10 Trick Water Skiing Safety Tips

By: Raina Lorring

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Stay safe with these 10 trick water skiing safety tips. Water skiing is a fun outdoor activity but it can also have its dangers. Trick water skiing can have more dangers due to the tricks themselves and the fact that the skier can be distracted. To cut down on the dangers follow these 10 trick water skiing safety tips.

  1. Ski in suitable water. The easiest tick water skiing safety tip to follow is to make sure the body of water you are in is large enough for skiing. A body of water should be at least 2000 to 3000 feet long with at least 100 feet of open space in all directions. The water should be at least five feet deep.
  2. Locate obstacles before skiing. During trick water skiing you can become distracted by concentrating on your tricks. This means you can be less likely to see obstacles in your path. An important safety tip is to drive the area before skiing to look for obstacles with the driver.
  3. Ski only in good water conditions. This is important with any skiing but is extremely important in trick water skiing. Avoid skiing during times of high wind and during rain.
  4. Have a spotter. The odds of falling are increased with trick water skiing. This means it is extremely important to have a spotter in the boat with your driver. The spotter’s job is to alert the drive immediately if you are in distress or have dropped the rope.
  5. Know your hand signs. There are a standard set of hand gestures used for communicating with the spotter in the boat. You should make sure that you and your spotter both know these.
  6. Do not ski during peak traffic times. In trick water skiing you can require more room than in just traditional water skiing. Avoiding high traffic times can help ensure your safety. Wake generated by other boats can affect your skiing.
  7. Watch a video of tricks before attempting them. Practicing new tricks can be dangerous. A good way to increase your ability and limit your dangers is to watch a video on the tricks you want to attempt. You can even tray practicing basic parts of the trick on land such as shifting your weight and such.
  8. Wear your lifejacket. Your life jacket can not only keep you from drowning but it makes you more visible to other boats. Make sure your lifejacket is a bright color and fits snuggly.
  9. Wear ski gloves. You need a very good grip during trick water skiing. Wearing gloves will help your grip and keep your hands safe.
  10. Know how to swim. Do not rely only on your lifejacket. A good water skier is also a confident swimmer.
Posted on: Jan. 27, 2011