Laws and Safety Equipment

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WATER SKIING

Always follow safe towing procedures. The term skiing or towing implies you are pulling a person or persons behind your boat. This includes pulling skiers, wakeboarders, tubers, kiters, or any other evolution where a person is in the water and being pulled by a boat. The person being pulled should always wear a properly fitted PFD.

Never allow teak-surfing as the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning and propeller injury are significant.

Safe towing practices include: having a responsible, dedicated observer who is in a position to observe the progress of the skier. Using a wide-angle mirror to keep an eye on the skier and raising a skier flag anytime a skier is in the water.

Never tow someone close to shorelines, boathouses, boatramps, or under bridges. Maintain a clear skiing corridor, giving ample room to maneuver both the boat and the skier in a safe manner.

Specific Virginia Skiing laws

• Water skiing, tubing, wakeboarding, etc. is permitted 1/2 hour before sunrise up to 1/2 hour after sunset.
• Those being pulled by a boat (skiing, tubing, wakeboarding, etc.) must wear an approved life jacket unless there is a person in the boat, in addition to the operator, who is in a position to observe the progress of the skier.