Bill > AB1033

Introduced Session

This bill regulates wakesurfing. The bill defines “wakesurfing” as surfing a motorboat’s wake, regardless of whether the person is being pulled by a tow rope attached to the motorboat that is producing the wake, or operating a motorboat in a manner that creates a wake that is, or is intended to be, surfed by another person. Under current law, various regulations apply to water skiing, aquaplaning, or a similar activity, and under current law, wakesurfing likely falls under “aquaplaning” or a “similar activity.” The bill explicitly provides that aquaplaning includes wakesurfing and thereby applies the same safety regulations that apply to water skiing and aquaplaning to wakesurfing. These regulations include requiring an observer or a wide-angle mirror on the motorboat, restricting wakesurfing to between sunrise and sunset, prohibiting intoxicated wakesurfing, requiring a motorboat used for wakesurfing to stay more than 100 feet away from any occupied anchored boat, personal watercraft, or marked swimming area or public boat landing, and prohibiting a person engaged in wakesurfing from being within 100 feet, or allowing a tow rope to be within 100 feet, of a personal watercraft. The bill generally prohibits a person from engaging in wakesurfing unless all of the following apply: 1. The motorboat is operated farther than 200 feet from a shoreline or dock, pier, boathouse, or other structure located completely or partly on the water. 2. The motorboat is operated farther than 200 feet from any person in the water or any occupied vessel. 3. Any person surfing on or across the wake of the motorboat or being towed on a board is wearing a personal flotation device prescribed by federal regulations. The wakesurfing restrictions under the bill and the current law restrictions that the bill explicitly applies to wakesurfing do not apply to a wakesurfing tournament, competition, exhibition, or trial that is authorized by the Department of Natural Resources or a municipality and where adequate lighting is provided. The bill applies the same penalties to wakesurfing that apply to water skiing violations under current law. Current law requires DNR to establish a program of comprehensive courses on boating safety and operation and to issue certificates to persons 10 years of age or older successfully completing such courses. Current law requires DNR to prescribe the course content and the form of the certificate, but the bill adds an exception that the course must include education on wakesurfing and the proper use of and operation of motorboats used in wakesurfing.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Robert Brooks (R)*,  Dan Feyen (R), 

Received from Assembly (on 02/23/2026)

Official Document