2009 Michigan Boating Law

324.80152 Towing or assisting persons; exceptions; standards; rules; certification; information to be provided; specification of bodies of water for use in practice.

Sec. 80152.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person shall not operate a vessel on the waters of this state if he or she is towing or otherwise assisting a person on water skis or on a water sled, aquaplane, surfboard, or other similar contrivance unless a person capable of communicating to the vessel operator the condition and needs of the person being towed or assisted is on board the vessel and positioned to observe the person being towed or assisted.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to vessels used by duly constituted ski schools in the giving of instructions or to vessels used in sanctioned ski tournaments, competitions, expositions, or trials. Vessels described in this subsection shall be equipped with a 170-degree wide-angle rearview mirror affixed in a manner that will permit the operator to observe the progress of the person being towed.

(3) This section does not apply to motorboats less than 16 feet in length actually operated by the person being towed and so constructed as to be incapable of carrying the operator in or on the motorboat.