Maintain · Know your board

Is your board cooling properly?

Reading the telltale water spray, what to do if it stops, and how to tell a catalytic-converter board from a race board.

Guide

Is your board cooling properly?

Difficulty: Beginner Time: ~3 min Applies to: Gas boards Last updated: Sep 2026

Watch the walkthrough

Watch on YouTube ↗ · JETSURF USA — new owner series #7. Timestamps below follow the video's on-screen counter (0:26–2:00).

The engine is water-cooled — water circulates around it while you ride. How you confirm it's working depends on whether your board has a catalytic converter.

The telltale — boards without a catalytic converter

Boards with a catalytic converter

Telling a race board from a catalytic-converter board

Tip: learn your board's normal telltale stream — a strong steady spray — so a weak or missing one is obvious mid-ride. On a catalytic-converter board, check for flow at the turbine exit at the back instead.
Caution: a two-stroke that loses cooling overheats fast and can seize. If the telltale stops on a non-catalytic board, get off the throttle and return to shore — don't keep riding to "see if it comes back."
Keep riding

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