SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/boat-teak-surfing-danger

Why is 'teak surfing' (holding onto the swim platform while the boat moves) so dangerous?

It puts you right in the engine exhaust, full of carbon monoxide.

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  1. It puts you right in the carbon monoxide exhaust ✔
  2. It blocks the boat's GPS reception
  3. It makes the boat impossible to steer

Why: Teak surfing means riding the wake while hanging on the swim platform at the stern, right where engine exhaust collects. NASBLA warns against any activity near a running boat's exhaust. It's also close to the propeller.

Huh, didn't know that: The 'station wagon effect' can pull exhaust back toward the stern even while the boat moves forward.

The dad joke
Why did the surfer stay away from the swim platform? He wanted fresh air, not fumes.
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References

Answer: It puts you right in the carbon monoxide exhaust. Teak surfing means riding the wake while hanging on the swim platform at the stern, right where engine exhaust collects. NASBLA warns against any activity near a running boat's exhaust. It's also close to the propeller.

  1. NASBLA ESP TR 103-2022 Basic Boating Knowledge, Core Plus Power higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASBLA/76594a34-f3a1-4916-95ac-1e9c872170cc/UploadedImages/education/national-education-standards/ESP_TR_ESP_103_Core_Plus_Power_2022_06_01FINAL.pdf
    the danger of swimming or engaging in any activities (e.g., teak surfing) taking place near the exhaust
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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