Safety information
17
EJU30957
Wakeboarding and water-
skiing
You can use the watercraft for wakeboarding
or water-skiing if it has the seating capacity to
carry the operator, a rearward-facing spotter,
and the wakeboarder or water-skier when he
or she is not being pulled.
The watercraft must also have a cleat de-
signed to pull a ski rope; do not attach the
rope to any other location.
It is the watercraft operator’s responsibility to
be alert to the safety of the wakeboarder or
water-skier and others. Know and follow all
local regulations in effect for the waters in
which you will be operating.
The operator should be comfortable carrying
passengers before attempting to pull a wake-
boarder or water-skier.
The following are some important consider-
ations for minimizing risks while pulling a
wakeboarder or water-skier.
The wakeboarder or water-skier should
wear an approved PFD, preferably a bright-
ly colored one so boat operators can see
the person being pulled.
The wakeboarder or water-skier should
wear protective clothing. Severe internal in-
juries can occur if water is forced into body
cavities as a result of falling into the water.
Normal swimwear does not adequately
protect against forceful water entry into the
rectum or vagina. The person being pulled
should wear a wetsuit bottom or clothing
that provides equivalent protection.
A second person should be on board as a
spotter to watch the wakeboarder or wa-
ter-skier; in many places it is required by
law. Let the person being pulled direct the
operator’s control of speed and direction
with hand signals.
The spotter should sit astride the rear of the
seat and hold onto the handgrip with both
feet firmly on the floor of the footwell for
proper balance while facing to the rear to
watch the wakeboarder’s or water-skier’s
hand signals and condition.
Your control while pulling a wakeboarder or
water-skier is affected by the wakeboard-
1
Cleat
1
1
Handgrip
1
Handgrip
1
UF4G72E0.book Page 17 Tuesday, August 1, 2017 11:30 AM
