The Qualified Captain: Wake-jumping close call highlights importance of boating safety

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A day of wake surfing nearly turned dangerous after another boater jumped a wake too closely, creating a close call that serves as this week’s boating safety lesson from The Qualified Captain.

In the latest edition of WWAY’s ongoing partnership with The Qualified Captain, boating safety instructor Captain Chris Juall reviewed video showing a wake surfer attempting to get up behind a boat while another vessel suddenly crossed the boat’s wake nearby.

“Here you have everyone on a beautiful day, on the water, watching their friend wake surf,” Juall said. “Everything’s looking good, everyone starts wondering what’s going on in the background… Whoa!”

The video shows another boat crossing the wake at close range, creating a potentially dangerous situation for everyone involved.

Orange safety flag plays a key role

Juall pointed out that one important safety measure was missing.

“If you notice, in the very beginning of this video, the spotter in the boat—the person looking at the person in the water, which everyone’s supposed to have by law—is holding an orange flag,” Juall said. “That orange flag is supposed to signal to other boaters that there is a person behind the boat… and she doesn’t have that flag raised.”

Juall said the orange skier-down flag alerts nearby boaters that someone is in the water behind the vessel, helping reduce the risk of collisions or dangerous passes.

“It’s a good thing to have because you can see what happens when people are unaware,” he said.

Three key takeaways

Juall said the incident offers three simple but important reminders for anyone spending time on the water:

• Don’t jump wakes.
• Control your speed.
• Make yourself visible.

Following those safety practices can help prevent crashes and close calls, especially on busy waterways where multiple boats may be operating nearby.

“As always, this is Captain Chris,” Juall said, “and you do not want to end up on The Qualified Captain’s social media pages.”

WWAY’s boating safety series with The Qualified Captain uses real-world videos to educate boaters and promote safe practices on the water. The Qualified Captain also offers boating safety education courses, including NASBLA Approved State Online Boating Course and Non-NASBLA Approved Courses.