–18–
Exercise 6: Full acceleration and stopping
Objective:
This exercise teaches you how the watercraft stops.
Skills:
Stopping, operating at planing speed, and stopping from planing speed.
Directions:
Releasing the throttle completely produces only minimum thrust. Once the engine slows
down, the watercraft will no longer respond to handlebar input until you apply throttle again
or you reach a trolling speed - you need throttle to steer.
Drill 1: Stopping
1. Accelerate to planing speed, and then release the throttle lever until you come to a stop.
2. Make a turn at trolling speed as shown in the illustration.
3. Repeat the drill, increasing your maximum speed as you progress.
Drill 2: Approaching objects
1. Pick a spot in the water at a certain distance away and visualize an imaginary object
there.
2. Accelerate toward the chosen spot, then release the throttle lever and slow to see if you
can stop before you reach the imaginary object.
3. If the watercraft will not stop before it reaches the imaginary object, look in all directions,
then apply throttle and turn away from the spot, as if you were avoiding the object.
Repeat the drill at different distances from your chosen spot and at different speeds so
you become familiar with both stopping and turning as ways to avoid objects in your path.
Tips:
1. If a smaller practice area is used, reduce the maximum speed you reach.
2. The faster you go, the farther it will take you to stop.
F4G-72-forPrint.book Page 18 Tuesday, July 2, 2019 11:49 AM
