NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 8, 2022 – Indmar Marine Engines, the world’s largest privately-held manufacturer of gasoline powered inboard marine engines, joined Governor Bill Lee and others, in the official signing ceremony of new industry-backed model wakeboarding legislation.
Last week, representatives from the recreational boating industry – including NMMA, the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA), HeyDay, Indmar Marine Engines, and MasterCraft – joined Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for an official signing ceremony of the industry-backed model wakesurfing and wakeboarding legislation. The new law entered into force on July 1, 2022, and marks the first state to adopt the industry’s model legislation. Sponsored by Senator Ken Yager and Representative Dennis Powers, the bill enhances safety requirements for those engaging in wakesurfing and wakeboarding by:
- Requiring operators to stay at least 200 feet away from all shorelines, docks, piers, or other structures. This means that a channel needs to be at least 400 feet in total width to be considered an appropriate area for these activities.
- Riders engaging in towed watersports must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
- Prohibits wakesurfing and wakeboarding between the hours of sunset and sunrise.
- Prohibits wakesurfing from a boat with an exposed (beyond boarding platform) propeller.
- Prohibits wakesurfing and wakeboarding on a body of water less than fifty (50) acres in size.
“Working in the boating industry and being an avid boater and wakesurfer myself, I personally cannot thank the WSIA and the NMMA enough for stepping in and successfully amending a bill, that originally intended to ban wakesurfing in my home state, into a positive piece of legislation that maintains Tennessean’s waterway access rights and promotes safety,” explained Natalie Carrera, Director of Marketing for Indmar Marine Engines. “I would also like to thank Governor Lee, Senator Yager and Representative Powers for passing a legislation that ensures Tennessee waters may be shared and enjoyed for generations to come.”
“This is a big victory for all Tennesseans who enjoy being on the water as is the product of our partnership with WSIA, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, and many other boating community stakeholders,” said Ben Murray, NMMA manager of Southeast policy and engagement. “We thank Governor Lee, Senator Yager, and Representative Powers for making Tennessee the first state with this important legislation on its books and look forward to working with our industry partners to add more states to the list in the days ahead.”
About Indmar Marine Engines
Indmar is the world’s largest privately held manufacturer of gasoline-powered inboard marine engines. Indmar has a pedigree going back nearly 51 years in the inboard marine industry and a proud tradition of pointing the way forward. Indmar was the first inboard manufacturer to deliver fuel injection, and custom-calibrated engines and the first to produce an inboard engine with a catalyzed exhaust, which is now the industry standard. Today, this legendary brand delivers an inimitable mix of unrivaled performance, meticulous craftsmanship, and ground-breaking innovations – charting a course for others to follow. Indmar operates advanced manufacturing facilities in the U.S. with distribution centers in Millington, TN, Merced, CA and Clarkston, WA. For more information, please visit www.indmar.com
Photo Caption (Left to Right): Ben Murray (NMMA), Senator Ken Yager, Keisha Bentley Spicer (HeyDay), Collett Mazula (MasterCraft), Natalie Carrera (Indmar Marine Engines), and Lee Gatts (WSIA) join Governor Bill Lee (seated) as he signs the industry model legislation into law. For more information, please visit www.indmar.com.
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