Petersen Water Skiing was born from one teenager’s obsession with the water—and a beat-up boat. Dan Petersen discovered waterskiing at 16 through a Boy Scouts trip and was instantly hooked. He scraped together enough money to buy his first boat before he even owned a car, eventually skiing competitively in college and keeping the passion alive for decades.

A former member of the NC State University water ski team, Dan competed in slalom, trick, and jump tournaments throughout college and beyond. With over 40 years of teaching experience, he now shares that same stoke with skiers of all ages and abilities on a quiet Maine lake each summer.

Dan holds certifications in water ski instruction, adaptive water ski instruction, and boat driving through USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. He’s also a certified lifeguard through the American Red Cross. In the winter months, Dan serves as a full-time ski and snowboard instructor and foreman at Sugarloaf, holding Alpine Level 2, Snowboard Level 1, and Children’s Specialist Level 1 credentials through PSIA and AASI.

A year-round resident of Kingfield, Dan is committed to making ski sports more accessible, empowering, and joyful—for kids, adaptive athletes, and anyone looking to try something new.