Petrol board owner orientation

Petrol board owner orientation

Watch the walkthrough

Watch on YouTube ↗ · JETSURF Official — "JETSURF Tutorial: How to Maintain a Petrol Powered Board". Timestamps below follow the video's own counter (0:21–10:20).

A single walkthrough of the whole board for a new owner. Each part links out to the full guide where there is one.

What's in the box — 0:21

• Bag with a stand, a cleaning towel, a charger, the basic tool bag with side fins, the centre fin, and the certificates and manuals.

Fuel — 0:36

• 0:41 — Tank is 2.8 L. Pre-mix 95-octane petrol with fully synthetic oil at 50:1 — 5 L petrol → 100 mL oil, 10 L → 200 mL oil. A full tank is roughly 50–55 minutes on the water.
• 1:07 — Take the fuel tank out after every ride and for transport — warm weather expands the petrol and can damage the board.
• 1:18 — Remove the tank in four steps: undo the Velcro strap → disconnect the fuel line → disconnect the pump connector → disconnect the air pipe. See Fuel tank removal & installation.

Cooling & exhaust — 1:38

• 1:41 — Water is drawn from the bottom of the jet pump, runs through the board cooling the engine and exhaust, and exits the board.
• 1:53 — Check water is coming out of the board. If it isn't, stop immediately — you can damage the exhaust or burn the engine. Usually a piece of plant or sand is stuck in the cooling pipes — check them. See Is your board cooling properly?
• 2:16 — The silencer at the exhaust end lowers the noise. For cleaning, flushing after salt water, or storage, take the silencer out.
• 2:26 — Inside the exhaust is a ball that protects the engine against flooding — clean it once or twice a year. See Exhaust systems explained.

The pumps — 2:41

• 2:41 — The jet pump sits in the middle and draws water from the bottom. Suck up plants or debris and the board loses power or vibrates — check the water while you ride.
• 3:04 — The bilge pump is hidden inside and clears water from the engine space. It only runs when the board is activated; its outlet is near the signalization — water expelled there means it's working.

Starter, throttle & the signal lights — 3:18

• 3:18 — Electric starter: if it won't start after 3–4 tries in a row, stop — you'll overheat or burn it.
• 3:36 — Throttle controller: keep it inside the straps when you're not riding, or it drops in the sand and is very hard to clean.
• 3:53 — Insert the shutoff key to activate the board (the noise is the bilge pump). The signalization on the side of the board shows: green = ready to go; red = something's wrong, stop and inspect; purple = appears ~20 minutes into a ride — head back to shore if you're in open water.

Battery & ICU — 4:30

• 4:30 — The ICU is the board's battery and computer — it powers the starter, bilge pump, and signalization.
• 4:50 — Capacity is about 3 hours of riding, but charge after every ride. You don't remove the battery — just unplug the connector and plug it into the charger. Red = charging, green = full, roughly 1 hour. See Charging a petrol board.

The toolkit — 5:23

• Blue screwdriver (side fins), red screwdriver (centre fin), spark plug wrench, spark plug test kit, two shutoff keys, a speed limiter, and a spare spark plug.
• 5:45 — The speed limiter screws into the handle to cap top speed — recommended for children and beginners.

Storage — 5:59

1. 6:02 — Drain the remaining petrol from the tank.
2. 6:06 — Leave the engine cover open to dry.
3. 6:11 — Charge the battery about once a month, and lubricate the engine. Store horizontally or vertically. See Winterizing a petrol board.

Transport — 6:26

• 6:39 — By car: remove the fins, remove the fuel tank, pack it up.
• 6:58 — By plane: the board must be completely dry and must not smell of petrol (spray deodorant or cologne inside). The fuel tank must be disconnected, dry and empty. Take the ICU out and carry it in hand luggage — all its details are printed on it so it's allowed. See Flying with your board.

Removing the ICU for a flight — 7:24

1. 7:29 — Remove the fuel tank for space.
2. 7:42 — The ICU is on the left side, towards the nose. It has two connectors — the main connector and the starter connector.
3. 7:54 — Disconnect the main connector — lift the pin up, then unplug it.
4. 8:02 — Disconnect the starter connector — push the connector case in with a finger or screwdriver on the plastic insert, then unplug it.
5. 8:15 — Unscrew the two screws on the bottom of the iron holder and lift the ICU out. Full detail: iCU removal & installation.

Packing for a flight — 8:29

• 8:32 — Use the JETSURF travel bag, or wrap the board in foam / bubble wrap.
• 8:47 — Tell your airline you're flying with a surfboard, about two days before. It's standard oversized luggage — usually 30–200 EUR. At the airport, check in, get a tag, and take it to the oversized-luggage desk.

A flooded engine — 9:14

1. 9:20 — Unclip the red cover and unplug the spark plug boots.
2. 9:37 — Remove the spark plug. If it's wet, dry it with a towel or tissue.
3. 9:47 — Tilt the board onto the spark-plug side and turn the jet pump by hand to push water out — water coming out confirms the engine was flooded.
4. 10:02 — Insert the shutoff key to activate the board, then hold the magnet on the signalization — the engine turns automatically and clears the rest of the water. Reassemble and start. Full detail: Draining a flooded engine.

Written up by riders from the manufacturer walkthrough above and our own time with these boards — not official JETSURF documentation. Procedures, torque figures and service intervals vary by model and year: check your owner's manual, and if a job is beyond you, book it with a service centre. Work on your board at your own risk.