§ 33-5-26 — Water Skis, Aquaplanes, Etc

(a) No person may operate a vessel on any waters of this state for towing a person or persons on water skis, an aquaplane, or any other recreational device, unless, in addition to the operator, there is another person in the vessel who is at least 12 years of age and is observing and is capable of communicating to the operator of the vessel the progress and safety of the person being towed, or the vessel is equipped with a wide angle mirror with a viewing surface of at least 78 square inches and a field of vision of at least 170 degrees.
(b) No person may operate a vessel on any waters of this state towing a person or persons on water skis, an aquaplane, or any other recreational device, nor shall any person engage in water skiing, aquaplaning, or similar activity, at any time after sunset or before sunrise.
(c) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a performer engaged in a professional exhibition or a person or persons participating in an official regatta, motorboat race, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition permitted by the Marine Patrol Division and held in compliance with Section 33-5-27 and any rules adopted thereunder.
(d) No person except in jump buoys and like objects used normally in competitive and recreational skiing may operate or manipulate any vessel, tow rope, or other device by which the direction or location of water skis, aquaplane, or any other recreational device may be affected or controlled in a manner to cause the water skis, aquaplane, or other recreational device, or any person thereon, to collide with or strike against any object or person.
(e) Subsection (a) shall not apply to personal watercraft as defined in Section 33-5-51.
(f) Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a boating violation.

Legislative History

(Acts 1959, No. 576, p. 1442, §24; Acts 1994, No. 94-652, p. 1243, §23; Act 2023-363, §1.)