Wakesurf Safety: The Right Boat, Carbon Monoxide, Spotters and Distance

Surf only behind:

• Inboard direct-drive or V-drive boats with the propeller under the hull, forward of the transom, and
• Propulsion systems the builder designed and approved for wakesurfing (for example, some forward-facing drive packages). Follow that builder's instructions to the letter.

Never surf behind an outboard or a standard sterndrive. Monster Tower, a tower and watersports accessory maker, puts it plainly: wakeboarding behind those boats can be fine on a long rope, but wakesurfing is not, because the rider has no time to react if the boat slows and can hit the propeller. Tennessee's industry-backed law bans wakesurfing from any boat with a propeller exposed beyond the boarding platform. Prop guards and oversized swim platforms don't change the basic problem.

Find the maximum load on the capacity label or in the owner's manual. MasterCraft points out that the maximum includes added ballast bags and the water in them, gear, options and every person, that the number of people is limited to the number of designated seats, and that weight must be spread evenly. Check your own manual for how factory ballast tanks are counted. Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon, so a full ballast system can use up much of the capacity before anyone steps aboard. Mercury notes that aftermarket ballast bags alone can add up to about 1,000 pounds. Keep everyone seated inside the boat while surfing: no one on the bow, gunwales or swim platform. See the ballast guide for fill and drain routines.

• Test the CO alarm in any cabin or enclosed head compartment.
• Know where your engine exhaust outlets are and keep people away from them.
• Don't run with a full bimini, side curtains or a back cover closed while surfing at low speed: the USCG and MasterCraft warn that fumes curl over the transom and into the boat (the "station wagon effect"), and canvas traps them.
• MasterCraft adds that CO is higher when the engine is cold, and that boats run at high altitude may need different engine tuning: ask your dealer.

Every rider wears a USCG-approved life jacket labeled for water sports or towed activities, snug and fully buckled. BoatUS points out that inflatable life jackets generally don't qualify for towed sports, and that "competition vests" don't meet Coast Guard requirements. Use a wakesurf-specific rope: the WSIA guideline cited by BoatUS is about 10 to 15 feet for wakesurfing, much shorter than a ski or wakeboard rope.

Have one person whose only job is watching the rider and telling the driver what happens. Some states require a spotter and set a minimum spotter age; BoatUS recommends a spotter even where it's optional. Before the first ride, agree on hand signals for faster, slower, stop, turn, "I'm OK" and "done."

Ride in open, deep water away from traffic. The WSIA's Wake Responsibly guidelines say to stay at least 200 feet from shorelines and docks so wakes can fade before they hit land. Big surf waves carry a lot more energy, though: University of Minnesota research found wakesurf boats running their usual surf setup needed 500 feet or more for their waves to shrink to what a typical boat makes at 200 feet. Give swimmers, paddlers, anglers, anchored boats and docks as much room as the lake allows, and don't make pass after pass along the same stretch of shore. The WSIA's Wake Responsibly campaign adds a third point: keep the music at a level that doesn't carry to the shore.

The rider gets in the water and comes back aboard at the swim platform, which is right next to the exhaust and the propeller. Shut the engine off before the rider enters the water from the platform and again when they swim back to it. Neutral is not enough: a bumped throttle can engage the prop, and a running engine keeps putting CO into the air the rider is breathing at water level. The USCG says never to sit, hang on or "teak surf" from the swim platform or back deck while the engine runs.

With the engine running and the rider a safe distance off the stern holding the rope, the driver eases into gear and slowly pulls the rider up. Keep the rope taut and the rider centered on the surf side. Driver: wear the engine cut-off lanyard if your boat has one; the USCG rule covers boats under 26 feet with 3 hp or more.

When the rider tosses the rope, the spotter pulls it into the boat right away so it can't drift toward the propeller or tangle the rider. Riders should throw the rope toward the boat and away from themselves, never wrap it around a hand or arm.

Drive straight and smooth at the speed your boat's surf system is set for (Mercury's tow-sports pros put typical wakesurf speeds at about 9 to 12 mph; your builder's settings come first). Avoid sudden slow-downs while a rider is close behind: a rider who falls forward toward the platform needs every foot of distance. Watch ahead, not just behind; the spotter watches the rider.

Turn back at idle speed, keep the rider in sight (the spotter points at them), and fly the skier-down flag where required. A ballasted surf boat tends to turn toward the lighter side, away from the surf wave, so turn that way. In Mercury's driving tips, pro riders suggest staying at idle through the full 180-degree turn, letting the waves pass, then coming back at 5 mph or less and stopping about 10 feet from the rider. Approach so the rider is on the driver's side where you can see them, shift to neutral well before you reach them, and shut the engine off as they come to the platform. Never back down toward a person in the water.

The USCG says CO symptoms look like seasickness or too much alcohol, and that in high concentrations a few breaths can be fatal. A rider or passenger who gets a headache, feels dizzy, sick or very sleepy should get to fresh air right away. Get medical help unless you're sure it isn't CO.

Daylight only: many states (Tennessee and Georgia among them) ban wakesurfing between sunset and sunrise. Empty the ballast before heading back to the ramp or dock, and drain and dry the ballast system and boat to avoid spreading invasive species (see Clean, Drain, Dry). Ballast tanks and bags never drain completely. The WSIA's free Boat Decontamination Database has diagrams from the boat builders showing where water stays trapped in many tow boat models (ballast, pumps, engine and bilge areas), searchable by brand and model year; look up your boat before you move it to another lake.