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| Most are designed for two or three ], though four-passenger models exist. Stand-up PWCs are also popular for single riders, offering a more challenging and "extreme" ride. | Most are designed for two or three ], though four-passenger models exist. Stand-up PWCs are also popular for single riders, offering a more challenging and "extreme" ride. | ||
| WCs powered by ] engines cause remarkable amounts of air and water pollution because of their inefficiency, and because they vent their exhaust underwater. ] engines are somewhat better as they do not burn as much lubricating oil. According to the ], operating a 2-stroke 100-HP PWC for one hour produces as much ] as operating a car for ten years (130,000 miles) and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, a PWC emits from more than 25% of its oil and gas unburned into the water. The Surfrider Foundation indicates that, at that rate, a PWC discharges up to 3 gallons of fuel per hour. The Bluewater Network has estimated that during one four-day weekend in 2000 PWCs collectively discharged 1200 gallons of gasoline and 100 gallons of lubricating oil into ]'s .75 square-mile Mission Bay. | |||
| From pwia.org | |||
| What about PWC emissions? Some anti-access groups cite a study that compared an unregulated old-technology PWC with a regulated 1998 model car, which is an apples to oranges comparison. The fact is, with the introduction of "new-technology" engine improvements such as catalysts, direct injection, and four-strokes, marine engine manufacturers have achieved a 75 percent reduction in hydrocarbon and NOx emissions in a matter of years, as opposed to the decades it took the automobile industry to achieve the same reductions. | |||
| New technology has enabled current PWC models to meet EPA's 2006 marine engine standards years ahead of schedule; they are among the most environmentally friendly motorboats on the water today. All five PWC manufacturers offer personal watercraft with four-stroke engines in model year 2003. | |||
| Lake Tahoe-which has the strictest environmental requirements in the country-welcomes the use of more than 30 models of direct-injection, and four-stroke personal watercraft because they are uniquely environmentally friendly. | |||
| ==List of popular brands== | ==List of popular brands== | ||
Revision as of 01:03, 5 May 2005
A personal watercraft (PWC) is a recreational watercraft that the rider sits or stands on, rather than inside of, as in a boat. Models have an inboard engine driving a pump jet. They are often referred by the name Jetski, which is in fact a brand name owned by Kawasaki.
Most are designed for two or three people, though four-passenger models exist. Stand-up PWCs are also popular for single riders, offering a more challenging and "extreme" ride.
WCs powered by two-stroke engines cause remarkable amounts of air and water pollution because of their inefficiency, and because they vent their exhaust underwater. Four-stroke engines are somewhat better as they do not burn as much lubricating oil. According to the California Air Resources Board, operating a 2-stroke 100-HP PWC for one hour produces as much air pollution as operating a car for ten years (130,000 miles) and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, a PWC emits from more than 25% of its oil and gas unburned into the water. The Surfrider Foundation indicates that, at that rate, a PWC discharges up to 3 gallons of fuel per hour. The Bluewater Network has estimated that during one four-day weekend in 2000 PWCs collectively discharged 1200 gallons of gasoline and 100 gallons of lubricating oil into San Diego, California's .75 square-mile Mission Bay.
List of popular brands
- Sea-doo (by Bombardier Recreational Products)
- Kawasaki
- Polaris Industries (now defunct)
- Tigershark (now defunct)
- Yamaha
- Honda
See also
 | This water supply–related article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |