Water Sports: Safety First and Foremost
Southwest Marine sells some of the most versatile boats in the industry, giving your family the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of water activities. While there's no substitute for a full safety training course by an organization such as the American Red Cross or the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, we offer some basic tips to help you have a great boating experience.
Propeller Safety
Your boat's propeller poses an enormous danger to swimmers, skiers or others near the stern of the boat. The driver must always be attentive to people on or around the swim platform, and the motor must be turned off while swimming or when picking up a skier. And no on should ever jump from a moving boat.
Skiing and Tubing Safety
Whether you're purchasing a family fishing boat, fiberglass runabout or a luxury pontoon, chances are, long days of skiing and tubing are in your future. By following a few safety precautions, you can keep your family safe.
- All skiers must wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device, such as a Type III water ski vest.
- Allow a minimum of 100' between the skier and all other objects
- Always have an aft-facing spotter on board
- Avoid congested areas
- Never ski in shallow water or at night
- Always keep sight of a downed skier
- Turn off the motor before you get too close to someone in the water
- Learn to use proper hand signals
What's the Right Speed?
Each water sport has its ideal boat speed, depending on the age and ability of the person you're towing. The following is a general guideline.
| SPORT |
BOAT SPEED |
| Tubing |
8 - 25 mph |
| Knee Boarding |
16 - 19 mph |
| Combo Skiing |
17 - 25 mph |
| Slalom Skiing |
19 - 36 mph |
| Wake Boarding |
16 - 19 mph |
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