BOAT BUYERS GUIDE 2018 | 18 | BOATINGMAG.COMSEAMANSHIP By Pete McDonaldBecause of that, count me
among the recent converts to
the wakesurfing craze that’s
sweeping through the boating
culture. But at the last Miami
International Boat Show, a
conversation between con-
temporaries about it caught
me off guard. They had no use
for wakesurfing; in fact, they
loathed it. The reason?
Operators of wakesurfing
boats had been cutting too
close to them. The wake these
boats throw is no joke — some
can rival decent ocean swells —
WAKE
WATCHERS
Tow sports require proper etiquette on the water.so having to deal with it can be
less than enjoyable.
The conflict between
watersports enthusiasts and
other boaters is not new. I’ve
heard cruisers and anglers
complain about tubers, skiers
and wakeboarders for
decades. What needs to hap-
pen is everyone who throws a
wake for entertainment needs
to adhere to some guidelines
to keep the peace with other
boaters, shore anglers and
waterfront property owners.
Here are a few suggestions.DON’T ROCK THE BOAT
I’ve long practiced the com-
mon courtesy of coming off
plane and minimizing my
wake to scoot past boats
anchored up and fishing, par-
ticularly those positioned close
to shore. Odds are they will
never free their anchor in time
to escape a large wake. At best,
it’s a bone-rattling nuisance; at
worse, it can lead to injury or
cause capsizing. Same goes for
canoes, kayaks and stand-up
paddleboard s. Boaters of any
stripe — not just watersports
practitioners — should provide
the same courtesy.DON’T KNOCK THE DOCK
Try to pick a line that doesn’t
cut too close to shore, as the
peak wave generated by a surf
boat will slam into any other
boats tied off to docks or
moored along the shoreline.
Stay out in deeper water so
that the waves you generatesubside by the time they reach
shore. This shouldn’t be a
problem because most surf-
boats need at least 9 feet of
depth to generate a proper
wave. And since surfing occurs
so close behind the boat, find-
ing smooth water isn’t as much
of an issue as with other tow
sports. Go deep and enjoy.GET IN LINE
When you find another skier,
boarder or surfer in your pre-
ferred spot, the first instinct is
to head to one on the opposite
side of the lake. However, one
professional boarder recently
told me that you’re better off
working the same patch of
water and establishing a rota-
tion. That way, everyone is
throwing wakes in the same
direction and not generating
conflicting waves. It’s com-
mon practice for anglers to set
up shared drift patterns and
trolling lineups — can’t water-
sports fans do the same?KEEP WATCH
Too many times on the water,
I’ve had to perform evasive
maneuvers to make way for a
tow boater who was watching
the tuber or boarder behind
him. That’s what spotters are
for. A boat operator should
always focus on what’s hap-
pening around him, and he still
has a responsibility to heed the
nautical rules of the road.
Work to share the water
and, who knows, maybe the
nonbelievers out there will
see how much fun it is and
decide to drop in too. Trust
me, it’s a blast.Surfing behind a boat on an endless
wave, without the need to hold on
to a towrope, is one of the most
liberating feelings you can get on
the water.
ILLUSTRATION: TIM BOWER