What often causes difficulty in steering a jet ski?

Difficulty in steering a jet ski is predominantly caused by laying off the throttle because a jet ski's steering relies heavily on water propulsion. When a rider reduces throttle, the jet nozzle's water flow decreases, which in turn diminishes the rider's ability to steer effectively. Jet skis operate on the principle that acceleration helps steer; the faster the jet ski is traveling, the more control a rider has over its direction. Therefore, releasing the throttle not only reduces speed but also reduces the steering effectiveness, making it challenging to navigate, especially in situations requiring sharp turns or quick adjustments.

While turning sharply can create handling issues due to the inherent physics of the craft, and braking too hard can lead to loss of control in some scenarios, these situations are not as critical to steering as the role of throttle. Likewise, uneven weight distribution can influence stability and handling but does not directly impact steering dynamics in the same fundamental way that throttle control does.