"Roger Long" wrote

The specific question for this group is:

Will you cruising (and aviation if your are a pilot) be safer and more
convenient if the only weather data available to you is that which you
pay for with your credit card at time of access or get via monthly
subscription?

Point to ponder: The government is not going to privatize the very
expensive searches for sailors and pilots who get in trouble. Human
nature being what it is, how many more of them are there going to be
to look for if everyone has to pay for weather reports?

--

Roger Long

Roger, it just might have results other than you implied.

A consumer (public or private corporation, private citizen or a government
agency) does tend to use more responsibly those services which it has to pay
for.

It's likely that "the very expensive searches for sailors and pilots who get
in trouble" are in large part for operators who already have adequate safety
equipment, and certainly have the means to obtain all forms of weather
information. It might make sense to charge for the services provided,
whether that be forecasting or search and rescue. Maritime accidents that
result from small boat operators lack of planning with FREE weather
information, would hardly be affected by charging all operators for that
service.

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach, Virginia