Whatever towable you choose, always wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. A Type III vest-style life jacket is the best choice. Its body-hugging fit won’t restrict movement, while the broad torso coverage offers a degree of impact protection in the event of a hard fall.

Always have a designated spotter aboard, a passenger whose sole task is to keep an eye on the person skiing or riding and communicate their needs to the driver.
The spotter and participant should know and understand the meaning of basic watersports hand signals. These include a thumbs up or down to indicate a desire to go faster or slower, a pat atop the head to request a return to the dock, and both hands overhead with fingertips touching to signal the rider is OK following a fall.