no observer state

[Bradley Thornton]

MS says you have to have a observer but I live on a private lake so no observer needed. I used to not wear a jacket while surfing than someone asked me to start I asked why and they said because the younger kids look up to us and I was setting a bad example. So now I wear my jacket in less I am surfing with my little girl then I want to be able to get to her fast. Bye reading right now I just learned riding at night is aloud. Jacket in boat but not on.

[barefootpaul]

As stated MN requires only a mirror. Even better we can ski an hour AFTER sunset giving us 2 hours without the lake lice

[85 Barefoot]

If i had to have a spotter I would ski about 20% of what I do now, which sis till too little but spotter requirement? Absent a handle pop in the head, a spotter is more distracting than helpful. If I'm driving for someone just me, no radio, just paying attention.

[CedarLakeSkier]

The Michigan law refers specifically to a USCG approved vest. My Ronix vest is not USCG approved and I can wear that behind the boat as a floatation device. As soon as I step onto the boat, I need to have a USCG approved floatation device available. Nobody is really going without a vest or jacket. That might be obvious, but I thought I'd point that out.

Also, There is a small variance allowed to the "Observer" rule in Michigan. You can get certified as an instructor. Once you do this, you can drive and pull someone without an observer. There are restrictions, of course. I think you can specify up to 3 lakes that you instruct on.

[jgouveia3]

If i had to have a spotter I would ski about 20% of what I do now, which sis till too little but spotter requirement? Absent a handle pop in the head, a spotter is more distracting than helpful. If I'm driving for someone just me, no radio, just paying attention.

I agree 100%. I find that in most cases, spotters are more of a distraction than anything...

[jkendallmsce]

I have been skiing 40+ years, and nver lost a skier or wakeboarder, or heaven forbid a surfer who is 5 feet behind the boat...And when skiing, which is 90% course skiing, I can feel when the skier lets go...Have never needed someone in the adjacent seat telling me he/she fell.....

Edited September 25, 2012 by jkendallmsce

[Steve B.]

If you ever have to drag an injured person out of the water, you'll be glad you had a third, or a fourth.

Yes, I've had to.

Steve B.

[85 Barefoot]

I can see that but absent a spinal injury where control is essential, I've blown out both knees with just a spotter in the boat and its doable with appropriate emergency equipment on board.

[CedarLakeSkier]

If you ever have to drag an injured person out of the water, you'll be glad you had a third, or a fourth.

Yes, I've had to.

Steve B.

Exactly!! I will pull my wife on a weekday when the lake is empty without a spotter, because I know I can lift her out of the water by myself. However, I won't let her pull me without at least one more person in the boat.

This has never happened to me, but it only takes one time of being unprepared.

[MalibuTime]

If you ever have to drag an injured person out of the water, you'll be glad you had a third, or a fourth.

Yes, I've had to.

Steve B.

I have been kicking around rigging up a block and tackle with 'beaners on it to hook off of the tower to pull out an injured rider. There are many instances where even a driver and observer may not be strong enough. So either way (with or without) observer certainly carries some risk. As mentioned, busy lakes are not a time to ski with no observer.

[Lakenut]

"I can feel when the skier lets go"

Ditto that. If you are paying attention to driving, you will feel/hear the boat respond to the lack of a skier/rider. Back in the day before kids, the Mrs and I had no issues with no spotter. Now with kids it seems there are always plenty of extra people in the boat to spot. I do have to say that the dog is the best spotter I have ever had. She watches the skier like a hawk and goes nuts when they fall. Now there have been a time or two with a boatfull of people and no body notices that the skier fell a half mile back.

In Oklahoma, mirror or spotter.

[Timmo]

As Greenman says observer required in Australia, however I have been in the situation of coming off and watching the boat disappear into the distance as an inexperiened observer (now my sister in law) is so enrossed in conversation or looking around she didn't notice the lack of skier for some time. The driver's not taking too much notice of the skier as he thinks the observer has it all under control.

Of course you've also got the other extreme where you've got the muppets towing inflatables where everybody on the boat is an observer and nobody is looking where they're going, that's even more dangerous.

[electricjohn]

Vermont used to be no spotter (1960's thru 80's), then they went to 80 sq. inch mirror. Not sure where they stand now. I have not been to Vermont in a while. In NJ you also have to fly an orange triangular flag, besides having an observer.