Water skiing
General ski area information
On weekends and public holidays on the Swan and Canning Rivers, and every day on other waters, you may only ski in gazetted ski areas and between times allowed for that area. Ski areas are marked by signs on the foreshore and sometimes have their boundaries marked in the water by buoys. The signs will also tell you if there is a direction (clockwise or anti-clockwise) you must follow.
The Department has produced a Ski Safe brochure that provides useful information about waterskiing. Click here to download a copy of Ski Safe (pdf 1.1mb)
Rules and regulations
General
All the rules that apply to power boats also apply to boats towing skiers, and there are some extra rules.- On weekdays you may ski anywhere on the Swan River downstream of the Narrows, provided you are not in a restricted speed area and you stay at least 45 metres from shore.
- Deep water take-off only, except in ski take-off areas.
- The collision prevention rules still apply in ski areas. This means a ski boat has no priority over a boat that is passing through the area.
Age of person in charge
It takes at least three people to go water skiing.
The Driver
The person in charge of the boat must hold a Recreational Skipper's Ticket must and be at least 17 years old.
The Observer
There must also be an observer onboard, at least 14 years old, who constantly watches the skier.
The Skier
The skier can be any age.
Right of way
A boat landing a skier has right of way over a boat towing a skier taking off.
Distance behind a skier
You must not drive any closer than 45 metres directly behind a skier or any other boat.
Trick skiing
You must not do trick skiing within 90 metres of shore.
Distance from shore
Stay at least 45 metres or as gazetted from shore except when landing or taking off.
Towing skiers near landing or take-off areas
Except as otherwise provided by any notice published under the provisions of regulation 48A, a person shall not drive a speed boat towing water skiers within 30 metres of the shore of any landing or take-off area, except for the purpose of landing or taking off water skiers.
WA's Gazetted Water Ski Areas
The Restricted areas of navigable waters document (available in the Publications section) contains the State's gazetted water-ski areas.
Ski Safe brochure
The Department has prepared a brochure 'Ski Safe - Water Ski Craft Operationon' on safe water skiing. Please follow this link to download a copy.