Need immediate assistance or can’t find what you’re looking for? Would you like to schedule an interview with the PWIA Executive Director? Please call PWIA’s media contact, Nicole Vasilaros, at 202.737.9763 or email nvasilaros@nmma.org.

Press Releases 

• 5/22/2013 Personal Watercraft Industry Stresses Safety & Fun as 1 million PWC Take to the Water this Summer
  Lake Lanier to Welcome Industry Leaders, Community Riders and Special Guests for Summer Safety Demonstration
• 8/29/2012 Personal Watercraft Industry Association to Feature PWCs at the Republican National
• 1/13/2012 Enjoy the water on a personal watercraft and get your feet wet in the boating lifestyle

PWC News

Jet-skiers rescue capsized kids

The Australian

Six children and three adults have been rescued from the ocean by passing jet-ski riders off NSW's central coast, police say. The party of nine were in a motorboat about 400 metres south of Lobster Beach at Box Head on Friday when, about 2pm (AEDT), their boat was swamped by waves. The boat stalled, took on water and eventually capsized, throwing all nine - including six children aged between seven and 12 - into the ocean. Read more here.

Lake Powell Implements Emission Standard for Personal Watercraft

 BestofBoating.com

Personal watercraft operating on Lake Powell in the new year must meet 2006 emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the National Park Service. The NPS delayed implementation of this regulation for 10 years to minimize impacts to PWC owners and provide time for people to plan for this new requirement. “We are actively reaching out to the boating public about this change and will take the opportunity next summer to continue to educate park visitors on Lake Powell,” said Superintendent Todd Brindle. Read more here. 

JWOWW’s Fiancé Is Rescuing Trapped Jersey Shore Residents With His Jet Ski Like He’s Kenny Powers

Jezebel.com

JWOWW’s fiancé  Roger Matthews has been live tweeting the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on the Barnegat Peninsula (where Seaside Heights is located), that was hit particularly hard. He and a friend have been using their jet skis to access homes (that’s Roger’s house, above left) and help out stranded people, since all bridges were closed. Read more.

Top 10 Destin, FL Attractions and Things To Do in April

PR Web

Jet Ski Rentals — If you prefer to be in the water opposed to above it, there’s only one thing to do; Go jet skiing! You might come across a school of dolphin or spot a sunken treasure. Go to Crab Island or find a secluded spot on Okaloosa Island. Take the adventure to the limit. April jet skis are at off season rates. Don’t hesitate, rent a jet ski in April and save. Read more.

Middle School students near Smith Mountain Lake earn their boating safety cards

WDBJ7 News

About 250 students at a middle school in Rocky Mount are ready to hit the water this summer at nearby Smith Mountain Lake. They were certified to operate a jet ski or drive a motorized boat. In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law to make boating safer. Read more.
 

Sean Kingston "not afraid" to ride PWC again after accident

Taletela.com

Exactly nine months after his near death experince in Miami last year, Sean Kingston revealed he isn't scared to jet ski again. Kingston was approched by a TMZ cameraman who asked him if he would take to the skis again, in which he said he would, but he is just "waiting for the right moment." Read more.

New legislation prompts more outdoor education in Texas

Houston Chronicle

A pair of recent changes in Texas boating laws mean increasing numbers of the state's million-plus recreational boaters will be required to take an approved boater education course while fewer will fall under a legal mandate to report boating-related accidents. Under changes adopted by the Texas Legislature during its 2011 session, persons born on or after Sept. 1, 1993, and operating a personal watercraft, a boat powered by a motor of more than 15-horsepower or a wind-blown vessel measuring more than 14 feet must have passed a state-approved boater education course and carry identification and proof of having passed the boater education course while operating those boats. Read more.

Comments due soon to wet dog race permit in Alaska

Homer News

Comments are due Jan. 26 for a state permit applied for by an Anchorage organization seeking to run a 2,000-mile personal watercraft race from Whittier to Iliamna that passes through Cook Inlet. The Alaskan Wet Dog Race has put together a 46-page proposal and application seeking a land use permit from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to run the race in state waters in April and May of 2013. Environmentally sensitive areas such as sea lion haul outs would be mapped, with riders warned to respect wildlife on threat of disqualification, Lang said. Riders would take a required wildlife training class, too. "I'm very aware and very acute to the wildlife out there," Lang said. Read more.

Barnegat Bay personal watercraft riders could be restricted by conservation zones

AsburyParkPress.com

Barnegat Bay personal watercraft riders could see their style crimped if new conservation zones are created in the bay’s shallows and eelgrass beds. But for now, environmental workers would be happy just to see riders obey the existing speed limit.  

Borough tables law that would limit size, number of boats on property

Shore News Today

In order to park a boat or personal watercraft in the borough, residents will have to abide by a few guidelines.

The borough initially introduced the limitations after resident Bill Hoeger of Atlantic Avenue told the commissioners about a property near his home where 22 watercraft were stored during the winter, including two boats and 17 jet skis. Read more

FWP Commission votes to limit motorboats on rivers around Missoula

Missoulian.com

New river rules around Missoula should make the waters safer for floaters but leave some parts of the year available for motorboat users. Commissioners also accepted a late proposal to completely ban personal watercraft like Jet Skis. Read more

State to Increase the legal age for boating licenses

The Oakland Press

PWC Used in Life-Saving Rescue

It had been more than three hours since a wave flipped Norm Manley’s towboat and tossed him into St. Augustine Inlet on Florida’s northeast coast. Manley was trying to rescue a trio of sailors who had run aground, but he turned out to be the one who needed saving.

Manley, a 60-year-old towboat operator for the TowBoatU.S. franchise in St. Augustine, spent three and a half hours battling eight-foot seas and hypothermia before he was rescued in dramatic fashion. “I started violently vomiting,” he says. “I really never gave up hope, but I had pretty much made my peace that I was going to run out of time.”

Read the whole story at SoundingsOnline.com

Check out this great article from Delta Sky Magazine

How a personal watercraft can get you into the boating lifestyle