Well, I know that we non-stupid ones have campaigned
successfully for mandatory education and certification for pwc
operators, the results have been terrific (lower accident and injury
statistics in the states that have these laws now, and better-informed,
less-clueless newbies on the water, plus far fewer renters which
are the source of a a huge proportion of pwc problems)....and that
we also support and campaign for (less successfully so far) similar
requirements for all other boaters as well for the same reasons.

It's really nice to know. Unfortunately, there are still a high
percentage of morons out there that continue to contribute to the
image of jet-skiers as clueless fools or dangerous assholes.
Keep at it though... keep at it.

Keept at what? I was talking abaout licensing requirement, which the
previous
poster had brought up, and how I think they're a good idea. You saw
this as an opportunity to throw in
a gratuitous dig at pwc operators and to remind me that you don't like
them....I"m not taking the bait.

Back to the topic at hand:

On the other hand, licensing per se, isn't the same as requiring some
level of competency. Licensing regs typically extract a fee as the
dominant feature, e.g., drivers licenses, don't really ensure
competent drivers.

Obviously it doesn't "ensure competent drivers," but it seems to me
that
it's a lot better than nothing, don't you agree? Being able to
demonstrate
that a person has had at the very least some education in, some
exposure
to, the very basics, what the buoys and other navaids mean, what the
rules of the road are, safety
requirements and regulations, how to operate a vhf or use a nautical
chart....before they can legally drive a boat....
seems to me would go a long way toward protecting us all from "people
who buy a
boat, and go for it." That's what I'm talking about. And like I
mentioned, in areas that have
enacted these kinds of regulations for pwc's, the proof is in the
pudding (accident statistics).
IMO it's a good start and it would be an even better idea to extend the
same kind of rules
to operators of all types of power boats. I'd just think that it'd be
in all our interest...and if
local or state governments made some money off it (the licensing, and
the enforcement
when uncertified operators are caught and charged a penalty), that
would seem like icing
on the cake (hopefully some of that money might be funnelled back into
other things that
would help all us boaters like ramp or public dock upkeep, or marine
law enforcement).

No?

richforman