Wayne.B wrote:
On 7 Apr 2006 12:56:06 -0700, wrote:
At any rate, past 16, if an aspiring boater had the initiative and good
attitude to just take the basic training course
Some of the very worst PeeWC bozos that I've seen are in their late
teens or early 20s. No thanks, age 30 is about time to let them out
of the pool.
But I wonder, have they learned the basics? Are they in a state like
here in NYS where they have to get the training in order to get behind
the wheel? I really think, again, of my first season when I first
bought my first entry-level pwc. I really had no boating/water
experience and didn't know anything about the environment, in
retrospect it's stupid but no one even really told how much there was
to know, I did mistakenly think, at first, that my new boat was just a
"toy." I'm 'fessing up that I really didn't know about slowing down
when passing boats docked at a marina or areas where I people were
swimming. I was in my early '30's by the way, and just ignorant...at
first! 'Til my friends that I started riding with, who were also the
ones who got me into cruising and long trips, etc., told me all that
stuff (or I'm sure some cops and angry fellow boaters told me lots of
it too)...anyway, by season #2 and since then, I really haven't done
any of it.
Most people once they have it pointed out to them the implications of
what they're doing and how it affects others....I'd think they'd
improve their behavior, it just seems natural.
So I don't think it's a question of age (like I said, I was well over
30, and still did the same stupid things, until I learned better)...but
rather training and knowledge and experience.
For the zillionth time, that's why I strongly support training,
education and certification requirements for ALL power boaters.
richforman