Safety information
16
Water-skiing
You can use the boat to tow a water-skier, us-
ing the ski tow hook provided.
It is the boat operator’s responsibility to be
alert to the safety of the water-skier and oth-
ers. Know and follow all state and local water-
skiing regulations in effect for the waters in
which you will be operating.
The following are some important consider-
ations for minimizing risks while water-skiing.
● The skier should wear an approved PFD,
preferably a brightly colored one so boat
operators can see the skier.
● The skier should wear protective clothing.
Severe internal injuries can occur if water is
forced into body cavities as a result of falling
into the water or while reboarding. Normal
swimwear does not adequately protect
against forceful water entry into the rectum
or vagina. The skier should wear a wetsuit
bottom or clothing that provides equivalent
protection. Such clothing includes thick,
tightly woven, sturdy, and snug-fitting ap-
parel such as denim, but does not include
spandex or similar fabrics, like those used
in bicycle shorts.
● A second person should be on board as a
spotter to watch the skier; in most states, it
is required by law. Let the skier direct the
operator’s control of speed and direction
with hand signals. Be sure the seat is
locked in place (see page 48) before getting
underway.
● When preparing to pull a skier, operate the
boat at the slowest possible speed until the
boat is well away from the skier and slack in
the tow-rope is taken up. Make sure that the
rope is not looped around anything.
After checking that the skier is ready and
that there is no traffic or other obstacles, ap-
ply enough throttle to raise the skier.
● Make smooth, wide turns. The boat is capa-
ble of very sharp turns, which could exceed
the abilities of the skier. Keep the skier at
least 50 m (164 ft), about twice the distance
of a standard tow-rope, away from any po-
tential hazard.
● Be alert to the hazard of the tow-rope han-
dle snapping back at the boat when the ski-
er falls or is unable to get up on the skis.
See pages 6 and 60 for wakeboard tower use.
SportsBoat.book Page 16 Monday, October 31, 2011 4:12 PM
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