What time is it acceptable to tow a water-skier or wakeboarder?

Towing a person with a vessel is a high-risk activity.

Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

What kind of boat do you need for water sports?
How to tow a skier
How to tow a wakeboarder
How to tow an inflatable
Rules for towing activities

The popularity of waterskiing, particularly along the River Murray, can lead to overcrowding. When combined with the high boat speeds needed to waterski, there is a higher level of risk for all river users in that location.

To minimise risk a number of special rules apply to waterskiing. This includes keeping clear of other vessels and non-powered craft like rowing boats, canoes, and to being mindful of the effect of your boat wash.

As a skipper it is important you know the rules and safety information. Knowing and following these rules will help keep everyone safe while having fun.

Towing involves a vessel pulling a person and watersport equipment with a rope (or line) to skim on the surface of the water. Towing activities include:

water skiing
kneeboarding or aquaplaning
parasailing (open parachute)
wakeboarding
riding on an inflatable inner tube, raft or biscuit.

When you are towing a person or you are near someone being towed, take extra care. Follow the rules to keep everyone safe while having fun.

You must hold a boat licence and be at least 16 years of age to skipper a vessel towing someone.
Wear a lifejacket when required
You must never tow at night. Waterskiing is not permitted between sunset and sunrise.
.05 blood alcohol limits apply to skippers, observers and skiers as well as drug blood content limit restrictions.
No more than three people, or one device carrying up to three people, may be towed at one time.

It's strongly recommended that you only tow where you can keep a minimum distance from people in the water, other vessels and structures. For example, in more open and less congested areas.

Always keep a lookout for floating logs, shoals, snags or other unexpected hazards and structures in the area.

When towing on coastal waters and inland rivers, be aware of cold water, fast currents and riverbanks.

In some areas, you must not tow. This may be because of the excessive wash caused by the vessel or nearby hazards. You must follow any signs showing what activities are not allowed.

Every person being towed must wear an approved level 50 or 50S lifejacket.
A skier falling into the water must (unless injured) hold an arm or ski vertically in the air to signal their presence.

Turns on leaving, approaching or in front of a take-off area must be made in an anti-clockwise direction, keeping to the starboard side of the waterway.
Boats leaving a take-off area must keep out of the way of boats arriving at a take-off area. This means that boats entering the take-off area have the right of way.
Ski ropes or skis trailing from a boat must be removed from the water before arriving at a take-off area.
Dropped skis must not be left in the water as they present a hazard to other traffic.
A boat must not travel within 100 metres of, or directly behind, a person who is being towed by another boat.

Both skipper and observer must be at least 16 years of age. A person between 12 and 15 years of age may only act as an observer if they hold a special boat operator's permit and the skipper is at least 18 years of age.
Waterskiing boats must carry an observer in addition to the skipper. The observer must continuously watch the skier and give the operator of the boat any directions necessary to ensure the safety of the skier.
The universally recognised hand signals that observers should know are below:
- Speed up - The thumb or palm up gesture is used to indicate an increase in speed.
- Slow down - The thumb or palm down gesture is used to indicate a decrease in speed.
- Turn - A circling motion with the hand with arm extended above the head indicates a turn and can be followed by pointing in the direction of the turn.
- Back to shore - A pat on the top of the head indicates the desire to return to shore.
- Cut motor - A finger motion across the throat says “stop the vessel immediately!”
- I’m OK - Skier waves a hand or ski to say “I’m not hurt” and indicates their position in the water.
- Stop - Hand raised with fingers outstretched.
- All OK - An ‘O’ made with thumb and index finger indicates that everything is fine.

Towing a skier, wakeboarder or tuber behind your boat isn't as simple as just throwing out the rope and going - you need to be using the correct techniques, depending on the kind of activity the person you're towing is doing.

What do you need to know before you start towing people behind your boat?

What kind of boat do you need for water sports?

To use your boat for water sports, it's going to need a few features. First is a hull shape that creates an appropriate wake. Flatter wakes are better for skiers whereas more aggressive ones are preferred by wakeboarders. Provided the boat has enough power, you can ski or wakeboard behind almost anything, but the experience is definitely enhanced when the wake suits the sport.

Your boat will also need the appropriate attachment points for tieing tow ropes. The best way to attach to these points is with a ski brindle. This is a rope setup that allows the person being towed the most freedom to move over and around the wake.

How to tow a skier

Towing a skier takes some level of finesse. Your spotter (the other person in the boat whose job it is to watch the person) will let you know when the skier's grasping the handle of the rope and ready to go. You want to give enough power for the skier to pop out of the water, but not so much that the boat moves away too fast and they can't hold on. This requires a bit of practice to get right, and relies on your spotter letting you know what's going on behind you.

Once they're up and skiing, continuing to tow them isn't too much trouble - all you need to do is keep a consistent speed and be ready to turn around and restart should they fall off.

How to tow a wakeboarder

Towing a wakeboarder is similar to towing a skier in the sense that you need to careful about how you start. Too much gas and they won't be able to hold on; too little and they'll be stuck under the water trying to get up.

You need to maintain a lower speed with wakeboarders than you would with skiers -going too fast makes it difficult to manoeuvre on the board.

How to tow an inflatable

This is the easiest of the all the things you could tow. Once you've connected the appropriate rope, all you need to do is go. As there's no process for the tuber to get into a certain position - they're just sitting/lying on the inflatable - you can just make your way up to the appropriate speed.

For more on all things boating, including water sports, take a look at some of Hunts Marine's other blog articles today. If you like what you see, sign up for our monthly newsletter using the signup box on the right hand side of the page.

But, these activities which should not be taken lightly and require a knowledge of the towing rules as well as attention to safety by the driver, observer and the person or people being towed.

Boat and skier navigating through a slalom course