Requirements to Tow a Person With a Boat

Operators towing a person(s) on water skis or a similar device have specific equipment and observer requirements.

• Children 12 years old and younger being towed must wear a USCG–approved life jacket that is appropriately sized for the wearer and appropriate for the activity.
• Boats towing a person(s) on water skis or a similar device must carry on board a red or orange skier-down flag and display it whenever the skier is in the water.
• Every boat towing a person on water skis or a similar device must have a person, in addition to the operator, continuously observing the towed person.
• If the towing boat is a PWC, the PWC must be rated for at least three people—the operator, the observer, and the retrieved skier.