Tasmanian devils of the breakwater, or upstanding citizens of the surf? Either way, those zippy little speed demons with names like WaveRunner, Sea-Doo and Jet Ski are heading our way, as Memorial Day marks the start of the high season for personal watercraft use.
"Just make sure to watch your speed," the manager at Marina Boat Rentals in Marina del Rey says before handing a visitor the keys to a two-person Yamaha WaveRunner. "The officials around here -- they see these things kind of like dirt bikes."
In other words, despite years of work to improve their safety, noise and environmental records, personal watercraft still get rapped as the danger-plagued bullies of the shoreline.
These days, industry reps say, you're more likely to see a 40-year-old riding a Yamaha three-seater than a high-schooler on a stand-up model. Prices have risen into the five figures, locking out many of the young hell-raisers who used to irk boaters. And these days, 99% of all such vehicles will never suffer an accident, according to the Personal Watercraft Industry Assn.
Phil Navarro, a rescue boat captain with the Los Angeles County Baywatch, says he hasn't seen any personal watercraft-related collisions in his decade on the job. Instead, he says, the biggest problems involve people puttering too close to the beach. (Boats and personal watercraft have to stay 300 yards away from shore in Los Angeles County waters, Navarro says.)
"What we deal with mostly is the education side of things," he said. "Lots of times we're telling people to go back outside the 300 yards."
With a sensible attitude, there's plenty of fun to be had on personal watercraft, from the blissfully pricey O.C. to the breakwater of Marina del Rey.
Even cruising at a mild 7 mph can seem like an adventurous race rally for the uninitiated. Pelicans swoop by, diving for food, and the horizon seems to go on forever while sea spray splashes your skin. And the freedom from flapping sails or sputtery motor boat engines? Priceless. The whole experience can be exhilarating.
That is, if you know where to look, and if -- and this cannot be stressed enough -- you know exactly what not to do. Those sleek water zippers may be easy to use, but plenty of pitfalls await.
Lesson No. 1: Don't call the machines Jet Skis (unless they're built by Kawasaki). That's a trademark, see.
Lesson No. 2: Southern California may boast plenty of shoreline, but that has not translated into a booming rental market or low hourly rates.
