Important Safety Tips for Wake Boat Owners

Boating safety is one of the most important lessons you learn as a boat owner, and it’s important to refresh your memory from time to time. Whether you’ve recently purchased your first wake boat, or have been driving your model for years, we advise reading through some of our important safety tips below!

Necessary Safety Gear

When driving your wake boat, there are a few items you’ll need to ensure the safety of your passengers, your boat, and nearby pedestrians. The most important piece of equipment you’ll purchase is your life jacket. If you fall overboard, or off of your wakeboard, this device will help you quickly reach the surface of the water. When shopping for your life jacket, you’ll also need to purchase an emergency whistle and a safety flag for your wake boat. These helpful devices will help notify other boaters when a rider has fallen into the water, or if there is an emergency situation.

How to Safely Pick Up a Rider

It’s common for wake surfers to fall off their boats every once in a while. While small spills are no big deal, when retrieving your rider you’ll need to be very careful. Move too quickly or too close to the swimmer and you may overwhelm them with waves or choppy water. When going to pick up your rider, be sure to first slow your boat to an almost complete stop before putting up your safety flag. Make a slow wide turn to retrieve your passenger and allow them to swim up to the boat rather than pulling up directly next to them.

How to Drive Your Wake Boat Safely

When you first arrive at your location with your boat, you’ll want to take a quick look around for any warning signs that are posted nearby. These may include speed limits or other instructions to help keep you safe. It’s important that you follow these rules carefully in order to protect yourself, other boaters, and the local wildlife that are in the area.

If you’re located nearby in Salt Lake City or St. George, Utah, we hope you’ll visit us here at Roger's Performance Marine for all of your boating needs! Whether you’re looking to buy a new boat, trade-in your old model, or need a quality repair or part, we’ve got everything you need at both of our locations in Hurricane and Centerville, Utah.