The increasing popularity of water jet -- propelled vessels both in the civilian and military sectors of the maritime industry has outpaced the commonly available and approachable books on these ships. Many mariners who operate these styles of vessels have received training in their operation from vessel-specific instruction. This has left a knowledge gap between the various different vessel types in what works and what does not. Inside are descriptions and pictures of the various parts of water jet propulsion and control systems. Also included are explanations and suggestions on how to make full use of the remarkable manoeuvring potential that water jet propulsion offers, followed by an explanation of how to efficiently and safely make use of the higher speeds that water jet vessels can obtain. Last, there is an extensive glossary of terms typically used in the community of high-speed water jets.