What is the best practice when sharing waterways with personal watercraft (PWC)?

Maintaining a safe distance and being alert is essential when sharing waterways with personal watercraft (PWC) due to their unique operating characteristics and behavior. PWCs are often more maneuverable and can change direction quickly, which can make them harder to predict compared to larger vessels. By keeping a safe distance, you give yourself ample time to react to their unpredictable movements and ensure the safety of everyone on the water.

Being alert significantly enhances safety as it allows you to anticipate any potential hazards or sudden changes in the actions of PWC operators. This awareness is crucial since PWCs are smaller and can appear suddenly, especially in busy waterways.

The other options do not promote safe practices. Speeding aggressively past PWCs increases the risk of collisions and creates wake turbulence that can endanger smaller craft. Staying on the tail of a PWC does not provide the necessary reaction time in case of sudden stops or turns, which could lead to accidents. Avoiding looking at PWCs altogether contributes to a dangerous situational awareness, as it can blind you to changes around you, increasing the likelihood of an unsafe interaction.