Patent ID: 7007621

Claim:
A braking system for a personal watercraft, which watercraft includes a hull having a transom located proximate the stern thereof and a jet nozzle that directs propulsive water flow rearwardly of the transom to drive the watercraft forwardly, the nozzle being directionally adjustable by operator controls independently of said braking system for steering the watercraft; said braking system comprising: at least one brake plate for mounting to the transom; said brake plate being alternatable between a nonbraking condition wherein said plate is retracted against the transom and held completely above a lower edge of the transom, and a braking condition wherein said brake plate extends beyond the lower edge of said transom; and a hand-controlled actuator assembly for selectively operating said brake plate to alternate said brake plate between said nonbraking and braking conditions, said brake plate being mountable to the transom such that the nozzle is directionally adjustable relative to the transom and independently of the operation of said brake plate.