's Island riding area is a few hours drive away. Shallow water for miles with many winding reed lined trails. We used to go every summer for a week.

Interesting riding begins about in 90 seconds in, then again at about 3:20.
Taken in 2015, that area will look very much like this again this summer.

We have done larger group rides, mostly for charity events. This particular ride event has faded in recent years. Photo taken while transiting a century+ year old lock.

That must be something to ride on glass water like that. At best, our bay wouldn't be that smooth, but smooth enough to WOT if desired. It's awesome you have the various waters available to you with tons of exploring potential. I can see why having a ski in those types of locations is worthwhile. Especially if you're able to ride with someone or in a group.

Question, in those shallow areas at Harsen's Island, are there any wildlife that you would need to watch out for? Like turtles or something.

We have our typical Green Sea Turtles here that I'm always afraid of hitting. That and maybe running into a whale, since it's still whale season here. I wouldn't want to hurt them, and destroy my ski in the process.

I think I need to hang out at the local boat ramp if I want to meet others with ski's. There's just no social platform here otherwise.

So I recently picked up a full face helmet to use while riding. It's honestly more to protect my face from the constant water spray + intense sun we get. The hat and goggles I have are just ok at best. I noticed in your picture someone had a full helmet on. For what reasons do people wear helmets there?

I haven't worn my helmet yet as I'm waiting for a neck cushion, because I could already tell that extra weight up top would be uncomfortable.

We do not race competitively but several of our friends do.

http://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=296285&p=3156764&viewfull=1#post3156764

Recently on a Lake Ontario tour cruise we happened across several champion racers just enjoying a sunny autumn day.

I'd be cool to see a race. There's no way that's happening on my island as the locals would probably flip out being so close to other things.

We are willing to trailer our PWC longer distances when there is opportunity to ride different waters.

Lake Michigan and Harsen's Island are west of us, Lake Nipigon farther in the north west of Ontario, Red Lake even farther north. Lake Nipigon and French River areas, the Temiscaming to Temiskaming Ottawa river sections, and the Ottawa to Montreal stretch on the same river. Thousand Islands and the Saint Lawrence River. Ontario cottage country including Lake Muskoka area and Georgian Bay, Temagami lakes and more.

Some winters we haul the trailer to Florida.
This video was near Pensacola when we departed into fog.
We have Garmin chartplotters and knew the fog would dissipate as we headed south.

[/QUOTE]
Wow, that's a haul to drive down to Florida. Awesome that you get to change it up riding in warmer open waters. Same thing, you guys explore the coast?

In this last foggy ride video, what are those 5 pillar structures towards the end? Also, what Chartplotter do you use?

We frequently ride somewhat remote waters and often when there are few or no other boats around.

We carry a lot of self-rescue gear and have modifications to each ski to make it easier to tow or assist another ski, should the need arise.

http://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=293254&p=3130923&viewfull=1#post3130923

https://www.northernontario.travel/s...Marion%20Knaus

I do wish I rode with other ski's for safety and when issues arise. While I do carry my load of safety equipment, I'd probably need to rely on local connections to tow me back should get stuck. Fortunately, I don't normally venture far from shore.

[musubi]

My wife and I like to be on the water. We could have a boat instead, but the skis are more exciting for me. I like to be moving on the water... The faster the better.

Do you ride on the lake and open ocean? Do you cruise around most of the time, or do you do any other activities with your skis?

[Mr. GP1800]

Those pillar looking things were buildings.

Chart plotter of choice is the 9 inch Garmin ECHOMAP. Model number is dependent on which charts come preloaded in the unit.

[K447]

For recreational riding the primary reasons for helmet wear would include;

Impact with the handlebars, mirrors, hood or other parts of the PWC during hard wave impacts, unintended dismounts, bad landings, that sort of thing. The hardest thing nearby is your own watercraft.

Impact with things in the air - bugs, big bugs, small bugs, clouds of bugs. Bird strikes.

Wind and water. Full face helmet greatly reduces wind fatigue, wind noise, water spray, and rain. Rain at speed stings, the helmet fixes that.

Sun exposure. Hats can fly off or flop around at speed.

Some of the people we ride with are also successful PWC racers. They are simply comfortable wearing a helmet all the time while riding PWC. Riding without a helmet for them is weird.

We have voice radios mounted in the helmets so we can chat between ourselves as we ride. The radio adds almost no weight. So putting the helmet on is also 'connecting to the group'

[K447]

Riding among the reed trails in those shallow waters we do encounter the occasional water fowl or small bird. Most of the time we do not encounter anything flying near enough to be a concern.

We tend to not ride towards large groupings of birds on the water. We will change direction and go around them or simply go in an entirely different direction.

[Mr. GP1800]

Here's a video from the Harsens Island area of Lake St Clair

https://youtu.be/YEVTGQX6_Ms

[musubi]

Here’s a video from the Harsens Island area of Lake St Clair

https://youtu.be/YEVTGQX6_Ms

Man, that looks like loads of fun carving through the reeds at 70+ mph!