Loading a jet ski trailer can be daunting if you are new to PWCs.
A high percentage of accidents actually happen during loading and unloading.
The first time I loaded a Jet Ski onto a trailer, everything that could go wrong did go wrong!
In this guide, I will attempt to explain the easiest way to load a jet ski.
Personal watercraft trailers or jet ski trailers are essential accessories for transporting your PWC from one location to another.
Reloading a PWC trailer can be tedious, but with the right approach, it can be made much more manageable. This guide outlines the critical steps in loading a PWC trailer the proper way, ensuring that you can do so quickly and efficiently.
Table of Contents
How to Load Jet Skis onto a Trailer
- Ensure proper safety precautions are taken when loading a jet ski onto a trailer.
- Follow simple instructions to ensure the jet ski is loaded efficiently and safely.
- Take care to avoid any potential damage or injury that could occur during the process.
Before Starting Anything…
Ride your Jet Ski to the dock and tie it up safely. If that isn’t an option, you can either beach it or secure it near the shore.
Before you start reloading your PWC trailer, gathering all the necessary equipment you’ll need is essential. This includes the following items:
- Straps
- Winches
- Ramps
- Gloves
Having these items on hand will ensure that you have everything you need to get the job done.
Preparing To Load
Ensure the area around the dock or pwc boat ramp is clear before bringing the trailer back up to it.
Inspect the trailer to make sure it is properly attached and the wiring for the trailer lights is unplugged.
Be aware of other people at the boat launch, and wait your turn if necessary.
Get the Trailer Positioned Correctly
Back down the boat ramp in your tow vehicle. If you aren’t used to doing this, practice in a quiet area.
An all-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended for best results. Rear-wheel and front-wheel drive cars may not have enough weight to get the trailer out with the jet ski on it.
It’s important to ensure that the trailer is level and that it’s located in a spot where you have plenty of room to manoeuvre.
This will make it easier to reload the PWC and reduce the risk of damage to the trailer or PWC.
Put the car in park and make sure to use the emergency brake!
Position Trailer Bunks or Rollers
Wet the carpeted bunks or rollers and back in until they are submerged, but not so far that the rear tire bearings or axles of your tow vehicle are submerged.
Pull forward until the bunks are half out of the water to ensure the jet ski doesn’t float away when loading.
Time to load the Jet Ski
The next step is to load the PWC onto the trailer. Pull the jet ski by hand or drive it onto the trailer.
You can use ramps or dollies to ease the PWC onto the trailer.
Align the jet ski centred on a set of bunks and drive on slowly until it is properly seated. Use throttle to give it enough gas to seat it forward in the bunk, then turn off once secure.
Be careful during this process, as driving jet skis directly on to trailers can cause damage.
Hook Jet Ski Up To Trailer
Once you have positioned the trailer, securing the Jet Ski is next. Once the PWC is on the trailer, you can use the winch strap to secure it.
Hook the winch strap to the metal eye on the PWC bow and secure it between the two metal sides of the roller.
Winch up the jet ski by hand until the bow reaches right up to the stop.
Make sure the Jet Ski is positioned correctly on the trailer.
Use as many straps as you need to tie down the watercraft. Especially if you are expecting to travel long distances with it on your pwc trailer.
Make sure that the straps are tight and that the PWC is secure. This will ensure that the PWC does not shift during transit. Secure safety chains and any other straps that are available to you.
You can never use too many straps! Trust me.
Take your Time!
Once you have completed the above steps, it’s important to double-check the load to make sure that everything is secure. This will ensure that you haven’t missed anything important while loading.
Final Steps
Release the parking brake and pull the trailer out of the water slowly.
Loosen drain plugs while back of trailer is out of the water but angled down the ramp.
Rev the engine to release any water stuck in the system, then shut back off.
Tie down the rear of the personal watercraft to the trailer with a safety strap or safety chain.
Clean off the outer surfaces of the jet ski and cover it with a secure cover.
Check that tie downs are still tight after trailering for 10-15 minutes and do a quick double-check by doing a walk-around inspection.
Now, you are free to drive away!
Reloading a PWC trailer can be time-consuming, but the right approach can make it much more manageable. By following these steps, you can ensure that you load your PWC trailer with ease and efficiency, reducing the risk of damage and saving time.
By following this guide, you can ensure that you reload your PWC trailer with ease, efficiency, and safety. Whether a seasoned PWC enthusiast or a first-time reloader, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to get the job done right.