FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer Hall, 202-777-3503
March 28, 2007

PWIA Produces New “PWC Renter Orientation Video” for 2007
New DVD for Rental Business and Boating Safety Advocates Available for Free

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) is pleased to announce that its brand new 2007 PWC renter orientation video is now available, free of charge. With the new video updated to reflect modern PWC and produced on DVD, PWIA encourages all rental businesses nationwide to request a new, updated version by visiting www.pwia.org or emailing info@pwia.org.

“Personal watercraft are great vessels for enjoying the water because they are easy to control, operate and maneuver,” said Maureen Healey, PWIA Executive Director. “However, because the first experience many people have with a PWC is usually from a rental operation, PWIA is committed to making sure rental businesses have the training materials they need in order to provide sufficient instruction before riders go out on the water for the first time.”

According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, more than 77 million Americans take to the water every year. There are more than 1.5 million registered PWC in the United States. With so many boaters sharing our nation’s waterways, it is vital to make sure everyone, including renters, know the rules of the water and how to safely operate a personal watercraft. U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that 99 percent of PWC are enjoyed accident free each year. Of the accidents that do occur, many—such as collisions with other boats or fixed objects—are preventable with the proper education. For these reasons, PWIA produced the new PWC Renter Orientation DVD, specifically designed for renters and first time users.

“As an avid boater myself, I see the difference an educated boater makes on the water,” Healey said. “I am grateful that PWIA is able to offer this DVD, free of charge, to the public.”

PWIA represents the four manufacturers of personal watercraft—American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AquaTrax®); BRP US Inc. (Sea-Doo®); Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (JET SKI®); and Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. (WaveRunner®). As a result of remarkable technological advancements, modern personal watercraft are up to 90 percent cleaner and 70 percent quieter than those produced prior to 1998. PWIA advocates for states to implement reasonable guidelines such as mandatory boating safety education for PWC users, a minimum age of 16 to operate a PWC, use only during daylight hours, the establishment of no-wake zones, and strict enforcement of boating safety and navigation laws. Model legislation and other information on personal watercraft can be viewed at www.pwia.org.

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