Water Skiing is popular in many countries around the world where appropriate conditions exist - an expanse of water unaffected by wave motion. Rivers, lakes, and sheltered bays are all popular for Water Skiing.

Standard water skis were originally made of wood, but now are usually constructed out of fibreglass-based composites. They are of similar length to downhill snow skis but are somewhat wider. Instead of a rigid binding, they have rubber moulded binding in which the skier's feet are placed. Skiers are pulled along by a rope with a handle fitted at one end and attached to a powerboat at the other.

Recreational skiers usually learn to ski with a ski on each foot, but as they improve usually progress to using a single ski - placing the other foot into another binding behind the main one. Beginners on two skis are usually pulled along at around 25-35 kph, whereas more advanced social skiers travel at between 40 and 55 kph. Once confidence is gained it is actually easier to travel faster than at slower speeds because of the greater lift and stability.

Within the confines of being pulled along by the boat, skiers can control their direction by balancing their weight on different sides of their ski. This is used to zip back and forth behind the boat.
There is a variation of the sport; barefoot skiing. As the name suggests, this involves Water Skiing without the aid of skis. Since the feet of the skier serve as the platform to lift the skier out of the water, the boat is required to pull the skier at a dramatically faster speed. Barefoot skiing is done at speeds between 60 and 100 kph. Several new sports have been derived from Water Skiing. They include Wakeboarding and Kneeboarding.