"Don White" wrote in message
...

"Capt. Mooron" wrote in message
...
It's a friggin 20 buck tax grab with a ridiculous exam that proves
nothing
regarding operator competency!

You now need one despite the fact you might have a Master/Minor Waters
certification.

It's ridiculous.


CM

It might keep those rum guzzlin' characters from terrorizing decent
sailing
folk in Mahone Bay......then again maybe not!

They're safe now..... Overproof is laying to her cradle..... in the
parking lot of the local bar! :-D

CM

It may be so in your area but I can assure you all CYS courses were booked
solid years ago when I took my courses. I paid out of pocket with no
hesitation for these courses. What ****es me off the most is that even
though the certification automatically assures me an operator's card... I
still have to pay the additional $20. This card is no more than a tax grab.
I know lots of people who have folks write the test for them online and then
pay their fee only to have no clue about boating safety.

The card is a scam.... it won't hold up in court.

CM




"rhys" wrote in message

I am also in Toronto, Canada, and got my certificate in the context of
Canadian Power Squadron courses. Not a bad thing, and the red tape is
minimal.

While you can just "sit the test" without prior instruction, the
advent of this licencing requirement is getting more people into Power
Squadron courses, which is gradually upping the knowledge level of
recreational boaters generally, or so it appears to me.

At least it's no longer "zero".

R.

On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 18:01:42 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"Capt. Mooron" wrote in message
...
It's a friggin 20 buck tax grab with a ridiculous exam that proves nothing
regarding operator competency!

You now need one despite the fact you might have a Master/Minor Waters
certification.

Actually, the regulations require only that one carry proof of
competency on board and recognize e.g. a CPS diploma as adequate proof
of competency in lieu of a license.

Ryk

The real problem with all of these courses is they don't really teach anyone
how to operate a boat. There is also the problem that it is a lot different
aiming a jon boat across the lake and handling a 40' cruiser offshore but both
are covered in the same course.
You only need to sit near the dock at a waterfront resturant (or any ramp) and
watch the boats come and go to see the problem.

Did a license ever stop an accident on the road?


"Gordon" wrote in message
...
Washington state wants to institute a revamped law to require boating
drivers licenses. To those in states who have such laws, what are the pros
and cons of your system and does it prevent accidents etc or is it just
another red tape gizmo to collect money for the state?
Thanks in advance
Gordon

In article ,
Ed C wrote:
Did a license ever stop an accident on the road?

I'm sure it has, but I don't think it's appropriate or feasible for
boats. It's just a tax. Cars require a test, minimal though it is.

--
Jonathan Ganz (j gan z @ $ail no w.c=o=m)
http://www.sailnow.com
"If there's no wind, row."

Did a license ever stop an accident on the road?

I'm sure it has, but I don't think it's appropriate or feasible for
boats. It's just a tax. Cars require a test, minimal though it is.

Driver's licenses are just a tax too, along with being the defacto national ID
card.
In my state you can renew by mail pretty much after you are dead. My mom was 86
when she mailed in her 4th 6 year renewal, from a nursing home and she died
before it arrived. The picture on my license looks like my high school yearbook
and there are so many renewal stickers on it I have a hard time getting in in
the wallet slot. They still cash my checks tho.

The real problem with all of these courses is they don't really teach anyone
how to operate a boat.

I very much agree.

However, there are a few things that are so fundamental that one needs to know
them before even attempting to learn to operate a boat.

When you learned to drive a car, odds are you understood what a Stop sign was
and what red, yellow, and green traffic signals meant before you hit the road.

That's sort of how I view these boater education courses. They aren't enough to
turn a rookie into any sort of a boater, but they might prevent a few disasters
caused by the absolutely and totally clueless exercising their perceived
"right" to boat in ignorance.

Did a license ever stop an accident on the road?



It can be logically assumed that there are fewer accidents when (most) drivers
have met a minimal standard for knowledge of laws and traffic safety than there
would be if everybody able to afford a car was allowed to head out onto the
freeway without meeting any standards at all.

However, there are a few things that are so fundamental that one needs to
know
them before even attempting to learn to operate a boat.

My problem is not that we should have requirements to operate a boat. I think
the car model is not stringent enough for operating a boat. I think the boat
license should be closer to the FAA license than the driver's license.
You will never get that past the dealers who want every Popeye wannabe to be in
the biggest, fastest boat he can afford.
There should be different categories of operator license based on training and
experience.
It borders on criminal that any bozo with good credit can go buy a 30' boat
that goes 60 MPH and run it offshore straight from the dealer without a minute
of training.