OUT ON THE WATER THIS SUMMER
Water skiing should always be done in an anticlockwise pattern, unless local signs or site management says otherwise. Always check before skiing.
You must carry an observer (who is 13 years old or over) on board the boat or PWC that is towing someone else. The observer should be competent to promptly, clearly and consistently communicate to the operator if there is a danger, or potential for danger, to the skier; or the skier signals the observer; or the skier has a mishap.
The following factors should be considered in assessing competence.
The observer must:
> possess sufficient maturity, concentration and boating safety awareness to perform the tasks, having regard to the prevailing conditions.
Prevailing conditions may include but are not limited to:
> the speed, acceleration and handling characteristics of the boat on which the person is an observer;
> the layout of the waterway including the navigable width of the waters and locations of aids to navigation and hazards;
> the nature and number of other boats and skiers operating in the vicinity; and,
> weather and sea conditions such as tide/current flow, wind speed and direction, and wave or chop height.
The observer must not:
> suffer a hearing, sight or other disability or impairment to an extent which would affect the observer’s ability to perform the required tasks
> be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
To find out moremsq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Water-skiing
Published in print October-December 2021
