"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message
...
Please excuse my ignorance in posing this question. As a UK sailor of many
years experience in racing and cruising yachts, I am curious to know,
since
the subject rarely turns up, whether our US cousins have a similar series
of
qualifications to those administered in the UK by the Royal Yachting
Association (Yachmaster, at various levels).

I am not extolling the virtues of such "official"qualifications, indeed
many
UK sailors think they are less than useful, just curious to know if such
training and examination facilities exist in the US, as the subject never
seems to be discussed in this NG.

Dennis.



You Brits have America beat hands down. Just look at some of the training
available in your country:

http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2008/02/...-the-martinis/

Our Coast Guard/Navy is too busy dealing with Islamophobic paranoia and
incompetent boaters. There should be strict licensing of anyone who takes to
US waters and with that licensing should be rigorous training and
qualification. Currently, licenses are passed out too freely and the
taxpayer bears the brunt of the expenses.