Every time I hear of a kid killed on a jet ski I think mandatory training is
a good idea.
Just as disturbing is knowing that there are plenty of "Rodney Dangerfields"
on the water (whenever I'm out there) exercising their right to display
their wealth or credit line with acres of fiberglass and not a of clue of
what they are doing. You can tell these guys as they are the ones blasting
past small craft without even a glance back to see if the small craft
survived the tsunami of a wake the huge POS threw.
I'm split on the subject of an operators license, but leaning hard towards
it as a good idea.
If you've ever ran a boat in S Florida during a weekend and aren't one of
those who can't seem to grasp a basic like passing to starboard, you might
feel the same way.
During a race put on by Cocoa Beach Yacht Club (Port Canaveral), a "captain"
(of a big, expensive boat) hailed a Trident submarine that was in the
approach channel and told them they would have to fall off as "We have the
right of way as we are a sailboat under sail in a race".
Hell, just teaching these boneheads the pecking order might keep them alive!
Probably should be kept at the State level, and States should institute out
of necessity and not as a revenue generator.
MMC
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
Interesting thread on the Wooden Boat Magazine forum about New Jersey
being one of the first states to establish licensing for recreational
boat operators. I haven't tried to parse it to carefully (can't think
of any reason I would ever go to New Jersey, let alone stay there the
triggering 90 days) but it sounds like it could apply to non residents
or someone passing through (slowly).

Has anyone here been tracking this? NJ boat dealers must be having
cows and kittens all at the same time.

As a just (self) grounded private pilot, it does seem strange to go
out and do something that involves just as much responsibility and
requires just as much skill (at least to do safely) with out all the
training and oversight involved in flying aircraft. Boat licensing is
probably overdue but I still hate to see it coming up over the
horizon.

--
Roger Long