Rules of the Water

As Labor Day approaches, the traditional last weekend of summer, those safeguarding the waterways want to get the word out about personal watercraft safety.

“Most people use them as a toy,” said Mike Coash, aquatics manager at Castaic Lake State Recreation Center. “They are uninformed about the rules of the road and that can lead to a tragic accident.”

Though they account for only 17.5% of registered vessels statewide, personal watercraft accounted for 42% of all accidents, 52% of injuries, 19% of fatalities and 22% of property damage, state figures show.

In 1997, about 391 personal watercraft-related boating accidents--resulting in eight deaths, 276 injuries and $709,000 in property damage--were reported.

Personal watercraft owners planning to cruise Castaic Lake should know that daredevil antics are prohibited, Coash said.

Lifeguards will also strictly enforce a new law that increased the minimum age to operate a personal watercraft from 12 to 16.

At Pyramid Lake, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Hardy is also vigilant about keeping the waterway safe.

“A lot of times we issue citations that run from $50 to $750 for reckless operation,” Hardy said. But even worse, “death could result from a lack of knowledge.”

Coash says he doesn’t want to be a killjoy.

“Our interest is to have people recreate safely,” he said, “and to walk away . . . in one piece.”