I think the latter part is a tough road to travel. People take driving
tests and pass, but they're still terrible drivers and don't
necessarily remember the rules for longer than it takes to get from
the exam to their car. I think that the best one can do is to have
people take the class. After they take and pass the class (which would
be a pretty low standard, unfortunately), that's probably all you can
do.

I'd be happy to hear a suggestion about how to actually confirm that
they got it or that they continue to get it.

Well, like I said, in NY you take the eight-hour course from Power
Squadron
or Coast Guard Auxiliary, then take a test and, if you score high
enough, get
a certificate from the organization. In addition, you have to take an
extra pwc-specific
written safety test and get a certain percentage of the questions
right, to get an additional
certification, which then lets you legally operate a pwc (you then sort
of convert it into
a more formal "license" from NYS, which is mutually accepted to also
let you operate in NJ
or Ct.)

Are you suggesting that
they have to do this on some regular basis? Not being too serious, I'd
like to see a driving test before you can operate a boat.

Now, that'd be really worth something, but I don't think we'd ever see
that. Too expensive, prohibitvely complicated
to administer (would people have to report to the docks on Saturday
mornings and wait in line for boat-driving tests with
the coast guard or something?), and politically people would probably
just never go for it.

For now I'd be delighted if all boaters just had the same requirement
that we pwc'ers have now. Just to demonstrate,
by taking and passing a written test, that they have had some exposure
to the basics of boating safety, and retained
the information at least long enough to pass the test! Now that
actually tells us a little more if you think about that. If somebody
goes to the
trouble to take the class and prepare for and pass the test, that puts
them a notch up in responsibility and seriousness,
than somebody who didn't, in my eyes. Hopefully it tells us that
they're serious enough about it to actually WANT to learn
the basics and acknowledge the importance of being safe.....and from
there I'll be happy to give them the benefit of the doubt, and assume
that from there they are actually going to start boating and learning
more, getting better, learning from mistakes, all the time, as we all
have.
If they pay any attention at all to the course, they will at least come
away with a sense of how much there is to be aware
of and to learn, that goes along with operating a boat, that they might
not have realized before if they are new to it.
If they didn't know this and didn't pay enough attention or at least
realize this, then they probably won't be able to pass
the test and that would keep the worst of the idiots and jerks off the
water until they can at least show that they have
started to get a clue.

Right now, in New York State, unless I'm incorrect, it is ONLY people
operating pwc's that, when I see them on the water,
I know they have either had a boating safety course, or if not they
will be eventually caught and ticketed.

richforman

In article .com,
wrote:
Are you suggesting that
they have to do this on some regular basis? Not being too serious, I'd
like to see a driving test before you can operate a boat.

Now, that'd be really worth something, but I don't think we'd ever see
that. Too expensive, prohibitvely complicated
to administer (would people have to report to the docks on Saturday
mornings and wait in line for boat-driving tests with
the coast guard or something?), and politically people would probably
just never go for it.

I'm pretty politically correct, and I'd love to see it... probably
right though... not going to happen. It could be done through local
sailing schools for a state-mandated fee, but no matter how you cut
it, it would be expensive and unwieldy. I could even see something as
minimal as just taking the boat out of the slip and returning safely
to Earth. It wouldn't take more than 10 minutes.

At one point, I used my reciprocal priviledges with another
organization to rent a boat in So. Cal. That's what they had me
do... kind of a joke, but I could see their point I guess. One of
their instructors backed the boat out of the slip and handed me the
wheel. All he wanted me to do was make a big turn and dock the boat. I
said, "backward"? But, no just drive it straight in. No current, no
wind... odd for letting someone they don't know charter a $1/4 mil
boat.

If they pay any attention at all to the course, they will at least come
away with a sense of how much there is to be aware
of and to learn, that goes along with operating a boat, that they might
not have realized before if they are new to it.

One hopes...

Right now, in New York State, unless I'm incorrect, it is ONLY people
operating pwc's that, when I see them on the water,
I know they have either had a boating safety course, or if not they
will be eventually caught and ticketed.

Out here, anything goes. However, the CG and local law enforcement are
pretty visible. If you look like you know what you're doing, then they
typically don't board you. If you don't, then you're likely to have
that happen. A week or so ago, there was some guy doing a bit less
than 10 kts. near the harbor entrance... clearly marked 5 mph speed
limit. The Sheriff told him to slow down, then he was boarded by the
CG when he exited the channel. Amazing coincidence.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com