Jet skis provide hours of fun on the water for thousands of users. You can find these fast, maneuverable personal watercraft (PWC) at lakes, beach resorts and outdoor recreation areas across the U.S.
While jet skis are a hit with pleasure-seekers, they’re also a popular target for thieves. If you’re a jet ski owner, it’s crucial to take steps to prevent a criminal from stealing your machine.
How Often Are Jet Skis Stolen?
Jet ski thefts occur more frequently than you might think. According to statistics compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, there were 4,240 PWC thefts in 2019. The Yamaha WaveRunner and the Sea-Doo PWC were the most frequently stolen jet ski products.
Their compact size can make jet skis easy to steal for enterprising thieves. Owners often store them on trailers, enabling thieves to hitch them to towing vehicles and take off without anyone noticing, even in broad daylight.
7 Tips to Prevent Jet Ski Theft
You can protect your jet ski by following these tips:
- If you’re in the process of towing your PWC, be sure to lock the trailer to the hitch and lock the hitch to your vehicle.
- Use wheel locks on your trailer to secure it.
- Place a cover on your personal watercraft when hauling or docking it.
- Lock the jet ski to the trailer.
- Consider installing a motion sensor alarm.
- Try to keep the jet ski within your field of vision at crowded lakes or recreation areas.
- Order a PWC leash from EZ Docks to prevent your jet ski from floating away during docking.
How Do You Secure a Jet Ski Dock?
If you keep your jet ski at a dock, a floating PWC port like EZ Port from EZ Docks provides a secure solution. You’ll be able to protect your machine while storing it on the shore of a lake or other waterfront location.
Contact EZ Docks today to learn more about the benefits of our EZ Port product line. We can also provide more valuable tips to reduce your jet ski theft risk.
