In Arkansas during what hours is it legal to tow a water skier behind a vessel

Whether you’re using your boat for fishing, wakesurfing, skiing, diving, day cruising or overnighting, remember to pack essential safety gear. If you keep it onboard, inspect it periodically and keep it in good working order. Although the U.S. Coast Guard requires different items for different kinds and sizes of vessels, there is some basic gear that will help keep you safe and out of trouble with the authorities.

Here are a few must haves as well as should haves to stow aboard this boating season.

5 Must-Have Safety Equipment for Your Boat

1. Life jackets and wearable personal flotation devices (PFDs)

An accessible, wearable PFD (Type I, II, or III) is a life jacket that must be available for each person on board. If you’re towing a skier or have a wake surfer behind the boat, he or she will need a PFD as well. Kids 12 and under must always wear their PFD on a moving vessel. Likewise, everyone riding a personal watercraft (PWC) must also wear a PFD at all times. In case of an emergency of any kind, the first thing you should do is ensure that all passengers onboard immediately put on their life jackets—or proactively, you can recommend that all those onboard just put them on right at the dock before departure. Although not required, your pet should have a lifejacket, too.

Learn more in How to Choose the Right Life Jacket or PFD, or visit the USCG for additional information and resources.

2. Throwable flotation devices

In addition to the life jackets you wear, you’ll need at least one floating device (Type IV) that you can throw to an individual in the water in case of trouble. This can be a cushion, a ring buoy or other device and although only one is required, it’s better to have several. Some of these items may come with a line attached so you can pull a person closer to the boat and then get them out of the water.

3. Fire extinguishers

There are different kinds and ratings for extinguishers but to keep it simple, remember that boats under 26 feet (including PWCs) need at least one B-1 type extinguisher and boats 26 to just under 40 feet need two B-1 types or one B-2 type. Discuss with your family and guests how to operate an extinguisher: pull the pin, squeeze the handle and aim at the base of the flames.

4. Visual signaling devices

Visual distress signals can come in a variety packages and there are different requirements by size of vessel and even by the state where you go boating. Boats under 16 feet must have flares or nighttime signals. Boats over 16 feet must carry visual signals for both day and night use. Examples of pyrotechnic devices or flares that would qualify are orange or white smoke and aerial light flares. Some flares are self-launching while others require a flare gun to send them into the sky. Other nighttime devices include a strobe light while flags may be used during the day. PWCs cannot be operated between sunset and sunrise so they don’t need to carry nighttime devices.

5. Sound signaling devices

Sounds can attract help both day and night and are especially effective in fog. Portable or fixed horns and whistles count as sound-generating devices for all boats. Larger vessels (over 39 feet) should also carry a bell to be sounded at regular intervals in times of limited visibility like fog.

12 Should-Have Safety Equipment for Your Boat

Depending on the type of boating you do and where you do it, some of these may be required or only recommended items. Either way, you can pack most of these aboard even the smallest of boats.

1. Medical kit for cuts, scrapes, seasickness or small emergencies
2. Anchor with line to hold your boat in place while you wait for help to arrive
3. Bailing device or bucket to dewater and stay afloat
4. Oars or paddles if the engine quits
5. Cellphone to call for help
6. VHF radio to call for help
7. Knife to cut a line around a fouled propeller
8. Snorkel mask to inspect what’s going on under the boat
9. Heavy duty flashlight
10. Skier or diver down flag
11. Working running lights if your boat is equipped with them
12. A way to get weather updates because things can change quickly even on a lake

For more on safety, be sure to read our 12 Safe Boating Tips that outline the basics to ensure you're safe and responsible while out on the water. You may also want to check out our Pre-Departure Checklist that outlines everything you need to have onboard before leaving the dock.

But, these activities which should not be taken lightly and require a knowledge of the towing rules as well as attention to safety by the driver, observer and the person or people being towed.

Rules for towing activities

Towing rules are set by State Maritime Authorities and are mostly consistent across Australia.

Towing vessel:

• Be registered if the vessel’s engine has a power rating of 4.0 kilowatts (5 horsepower) or more and if the power or sailing vessel is 5.5 metres or longer.
• Minimum crew of two – driver and observer.
• Have a Safety Label or a PWC Behaviour Label.
• Carry the appropriate safety equipment.

Driver:

• Hold a Boat or PWC Licence.
• Responsible for the safety of the vessel and the people being towed.
• Maintains the safe distance requirements.
  When travelling at 6 knots or more must keep the vessel, towing equipment and anyone being towed 30 metres from another vessel, land or structures (including jetties, bridges, navigation marks  or moored and anchored vessels. shore and 60 metres from people in the water. If it is not possible, a safe distance and speed must be maintained. In areas such as narrow channels or rivers where the safe distance requirements cannot be maintained safely the driver must assess the risk associated with passing within the stipulated  safe distances. If the driver is observed by another boater, member of the public or a Maritime Officer passing a person in the water or another vessel underway at an unsafe distance then, the onus is on the driver to prove that his/her decision to pass within the requirements was in fact safe to do so. If towing aerial equipment (e.g. paraflying) keep both the vessel, towed person and equipment at least 300 metres from any bridge, cable, wire, pipeline or structure.
  
  New South Wales safe distance requirements
• Must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Must not operate the vessel at more than 60 knots if towing anyone under the age of 18 years, unless in accordance with an aquatic licence.
• Must not tow more than three people at once.

Observer:

• Must be 16 years or older and or hold a Restricted Boat or PWC Licence.
• Must not suffer, hearing, sight or other disabilities which could affect their ability to complete observer duties.
• Must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Has the prime responsibility for observing the towed person/people and communicating any safety matters to the driver.
• Tell the driver about other vessels approaching from behind.
• Should be familiar with standard hand signals.
• Faces the skier or towed people at all times.

Person being towed:

• Must wear a lifejacket. (Level 50 or Level 50s)
• Must maintain the safe distance requirements.
• When returning to shore must do so safely.
• Must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Safe Towing Practices

• Keep to the starboard side of the channel, leaving plenty of room for the skier.
• Travel in an anti-clockwise direction at all times.
• When towing skiers in a narrow or congested area have safety discussions between other boaters to form an agreement to reduce the number of vessels towing at any one time.
• Be wary when navigating around blind bends on a river.
• Always look left and right before commencing a beach start.
• Make sure the rope is taut before taking off. Have the observer pull in the rope as soon as the skier is finished. Never leave the rope trailing in the water or allow the skier to wrap the rope around a limb.
• Giveway to vessels dropping skier off ashore before you depart.
• Maintain a proper look out at all times.
• Hold a brief with everyone involved in the activity . Review the water skiing hand signals, explain where you’ll go once the skier is behind the boat, discuss how you intend to pick up a downed skier and give instruction on how to re-board properly.
• Beware of skiers around the boat propeller.
• Give fishermen, canoes, kayaks and sailing vessels a wide berth.
• Never cut across the path of an oncoming boat or reverse the boat near a skier in the water.
• Place the boat between a fallen skier and any oncoming traffic.
• Continually monitor traffic on the water maintaining a high degree of safety awareness.
• Check that that area you are planning to go to is not a no towing area. Some areas may prohibit these activities because of local conditions which may make these activities unsafe.
• Towing activities are prohibited between sunset and sunrise.
• Teak surfing (being pulled through the water whilst holding the swim platform of a vessel is  prohibited.
• The tow rope must be at least 7 metres behind the vessel at all times.

If you are operating your vessel near others towing, keep well clear and don’t follow behind in their wake. This is a dangerous practice especially if the skier or wakeboarder falls off.

Have you ever experienced another vessel passing you within the safe distance requirements whilst participating in towing activities?