License to sail

[Juice6576]

How about just a license to chill?

I would rather not get the governent any more involved. Most sailors I know took some sailing course at the Y or something like that. And with a 25% discount, the incentive to attend boater's safety is there.That said, there are way too many fisherman and power boaters who think if they can drive a car, a boat works the same way.

 

[ex-admin]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending April 10, 2005:How do you feel about safety afloat?54% All boaters should be required to pass a basic safety course 22% No licenses or mandatory courses are desired or necessary21% Mandatory licensing, including a boating safety course, would improve safety03% Only owners of large boats should be required to take a boating safety course1,031 owners responding

 

[Rick D]

Wow! 75% Positive For

mandatory certification or licensing. I would have lost money on that for sure! Goes to prove the value of polling. Rick D.

 

[Jentine]

The government couldn't coordinate sunrise!

The only reason for licensing of any kind is ti raise money for the states and federal governments. Safety is the farthers thing from beauricratic minds. Licensing will only serve to fatten the pockets of a handful of agencies with no significant gain.Let the insurance companies control education. If you are charged a higher price for not taking a basic safety course, you will ensure the minimum education requirement is satisfied.Jim Kane

 

[Dick McCauley]

Spend the Money where its Needed

We now spend many tax dollars with local, state, and county agencies for marine patrols. How about ticketing some of the irresponsible boaters, and the only way to remove the ticket is to sucessfully navigate a safe boater course. Funny this sounds like a defensive driving course to remove a speeding ticket. Problem is that the local agencies are too busy checking what kind and how many fish are caught, or the patrols are underfunded and can't afford the gas to do their patrolling.

 

[ronbreen]

Born or Made --- NOT Born or Learned

Jim Kane and Stu both see the light ... government control is not the way to go. Insurance premiums MIGHT REALLY WORK .... I would definitely take many, many more courses IF my insurance premium was to be reduced (repeatedly).As regards my earlier "born not made" comment....Stu notes that we are not born to "boating safety" ... I agree, but we ARE born to investigate, study, read, apply, test, plan, coordinate, observe, discuss, obey and respect. People will perform their entire lives the way they were wired at birth and nutured by their parents. We do "learn" as a result of our insatiable desire to live through our next sailing adventure.So, if you dont give a s**t, no amount of licensing will make you a safer skipper - and training/study/learning/ is not part of your personal vocabulary (just THROTTLE --- that's all that's needed). If you DO care what happens to you and your boat and others, you have already completed some training, and are always seeking more - formal and informal. You are already operating your vessel safely. You are already securing your vessel at the dock properly. You are already "licensed".Government licensing intervention is only going to raise funds through fees which will be deposited in the "general" fund for use in repairing state office buildings..... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ..... ANYTHING but licensing. ---

 

[Tom]

Keep Out

Don't we have enough goverment regulations ?

 

[MArk]

Our government ...

... was established to protect our rights... NOT to grant or sell us our rights!Has any one read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution lately? Our country's founding documents are really not that complicated (or long, infact with July 4th here shortly, that would be a good family activity: to read and discuss...). If more people read and understood those two documents we would not have to complain so much about government intrusion and control because WE would have more control over our government as was intended by the Founding Fathers (and Mothers).Happy sails *_/),MArk

 

[J.B. Dyer]

Fuel to the Fire

Hi Folks:Tennessee just recently passed a law that requires a safety class certification for 14year olds and up and having it in your possession while operating a water craft. Us old timers got grandfathered in, I forget what the cut off date was. This means that kids 13 and younger can't legally operate a water craft as is seen a lot around here.The prime reason was the continued up swing in injuries. It's not hard to see why as every spring you see an influx of kids being turned loose on pwc's without supervision darting all over the place with no fear or knowledge of safety to themselves or others. The lack of personal responsibility of the parents letting these kids rip around on these things killing themselves is a large part of the new law. Not to condemn the kids too much, you see the same thing going on with adults too.In this instance, the government stepped in because of the lack of participation or common sense of the parents.I'm going to try and attach some information from JAMA that addresses this, I hope it comes through.The bottom line on this is that all of us sometimes suffer from the irresponsibility of others.

 

[Mark Mazour]

Only if it's supported like auto dirvers license s

I would have no problem with it as long as it is supported just the automobile drivers license systems are. Every county in every state would have boating licenses available in combination with your auto licenses, just like a motorcycle license. Of course a driving exam would be difficult

 

[Frank]

Yes and No

While it is comforting to think that requiring licencing will make things safer, the real truth is that common sence and good judgement is the thing that boaters/drivers really need.Our highways are littered with maimed and dead licenced drivers who got that way because either they or some other licenced nut put them there. Trust me, I drive the steets of California with some really crazy licenced nuts!

 

[George H260]

Stu

Stu, I have always agreed with you, but I would argue this time. If you read and want to be better, you have an instinct to be a safe sailor!We are on the same page, it's out there, and those that go for it are already the safe ones.

 

[Dennis]

Im going to!

Make a hand held sail and use roller skates!

 

[scuba01]

licenses does not = safty

i am a avid diver and we all have to go thru a long training class and the best divers are the new ones.. after a year or so alot of divers i see do the opposit of what they should do and other do what we are supose to do. i do it for safty and weather i have to have a course in boat safty or not i am safe other people will take the course and still do what ever they want. im a defencive driver and a defencive boater always think every one else is out to hit you and keep your boat safe.

 

[RichH]

Licenses = revenue

Name me ONE license that is NOT primarily a governmental means siphoning revenue. If governmental agencies were truly interested in SAFETY there would be no fee attached to such licensesl. Think about this.

 

[George7742]

RichH

One = Pilots License

 

[cpt mik]

it's working in OZ

we have licences controlled and linked to driver licences, it seems to be working for some. cost $50 for the course and $75 for the licence. an extra course and fee for pwc.they gave me a $200 fine for not carring my licence, $200 for speeding and another $200 for comming within 50 metres of another vessle {we were racing}. i did learn what a flare does and that port is red. i think this time we agree richH, just a money spinner. if i gave they right name i would be very upset