While taking the prep course for the coast guard commercial capt license the
instructors view on the subject was that if a passenger brought aboard a
sandwich or a bottle of pop for you the passenger was paying you for the
boat ride. Or similarly, if you take friends water skiing and share
refreshments they have brought you are being compensated and require a
license because you were "hired" to do the trip.

If I were you I'd get your insurance companies view in writing and proceed
with the trip!

Don Dando

Don Dando wrote:
While taking the prep course for the coast guard commercial capt license the
instructors view on the subject was that if a passenger brought aboard a
sandwich or a bottle of pop for you the passenger was paying you for the
boat ride. Or similarly, if you take friends water skiing and share
refreshments they have brought you are being compensated and require a
license because you were "hired" to do the trip.


Your instructor may not be familiar with the provisions of Title 43 in
the Code of Federal Regulations as revised in 2002. At one time, he was
most certainly correct from a technical standpoint- but under current
practice nobody is going to consider the ski boat owner a commercial
operator if he accepts a can of Diet Coke out of somebody's ice chest.

Then again, it may be in the best interest of your instructor's
employer to foster the impression that every Tom, Dick, and Harold that
takes anybody out on the water for even the most casual social
engagement needs to spend the $$$$ to attend the school and become a
"real" captain.




If I were you I'd get your insurance companies view in writing and proceed
with the trip!

Don Dando