The U.S. Coast Guard recently released the 2024 Recreational Boating Statistics Report. It showed the fewest U.S. fatalities in more than 50 years.

Still, the report contains some disturbing underlying statistics. 

Stand-up paddleboarding saw a double-digit increase in fatalities (+164%), jumping from 11 deaths in 2023 to 29 deaths in 2024.

Paddlesports in general remained inordinately high, contributing nearly 30% of all known vessel type fatalities (down from 33% in 2023). Cabin motorboats reported an 80% increase, increasing from 20 deaths in 2023 to 36 deaths in 2024. 

Read Next: How to Choose a Life Vest for Wakeboarding

Alcohol continued to be the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2024, accounting for 92 deaths, or 20% of total fatalities. Deaths occurred predominantly on vessels operated by individuals who had not received boating safety instruction, accounting for roughly 70% of fatalities.  Drowning accounted for three-quarters of deaths, with 87% of victims not wearing life jackets. 

The Watersports Foundation (WSF) began its media outreach campaigns in 2011. Since then, boating fatalities, as compared to the 2024 report, are down 26.6% representing 202 fewer boating deaths.

The post Boating Fatalities Down According to Coast Guard appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

In many places, there are those seeking to limit, or even eliminate the right to wakeboard and wakesurf. While most wake boat owners are responsible and operate safely and courteously, there are a few that act with disregard for other boaters. These people are a big part of this challenge we face.

Please watch this video from the Watersports Industry Association (WSIA). Take its message to heart. Then share it with other boat owners and riders. The future of your sport may depend on it. Acting with the principles of Wake Responsibly in mind is actually a way you can fight for your–and everyone’s–right to ride.

See the full Wake Responsibly video, here.

The post Wake Responsibly in July 2025 and All the Time appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

What are the regulations for operating a wakeboat in the state of Florida?

Everyone born after January 1, 1988, must have a Boating Safety Education ID Card to legally operate a boat of 10 or more horsepower on Florida waters.

So, as of this writing, if you are 37 or younger, you need the card showing that you’ve passed a boating safety course certified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Courses are easy to find on your tablet or computer, such as the free online course from BoatUS (boatus.org). 

If you prefer a classroom course, Americas’s Boating Club (United States Power Squadrons), US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas, several maritime schools and other organizations offer in-person classes. Whether online or in-the-flesh, the courses cover equipment, navigation and safe operation, dealing with emergencies, and water sports.

The online course takes about four to six hours to complete. The classroom courses are usually offered as a one-day affair.

Pass the course, print the temporary certificate and you’re legal on the water. You must carry the card and a photo ID. The safety certificate is reciprocal for every U.S. state and Canada. Similarly, boater education certificates issued by other states are valid in Florida.

Special Circumstances

Every person convicted of a criminal boating violation, noncriminal infraction resulting in a boating accident or two noncriminal infractions within a 12-month period is required to successfully complete mandatory violator education requirements.

The FWC offers a temporary course completion certificate for people who wish to operate a boat in Florida and do not have a Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card. The temporary certificate is valid for up to 90 days from the day an individual completes the course and passes the exam. It is not a permanent replacement for the Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card. Learn how to obtain a temporary course completion certificate.

Read Next: How to Drive a Boat for Wake Sports

Exemptions

• A person licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as a master of a vessel.

• A person operating on a private lake or pond.

• An operator who is accompanied onboard by a person who is least 18 years old and possesses the required Boating Safety Education Identification Card, provided that person is attendant to and responsible for the safe operation of the vessel.

• An operator who is accompanied onboard by a person who is exempt from the educational requirements, provided that person is attendant to and responsible for the safe operation of the vessel.

• A nonresident who has in his or her possession proof that he or she has completed a NASBLA-approved boater safety course or equivalency examination from another state, and has a photo ID.

• A person is operating a vessel within 90 days after the purchase of that vessel and has available for inspection aboard that vessel a bill of sale meeting all the requirements as established in Chapter 328.46(1), Florida Statutes.

• A person operating a vessel within 90 days after completing an approved boating safety course, as required in Chapter 327.395(1), and has a photographic I.D. and a boater education course completion certificate showing proof of having completed the required boating safety education course. The course completion certificate must provide the student’s first and last name, date of birth, and the date the course was successfully completed.  (Effective Oct. 1, 2011.)

The post Do You Need a License to Operate a Wakeboat in Florida? appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Across the country, and, in fact, the world, forces are at work which seek to limit, or even eliminate the right to wakeboard and wakesurf. While most wake boat owners are responsible operators, the few that act with disregard for other boaters are a big part of this challenge we face.

Check out this video from the Watersports Industry Association (WSIA). Take its message to heart. Then share it with other boat owners and riders. The future of the sport may depend on it. Acting with these principles in mind is actually a way you can fight for your right to ride.

Read Next: Learn how WSIA is fighting for your right to ride!

The post Wake Responsibly Reminder for June 2025 appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Thomas Herman, Supra Boats pro rider, features in a new video by the Sea Tow Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting boating safety, about the dangers of driving a boat while not sober. In this episode of the “Sober Skipper: Why It Matters” series, released in conjunction with National Safe Boating Week, the new video highlights the critical role of a Sober Skipper in ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience on the water. 

The video series is part of the Foundation’s ongoing campaign to eliminate accidents and fatalities due to Boating Under the Influence (BUI). The campaign targets men ages 24-50, the group identified by U.S. Coast Guard statistics as most at risk for BUI-related incidents. As a professional athlete, Herman shares why staying sober on the water is essential – for safety and for peak performance. He emphasizes the importance of having a Sober Skipper behind the wheel, ensuring that wakeboarders, water sports enthusiasts and recreational boaters alike can focus on their time on the water without worrying about unnecessary risks.

National Safe Boating Week is held the week prior to Memorial Day weekend (May 17-23, 2025) to reach and educate boaters at the start of the summer boating season. This year, the Sea Tow Foundation is amplifying the Sober Skipper message with the launch of the video.

Read Next: World Champ Dallas Friday Rides Dry and Drives Dry

“Wakeboarding, like all water sports, requires focus, control and quick decision-making,” said Gail R. Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation. “National Safe Boating Week is the perfect time to remind all boaters and water sports enthusiasts that responsible choices—like designating a Sober Skipper—can prevent tragedies and make every boating experience safer and more enjoyable. Thomas Herman’s message reinforces the importance of making safety a priority on the water.”

Watch and listen to what Thomas has to say.

The post Thomas Herman Advocates for Sober Skippers appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

All good tow-boat drivers know the basics: Always designate a spotter. Make sure the rider and spotter understand hand signals to communicate. Choose a safe path, maintain a safe speed, and avoid hazards that could endanger your crew. Keep a downed rider in view at all times by approaching on the driver’s side.

Always turn off an outboard or sterndrive, or make certain an inboard is in neutral, before a rider approaches the stern. Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

With experience, the game gets upped. As long as the rider indicates they’re OK, slow to neutral after a fall, then return at idle to avoid kicking up rollers. Focus on the water ahead, but keep a roving eye on speed and the rearview mirror. Should a rider bobble, slow down to allow them time to recover before resuming your normal speed.

The best watersports boat drivers, however, take it up yet another notch by tailoring their driving to each discipline. Here’s a few of their insider tips.

Tubing

For a fun, safe ride, watch your speed. A mere 8 mph is best for children, and 15 to 18 mph is plenty for adults. To send the inflatable skidding outside the wake, initiate a series of controlled S-turns to push the tube over the wakes in each direction. Avoid cranking random sharp turns at high speed; in addition to a chaotic, potentially dangerous ride, the towrope will often go slack, then jerk riders as it snaps taut.

Whips can be fun, but proceed with care. Even when under 20 mph, a tube can accelerate to far greater speeds, increasing the chance of injury. Never punch the throttle, and be prepared to back off the speed and turn should the tube accelerate too much. Apply the same thought process to wakes; gentle can be fun, but large at high speed can be dangerous.

Water-Skiing and Wakeboarding

Skiers and board riders appreciate smooth water, straight passes, a steady speed, and clean, symmetrical wakes.

Drive in a pattern that will dissipate your rollers. Make a straight pass in one direction, a smooth turn at the end of the run, and retrace your original path. For riders who like to roam, break a curving shoreline into longer, straighter segments with brief turns. Use a visual target onshore to maintain as straight a path as possible.

Use speed control if available. If not, keep a gentle hand on the throttle and make small adjustments while watching the tach or speedo. Vary your acceleration to the rider’s size and choice of ski or board during deepwater starts. Wakeboards don’t need aggressive acceleration thanks to their larger surface area; a child on two skis requires less force than an adult on a slalom ski.

For both disciplines, anticipate the pull a rider can exert, such as a slalom skier accelerating out of a turn or a wakeboarder progressively cutting toward the wake. Be ready to throttle up ever so slightly to compensate for the pull, then back off as the skier sets up for the next turn or the rider gets airborne.

Wakesurfing

A gradual, smooth acceleration is all that’s needed to pull a wakesurfer atop the water. Once at the target speed (10 to 11 mph), let speed control take over if possible. Nonplaning speeds, significant ballast loads and wake-enhancing hardware can make it challenging to maintain speed manually. Be prepared for significant bow rise; raise the helm seat, flip up a seat bolster or add seat cushions to ensure you maintain good visibility forward, and stay on the alert for boat traffic or other obstructions.

Underway, run a straight path. Deep water is preferable; shallow water can decrease the wake size.

Because wakes can be massive, stay well away from the shoreline and other boats, and be careful when turning back for a downed rider. Shift to neutral, allow wakes to spread, then turn tightly and proceed back toward the rider at idle to avoid swamping the bow or taking water over the gunwales.

The post How to Drive a Boat for Wake Sports appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Safety First

You are in control of a boat that weighs 5,000+ pounds which has tragic consequences if driven carelessly. Obey all boating rules and consider talking a boating safety course.

Never drink and drive! Use a spotter and rearview mirror to keep an eye on your rider at all times.

Blind Side Pickup

The driver’s side of the boat, the starboard side, is the safest side of the boat to pick up or return to a fallen rider., because you can see them the whole time. Picking up on the port side risks hitting the rider because you will lose sight of him or her.

Wearing Non-Approved Life Vests

As the driver, you’re responsible for the safety of all persons aboard your boat. United States Coast Guard approved life vest meet the highest safety standards. Check out vests by brands like O’Brien, Ronix, Hyperlite, Jet Pilot, O’Neill, and Liquid Force to keep you and your family safe on the water.

Failing to Coach

A good driver offers instruction. Remind new riders not to pull the boat when attempting to ride a wakeboard. Encourage them to keep their arms straight, slide their bottom towards their ankles, and let the boat do the pulling. Remind them that they’ll never out pull the boat! It’s more powerful than any human! The boat will always win! Tell them to sit back in the water, relax, hang on, and enjoy the ride!

Speed Demon

Taking off too fast is a common beginner mistake. Start new riders at slower speeds and increase speed as confidence builds. Waksesurfing occurs at about11-mph. Recommended wakeboarding speeds are as follows:

• Newbie – 10 to 13 mph
• Intermediate – 13 to 17 mph
• Experienced – 17 to 23 mph

Speed Demon II

Throttling up before making sure your passengers are seated and objects are securely stowed is an all-too common beginner mistake. Friends and family can easily get off balance, fall, and suffer injury. Instead, be sure that all passengers are properly seated before engaging the throttle and setting the boat in motion. Also, secure or tie down anything that may fall overboard like coolers or items that could blow out of the boat due to wind.

Read Next: Pulling a Wakesurfer

Know Your Rider!

Everyone learns at a different pace! Be patient with new riders as they learn the ropes. Throttle up slowly till you get to the riders desired cruising speed which can be set on most newer wake boat models. Be sure to reference your boat manual to see if your boat includes this feature.

Roller Maker

Don’t do power turns when your rider falls. It causes unnecessary waves known as rollers. These waves disrupt the water making it choppy for other boats and riders in the area. Instead, slow the boat to idle speed and let the waves pass. Then proceed to pick up your rider at a safe speed. We recommend idling back to your rider.

Hand Jive!

Communication is key! Know your hand signals and teach them to new riders (Pay attention to the needs and desires of your rider. Teach new riders hand signals which are important to catering to the exact needs of each individual rider.

Rope Runner

When circling back to pick up a fallen rider, be sure to remember a 75 foot rope trails behind you from the tower. It’s easy to forget, consequently running over the rope which puts ya in a real pickle. Now you have a rope tangled in the propeller and you’ll likely need to buy a new rope as the damage caused could impact the integrity and safety of the tow rope.

The post Top 10 Mistakes of Newbie Wake Boat Drivers appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

A new law regarding the fire extinguishers that must be carried aboard recreational boats goes into effect April 20, 2022. The new regulation, which can be found in the Federal Register at CFR 33 Part175 subpart E breaks down into three main takeaways and applies to recreational boat less than 65 feet LOA. Notably, outboard-powered boats without any closed compartments that could hold explosive vapors or gasses (think: simple skiffs, garveys, etc.) are not required to carry fire extinguishing equipment by federal law.

The first takeaway is that portable fire extinguishers aboard all recreational boats must not be older than 12 years. The age of a fire extinguisher may be stamped on its bottom. This is a reasonable service life, we think, for a device that may save a life. If your extinguishers have no date, we say: replace them.

The second thing to know about the new regulation is that it requires all boats from model year 2018 and newer to carry fire extinguishers labeled as 5-B, 10-B or 20-B. Extinguishers labeled with the old B-I or B-II designations only are no longer acceptable. Boats older than 2018 can still carry extinguishers lableed B-1 and /or B-11, provided they are serviceable and they are not date-stamped as more than 12 years old. Again, we say, replace those 13-year old or older extinguishers anyway.

Third, the number of extinguishers required to be carried aboard any boat type does not change.

Read Next: New Boating Law Requires Use of Engine Cut-Off Switches (ECOS)

At Wakeboarding, we feel obligated to stay abreast of what’s happening in the world of boating, and boats, and share these developments with you. This is especially true of safety concerns and new regulations that can directly affect your days on the water. When the engine cut-off switch/ engine cut-off switch link (ECOS/ECOSL) law went into effect last year, we reported on it. When Type V inflatable lifejackets became legal over a decade ago, we reported on it. When overboard discharge was banned we reported on it and informed you how to re-equip your boats. There is a history of our operating at the intersection of reader service and the public good.

Above are handy charts to help you select the right fire extinguishers for your boat. Like all regulations, these indicate the minimums that must be carried. Carrying more than what is required just makes sense.

The post New Marine Fire Extinguisher Law for Boats appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

World Wakeboard Champion and 4-time X-Games Gold Medalist Dallas Friday reminds everyone to take the pledge and avoid alcohol while boating. Whether you’re driving the boat or shredding the wake, always Ride Dry and Drive Dry.

The post World Champ Dallas Friday Rides Dry and Drives Dry appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

In 2020, Americans bought a lot of boats including 82,000 personal watercraft, 13,000 wake boats and 143,000 freshwater fishing boats and pontoons. That means more boats and boaters on the water than ever before. And many of them are still learning the ropes. Make sure you’re prepared and take a boater education course. When you’re on the water, always wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket and get expert tips and advice on our Safety hub. We need safe boating, now more than ever.

The post Now More Than Ever appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.