On the Waters of Smith Mountain Lake – Wake surfing, a relatively new variation on towed board sports here at the lake, is becoming increasingly popular as more and more riders have access to modern wake-sport towboats designed to provide a safe and suitable “platform” for the sport.

Surfing a boat’s wake requires a specially-designed board—somewhat larger than a wakeboard and minus any foot bindings—and an inboard towboat. The rider gets pulled up with a very short rope—about 20’ in length—and is propelled along by the boat’s first wake, which curls just 10-20 feet behind at speeds of 10-11 mph. In contrast to outboards and sterndrives, an inboard boat’s churning propeller is safely buried three feet forward of the boat’s transom where it presents no hazard to a rider skimming along within easy earshot of observers in the boat.

“No one—absolutely no one—should experiment with wake surfing behind a stern drive or outboard-powered boat, period,” says Rusty Richardson of the SML Water Safety Council. “Surfing can be safely done only behind inboard and jet-driven boats.”

It also takes a specially-designed, heavily ballasted boat to create a surf-able wake. Modern wake-sport towboats come with built-in ballast tanks for that purpose. Even then, the wake typically must be “sweetened” with supplemental water bags and several passengers seated on the riding (usually port) side. Sgt. Bryan Young of Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries reflects on the legality of the sport. "A charge of reckless operation for wake surfing was appealed last year and was dismissed in Franklin County Circuit Court. We have no reason to consider surfing the wake of a proper inboard towboat unsafe or illegal,” he concludes.

Nevertheless, some surf-boat drivers have reported being stopped and cited by enforcement officers. “From a distance, the sport looks rather dangerous. We are working to educate our officers on what’s legal and what isn’t,” Young says.

Vincent Popowitch, Asst. Officer in Charge of the SML US Coast Guard Auxiliary station at SML who was queried recently while aboard the Auxilary’s orange inflatable patrol boat, agreed to the need for officer education. “Wake surfing is new to all of us, and there have been no specifics on what’s permitted and what isn’t communicated down the chain of command,” he allowed.

Micah Gaudio, owner of Wake N Skate Board Shop at Bridgewater Plaza and one of SML’s most avid wake surfers, believes an educational seminar for enforcement officers is needed. “When we first started surfing, we knew it would raise official eyebrows,” Gaudio notes, “so I contacted DGIF to discuss the safety aspects. That was a couple years ago; now that the sport is more widespread, it is time for a refresher.”

Gaudio hopes to conduct such a familiarization session as soon as conservation officers can be gathered for that purpose. “We’re especially concerned,” he says, “because when officers flash lights or siren at a boat that is towing a surfer, the operator’s natural reaction is to come to a stop. An unsuspecting surf rider can easily crash right into the back of the boat, creating real potential for injury.”

As with water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing or any tow-boat sport, drivers should shut down the engine when riders are in the water near the back of the boat—to avoid inhalation of carbon monoxide fumes, Gaudio cautions, especially with the older direct-drive inboards. To manufacturers’ credit, modern towboats use exhaust systems that divert fumes to the side or under the water. “Teak” or “platform” surfing (being dragged along while clinging to a boat’s swim platform) is extremely dangerous and violates Virginia statutes. “Boaters can count on being stopped and ticketed for engaging in this activity,” Sgt. Young promises.

He also points out the rules for passengers in any boat, whether it is towing a rider or just cruising: occupants must be properly seated inside a vessel that is underway. “Sitting on a boat’s bow, aft deck or gunwhales without proper protective railings/handholds violates Virginia statutes and will be cited,” he warns.

While not required by law if observers are present, it is strongly recommended that anyone being towed wears a USCG-approved life vest, designed for towed water sports. “It just makes good sense,” Young emphasizes.