Ready, Set, Tow … WAIT! A Few Things First

Years ago, on a hot, humid summer day in Maryland, Ted Sensenbrenner and his wife took the PWC out for a spin, towing their young twin girls on a tube behind it. The ­family was having a blast … until they received an unexpected contact from a Department of Natural Resources officer. While towing from the PWC was fine, the problem was that it couldn’t accommodate all four passengers. Even though the girls were on the tube and Sensenbrenner’s wife was correctly spotting, Maryland law requires that everyone must be able to ride on the tow vessel, if necessary.

Thankfully Sensenbrenner, who’s now our BoatU.S. Foundation director of boating safety, got off with only a warning – and a story to recount. It’s likely that you aren’t up on all the rules for the waterways you play in, either. That’s not surprising: With so many different (and sometimes conflicting) federal, state, park authority, and even private waterway policies, it’s hard to keep track, especially if you enjoy a variety of waterways in different states.

Unfortunately, there isn’t really one central location for all the rules for boating and water sports, so you may need to do some digging. NASBLA, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, has useful interactive maps for state laws on its website (go to nasbla.org and select Advocacy>State Boating Laws). But you might need to cross-reference several different maps depending on whether you’re driving a boat or a PWC. However, the website also contains a caveat that laws and regulations are subject to change without notice and may not be up to date. So while it’s a good starting point, be sure to check all federal, state, and local codes at least at the beginning of every season. Here are some of the main areas to review.

1. Life Jackets

While the U.S. Coast Guard recommends that anyone taking part in water skiing or other towed activities or operating a personal watercraft wear an approved and well-fitted life jacket, many states and national wildlife refuges require life-jacket wear for these activities. Check the label to ensure that life jacket is specified for water sports use (or riding PWCs). Inflatables generally don’t comply. “Competition vests” shouldn’t be worn for recreational water activities and don’t meet Coast Guard requirements. Make sure you have enough right-size life jackets aboard for every passenger, and that may extend to PWCs as well. If you’re not sure about life jacket rules, wear one and you’ll always be on the right side of the law.

2. Spotters

Some states require someone whose sole job it is to watch the person(s) at the end of the tow rope (or wake). Other states allow the boat operator to use a rear view mirror in lieu of a spotter. And sometimes a mirror is allowed on a powerboat but not on a PWC. If a mirror is allowed, check if there’s a specified size or angle of view. For example, Michigan specifies the angle of view, while Pennsylvania specifies the minimum size of the mirror. Many states also specify the minimum age of the spotter, which could be 12 in one state but 16 in another. Whether the law requires one or not, we’re Team Spotter all the way. This leaves the boat operator free to focus on driving, and it also means you have another person who can help with lines or to get someone back on board in case of emergency.

3. Locations

Some watersports can be quite divisive among boaters, so, before you pen a “get-off-my-lawn!” letter to the editor, let’s review BoatU.S.’ position: We promote access for all boaters and believe that no legal types of boats or activities should be discriminated against. That said, we also believe boaters should enjoy their activities in a safe manner and have respect for others’ property and the environment.

Many waterways now have laws about how far you need to stay from shore and/or structures like docks, bulkheads, buoys; minimum water depth; no-wake zones; and areas that are off limits to towsports. If there’s no legal mandate and space allows, aim to stay at least 200 feet from the shoreline, docks, or other structures, with 500 feet being ideal for wakesurf boats (according to a University of Minnesota study published in 2022). While it may not be a law, it’s good etiquette to minimize the number of passes you make, especially while wake surfing. While you might love playing in the big waves, the guy whose boat is tied to his dock isn’t going to be able to enjoy the water if it’s swamped. Not to mention you’re always responsible for your own wake. Where there aren’t rules, “do unto others” is a solid guideline.

4. Directions & Patterns

For safety, individual waterways or townships may specify which direction to travel while enjoying watersports. Counterclockwise seems to be most common; however, each waterway may be different. For example, several Colorado lakes and reservoirs specify clockwise while others in the state are counterclockwise. In national wildlife refuge waters that allow water skiing, the Code of Federal Regulations requires the tow boat circle counterclockwise. If there’s no specific regulation, watch what others are doing and follow suit. In some places, certain patterns like figure eights are prohibited. The Water Sports Industry Association recommends ideal patterns for different sports, which you can find in its “WSIA Towed Water Sports Handbook” (wsia.net). Type “handbook” in the website’s search function to access.

5. Time Of Day

About half our states have laws designating when you can take part in watersports; however, there’s little consistency. Some specify sunrise to sunset. Others are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after. Others are one hour after sunrise to one hour before – and many combinations thereof. Also, park laws may differ. No matter what the law says, however, make sure the person being towed is easily visible at any time of day.

6. Skier-Down Flags

As of this writing, 15 states require the use of a “skier down” flag during towsports. This 12-inch-square bright red or orange flag is displayed on a vessel to warn other boaters there’s a skier/tuber/boarder in the water and to slow down and proceed with caution. Some states, like New Jersey, have a minimum height the flag must be flown.

7. Speed Limits

This is another area where laws vary greatly state to state and waterway to waterway. Guidelines can be “squishy.” There are recommended speeds for different activities: 20–24 mph for water skiing and 8–20 mph for tubing, for example. Some states, like Texas, don’t have a speed limit for water sports, but its rules state that boats must be operated at a “reasonable and prudent speed,” considering traffic, weather, and other hazards. Even if there’s no set speed limit, boats towing skiers may have other laws that must be followed, like those in California where the maximum speed for boats is 5 mph within 100 feet of a swimmer and within 200 feet of a bathing beach frequented by swimmers, or a swimming float, diving platform, or passenger landing in use. To further confuse, in Los Angeles County parks, there’s a limit of 35 mph for towing skiers.

8. Boat Capacity

While you and your significant other might fit perfectly on your little classic runabout, once you add a couple grandkids and their parents, coolers full of food and drinks, and all their stuff, it’s easy to overload a boat. Be sure the boat’s capacity rating, if there is one, is at least equal to the number of people operating, observing, and being towed. The same goes for a PWC; if you’re towing someone in a jurisdiction that requires an operator and a spotter, the vessel must be rated for three people.

9. Specific Activities

While tow and water sports are fun, not all waterways welcome all activities. Some lakes and reservoirs are just too small to do some sports safely at all. Some waterways have designated areas where tow sports are allowed; others have prohibited areas. Some places allow certain activities such as water skiing or pulling a tube but may not allow wake surfing. Some state and local waters prohibit PWCs. Be sure you know what’s allowed where.

10. Tow Rope Length

WSIA offers guidelines on different tow rope lengths for different activities: typically 10 to 15 feet for wakesurfing up to 100 feet for barefoot water skiing. Most states don’t specify minimums or maximums. However, Minnesota, for example, mandates a tow rope no longer than 150 feet unless you obtain a permit from the local sheriff. And Pewaukee Lake in Wisconsin has a 75-foot maximum on tow ropes. California doesn’t specify any tow rope maximums, but areas like Los Angeles County parks have a max of 85 feet.

11. Age & Education

While we didn’t come across any laws regarding age ranges for those participating at the end of the rope in recreational tow sports, most states have a minimum age for the person operating a vessel or PWC (as well as for spotters, as mentioned above). Children as young as 12 are allowed to operate a boat in some places – though horsepower maximums may apply. Some states require anyone under 13 to have adult supervision, while Delaware and Florida have no driver age restrictions at all! PWC operation is also often restricted by age (usually between 12 and 16), but there are exceptions – anyone of any age can drive a PWC in Illinois and Idaho without supervision or taking a boater safety course. Individual states have differing boating education requirements as well.

12. Noise Levels

We know for some boaters it’s not a day out on the water without your favorite Spotify playlist and a thumping subwoofer, but some jurisdictions have noise restrictions. Most of these laws have to do with the noise coming from the boat’s engine; however, some state or local noise regulations could consider excessively loud amplified music a disturbance of the peace and be handled accordingly. Remember that sound carries very well across water, and not everyone is a fan of your explicit rap playlist. Enjoy whatever music floats your boat, but keep it at a reasonable level where it’s not interfering with someone else’s enjoyment of Neil Diamond’s greatest hits.

While this checklist touches on the more common regulations around water sports, it’s not exhaustive. Other laws we’ve found in our research include things like using hand signals, how close one can ski to fixed objects, boarding ladder availability, intoxication, platform surfing, wake jumping, number of people who can be towed at once, specified mounting requirements for tow ropes, and more.

When all you want to do is get out there and ride the waves behind a boat for an afternoon, all these rules might sound like a buzzkill. But your state’s regs are there for the safety of all aboard, and as skipper it’s up to you to find out what they are. Bottom line? If you don’t know, check before you go.