Learn to jet ski: experience on vacation – tips for beginners

Speed, freedom and adventure

That’s why you should combine camping and jet skiing:

• Enjoy speed & freedom on the water
• Maneuvering the jet ski trains your skills
• Explore the coastline & discover secluded bays
• Enjoy breathtaking views of the landscape
• Opportunity for exchange with other jet ski enthusiasts

Tips for beginners: Driving license, sitting or standing?

A jet ski or jet boat, the former being a protected brand name of the motorcycle manufacturer Kawasaki, is a motorized vehicle that glides over the water.
It is driven either standing up or sitting down and, depending on the model, can sometimes be driven without a license.
Up to 5 hp, you can glide across the water without a license, otherwise an inland or sea sports boat license is recommended, as with a motorboat.
Liability insurance is also recommended.
Depending on your strength and sport boat license, you can generally sail on lakes, rivers and coasts.
A jet ski is also often used as a towing vehicle for water skiing.
You should bear these five points in mind beforehand:

• Jet ski (jet boat): gliding over the water with a motor
• Driving up to 5 hp without a license
• Recommended: Liability insurance
• Cruising on lakes, rivers & coasts
• Often towing vehicle for water skiing

Here you will find tips on preparation, getting your sports boat license, launching, equipment, operation and possible destinations.
You can also take a look at the advantages of sailing standing up or sitting down.

Learning with video: Step on the gas & impressions

In this video, a motorcyclist tries out a jet ski.
Here you will find an explanation of the general operation as well as first impressions of how to ride the watercraft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMW9olIARLQ You can find more detailed tips for jet ski beginners here:

Preparation to the start: from swimming to turning gears

There are a few things you should bear in mind before taking off. These, as well as tips on the actual take-off and operation of a jet ski, are summarized here.

Requirements: This is important before you start!

Jet skiing, as a water sport, requires good and stable swimming skills.
Without being able to swim sufficiently, a fall can be very dangerous.
You should also pay attention to your pre-existing medical conditions.
If you have back or knee problems in particular, it is important to speak to a doctor beforehand or unfortunately leave the jet ski at home.
This also applies to cardiovascular diseases.
You should also always ride sober and not have taken any medication that slows down your reaction time.
The minimum age for jet skiing is 16.
However, only with parental consent.
Otherwise you are free to drive from 18.
As already mentioned, you need an inland or sea license for jet boats with 5 hp or more.
Inland refers to lakes and rivers, while the recreational boating license for the sea entitles you to sail on the coast.
You can read more about recreational boating licenses here:

• Motor boating

Your requirements at a glance:

• Know how to swim well
• No previous illnesses
• Be sober
• Minimum age 16 (with parental consent, otherwise 18)
• Pleasure craft license sea or inland for more than 5 hp

Tips for the start: drive off slowly & give way

Before you set off, you will find tips for the start here.
First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the model.
Especially with the basic functions, such as accelerating.
If you hire a jet ski, you should be thoroughly instructed by the club.
This will help you avoid accidents caused by incorrect operation.
Especially as a beginner, you should start slowly and not ride for too long.
People often underestimate how exhausting it can be to keep the jet ski on the water.
Therefore, start slowly, pay attention to your own exhaustion, take breaks and stop if necessary.
It is also particularly important that you pay attention to others in the water.
Whether swimmers, other watercraft or jet skis, collisions can lead to serious injuries.
Accidents are particularly common among swimmers, so you should pay particular attention to them.
You should always avoid areas with a lot of swimming activity.
It is also important to ensure that boat traffic always has right of way.
These tips can help you at the start:

1. Familiarize yourself with the model & follow the explanation
2. Note your own strength and stamina: not too long
3. Start slowly & always look ahead
4. Pay attention to others & shipping traffic has right of way

To help you get along on the water, you can find tips for operating the jet ski here.

Operation: How the jet ski works!

Jet skis are powered by an internal combustion engine.
You can accelerate using a rotary control.
Many models do not have a separate brake, so you don’t have to accelerate as much to brake.
Some models allow you to reach speeds of over 100 km/h with the twist shifter.
The outputs of up to over 300 hp are helpful here.
Should something go wrong with such power, there is a mandatory quick stop in Germany.
A strap that is attached to your wrist and stops the engine in the event of a fall.
The extra internal propeller on jet skis is also helpful in preventing you from getting under the propeller in the event of an accident.
This is also encased, which offers you much more safety in the event of a fall.
What you should know about operation:

• Combustion engine with rotary shift
• Accelerate only (no brake)
• Outputs of up to over 300 hp
• Speeds of over 100 km/h
• Quick Stop mandatory in DE:
  • Pull cord on the wrist
  • Switches motor off in the event of a fall
• Internal shrouded propeller
• Therefore: more security

Spoilt for choice: standing or sitting?

As you already know, jet skis can be ridden standing up or sitting down, depending on the model.
There are a few differences, which you can find listed here.

Advantages sitting: more stability for beginners

One of the major advantages of seated models is their greater stability.
They are usually wider and heavier so that they lie better on the water.
This makes it easier for you as the rider to handle when launching.
The fact that you don’t have to constantly balance the jet ski with your body weight makes riding less physically demanding.
There are also often seats for other people, so you can take your better half or a more experienced rider with you for additional help.
These advantages make sit-on jet skis very popular with beginners:

• Easier handling at the start & heavier
• Less strenuous & more than one person
• Suitable for beginners, as experienced passenger

Advantages standing: more maneuverable & cost-effective

Jet skis that you ride standing up are usually lighter and narrower.
This often makes them very unstable at the start, but more stable again at speed.
Due to their narrower design, they are also more maneuverable and easier to handle when cornering.
At the same time, they often have lower purchase costs and about half the fuel consumption of equally powerful jet skis for seated riders.
The jet skis that you ride standing up also have some advantages:

• More stability when driving
• Cheaper to buy
• Half the fuel consumption
• More maneuverable because narrower

Equipment: life jacket, swimwear & shoes

To make sure you don’t drown from exhaustion if the wild ride ends in the water, you should definitely wear a life jacket.
A wetsuit is recommended underneath to protect you from the sun or cold and/or swimwear.
You should also wear either sturdy shoes that are suitable for the water or neoprene shoes.
This will also protect your feet.
Bathing slippers or even bare feet are not recommended.
You will also need sports sunglasses to protect you from splashing water and UV radiation so that you can see clearly.
You should have this with you for your jet ski adventure:

• Life jacket, wetsuit & swimwear
• Sturdy sports shoes that are suitable for water or neoprene shoes
• If necessary, (sunglasses) to protect against water splashes & UV radiation

Also for the animals: consideration & nature conservation

Even with all the fun of riding, you should not forget that the combustion engine is often very loud.
This can cause considerable disturbance to local residents, bathers on the beach and especially the wildlife on the shore.
That’s why it’s important not to drive too long through shoreline areas and not to destroy the plant life there.
Then no shore animals will be frightened and everyone will have fun!

• Pay attention to nature conservation & residents
• Therefore do not drive close to the shore

Top 4 + 2 destinations: Adriatic Sea, Berlin or Nantes

In the end, you can jet ski anywhere.
Nevertheless, it is best to check in advance whether it is permitted on your desired water.
For example, it is prohibited on Lake Constance.
So that you don’t just have to deal with the prohibited regions, here are four plus two particularly popular locations.
Tip: for all locations abroad, you should also find out about the local regulations in advance!

• Adriatic Sea
• Berlin
• Nantes
• Majorca

or:

• Spain
• Portugal

Tip!
If you want to camp in a relaxed manner and still want to take a trailer with jet ski equipment with you, then a roof tent is a solution.
It leaves the trailer coupling free and you can easily sleep on the roof of your car.
The roof tent is quick and easy to fold out and does not take up any space when folded up.
A special recommendation is the X-Cover roof tent, as you can transport additional equipment with it.
Take a look at it: 👉 X-Cover

More from your vacation: Activities & water sports

A vacation becomes much more exciting when you have exciting experiences planned.
You can find even more tips for water sports and other breathtaking activities away from the water here.

Water sports on vacation: ideas for every taste

You can do more than just whizz across the water on a jet ski.
Whether in a canoe, motorboat, on a surfboard or water skis – water sports are a popular pastime on vacation.
A trip to or into the water is particularly popular when camping.
Whether you’re interested in canoeing, swimming, surfing or diving – you’ll find plenty of tips for beginners here.

• Water sports

To-do: exciting vacation activities

But your vacation doesn’t just have to take place on the water – there are also many other exciting activities to discover.
Discover plenty of ideas for fun-filled vacations that will enrich your vacation.
Whether you’re a beginner or want to start from scratch, you’ll find lots of useful tips and tutorials to make the most of your time.

• Vacation activities