SIGN LANGUAGE Okanagan Style


By Perry Mack


SO IT’S NOT THE SEXIEST TOPIC, but it’s still one of the most important aids to communication on inland lakes - as anyone knows who has ever been careening across the water at 50kph on a wakeboard, screaming at the boat driver to slow down. Thumbs down does not mean, ‘I suck at this’ or ‘You are the worst boat driver on this wa- terlogged planet’. I’ve forgiven my wife for that little adventure but I still suffer from chills and flashbacks whenever I shout ‘Hit it!’


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Although you can come up with your own, there are some universally ac- cepted hand signals – and I’m talking about boating hand signs – that will insure that everyone has a safe and fun boating experience. These universal hand gestures will allow everyone to understand what is being said without anything getting lost in translation.


The key piece of advice here is the rider is in control – what she or he signs – goes.


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