N.J. Admin. Code § 13:82-3.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 13:82-3.1 - Waterskiing and wake surfing

(a) "Waterskiing" or "skiing" means a person being towed by a power vessel by means of a tow rope, tow line, or training boom. "Wake surfing" means a person being temporarily towed by a power vessel by means of a tow rope or tow line and releasing the tow line after using the vessel's wake as means of forward propulsion. For the purposes of this section, a wake surfer is considered being towed by the tow vessel after releasing the tow line or tow rope.

(b) All power vessels (including vessel, towline, and skier) conducting waterskiing operations, including wake surfing, shall, while underway, keep at least 200 feet distant from any wharf, marina, dock, pier, bridge structure, abutment, persons in the water, other vessels, any shore, approved aid to navigation, or mooring, except specifically provided otherwise in this chapter.

(c) All power vessels conducting waterskiing operations shall have a crew of at least two persons, one of whom shall be a competent observer, and shall have adequate space on the vessel for the waterskiing participant.

(d) Waterskiing tow lines shall be not less than 35 feet nor more than 85 feet in length, except as specifically provided otherwise in this chapter. Wake surfing tow lines shall be not less than eight feet in length.

(e) Waterskiing and wake surfing are permitted only between sunrise and sunset, except as specifically provided otherwise in this chapter.

(f) Waterskiers and wake surfers shall wear a United States Coast Guard approved wearable personal flotation device, except that a barefoot wetsuit may be worn during sanctioned competitions or shows and while training for such events, as long as there is a United States Coast Guard approved wearable personal flotation device on board the vessel for each skier.

(g) All ski boats shall display a signal pennant, which shall be orange in color and triangular in shape and not less than 12 inches on any dimension.

1. Said pennant shall be displayed at least four feet above the highest structure on the boat during each of the following activities:

i. While pulling or retrieving a skier or wake surfer;

ii. While a skier or wake surfer is in the water; or

iii. While a tow line is in the water.

2. A person shall not display the pennant at any time other than while conducting any of the activities described in this subsection.

(h) The Commission shall, upon application, waive any one or more of the above requirements for events of public entertainment on any wholly-owned private lake, provided that it finds the event to be consistent with the interests of boating safety.

(i) Vessels utilized for the purposes of wake surfing shall be direct drive or v-drive type propulsion vessels, where the propeller does not extend aft of the transom of the tow vessel. Any vessel in which the means of propulsion extends rearward of the transom of the tow vessel, including, but not limited to, outboard, inboard outboard, and jet drive, shall not be utilized for wake surfing.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:82-3.1

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 766(b), effective 4/17/2017

Amended by 55 N.J.R. 2137(a), effective 10/2/2023