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UK Personal Watercraft News |
| 28th March : Consultation Over Boating Activities In Cardigan Bay. |
| A major consultation is being launched this week to help decide the future management of boating activities off the Ceredigion coastline. |
| Ceredigion County Council is considering whether extra measures to protect wildlife need to be imposed. |
| For some years the authority has been promoting a code of conduct for recreational boat users to try to minimise disturbance to protected marine wildlife. |
| Dolphins, porpoises and seals are protected by law from deliberate or reckless disturbance and much of the coastline has been designated as a special area of conservation. |
| At present there are by-law speed limits in force around the harbours and bathing beaches, and voluntary speed limits along the Ceredigion Marine Heritage Coast from New Quay Head to Llangrannog. |
| Liz Allan, the council’s conservation management officer, says that recent research has highlighted several headlands as being important dolphin feeding areas. |
| "We now have a better understanding of where the sensitive wildlife areas are. |
| Conversely, there may be areas where boating facilities - especially for powerboating and personal watercraft - could be developed and promoted. |
| "We want to find out people's views on that and, also, whether there are changes needed to the code of conduct. |
| Any ideas for improving the communication of the code of conduct would also be appreciated," she said. |
| The consultation period will run until September and a questionnaire can be downloaded from www.cardiganbaysac.org.uk or obtained by telephoning Ceredigion County Council's coast and countryside service during weekday office hours on 01545 561074. |
| TivysideAdvertiser.co.uk |
| 28th March : Jet-Skier Makes His Own Flipper Flick. |
| By David MacLean |
| A Jet skier was amazed when he discovered a large school of dolphins swimming off the coast at South Shields. |
| David Cawkwell had been out on the waves for a couple of hours when he spotted the pod of up to 30 dolphins – including babies – swimming out at sea by the pier. |
| The dolphins seemed happy, diving out of the water and swimming around, so Mr Cawkwell moved closer, pulling out his mobile phone to capture some amazing footage of them at play. |
| He said: "I've been jet-skiing for years but never seen anything like this. You see one dolphin every now and then, but there were loads of them, about 20-30 in total. It was an amazing sight. |
| "At first, I thought they must have came inland because they were in distress, but they looked quite happy, jumping around and splashing about. |
| "I knew it was something other people might like to see, so I got out my mobile phone, which was in a waterproof case, and started shooting footage." |
| The 19-year-old window-fitter, from Baltic Court, South Shields, uploaded the footage to Internet video-sharing site YouTube, which has received more than 150 views so far. |
| Dolphins are known to occasionally leap above the water surface, but scientists are not certain why they carry out this behaviour. |
| Some believe it could be to locate schools of fish by looking at above-water signs like feeding birds, some say they could be communicating to other dolphins to join a hunt, attempting to dislodge parasites, or simply doing it for fun. |
| A spokesman for the Marine Conservation Society said: "Large pods of dolphins are often found off the West coast of Britain, but not so often on the east coast, which is why this video is so pleasing to see. |
| "The dolphins probably ventured closer to the shore because there's a larger concentration of fish in shallower waters." |
| Experts also say play is known to be a fairly important part of dolphins' lives, and they have been observed playing with seaweed or play-fighting with other dolphins. |
| They also harass other creatures, like seabirds and turtles. |
| In 2003, a school of dolphins put on a two-week show of tricks and jumps off the borough's coastline at Souter Lighthouse in Whitburn. |
| About 14 white beaked dolphins settled in the North Sea, drawing crowds from miles around to watch as they leapt out of the water. |
| ShieldsGazette.com |
| 27th March : Jet-Tec Performance New Shop Open. | |
| Jet-Tec Performance opened the doors to its new shop on Saturday 14th March and now stocks more brands than ever before. |
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| The larger and much improved shop situated in Mallusk, Northern Ireland sits amongst all the major car manufacturers showrooms just a 2 minute drive from the old premises. | |
| Owner Stephen Swain commented; | |
| "We are pleased to announce we now have one of the largest Jet-Ski stores in Northern Ireland. It's certainly by far the most prominent. |
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| We are now trading on the main Mallusk Road in an extremely busy commercial location. | |
| The new shop and workshop allows us to stock even more Personal Watercraft and to take on a larger workload of servicing, repairs and performance upgrades". | |
| Jet-Tec also stocks a full range of Watersports Equipment all of which is also available online or over the phone for next day delivery. |
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| In addition to this they stock New & Used Parts for all makes and have a showroom range of PWC to choose from to suit any budget. | |
| Jet-Tec Performance can be found at 51 Mallusk Road, Mallusk, Northern Ireland |
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| right next door to Mercedes Benz. | |
| For more information please visit the website or telephone 02890 844208. | |
| 27th March : River Sports Festival Sets Sail For The Tees. |
| A dazzling flotilla of vessels of all shapes and sizes will take to the Tees this summer to launch the region's first ever river festival. |
| Take to the Tees will give people the chance to try the wide range of water sports available on the river, from kayaking to water-skiing. |
| Centred on the Tees Barrage and Stockton riverside from August 22-28, there will also be a weekend of water sports displays, free lessons and stalls and entertainment on the riverbanks. |
| Yesterday 24 local dignitaries, including Stockton Council leader Ken Lupton, enjoyed a demonstration of some of the activities running at the festival. |
| Ever the action man, Cllr Lupton, even donned a wetsuit to give jet skiing and giant walk-on-water balls a go himself. |
| He said: "There has never been anything like it before on the Tees, or indeed anywhere else in the region. |
| If anyone has ever imagined themselves taking part in water sports, Take to the Tees is your golden opportunity." |
| Alan Slater, river manager at British Waterways, said: "We have world class facilities here at the Tees and our first river festival is a fantastic opportunity to showcase them. |
| "Families will be able to have an entertaining day out and see some spectacular activity on the river as well as being able to give it a go themselves, so we know everyone will have a great time." |
| About 10,000 visitors are expected for the festival, and visitors can try their hand at everything from canoeing and rowing to bell-boating and sailing free of charge. Sessions can be booked at the open-air show. |
| There will also be plenty of ways to enjoy the river on dry land too, including heritage trails, wildlife and bridge walks, cycling routes and educational pursuits. |
| Stockton Council yesterday revealed plans for the flotilla which will see up to 150 vessels - from rowers and dragon boats, to jet skis, water skis, pleasure cruisers and steam boats - make its way from the Infinity Bridge to the Tees Barrage to launch the festival on Saturday, August 22. |
| Les Southerton, project director of Stockton Middlesbrough Initiative, said: "Take to the Tees promises to be an exhilarating event that we hope will become a landmark annual diary date. |
| "The fact that the Tees Barrage whitewater course has been chosen as a potential camp at which athletes can train in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics is a testament to the standard of our facilities and we aim to do all we can to promote these to residents and the rest of the world." |
| GazetteLive.co.uk |
| 25th March : Worldwide Watersports Fun Day. |
| On Saturday the 28th of March Worldwide Watersports are holding an open day and fun day from 10am to 4pm. |
| There will be a bouncy castle and face painting for the kids big or small and a BBQ and a live DJ. |
| This will be a good chance to see their range of jetskis new and used and a chance to arrange a demo on the craft that they offer. |
| The open day will be held at Worldwide Watersports in the shop in Tondu, |
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Unit 48 Tondu Enterprise
Centre Bridgend CF32 9BS |
| See website for more details |
| www.worldwidewatersports.co.uk |
| 25th March : Wavefest Returns To Watercraft World. | |
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Yamaha is pleased to announce that the Wavefest Team is returning to Watercraft World in Fareham, Hampshire to kick off the start of summer 2009. |
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The Watercraft World Wavefest is being held at the Lee–on-Solent slipway on Saturday 28th March and will run from 10.30am until 3.30pm subject to the weather conditions, with complimentary refreshments available throughout the day. |
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As well as having the opportunity to test ride the latest and greatest from Yamahas fantastic line-up of WaveRunners including the legendary Superjet, if the glorious weather of late holds out there will also be the opportunity to try your hand at the latest inflatables available from Yamahas superb new accessories range. |
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So whether you’re in the market for a new ski and want to sample the thrill of the new supercharged FZR or you want to take your first steps into the world of personal watercraft, whatever your skill level, the experienced Wavefest Team will be on hand to give you all the assistance required, providing RYA based guidance for total beginners. |
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If you are a novice or have a particular interest in trying a certain craft please prebook a time slot as places will be limited. |
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For more information visit www.watercraftworld.co.uk or to register for the event, give Nigel Kershaw a call on 01329 826622. |
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Alternatively, you can also email your name and contact number to nigel@watercraftworld.co.uk. |
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For further details on the full range of Yamaha WaveRunners and Genuine Parts & Accessories make sure you visit the Yamaha website at... |
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| 25th March : Lifesaving Group Want Jet Ski For New Boat House. |
| By Helen Bell |
| The Royal Lifesaving Society hopes to buy a jet ski to keep at the new boat house proposed for Chapel St Leonards. |
| The Standard reported last week there are plans to build a boat house and look out on Chapel beach which will not only be a draw for tourists, but will also house a rescue boat operated by the RLSS which works alongside the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. |
| Former police diver Ian Symmons, of the RLSS, told the Standard the group had been in Chapel since 1969 with a small boat kept there for rescues. |
| He said: |
| "We had an old garage-like building near the beach but vandals got at it about six years ago and ruined the roof which made it unsafe so we couldn't continue. |
| Since then we've tried to get funding for a new one. |
| "I raised £10,000 and JT pub in Chapel raised £20,000; but now it's part of a £4 million project. |
| Our money will go in the pot and be match-funded." |
| He said the group would keep the boat but wanted to raise money to buy a jet ski because it is more efficient. |
| Area organiser Ian Benton, of Skegness, explained the RLSS provides lifesaving training and promotes water safety. |
| He said the facility will need volunteers. |
| He added: "The scale model is beautiful. It will be a magnificient thing and we will be the envy of people all over the country." |
| He hopes it will attract organisations from all over England as a training facility. |
| If passed, the building will also house a cafe/bistro, art gallery, library services and a look out. |
| SkegnessStandard.co.uk |
| 24th March : Offshore Performance Wavefest Success. | |
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Yamaha Motor UK is proud to announce that the first Wavefest of 2009, which took place at Offshore Performance in Poole, was a resounding success. |
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Held over the weekend of 14th and 15th March at Salterns Marina, the weather was uncharacteristically good for the time of year with Saturday being unsettled but Sunday defying the spring chill by being exceptionally sunny. |
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With the WaveRunner boarding area right inside the Marina, customers were easily able to admire the stunning 2009 Yamaha line-up before getting their briefing and test ride. |
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For spectators, the chandlery was on hand to offer tea, coffee and even respite from the sun! |
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With experienced and novice customers alike booking demo rides, the WaveRunners were in constant use throughout the weekend producing plenty of smiles and excitement amid animated conversations about activities on the water. |
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Emily Greenslade, Manager of Offshore Performance said, |
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‘It was a perfect weekend and we couldn’t have been luckier with the weather’. |
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She added, ‘Since the event we have been flat out with enquiries and we even sold an FX SHO on the Monday after the event as a direct result of a test ride which is fantastic!’ |
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For more details on Offshore Performance check out their website at www.offshoretoys.co.uk or give them a call on 01202 722632. |
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For further details on the full range of Yamaha WaveRunners make sure you visit the Yamaha website at... |
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| 19th March : Lifeboat In Search For Jet Ski. |
| Whitstable lifeboat was launched on Saturday following a report of a missing jet ski. |
| The lifeboat set out at 5.40pm and searched along the shoreline to Herne Bay harbour while a lifeboat shore party searched the beaches west of Whitstable harbour. |
| Just before 6pm the crew sighted a jet ski being towed by a speedboat about one and a half miles north of Herne Bay clock tower. |
| This turned out to be the missing craft, which was overdue after being launched from the Seaview Caravan Park in Studd Hill. |
| The lifeboat took it under tow while the speedboat returned its owner to shore. |
| Crews discovered that the jet ski, owned by a man from Bexleyheath who was unharmed, had run out of fuel. |
| It was the 11th call of the year for the lifeboat. |
| KentishGazette.co.uk |
| 19th March : Waves Of Enthusiasm For Jet Skiing Display. |
| Jet skiers put on a spectacular display of freestyling in the sea off Herne Bay on Saturday which drew a big crowd of spectators. |
| Nearly 40 members of the Herne Bay and Whitstable Jet Ski Club, known as JAWS, gathered near the Neptune for a weekend of wave riding in an area specially sectioned off for them. |
| Member Marcus Marchant said that one of the aims of the club was to promote responsible jet skiing because the activity had been given a poor reputation by a minority of participants. |
| He added: |
| "It was a bit choppy on Saturday but still gave the chance for some of the skiers to show off their skills. |
| Others did fast runs up the coast. Some of the latest machines can hit 70mph on a flat day." |
| KentishGazette.co.uk |
| 18th March : JSRA Winter Series Results. | |
| Results from Round Four of the 2008/09 JSRA Winter Series at Tattershall, Lincolnshire are now online. |
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| Check them out at... | |
| 17th March : JSRA Winter Series Pics. | |
| A selection of Jetmans images from Round Four of the 2008/09 JSRA Winter Series at Tattershall, Lincolnshire are now online. |
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Check them out in the Racing section of the Photo Gallery. |
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| As always Server space restricts the quantity of images shown. If you appear in the gallery there may be more of you. E-MAIL for Information. | |
| *Please Note: These Images are intended for viewing only. Unauthorised reproduction is not permitted. | |
| 16th March : Lifeboat Crew Rescue Jet-Skier. |
| By Michael Powell |
| A jet-skier was rescued by a fishing boat crew after running into difficulty in the water. |
| A man in his late twenties was thrown into the sea when he capsized in a designated jet-ski area off Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, yesterday (March 15). |
| He was stranded in the water unable to restart the jet-ski because water had flooded the engine. |
| After a short while in the water, a fishing boat came to the man's aid and pulled him aboard. |
| RNLI Portsmouth's Atlantic 75 lifeboat, which had been launched at 11.20am from the Eastney lifeboat station on a crew training exercise, was returning at 1pm when they spotted the drifting jet-ski. |
| They were approached by a second jet-skier who told them that his friend had fallen off his craft and had been in the sea a while before being rescued by the fishing boat. |
| The casualty, who was cold and shaken after his experience, was transferred from the fishing boat to the lifeboat and the jet-ski was taken in tow to the safety of the Eastney public slipway. |
| Volunteer helmsman, Tobi O'Neill said, 'This was a straight forward rescue where the casualty had proper safety equipment. |
| 'He was in company with another jet-skier who was able to give assistance and, by good fortune, we were close at hand to help. |
| The jet-skier recovered as we towed his craft back to Langstone Harbour and he was able to assist us with the recovery of his craft at the public slipway. |
| 'This incident came to a successful conclusion because basic safety precautions had been taken by those involved in the incident.' |
| Portsmouth.co.uk |
| 16th March : JS&PW Magazine FREE. | |
| Be one of the first 1000 people to subscribe to the JS&PW E-Newsletter and receive a FREE 3-month subscription to the magazine. | 
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| That's right, | |
| If you don't already get the magazine through your door sign up for the newsletter by clicking the banner at the top of the Jetskier Website (www.jetskier.co.uk) | |
| The mag is yours FREE for three months. | |
| 16th March : Jetskier & Personal Watercraft Magazine. | |
| The April Edition of
Jetskier & PW is on sale from all the usual stockists priced
£3.50.
Included in this edition are all the usual sections plus Bear Grylls on a Superjet, Kawasaki Ultra 260X on test, Meet Seth Wilkinson, Freeriding Daytona Style, JSRA Winter Championship Report, Put the Boot In - Footwear Guide, Bilge DIY and much much more. |
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| 5th March : JSRA 2009 Superjet Challenge. | |
| Come Race Your Superjet For Free! |
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| If you own a 08/09 Yamaha Superjet why not give racing a go in this year's Yamaha Superjet Challenge. | |
| The Yamaha Superjet Challenge is a one brand race series, to enter the engines must remain completely stock as furnished by the manufacturer and it's FREE TO ALL BEGINNER RACERS. | |
| The Challenge is organised by the Jet Sport Racing Association and runs alongside the British Jetsport Championships. | |
| £3000 Prize Purse split between Pro and Amateur classes. | |
| For more info visit the Yamaha Superjet page on www.jsra.co.uk | |
| 4th March : Justwatersports.com Opens New Showroom. | |
| Lesley & Steve owners of Justwatersports are proud to announce the opening of a new showroom |
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| that compliments their established & well known online store. | |
| The new showroom is packed with the latest 2009 range of products from Jobe, OBrien, Liquid Force and other well known brands. | |
| There is something for everyone & all budgets. | |
| "We wanted to create a friendly centre where Customers could come, get advice and have the opportunity to browse & touch our large range of products held in stock, |
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| As Lesley & I both participate in the sports associated with the products, we get the opportunity to test them out and give customers a personal opinion. | |
| What better way to celebrate our 10th Season in business than this" | |
| The showroom is currently open by appointment to further that personal touch. | |
| Daytime and Evening appointments are available. Please call 01692 406679 for more details or visit their website |
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| Justwatersports will be holding a 'Welcome' weekend on the 28th/29th March from 10am –5pm. | |
| No appointment will be necessary that weekend. | |
| 3rd March : JSRA 2009 Club Racing Programme. | |
| The JSRA is pleased to announce the Club Racing programme for 2009. |
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| There are several changes to its format so please read carefully so that you are fully aware of the rules and regulations for entering a Club Championship race. | |
| JSRA Mission statement | |
| The aim of Club racing is to provide PWC owners who would like to race their craft an introduction to competitive riding. It is intended to give beginners an introduction to racing prior to entering British or Winter championships. | |
| Club race meetings are open to riders with limited or no race experience. | |
| Race results will be tabled into a championship and riders who achieve top three status or have competed in more than 3 meetings in the previous championships will be awarded novice rider status and race in British championship novice categories. | |
| Riders not wishing to do this must apply to the JSRA committee for extension of club racer status. | |
| Who can compete at Club level? | |
| Complete Beginners, or previous Club Racers with limited race experience. (see above) | |
| What will it cost? | |
| JSRA Membership: All Club racers must become an Associate Member of the JSRA - £30.00 per annum. | |
| RYA Competition Licence: All Club racers must take out an RYA licence which includes 3rd party liability cover. | |
| Club racers have two licensing options. These include either buying a Beginner licence for the year, which requires a basic medical examination (JSRA can provide FOC) or buying a Club Event licence, which doesn’t require a medical. | |
| Club Event Licence Per Event £30.00 | |
| or | |
| Beginner Licence (medical req’) Annual £60.00 | |
| and | |
| Entry Fee Per Event £35.00 | |
| Classes | |
| Ski: all standup solo machines | |
| Runabout: all 2 & 3 seater sitdown machines | |
| Sport: all single seater machines | |
| 2009 Club Championship Format | |
| The 2009 Club Championships will take place over 4 rounds, the first 2 races will be held in partnership with NitroJet Action Sports in Oxfordshire. | |
| This is where competitors will learn the basics of racing in a fun and friendly environment but also will receive a thorough introduction into racing, its rules and regulations including plenty of practice and water time. | |
| The final two rounds will be held in liaison with 3rd and 4th rounds of the British Championship. | |
| Here Club racers will get a true feel of what it is like to race at national championship level, albeit within a club class. | |
| Please note: Any rider wanting to compete in the second two races must have competed in at least one race at the Nitrojet rounds. | |
| Prizes & Rewards | |
| Trophies will be awarded to the top 3 in all classes at each event. | |
| The 2009 Club Champions will be invited along to the JSRA end of year presentation to receive their overall trophies along with all the other British Champions for 2009. | |
| 2009 Club Championship Calendar | |
| 18/19th April - RD1, Nitrojet Action Sports, Oxfordshire | |
| 16/17th May - RD2, Nitrojet Action Sports, Oxfordshire | |
| 20/21st June -RD3, Rothervalley Country Park, south Yorkshire | |
| 18/19th July - RD4, Tattershall Park, Tattershall, Lincolnshire | |
| Please visit the Club Racing pages at www.jsra.co.uk for the Club rules for 2009. | |
| 2nd March : Jet-Skier In Flint RNLI Rescue Drama. |
| by Ronnie Parry |
| A jet-skier from Liverpool had a double escape on the Dee Estuary yesterday (Sunday) thanks to Flint RNLI. |
| The RNLI crew and Sir y Fflint lifeboat had just stood down at midday after rescuing two men stranded on a boat close to the Hawarden railway bridge pontoon. |
| Within minutes the crew received a call from the RNLI training team near Greenfield Dock about someone falling off a jet-ski. |
| Sir y Fflint was launched from Connah’s Quay but the jet-skier managed to get back to shore. |
| However, while the RNLI continued their training exercises just off Greenfield the same jet-skier collided with a dock mooring and was thrown into the water. |
| Lifeboat operations manager Alan Forrester said: |
| “There was an ebbing tide and the jet-ski began drifting out to sea. |
| The man was waving his arms and shouting for help. |
| Luckily for him we were still close enough to rescue him. |
| There were four lads from Liverpool. |
| They had been taking turns with just one life jacket and they were dressed in tracksuits. |
| By the time we got to the lad he was wet through, shivering and extremely gratefully to see us. |
| “As we urged these people, if you’re going to participate in watersports, especially at this time of year I’d strongly recommend wearing the correct clothing, a wet suit, life jacket and bump cap. |
| And make sure your jet-ski has enough fuel. |
| Not one of these lads had the correct gear. There was a swell due to the strong breeze. |
| “This could have been a very serious incident. The man was assessed and found to be alright. |
| “The jet-ski was later recovered.” |
| FlintshireChronicle.co.uk |
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Archive News |
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Have you got a PWC News item you'd like included here? Email jetman@jetmanuk.com
News items welcomed from Individuals/Dealers/Industry and Clubs.
