Braking system for a personal watercraft

A personal watercraft with independently controlled steering and braking systems, said watercraft comprising:

• a hull having a transom located proximate the stern of said hull;
• a jet nozzle for directing propulsive water flow rearwardly of said transom to drive the watercraft forwardly, said nozzle being directionally adjustable relative to said transom by operator controls for steering the watercraft;
• a pair of brake plates for mounting to said transom on respective sides of said jet nozzle, said brake plates being simultaneously alternatable between a nonbraking condition wherein said plates are retracted against said transom and held completely above a lower edge of said transom and a braking condition wherein said plates extend beyond the lower edge of said transom;
• and
• a hand-controlled actuator assembly for selectively operating said brake plates to alternate between said braking and nonbraking conditions, said brake plates being attached to said transom such that said nozzle is directionally adjustable relative to said transom and independently of the operation of said brake plates.

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 such that the nozzle is directionally adjustable independently thereof;
• 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, said brake plate being mounted in a support track securable to the transom, said track including a base panel having a pair of inwardly turned lips formed along respective sides thereof, said lips defining vertical channels that receive said plate such that said plate flushly and slidably interengages said base panel;
• and
• a hand-controlled actuator assembly for selectively alternating said brake plate between said nonbraking and braking conditions.