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Course Outline

Wakeboarder towed behind a boat

Vessel operators towing a person(s) on water skis, aquaplanes, surfboards, inner tubes, or any similar devices and the persons being towed must do so safely and responsibly.

  • Water-skiing is restricted to daylight hours only. It is illegal to tow a person(s) on water skis, surfboard, or other similar device from sunset to sunrise.
  • Both the operator of the towing vessel and the skier must operate in a safe manner. A reasonable distance from other vessels, people, and property must be maintained so as not to cause danger to the life or property of others.
  • State law makes the person being towed (the skier) responsible if he or she behaves in a careless, reckless, or negligent manner.
  • Wake Responsibly: Always try to wakeboard and wakesurf toward the center of any given body of water and avoid narrow channels and smaller bays. Slow down activity as boats pass, and stay at least 150 feet from other boaters and shorelines. Respect others and avoid multiple passes and turns in the same area.
  • Vessels towing person(s) on water skis or a similar device must carry and use a bright red or orange skier-down flag that is at least 12 x 12 inches in size and mounted on a handle. The observer must continuously observe the skier(s) and display a skier-down flag whenever a skier is in the water after falling or while preparing to ski.
  • If towing a skier with a PWC, the same water-skiing laws apply. Do not exceed the carrying capacity of the PWC.
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