Back to School?

[G.F.Kellor]

Ignorance is no excuse?

Excellent subject thread! Lots of good 'Pros and Cons'.Sadly, we must face the reality of the matter and realize that the more people involved in any activity, the more risks and likely dangers there are due to people not assuming responsibility for their actions. Common problem in so many facets of our society these days.Here in Oregon, the 'schooling' and 'testing' process is very similiar to what one writer from Canada described their program.As with auto licencing, there will be an age limit and requirements for adult supervision. Naturally, nothing that can't be disobeyed by those who are naturally unlawful.Main point I'd like to address is that at least with a mandatory class and testing, many would be exposed to 'rules of the road' and general operating proceedures that they wouldn't be aware of otherwise. Presently, it is too easy for anybody to aquire a boat, any size or type and go out and endanger others.Agreed, you can't legislate 'commonsense' any more than you can legislate 'morality'.. There just isn't any ideal answer when the basic nature of many is to resist any law, written or unwritten. The world would be so much better if everybody would look after others with the same care they desire for themselves.

 

[Landis]

Education is #1 in any endeavor

Before purchasing my first boat I took the "Power Squadron Boating Course". It was an interesting and enjoyable class. The navigation skills I learned in thier basic course enabled me to help a friend deliver his new boat from Lake Saint Clare, MI to Suttons Bay,MI ( 200+ miles ). Five years later a friend from out west invited me out to skipper a charter sailboat in San Diego, CA. and was going to pay for everything. If I didn't pass the charter boat company's test He would have wasted a lot of money. That basic class I took from the "Power Squadron" helped me pass the charter boat service test. I use the skills I learned in that class every day that I sail. I can't imagine being on the water without that basic training. The training was not free. I think the government should require equivelent training, and the individual should pay for it..not non-boating taxpayers. It might save thier life or the life of a passenger (that the skipper is ultimately responsible for) some day.

 

[Paul Zetlmaier]

ASA class

Power boaters are beyond help. Bayliner driversin particular BUT they have a pretty good education program here in the Portland area.ASA associated schools have been a godsend for me, I was a total novice now I know green fromstarboard and all that nautical crap.Remember; all the above are optional, if the government gets into the business it will become expensive, incompetent and unreliable.Let Darwinism take care of the jerks(except forjet skiers; firearms should be authorized for use against any "personal watercraft" that comes in range.

 

[Alex Psychoyos]

As deadly as driving

Boating can be more deadly than driving a car. Boats are equipped with more horsepower than cars and are subject to far more variables which can affect the safety of operation. Accidents are happending every day, many with loss of life. The tragic part is that with a bit of education, many of these accidents would never have happened.

 

[Linda]

Certainly is a Good Idea

Have taken both the USCG Sailing and the USPS basic boating classes. Good foundation for rules and regs, but there is nuttin' like getting out there and making your mistakes while learning. Been there, done that, and won't quit!

 

[Randy]

Without a Doubt!

We have driver's testing and licensing for good reason. With today's high-speed boats and younger folks at the helm, I agree that some kind of basic knowledge in the form of a classroom or at least a self-study effort, (America's Boating Course comes to mind) with nominal testing should be the least that should be required.Gee, do I sound like an old fuddy-duddy? Well, with over 42 years in law enforcement, I've seen almost everything stupid a person can do. And why do they do these idiotic things? If you ask them... and they answer honestly... they'll usually say "I didn't know", or something equally as intelligent.There's lots of information available, so why don't we make sure watercraft/vessel/pwc operators know the rules of the road and understand how to react appropriately? Gee, could it be YOUR life in the balance some day? If so, I hope the other operator knows what the heck to do!

 

[Jim A]

Tom, I still agree with you

Law don't work! The only law that works is an EYE for an EYE. Your right 100%, Government's law don't work. Look at drugs, they are everywhere! Try to make them legal and see if you don't get killed by the mob. See that what we are talking about, "THE STRONG MAKE THE LAW". In boating it is the bigger boat!One time I was coming into a harbor and a big powerboat wake that almost sumped my little sailboat. The guys kid was laughing at me after he passed. Nothing I could do, he had the bigger boat. I cought up with him in a slow speed no wake zone and follow him to his slip, but he was bigger than me so again nothing I could do! This is our freedom! If you work out and get big then your right!I agree with you 100%Tom you have no answer! None at all! Safe boat programs that do not cost a lot of taxpayer dollars are a good thing. HOW DOES PASSING A SAFE BOATING CLASS TAKE AWAY YOUR FREEDOM!!!

 

[Jim]

Education

In concept this is a great idea. In reality it adds to the government infrastructure in a big way (read that adds a lot of cost, taxes and little benefit.) What is needed is an iron clad means of inforcin the rules that exist. The power boat crowd has to give lee way to sailboats, that means not passing within 20 feet going like the hammers of hades. It means sailboat guys cannot just cut accross someones bow because they think the have the right of way.I have been sailing since the 50's and never cease to be amazed at what idiots with a large credit line or checkbook do.Government is not the answer, it is part of the problem. The yuppie crowd that have never been on the water, ertainly never off shore may not like it as their answer is always government. The truth is simple, if you scew up, you lose your boat.

 

[Keith]

LICENSE EQUALS DEATH

Give a 16 year old kid a licenes to drive a car & they think they know everything about driving until they crash the car ,usually drunk on beer (they arent old enough to buy!) A license doesn't stop them, what makes any person think that a license will stop this from happening on the water? It doesn't work in cars & it won't work in boats. Be alert and Darwin will take care of the fools.20 plus years of boating & I still see new ignorant people on the water. Welcome them, invite them over, because they are more apt to listen to a friendly voice than someone in a classroom putting them to sleep.

 

[Peter]

Boaters education classes

Hello fellow boaters, Up here, in the great white north, boaters are required to take a course re. boating. The only reason, other than another form of tax, that I can think of for such is a legal one. If one takes the course then one can't say that they didn't know the rules. Any boater with any insight at all, even a newbie, knows the common-sence rules of the "road"...............all the best for the next season.

 

[by golly]

Put the clamp on drunk boat drivers

What is best is to put stiff penalties on drunken boat drivers and speed limits on conjested waters. 80 and 90 mph bass boats are probably unsafe on a lake with other boaters around, especially when the driver bounces out of the boat.

 

[Tom s/v GAIA]

I don't think it's about education

You don't need to go to a class to realize your wake can swamp another boat - you don't need a lesson plan to figure out a motor driven boat is more maneuverable then a wind powered boat.What you need is to give a sh*t about how yourbehavior is going to inpact on others, the bottom line is alot of people don't care about that. Learning how to sail is one thing, learning how to take responsiblity for your actions is another. Jim A, if you had told the other guy what his wake had done, that might have made a difference, Hell you followed him back to his slip, tell him your turning him to the harbor master, educate him! The law of the jungle?!?!? GROW UP!!!!! isn't it bad enough out there?Tom s/v GAIA

 

[Art Andrea]

Boating Class

I"m been reading some letter about boating education I think boating class are good for new And some boaters who have been in boating for some time. Why I'm saiding this is I seen A power boat go up in flames this pass year. I do ot know if the ower had boating class but do know four people could have been kill. Education is for understanding operations of all types of water crafts.

 

[Sam Clemens]

Only the responsible will license anyway

The law also says your not drive a motor vehicle w/o a license yet we in law enforcement continue to ticket people w/o a license who is breaking several other laws.To find later that the same person has injured someone or property.Alot of these people who break the laws don't care if they are licensed or not, the responsible people will pay to get the licenses and abide by the law and the people who don't care will run the boat anyway. The system needs to punish the ones that break the laws instead of making new laws that make things harder on the law abiding tax payers.Sam

 

[Gary Harkins]

Mixed Feelings!

I would be in favor of mandatory boater testing if the testing was extensive and detailed. However, the government would likely make a ten question test that anyone with a body temperature above 76 degrees could pass. I teach AP, JN and N for the Power Squadrons. I personally believe that nobody should operate a boat on anything larger than a pond unless they have at least passed the equivalent the Piloting class (P). I really feel that more could be accomplished with much less expense if laws were passed to lower BAC to .05. Then make operating a boat with levels above .05 punishable by heavy fines and even jail time.Gary Harkins

 

[Nicolas Soler]

We already got it !!

In Spain this has been necessary from many years ...The result !?In my opinion since the government requires added some days of navigation (2 or 3 years ago) the "license" has become a bit usefull...Formerly, it wasn´t more than an escuxe to allowed to boat legally every kind of people, with, or without, any idea about what they were doing .... but with the TAX PAID ...Best Luck !!!!!Nicolás PER ("Patron de Embarcaciones de Recreo", Allowed to boat legally Sail boats until 12 m. with less than 450 hp, so far !!!)Ahhhh! probably you are more organizated than were are ... otherwise you probably have any friend in the departament in charge .... and don´t forget !!! If you come over Portugal for holidays you always can try to "buy" your license there, is the easiest way (200/300 Euros.)