Not every jet ski has mirrors, and the few that have them may not even be adjustable.
Mirrors seem to be an afterthought when it comes to jet skis, so it makes many jet ski owners wonder if they even need them or not?
What’s even the point of the mirrors, and if your jet ski doesn’t have them, should you add them?
Do You Have To Have Mirrors On A Jet Ski?
Mirrors are required for jet skis if you intend to tow anyone on a tube, wakeboard or skis. Some states and countries only require mirrors on your jet ski if you don’t have a spotter, while others require both.
If you never intend to tow someone behind your jet ski or do any tow-sports, mirrors are not legally required.
To see if your state requires mirrors and/or spotter, check out this US Coast Guard Chart here.
What Is A Spotter?
A spotter is another person that rides backwards on the jet ski to watch the person being towed.
If your jet ski does not have mirrors or your state requires mirrors and a spotter, you will need someone to ride backwards to watch the person(s) being towed.
The job of the spotter is to alert the driver if the person being towed falls off and help locate them.
If you like doing tow sports, then Sea-Doo has ski-pylon and accessories that make tow-sports fun and easy. Sea-Doo even has two jet skis made for towing called the WAKE and WAKE Pro.
Are Jet Ski Mirrors Adjustable?
Not every jet ski has adjustable mirrors, and the few that have them are manually adjustable.
It’s becoming more common for jet skis to not have adjustable mirrors, even on the higher-end luxury models. The jet ski manufacturers are now leaning more towards fixed wide-angle mirrors, as it’s more useful than adjustable mirrors.
Jet Ski Mirrors And Seating Capacity
Your jet ski mirrors and your jet ski seating capacity can affect each other.
If you have a 3-seater jet ski, you can only tow 2 people if your jet ski has mirrors and the state you ride in allows it. If you have a 2-seater jet ski and mirrors, you can only tow 1 person if your state allows it.
If your state requires mirrors and a spotter, then a 3-seater jet ski can only tow 1 person and a 2-seater cannot be used.
The total people on the jet ski and the total people being towed can’t exceed the seating capacity of your jet ski. And depending on the state will determine whether a spotter is required or not, even if you have mirrors. In some states, having mirrors count as a spotter, so be sure to know your state’s laws on spotters.
This rule is in place in case someone gets hurt, so there is plenty of room for everyone to get back to safety. Water patrol is very strict about this one and will give tickets if you don’t follow the local laws.
Other countries and states are not as strict about this seating capacity and towing rule, but it is a good suggestion to follow. Just imagine your tube bust because you hit a hidden sharp tree branch in the water and someone gets hurt, if you have too many people, there won’t be enough room on the jet ski and the jet ski will want to capsize making things worse for everyone.
Can You Add Mirrors To Your Jet Ski?
If you don’t have mirrors on your jet ski, you can always add them, with most offering mirror kits* you can install.
One example is the Sea-Doo Spark, it does not come with mirrors, but you can add mirrors.
Before Sea-Doo came out with the mirror kit for the Spark, people were adding bike mirrors. While it works, it’s not ideal and looks funny. Bike mirrors are usually smaller than the mirrors put on jet skis and not only look funny but don’t work as well.
How Much Are Jet Ski Mirrors?
You can get mirrors for Sea-Doo Sparks for about $100 to $200.
Avoid the bike mirrors you get for under $50 as they’re too small.
What Jet Skis Don’t Have Mirrors?
It’s more common for low-end jet skis to not have mirrors.
The Sea-Doo Spark and Yamaha EX but also rental models will often not come with mirrors.
Besides these few models, most other jet skis will come with some type of mirror. Whether it’s adjustable is up in the air, as many jet ski manufacturers are moving away from adjustable to fixed wide-angle.
Skier Down Flag For Jet Ski Tow Sports
Not only do some states require mirrors and a spotter, but a Skier Down Flag must be used when the person being towed falls off.
You can get Skier Down Flags here*.
It’s important you understand your local laws when towing someone.
If your state doesn’t require a Skier Down Flag, it’s still a good idea to use one. Even if someone doesn’t know what it means, it gets their attention, and they slow down.