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Ohio law requires a competent observer (plus operator) or wide-angle mirror when towing skiers, wakeboarders, or tubes. All towed persons must wear USCG-approved PFDs. Towing is prohibited from sunset to sunrise. Maintain 300 feet from shore and other boats. All water sports participants must follow the boat operator’s education and licensing requirements.
Detailed rules on our Ohio boating regulations pillar page.
Ohio Revised Code Section 1547.13 and related sections establish comprehensive rules for towed water sports including water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, kneeboarding, parasailing, and any activity where a person is towed behind a motorized vessel. These regulations exist to protect both the towed participants and other water users from injury and property damage.
Violations of towed water sports regulations can result in fines, misdemeanor charges, and vessel impounding. More importantly, disregarding these rules increases the risk of drowning, collision, spinal cord injuries, and other serious consequences.
Understanding and following all towed water sports requirements is non-negotiable for anyone planning to tow a person behind a boat in Ohio.
The most critical safety requirement for towed water sports is the observer. When towing a skier, wakeboarder, tube, or any towed person, the vessel must have a competent observer in addition to the boat operator. The operator cannot serve as the observer—two separate people are required.
The observer’s job is to maintain continuous watch on the towed person and watch for hazards ahead. If the towed person falls, the observer immediately communicates this to the operator, who must slow down and stop the boat. The observer should be an adult capable of maintaining attention and communicating clearly with the operator.
Alternatively, if a competent observer cannot be present, the vessel must be equipped with a wide-angle rearview mirror that allows the operator to see behind the vessel and directly observe the towed person without turning around. This mirror must provide a clear, unobstructed view of the towed person at all times.
Some operators use both an observer and a mirror for redundancy and safety.
Towing activities are strictly prohibited from sunset to sunrise. This restriction is necessary because low-light conditions dramatically increase accident risk. Skiers and tubes become difficult to see, visibility of hazards decreases, and operator reaction time suffers.
Plan your water sports activities during daylight hours. Evening and twilight boating may be legal for cruising, but towing must stop before sunset. On days with extended daylight in summer, you have plenty of hours available. This restriction is non-negotiable.
When a skier, wakeboarder, or any towed person falls into the water, Ohio law requires the vessel to slow down immediately and alert nearby boaters. While Ohio does not mandate a specific flag (as some states do), awareness and communication of the downed skier situation is legally required.
The operator must immediately reduce speed upon learning of the downed skier. The observer should signal other boats to slow down and be aware that a person is in the water.
Many boaters use red flags or perform a specific hand signal to alert nearby vessels. This prevents the downed person from being struck by approaching boats and alerts others to the hazard.
Towing activities must maintain a minimum distance of 300 feet from shore, docks, and swim areas. This buffer zone protects shoreline residents from wake damage, prevents skiers from colliding with docks or rocks, and keeps swimmers and small boats away from the tow operation’s wake.
This 300-foot minimum is a strict requirement. Launching from a shallow-water dock to begin towing is acceptable if the actual towing occurs at the 300-foot distance. However, the skier or tuber cannot be traveling through the towing zone while within 300 feet of prohibited areas.
Violating this distance rule is a misdemeanor offense.
All persons being towed must wear a USCG-approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD). The PFD must be a Type I, II, III, or V—all of which are Coast Guard-approved. Water sports-specific PFDs designed for skiing and wakeboarding are excellent choices and provide comfortable mobility.
The PFD must fit properly and be worn—not just carried in the boat. A PFD stored in a locker is useless if the skier falls and becomes injured or unconscious. Proper-fitting PFDs are slightly buoyant and designed to turn an unconscious wearer face-up in the water, a life-saving feature in emergencies.
If a towed person is a child, special considerations apply regarding PFD size and type. For details on PFD regulations specific to children and all boaters, see our Ohio Life Jacket Laws article.
Ohio law does not establish a specific minimum age for being towed behind a boat. However, the boat operator conducting the towing must meet all licensing and education requirements that apply to any motorized vessel operation in Ohio.
If the boat operator is a minor, that operator must have completed boater education and received certification if required by Ohio law. Additionally, if a minor is operating the vessel while towing, all state boating age restrictions apply.
Young children towing behind boats should wear appropriate, well-fitting PFDs and should not be towed at excessive speeds. Common sense and parental judgment regarding a child’s physical strength and water comfort level are important considerations.
Beyond the observer and PFD, safe towing requires specific equipment:
Ohio’s towed water sports regulations apply to any activity where a person is towed behind a motorized vessel, including:
Personal watercraft (jet skis) are operated under their own set of specific rules separate from towed water sports regulations. While some rules overlap—such as PFD requirements and speed limits—PWC operators should reference dedicated PWC regulations for operation-specific requirements like mandatory tether kill switches and youth operator restrictions.
If you are towing a person behind a PWC, the observer requirement, distance requirements, and PFD mandates of towed water sports law still apply. However, PWC-specific rules about operator certification and PWC handling also apply to the PWC operator.
Learn more about Ohio boating safety and regulations:
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