Axis Wake Research Owner's Manual page 56

Boating Safety
• The skier/rider should verbally indicate that s/he is safely clear of the boat prior to
operator starting the boat engine or putting the boat into gear.
• Slowly take up slack in tow lines before accelerating to watersports speeds. Jerking
the slack out of a tow line can cause high forces on the rope and towing equipment.
This may cause the rope or equipment to break and the rope to snap back at
occupants of your boat and at the towed person.
• Never put your arm, head or any other part of your body through the handle/bridle of
the ski or wakeboarding line, nor wrap the line around any part of the body at any
time. If you fall, the line will tighten and forcefully constrict around your body part
and may result in amputation.
• DO NOT ski near swimming areas, beaches, personal watercraft, or other
vessels/boats.
• Never attempt land or dock starts. These activities will increase your risk of injury or
death.
• DO NOT jump from a boat that is moving at any speed, nor enter or exit the water
when the engine is running.
• DO NOT "back up" to anyone in the water; they will be in danger of hitting the
spinning propeller which can cause severe injury or death.
• DO NOT follow directly behind another boat or skier/rider without leaving an
adequate safe distance in case that towed person falls into the water. You will need
ample time and distance to maneuver your boat away from that person in the water
and to avoid their tow boat which will be circling back to retrieve their downed
person.
• DO NOT participate in towed watersports at night. It is illegal and other boats will
not be able to see you, nor will they anticipate or expect your presence behind the
towing boat. Furthermore, once you fall they will not see you swimming.
• DO NOT tow with multiple skier/riders with different length ropes.
• DO NOT ski in limited visibility conditions.
• Never climb, sit or stand on a wakeboard tower. The wakeboard tower is intended for
towing only as noted. It is designed to pull a limited number of individual(s), and in
some cases only one (1) individual. Please consult the remainder of this manual and
warning labels on tower for details. The wakeboard tower approved for use on your
boat should be used only for water skis, wakeboards or recreational towables, and not
for parasailing, kite flying or towing other boats.
• Many states require the use of "skier down" flags. Check your local lake and state
requirements. Having the observer raise a skier down flag when your towed
watersport participant falls down or off the towed device will alert boats around you
to the fact that someone is in the water nearby and that they should avoid the area.
• Many lakes have recommended tow patterns. Other boats may expect that you know
the local customs and practices. It is common that the tow pattern is counter-
clockwise around the lake, but there are exceptions. Check for local
recommendations or requirements.
• NEVER lift or trailer the boat with water in the bilge or in ballast tanks. Lift or trailer
per manufacturer's instructions.
• Around marina docks where electrical current is present (such as shore power
connections) it is unsafe to swim as stray electrical currents may exist which can
cause you to drown.
1-47