Jet Skiing: Speed, Safety, and Life on the Water

Picture this: Maya is sixteen years old, and she's standing at the edge of a lake, watching a personal watercraft slice through the water at high speed — speeds vary by model, and some high-performance models are capable of reaching very fast speeds. That machine is a JET SKI — a brand name so popular that it became the everyday word for all personal WATERCRAFT. Personal watercraft, or PWC (P-W-C) (PERSONAL WATERCRAFT / JET SKI), are small, motorized vessels designed to carry one or more riders, commonly one to three depending on the model. The original Jet Ski was invented by Kawasaki and hit the market in the early 1970s, and the sport has been growing ever since. Today, personal watercraft riding is a widely practiced water sport enjoyed by riders across the United States.