Nautique Boat Company and NMMA Host State Lawmakers for Manufacturing Tour and On-Water Demonstration

On Tuesday, July 21, Nautique Boat Company, in partnership with NMMA, hosted over a dozen state lawmakers and staff from across the country at their facility in Orlando, Florida. The visit included a comprehensive tour of their manufacturing facility, and an on-water wakesurfing demonstration.

The event gave state legislators a first-hand look at how modern wake boats are engineered and manufactured, as well as an opportunity to experience wakesurfing. For many attendees, it was their first time on a wake boat and a chance to see up close how the industry's technology and safety features work in practice, rather than through the lens of proposed legislation alone.

NMMA used the visit to reinforce the industry's position that boating access policy should be grounded in common sense and safety. Central to that message is the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators' (NASBLA) 200-foot offset standard, which NMMA supports as a responsible benchmark for safe wake sport recreation. Rather than blanket restrictions or lake-specific bans, NMMA continues advocating for consistent, statewide standards that balance recreational access with public safety.

While on the water, attendees also heard about the industry's coalition-based approach to safety and education, which includes support of NASBLA, and the Water Sports Industry Association's (WSIA) wake responsibly education campaign. These partnerships reflect a shared commitment across the boating industry to promote responsible recreation without sacrificing access to the water.

A representative from Wake for Warriors also spoke at the event, highlighting the organization's work bringing wakesurfing and water sports to veterans and individuals with all ability levels. Their remarks underscored a broader point for lawmakers: wake sports are not a niche or exclusive activity, but one that reaches a wide range of participants, including those who rely on adaptive equipment and specialized instruction to get on the water. For legislators weighing access restrictions, the presentation served as a reminder that overly broad limitations on wakesurfing can have outsized effects on the very communities that benefit most from inclusive, supervised on-water programs.

By combining a manufacturing tour with an on-water demonstration, NMMA and Nautique Boats gave lawmakers a tangible sense of both the jobs and economic footprint supported by boat building and the responsible way on-water recreation can be enjoyed without limiting access to public waters.

For any questions regarding wakesurfing policy or education, please reach out to Lauren Hyland, Director of Public Policy and Industry Engagement, at [email protected].