(1)(a) A person may not operate a vessel on any waters of this state towing a person on water skis, or an aquaplane, or similar device unless there is in such vessel a person, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the progress of the person being towed, or the vessel is equipped with a wide-angle rear view mirror mounted in such manner as to permit the operator of the vessel to observe the progress of the person being towed. This subsection does not apply to class A motorboats operated by the person being towed and designed to be incapable of carrying the operator in the motorboat.

(b) A person may not operate a vessel on any waters of this state towing a person attached to a parasail or similar device unless there is a person in the vessel, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the progress of the person being towed. A wide-angle rear view mirror is not acceptable for this purpose.

(2)(a) A person may not engage in water skiing, parasailing, aquaplaning, or any similar activity at any time between the hours from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.

(b) A person may not engage in water skiing, parasailing, aquaplaning, or any similar activity unless such person is wearing a noninflatable personal flotation device currently approved by the United States Coast Guard and used in accordance with the United States Coast Guard approval label.

(3) The provisions of subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a performer engaged in a professional exhibition or a person preparing to participate or participating in an official regatta, boat race, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition held pursuant to s. 327.48.

(4) A person may not operate or manipulate any vessel, tow rope, or other device by which the direction or location of water skis, parasail, aquaplane, innertube, sled, or similar device may be affected or controlled, in such a way as to cause the water skis, parasail, aquaplane, innertube, sled, or similar device or any person thereon to collide or strike against or be likely to collide or strike against any vessel, bridge, wharf, pier, dock, buoy, platform, piling, channel marker, or other object, except slalom buoys, ski jumps, or like objects used normally in competitive or recreational skiing.

(5) A person may not operate any vessel towing a parasail or engage in parasailing or moored ballooning within 100 feet of the marked channel of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway or within 2 miles of the boundary of any airport unless otherwise permitted under federal law.

(6) A person may not engage in kiteboarding or kitesurfing within an area that extends 1 mile in a direct line along the centerline of an airport runway and that has a width measuring one-half mile unless otherwise permitted under federal law.

History.—s. 5, ch. 59-400; s. 9, ch. 63-105; s. 1, ch. 65-361; s. 8, ch. 84-188; s. 6, ch. 87-392; s. 4, ch. 94-241; s. 1, ch. 99-162; s. 11, ch. 2000-362; s. 3, ch. 2014-70; s. 1, ch. 2015-161.

Note.—Former s. 371.54.