Exploration

The Last Caretaker Jet Ski: Why the CS-17 Courier Skimmer Won't Move, How to Unlock It and What It Costs

A jet ski that won't move is missing its engine: craft a Petrol Engine Cylinder from 1 Storage Cylinder and 1 Alloy Frame, fit it to the back of the CS-17 Courier Skimmer and fill the skimmer with petrol. Both unlock at skill Tier 9. The skimmer itself costs 4 Alloy Frames, 1 Battery Cell, 2 Connector Ports, 1 Storage Cylinder, 1 Cooling Radiator and 1 Advanced Alloy Mesh.

Last Updated: October 26, 2026

Jet Ski Not Working? Pick What It Does

Choose the problem to see the fix.

It just floats: engine noise, no movement

The skimmer does not move on petrol alone. Without a Petrol Engine Cylinder on its back it just floats, and you can turn the handlebars without going anywhere.
The empty slot at the back is where the engine cylinder goes, though it is easy to take for an exhaust. Until it is filled, the throttle makes a sound but the skimmer stays where it is.

Jet Ski Build List

Choose how many jet skis to build. The list adds up the parts, crafts and electricity, with the Petrol Engine Cylinder each one needs to move.

Jet skis to build (1 to 20)Include a Petrol Engine Cylinder for each jet ski

Parts needed for the jet skis entered above
Part	Amount
Alloy Frame	5
Battery Cell	1
Connector Ports	2
Storage Cylinder	2
Cooling Radiator	1
Advanced Alloy Mesh	1

Crafts: 2
Electricity to craft: 10
Skill tier needed: Tier 9

Each craft needs 5 electricity (the wiki lists 5 Wh). Recipes match the wiki Crafting table and the game 0.8.5 item data. The parts themselves are crafted items; this list does not break them down further.

Why Your Jet Ski Won't Move

The skimmer does not move on petrol alone. Without a Petrol Engine Cylinder on its back it just floats, and you can turn the handlebars without going anywhere.

The empty slot at the back is where the engine cylinder goes, though it is easy to take for an exhaust. Until it is filled, the throttle makes a sound but the skimmer stays where it is.

Craft a Petrol Engine Cylinder at the Fabricator: 1 Storage Cylinder and 1 Alloy Frame. It unlocks at skill Tier 9.
Fit the cylinder to the back of the jet ski.
Fill the jet ski with petrol, then get on and ride.

Tips on fitting the cylinder that are not confirmed yet are in the box below.

How to Unlock and Build the Jet Ski

You build the jet ski yourself. The CS-17 Courier Skimmer and its Petrol Engine Cylinder both unlock at skill Tier 9; plan the points in the Skill Planner.

The unlock is also linked to The Isolation, the quest that starts by climbing Unlisted Tower at about 113, -21 on the map, east-northeast of Lazarus Complex.

CS-17 Courier Skimmer

Unlocks at skill Tier 9 · 5 electricity to craft

4 Alloy Frame
1 Battery Cell
2 Connector Ports
1 Storage Cylinder
1 Cooling Radiator
1 Advanced Alloy Mesh

Petrol Engine Cylinder

Unlocks at skill Tier 9 · 5 electricity to craft

1 Storage Cylinder
1 Alloy Frame

Fuel: Petrol

The jet ski runs on petrol, like the Salvage Gyro. Fuel only helps once the cylinder is fitted.

Make petrol from oil in the fuel and gases guide, and count the barrels you need with the Fuel & Storage Calculator.

Towing the Jet Ski With Your Boat

The mooring cable comes out of the skimmer’s nose. Take it from there and attach it to the back of your boat, which has two mooring points, to tow the skimmer.

A skimmer on tow lowers your boat's top speed.

A towed skimmer can break free, often in rough weather, and some were never found again. Update 02 fixed mooring cables snapping too easily, but losses were still reported in May and August 2026.

To avoid losing it, dismantle the skimmer when you are done and build it again when you need it.

Flipping, Handling and Ice

It catches air easily, even on calm water, and can flip over a wave at speed. Riding slower helps only a little, so take waves at low throttle.

It also runs on the ice in the frozen north, and fast: well over 100 km/h.

For the frozen north itself, see the North Bastion guide.

Update 6 and Earlier Changes

Update 6 came out on October 19, 2026. Its notes fix the JetSki’s sound and smoke, and the Rhino Dismantler can no longer take apart the JetSki’s containers.

Channel37 added the CS-17 Courier Skimmer, which its notes also call the JetSki, in Update 02 on February 11, 2026: a fast way to cross the water, with petrol cylinder support and a mooring cable for towing.

Before the release, in its October 6 preview, Channel37 said the Jet Skimmer’s controls were reworked and it is now much more stable.

The Jet Skimmer also got more weight, which changes how it handles on the waves.

Update 5.5 earlier improved the jet ski's engine and movement sounds.

See everything Update 6 adds on the update tracker. For flying instead of riding, read the Salvage Gyro guide.

Not confirmed yet

The wiki lists a 400 L petrol tank and two DuraPack storage boxes holding up to 50 kg each.
The skimmer may weigh 400 kg.
Build time is not settled: the wiki says 18 seconds, but 30 seconds has also been recorded.
The wiki says the skimmer can only be built on the water surface.
The cylinder slot is not marked; dropping the cylinder from your inventory at the back makes it lock into place.
In February 2026 there was no key for the headlights; one workaround was to switch on your own flashlight.
The skimmer does not seem to show on the map like the boat, so a lost skimmer cannot be found there.
Avoid saving while the skimmer is moored: objects on the boat have been knocked out of place on reload.
Left on its own without a mooring for about five minutes, it may sink.
Whether Update 6 fixed the handling is not settled: the day after the release it was still called hard to control.
To fill the Omega Nursery bays, one trick is to shoot a shark from the jet ski so it chases you into the bay. Omega Nursery guide

Jet Ski FAQ

Why won't my jet ski move in The Last Caretaker?

It needs a Petrol Engine Cylinder fitted to its back. Without one the CS-17 Courier Skimmer just floats, even with petrol in it. Craft the cylinder at the Fabricator from 1 Storage Cylinder and 1 Alloy Frame (skill Tier 9), put it on the back, then fill the skimmer with petrol.

Why does my jet ski flip over?

It catches air easily, even on calm water, and can flip over a wave at speed. Take waves at low throttle; riding slower helps only a little.

How do you unlock the jet ski?

The CS-17 Courier Skimmer unlocks at skill Tier 9, the same tier as the Petrol Engine Cylinder it needs. It is also linked to The Isolation, the quest that starts by climbing Unlisted Tower east-northeast of Lazarus Complex.

What do you need to build the jet ski?

4 Alloy Frames, 1 Battery Cell, 2 Connector Ports, 1 Storage Cylinder, 1 Cooling Radiator and 1 Advanced Alloy Mesh, plus 5 electricity to craft. Add 1 Storage Cylinder and 1 Alloy Frame for the Petrol Engine Cylinder that makes it move.

What fuel does the jet ski use?

Petrol, the same fuel as the Salvage Gyro. Fit a Petrol Engine Cylinder first: petrol alone does not make it move.

How do you tow the jet ski behind your boat?

Take the mooring cable from the skimmer's nose and attach it to the back of your boat. Towing lowers the boat's top speed, and towed skimmers can break free in rough weather, so it is safer to dismantle the skimmer when you are done with it.

What is the jet ski called in the game?

Its in-game name is the CS-17 Courier Skimmer. Channel37 also calls it the JetSki in the Update 02 notes and the Jet Skimmer in its Update 6 preview.

What did Update 6 change for the jet ski?

Update 6 came out on October 19, 2026: its notes fix the JetSki’s sound and smoke, and the Rhino Dismantler can no longer take apart the JetSki’s containers. Before the release, Channel37 also said the Jet Skimmer’s controls were reworked to be much more stable and that it now has more weight.

Can the jet ski drive on ice?

Yes. It runs on the ice in the frozen north as well as on water, and fast: well over 100 km/h.

Official sources and wiki