While the rest of the country gets their first taste of winter snow, Florida will stay warm all winter long. And with warm weather comes warm waters. You'll be able to hang out in the warm Florida waters and not have to worry about frostbite or wetsuits (although they're still a good idea). Watersports are a great way to enjoy time on the water, but if you're in charge of pulling people along, you'll want to make sure you know the best practices for keeping everyone safe and making sure everyone still has fun.

Here at Jet Ski of Miami, we've provided some of the basics for towing with your personal watercraft (PWC). If you're still looking for the perfect PWC, stop by our location in Miami, Florida to check out what we have in our showroom. We proudly serve the areas of Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Shores, and Key Largo, Florida.

Know the Law

Before you leave for your next adventure, make sure you double check the local and state laws for towing and PWCs. Many states require mirrors for PWCs that can accommodate 3 passengers. Many states also require that you have a driver and a spotter to keep an eye on the skier. You might also need safety signal devices, so make sure you're complying with all water laws, especially if you're not in your home state.

Before you Ride

Make sure that you're taking all the necessary preparatory steps before you ride. Assuming you'll be towing a skier behind you, you'll need a 100-foot tow rope. Your rope should also be brightly colored so everyone can keep it in their sights at all times. Make sure the rope is secure using either a ski pylon or tow eye. Don't connect the tow rope to a part of the PWC that is not meant to accommodate a tow rope.

Know the Signals

Make sure you establish a set of hand signals so the skier can communicate with the driver and the spotter. There are many standards, like thumbs up for faster and thumbs down for slower, but you can use whatever you want as long as the driver and skier know what each hand sign means.

As the driver, you should also be apt to read a person's abilities or open to hearing them. Don't push a novice skier skills further than they can handle. Check in with your skiers about how their experience is going and try to adjust your driving to accommodate their needs. Also, don't let a more experienced skier push you to maneuvers you're not comfortable with.

During the Ride

When you enter the water, maintain an idling speed until you've let out slack from the rope. When the rope is taut, signal to your skier that you're ready and keep your idling speed until you get the cue from your skier that they're ready to go.

As you're riding, you should have someone sitting behind you, facing toward the skier, known as a spotter. Your spotter is in charge of communicating any hand signals the skier gives. This also allows you to look forward and pay attention to any obstacles in front of you.

When the skier is done, or if they fall, come to an idle and slowly turn the PWC so that you don't run over the rope. Remain at a slow and steady speed until you reach the skier, staying to their side.

Even if your tow rope is brightly colored, you may still accidentally run over it at some point. If you do, turn the engine off immediately. Getting your rope caught in the pump can cause serious damage to your PWC, so if you think it's gotten that far, have someone else tow your PWC back to shore.

A day out on the water is never a wasted day, so you should make the most of it. Water skiing or any other kind of towed sport by a PWC can be extremely fun, so make sure your PWC is up to the task. To find the perfect craft, stop by Jet Ski of Miami in Miami, Florida. We welcome all watercraft lovers from Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Shores, and Key Largo, Florida areas.