All the so-called professional captains continue to embarrass themselves
by refusing to read and understand the COLREGS. They show their stupidity
as well by not understanding the definition of a motor boat.

Fact: any aux/sailboat when its motor is running, no matter whether it
has sails up or not, is a motor boat according to the Rules.

This means that a 25GT Master of Steam or Motor Vessels Near Coastal
does not need a sail endorsement to carry passengers for hire unless and
until the motor is turned off and the vessel is operating under sail alone.

Even then it's a gray area because all one need do is keep the steaming
cone up and you are still considered a motor boat by any and all vessels
you may happen to come across. The simple act of displaying the cone
makes your Master of Steam or Motor Vessels license all that is needed
to be legal. The cone makes you a motor boat. The only time you cannot
be a motor boat is if you have no motor installed. Then flying the cone
is not legal because it's a lie. The Master of the vessel is the person
who decides if his aux/sail vessel is a sailboat or a motorboat and
not the courts and not the Coast Guard. Just to make the case 100
percent watertight all the Master need do is just keep the motor
turning over at an idle and there is no lie. Everything is on the up
and up according to the definitions in the Rules. No court in the
land can decide any different without misinterpreting the Rules.

Rick is clearly an idiot and so is Shen44 and otn if they fail to
see these simple facts that represent the truth the whole truth
and nothing but the truth. Rick wrote: "You are NOT a master of
sailboats of any sort. You are not a professional sailor."

Wrong! I am Master of an aux/sailboat because an aux sailboat
with the motor running is a motorboat and a motorboat license if
appropriate for its operation.

Rick further embarrassed himself by writing the following gem:
"The funny part is that Nil hangs all his claims to fame and status on
being a sailor of sailboats and loudly and continually condemns all
powerboaters as some sort of subspecies."

Wrong again! I have always maintained that I studied for and
obtained a Masters license mostly for the knowledge gained and
not to make a living with it. It allows me to legally do a little
work on the side in BOTH my aux/sailboat and my Boston Whaler.
It also allows me to keep honest you ego cases who live and breath
motorboats only. You just hate the fact that a single-handed
sailor who lives aboard and actually goes places knows as much
as you do and passed the same tests you took probably with
better scores to boot.


S.Simon

Master of Steam or Motor Vessels of not more than 25GT
upon Near Coastal Waters, also Operator of Uninspected
Passenger Vessels upon Near Coastal Waters not to exceed
100 miles offshore.