Wes45

Hello from DFW, I just bought my first PWC yesterday in Dallas and am really excited to get it in the water. I don't have a trailor hitch on either of my vehicles so that is what I am hoping to get done later today. I got a great deal and bought the extended 5 year YES warranty and 3 yr maintenance package so all I should have to worry about is gas for the next few years.

Just thought I'd stop by to say hi. I'm going to check to see what folks are recommending to carry with them on the PWC, what tubes are the best to pull behind the PWC and what are the most comfortable life vests.

So what does everyone call these things anyway? Jet skis? PWC's? Wave Runners? Boats? Powered water toys?

Ernest T

Congrats on the new ski. The SHO is a stable, comfortable, reliable, and very fast machine. A little hard on fuel usage if you run it fast, but at least you will be burning regular instead of premium that the other brands have to have. Read the manual on break in procedure before you put in on the water.

You can pull any 2 person tube. They come basically in the sit down variety or the lie on variety. If you have very young riders, I'd go with a "sit in" type of tube. Older kids and teens like the types that you lay on top of. In most states you are limited to the capacity sticker on the ski (3 person) in the case of the SHO = 1 person on the ski and 2 people on the tube, or 2 people on the ski and 1 person on the tube max. Therefore, no use in looking at 3 or 4 person tubes. A very common mistake for a new owner is to run over the rope, which will suck it into the pump and really screw up your entire day (done it myself, towed others that have done it). So get in the habit of always watching the rope, stop the engine when you are not towing, train your riders to manage the rope. Other advice is to make sure the tube is properly inflated. It needs to be rock hard. I see many under inflated tubes at the lake, and they are much harder to tow, will tend to submarine, etc..

Most comfortable vests are the neoprene type. I like the ones that have a zipper in the front in addition to the buckles. Be sure you try them on in a sitting position. If the vest comes down too far it will hit your legs while you ride and get pushed up around your neck. Be sure the arm holes are large enough to allow you to reach the handles without rubbing. Some good brands are Jet Pilot, Hyperlite, O'Neill, there are others..............fit is most important factor.

A "ski" or "PWC" can apply to any brand. "Jet Ski" was actually coined by Kawasaki, so you may get some grief if you call your Yamaha a "Jet Ski". Yamaha calls their skis or PWCs "Waveruners". Therefore you can say my "ski", my "PWC", or my "Waverunner" and be correct, and socially acceptable in the PWC community.

__________________
2008 Yamaha FX HO Cruiser
2010 Hurricane Sundeck 2100

Wes45

Thanks much for all the valuable info Ernest. I tried on a lot of jackets before finding one that fit, the sizes are all over the place - one 3X was way too small and the same mfg had another style and the XL was too big. I got one at Dicks for 50% off, too.

Bought a 2 person float at West Marine for 20% off and then found out I have to break in the Waverunner for 10 hrs before towing anything.

Good thing I like to peel off the labels! I was peeling them off while we were getting it on the trailor and found a pretty bad gouge in the fiberglass hull on the rear which was covered by one of the labels that somebody had moved from the factory location to hide their deed. Then found out the waverunner was a transfer from another dealer. Since they did not have another red one in stock I am having them fix it when I take it in for the winterization service, plus any other dings I may make between now and then.

Rode it for 2 hrs on Sunday, trying to keep within the break-in guidelines so varying the speed and shutting it down ocassionally and running it in no wake mode to mix it up. Washed and waxed it when I got it home and everything looks go so far. It was a blast, can't wait to get it out there and open it up.