"Joe" wrote in message

Capt. Neal,

Do not fret. The weekend warriors boat at their own risk.
If they fail to comply with the rules and cause you our your vessel any
harm you can collect in a court of law.

As if that's a simple, frustration-free, inexpensive process. It isn't. My
advice: avoid courts and lawyers if at all possible. Only a complete fool
will insist upon his rights, knowing he has recourse in court.

Most lubbers do not have much invested in their boats and it is not
important enough for them to be concerned with the Colregs.

Most brand new boaters are clueless as to the Colregs, or even the more
fundamental "rules of the road." They buy their boats from dealers and
brokers who couldn't care less if the buyer has any knowledge at all; only
that his check won't bounce and he's creditworthy. The problem begins he
those selling boats for a living should be "encouraged" by law to provide at
least a modicum of knowledge to buyers.

Here I often enter heavy commerical shipping lanes therefore I want to
be sure I'm in the right incase some derelict crew or Capt. causes any
damage to my vessel. Plus I do not want to impede anyone working... or
get sliced in half by a mile long tow hauser offshore, or snag some
shrimpers net and have to buy him a new one.

In an backwoods harbor on the N Atlantic were seldom is seen another
vessel... Moorons approch to the rules is not to far out of line for
the average weekend warrior.

I used to believe that to be true, but I've found that most boaters, after a
verbal altercation with other boaters, make the effort to discover why they
were the focus of such vitriol. That's why I spare no one from verbal abuse
should they do something really stupid. It's part of their education.
Many ultimately take CG Auxiliary courses, the Power Squadron courses, or
simply self-study. I really don't find many experienced boaters these days
with no knowledge whatsoever, apart from the rank newbie and jet ski jocks.
Most possess a fundamental set of facts and rules, and they use them
properly.

Here in the Great Lakes, we seldom have need for the more esoteric Colregs,
but many of us still have a working knowledge of them. It's rare to find a
third year boater without any knowledge of the rules of right of way, etc.

Max