Which of the following actions is considered safe practice when operating a personal watercraft (PWC)?

Introduction / Context:
Safety on the water is a vital topic for any question related to personal watercraft (PWC), such as jet skis. Competitive exams sometimes include general safety awareness questions to check practical reasoning. This question asks which one of the listed actions is safe when operating a PWC. Understanding basic boating safety rules and common sense precautions allows the candidate to evaluate each option logically, even without memorising a specific regulation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A PWC is a small, fast craft such as a jet ski.
• Option A describes towing a skier behind a PWC rated for 3 people with two persons on board.
• Option B describes shutting off the engine before cleaning debris from the pump intake.
• Option C describes seating a child too small to hold on in front of the operator.
• Option D, All of the above, assumes that every listed action is safe.

Concept / Approach:
Boating and PWC safety guidelines prioritise preventing injuries from the propulsive jet, avoiding falls, and ensuring that all riders can hold on securely and wear life jackets. Any action that increases risk of contact with moving parts or that compromises passenger stability is unsafe. Turning off the engine before removing debris from the intake is a basic safety step because it ensures that no moving parts are active while hands are near the jet or intake area. Using these safety principles, we can assess each option.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Evaluate Option B first. Shutting off the engine before cleaning debris from the pump intake removes the risk of the jet suddenly starting or parts moving while someone is near the intake, which is clearly a safe procedure. Step 2: Consider Option C. Seating a child who is too small to hold on in front of the operator is clearly dangerous. The child can lose balance, fall overboard, or interfere with safe control of the PWC. Therefore, Option C is not safe. Step 3: Examine Option A. Towing a skier behind a PWC rated for 3 people with two persons on board can be legal in some jurisdictions if all safety rules are followed, but it requires proper lookout and equipment. The question, however, focuses on basic safety rather than detailed legal conditions. Step 4: Given the broad framing of the question, the one obviously safe action, independent of local legal rules and extra conditions, is switching off the engine before clearing debris. Step 5: Reject All of the above, because at least one action described (seating a very small child in front) is clearly unsafe. Therefore the best and clearly safe answer is Option B.

Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative check is to think from a common sense perspective. Any scenario where someone is handling parts of a machine with moving components should start by turning off the engine or power. This matches Option B exactly. Meanwhile, placing a small child where there is no secure seat or grip is universally discouraged in safety guidelines, so Option C cannot be safe, which automatically rules out All of the above.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Towing a skier behind a PWC rated for 3 people with two persons on board: While this may be allowed under certain laws, it demands extra precautions, including a spotter and proper tow equipment. The question asks for a clearly safe behaviour, and this scenario is more complex than a simple yes or no safety action.
Seating a child too small to hold on in front of the operator: This is unsafe because the child is unprotected, can block the operator's view or controls, and may fall, leading to serious injury.
All of the above: Since at least one option (and arguably more) is not unambiguously safe, this combined option is incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates are tempted to choose All of the above when they see a mix of realistic looking scenarios without analysing each one carefully. Others may think that because the question seems to come from a boating manual, all listed behaviours are officially approved. A better strategy is to apply simple safety logic: if an action obviously increases risk to passengers or the operator, it is not the safest choice.

Final Answer:
The one action that is clearly and universally safe is to shut off the engine before cleaning debris from the pump intake, so Option B is correct.