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Water skiing behind a motorboat: where is it allowed and who must be on board?
Short answer
Water skiing behind a motorboat is only allowed where local rules permit it,
often in marked zones and in daylight.
Besides the driver, a second competent person should be on board to watch the skier,
and in many countries this is required.
Water skiing, wakeboarding or towing an inflatable behind a motorboat is not allowed everywhere. In the UK, local byelaws and harbour or navigation authorities decide where towing may take place, often in designated zones away from swimmers and moorings. On German inland waterways it is only allowed on stretches marked for it, normally in daylight and good visibility, and many lakes on the continent restrict motorboats altogether. On the Mediterranean coast there are usually fixed corridors and minimum distances from the beach. Before you tow, find out what the authority for that stretch of water allows.
On board the job is split in two. The driver has to look ahead and cannot keep an eye on the skier at the same time, so a second competent person should watch the skier and the rope and call out a fall at once; in Germany and several other countries this observer is a legal requirement, and boating bodies in the UK give the same advice. Keep well clear of swimmers, banks, jetties and other boats, and pick up a fallen skier slowly, with the engine in neutral or stopped. Whether the driver needs a licence depends on the water and the engine.
On the insurance side there are two questions. First, does your boat's third party cover include towing skiers, wakeboarders and inflatables? Many wordings mention it explicitly, some leave it out or limit it. Second, the skier's own liability is often excluded from the boat's cover, so a skier who causes damage needs separate protection. Read both points in your own policy, tow only where it is allowed and always take an observer, because towing against the rules can lead to a fine and to an argument with the insurer.
Worth remembering
Where
only in permitted zones, usually in daylight
Who
a driver and a second person watching the skier
Water skiing takes two pairs of eyes in the boat: one looking ahead, one looking back.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Where can I tow a water skier with my motorboat?
Only where the local rules allow it, often in marked zones and in daylight. In the UK local byelaws and harbour or navigation authorities decide; abroad, ask the local authority.
Do I need an observer on board for water skiing?
In many countries, Germany among them, yes. Even where it is not a legal requirement, boating bodies advise it, because the driver cannot watch the water ahead and the skier at the same time.
Is towing a skier covered by boat liability insurance?
Many wordings include it explicitly, some leave it out or limit it. The skier's own liability is often excluded, so check both points in your policy.
Related
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