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    Boat-Towed Watersports

    Boat-towed watersports include activities that involve being towed by a boat or riding in or on the wake of a boat, such as waterskiing, wake surfing, kneeboarding, and tubing. Participants are required to wear a USCG-approved life jacket. Inflatable life jackets are not acceptable for anyone towed behind a boat. 

    More Boat Towed Information
    Photo Credit: Scott Stover Photography. Young man wearing a life jacket and wake surfing while being towed by a boat. Photo Credit: Scott Stover Photography

    Reminders for Boat-towed Watersports

    • Wear your life jacket: All participants must wear a USCG-approved life jacket. Inflatable ones are not allowed for these types of active watersports.
    • Bring a spotter:  A competent observer must be on board to watch and assist the person being towed. A minimum of three people are needed: the operator, observer and skiier. 
    • Turn the engine off:  To prevent propeller-related accidents, turn off your engine before picking up boat-towed watersports participants from the water.
    • Be aware of the time:  Boat-towed watersports are prohibited between sunset and sunrise.
    • Know your boat capacity:  Boat-towed watersport participants are also considered passengers and count in the boat’s total capacity. Maintain a safe carrying capacity. It's the law. 
    • Do not allow teak surfing:  It is illegal to tow anyone sitting, riding, or hanging from a swim platform (teak surfing) or swim ladder while the boat is in motion.
    • Follow tow rope rules:  Tow ropes must be longer than 20 feet and no more than 80 feet (except wake surfing, kite surfing and parasailing).
    • Obey the wake surfing zone:  Operate at slow, no-wake speed within 200 feet of shorelines dock and people in the water

    Wake Surfing Requirements

    • Boats engaged in the activity of wake surfing are limited to slow, no-wake speed when within 200 feet of the shoreline, docks, launch ramps, swimmers, downed skiers, or other boat-towed watersports participants, persons wading in the water, anchored, moored, or drifting boats, and other marked areas. 
    • Motorboats propelled by an outboard motor, inboard/outboard motor or water jet are prohibited from towing a person in or on the wake of the boat.
    Read More in the Boating Handbook