About WakeSurfSpots
Where to ride, what to ride, and the rules — wakesurfing, mapped.
What we do
WakeSurfSpots is the neutral, data-rich reference for wakesurfing: a state-by-state directory of ridable lakes and cable parks, structured boat and board specifications you can actually compare, ballast and board-size tools, and a plain-English tracker of state wake-boat rules.
We focus on wakesurfing spots, boats, boards, and wake-boat regulations. Every page on wakesurfspots.com is built from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, NOAA CO-OPS and Open-Meteo water-temperature data, published boat and board manufacturer specifications, and state boating-agency regulations, cited and linkable so readers can trace any number back to its source.
Who runs this
WakeSurfSpots is built and maintained by the Tim Adair. We're a small group working on making public wakesurfing spots, boats, boards, and wake-boat regulations data easier for non-specialists to read. If you have a correction, a data tip, or a question about how a number was derived, the contact email below reaches us directly.
Who this is for
WakeSurfSpots is built for wakesurfers choosing a board or boat, families looking for a lake to ride, and boaters trying to understand the wake regulations on their water.
Why this exists
Public data on wakesurfing spots, boats, boards, and wake-boat regulations is technically free, but practically locked behind file formats, acronyms, and paywalled dashboards. WakeSurfSpotsexists to close that gap: take the raw federal and public-sector data, and turn it into pages a normal person can read in thirty seconds.
How we work
- Primary source only. We pull from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, NOAA CO-OPS and Open-Meteo water-temperature data, published boat and board manufacturer specifications, and state boating-agency regulations and cite the exact dataset and version on every page.
- No invented numbers. If a figure is not in the underlying public data, it does not appear on wakesurfspots.com. We never generate synthetic statistics to fill gaps.
- Methodology, in plain English. Spot pages combine waterbody records from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset with water-temperature observations from NOAA CO-OPS stations and Open-Meteo, surfaced as a best-season window. Boat and board pages compile published manufacturer and authorized-retailer specifications into a single comparable schema; we never invent specs, and every figure traces to a cited source. Comparison pages are limited to popular model pairs rather than every possible combination. State rules pages summarize each state boating agency’s published wake-boat regulations with links back to the primary source.
- Refreshed on a schedule. Water-temperature and best-season data refresh on a rolling weekly-to-monthly basis from free public APIs; boat and board specifications are reviewed seasonally as new model years publish; state regulations are updated when an agency changes a rule.
- Corrections welcome. Readers flag issues all the time. When the source fixes a record, WakeSurfSpots follows.
Known limitations
Hydrography records describe a waterbody’s existence and size, not its legal ridability — always confirm local rules before launching. Manufacturer specifications reflect published figures at the time of review and can change between model years. Wake-boat regulations are fragmented and change frequently; our summaries are a starting point, not legal advice, and the linked state agency page governs.
Independence
WakeSurfSpots is an independent publication. We are not funded, owned, or directed by any of the agencies, companies, or organizations that appear in our data. Hosting is paid for by advertising — see our Privacy Policy for details — and we do not take paid placements, sponsored rankings, or "remove-my-entry" fees.
History
WakeSurfSpots launched in 2026 as part of a small portfolio of independent public-data sites. It has been maintained and updated continuously since.
Contact
Tips, corrections, data-partnership questions, and press inquiries: hello@wakesurfspots.com. More options on our contact page.