On line boater safety courses

[woodster]

just spent the afternoon yesterday taking one for my state...it is a long event with all the videos involved ....but what i noticed was how it covered so much of the questions that get asked here every day ....while taking the course i kept thinking how if everyone would do this it would take away a lot of the mystery that seems to perplex a lot of people on here.....has everyone taken one of these ...it helps with liability insurance discounts...it also gives you a tremendous overview of pwc(jet skies) that i have no interest in...but the main thing is it helps you understand the basics of navigation markers and traffic maneuvers that is sorta nice to know along with some really basic information about docking and anchoring (which seems to be asked here a lot)

how many of you have taken one of these courses

 

[Kermit]

ASA 101 qualifies as a safety course with State Farm insurance. I got a $25 annual discount. I also took an online safety course for boating in Virginia. Since I'm older than dirt it wasn't really required. Crazy Dave also told me that I didn't need it since my home state doesn't require it. I didn't want to have the discussion if VA DNR asked when I was there visiting so I took it (and passed.)

One thing I've learned and lately relearned is that in an accident some blame is always put on both parties involved. Regardless of who had the right-of-way and who caused it. Law enforcement will almost always say the operator of the stand-on vessel should have stood watch better and taken evasive action. Seems odd but that seems to be true in almost all cases.

 

[Capt jgw]

That page of the Rules of the Road book is an interesting read. It says the Give Way vessel must keep clear. That's all. Then there's three or four paragraphs on action to be taken by the Stand On should the Give Way not take action. The onus is definatly on the Stand On, you can't just let the other guy hit you.
The violation for no proper lookout is almost automatic. The Rules do not say what a proper lookout is, but court rulings have said that a lookout must have no other duties. The helmsman / skipper is not a lookout nor is a deckhand, unless he was posted specifically to keep watch and nothing else. Nobody does this right, not even the Coast Guard.

So if you ever have a collision you can pretty much count on getting fined for no lookout, and probably safe speed too.

 

[JohnCTV21]

Mandatory in Ct to register or operate a boat.

If you had a boat registered when the law took effect, you were "grandfathered" in.

 

[woodster]

Mandatory in Ct to register or operate a boat. If you had a boat registered when the law took effect, you were "grandfathered" in.

if you were born on or after jan 1 1998 here in ga you are required to have it

 

[kloudie1]

Just for giggles, I did the courses for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.. That way if stopped for a look/see while travelling, I have that in my favor..

 

[Rick D]

US Sailing Safety Course

I took a half-day US Sailing safety course required for local races. It was marginally OK, if way over the top on suggested equipment and preparation. Unless you were terminally paranoid or a committed offshore racer, it didn't have a huge relevance. Obviously, the sponsor would disagree and tell me stats of (the very few) fatalities in the sailing world and how just a bit more prep or gear would have had a different outcome,

BTW, A licensing bill has passed and will be rolled in beginning in 2018 in California.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

My wife and I took the US Power Squadron Safe Boating Course 10 years ago. It has since been renamed the America's Boating Course. It said it was an 8 hour course but we did over two hours a night every Tuesday for 4 weeks. It was well worth it and I highly recommend this course to anyone with a boat.

It did get us a slight discount on our insurance.

We have since both gotten 100 Ton Master Certified with Sailing Auxiliary and Assistance Towing endorsements. We learned a lot more going through that process. Our applications are now pending with USCG.

Funny thing though, our insurance company doesn't give us any more of a discount for being Master Certified then the first course.

 

[Capt jgw]

There usually is only one discount offered. I hold a 200 Ton, and I don't get any more discount that I did with my original boat safety course years ago.

 

[shemandr]

I've done the Power Squadron thing, ASA Coastal Cruising, USCG course so long ago I can't remember what it's called. None of it counted for the Suffolk County NY course that was proposed. So I registered and downloaded the text. There wasn't anything wrong with the curriculum. Basically I would expect someone to know all that if they were operating a boat. The problem with the course was that it was given infrequently with little choice of times. It was 8 hours. I read the syllabus in a few hours. Then the county rescinded the requirement in favor of the NYS requirement, which did not include a course for adults.
Law enforcement wags tell me if you have the current USCG Auxillary's sticker, they won't bother with you unless you do something stupid.

 

[capta]

I've never been asked for any kind of boat operator's permit. I'm not exactly sure what would transpire, if I was.
Is it going to be like when I was pulled over and told I can't operate a motorcycle driving on a Commercial CDL (with ALL the bells and whistles)? Never mind I've been riding bikes since the late 50's.
I think it's great that the pleasure boaters are mandated to get at least a minimum education in boating. However, I was under the impression, (formed after operating a passenger carrying vessel on the Connecticut River for a season) that these courses were primarily for producing revenue for the state.
It surely would be nice (and safer) if they have improved them to the point that folks actually learned something.
Isn't it interesting that a working captain, holding a commercial license (USCG master) doesn't get an insurance discount on his or his owner's boat, but anyone who passes a state operated boating safety course does. So, if the guy who owns the 85' yacht I'm operating for him, (though he cannot drive it, nor has he ever driven it) passes a state operated boating safety course, he gets a discount on his boat insurance. How does that make sense?

 

[Stu Jackson]

I took the BoatUS online course years ago and taped the "graduation certificate" inside the top of my nav station. Just in case anyone asks. So far, in 35 years I've only sank one wooden sailboat (dummy cleated off the mainsheet - never did THAT again!!!, and hit a big red buoy I pass every time I sail out and back in (brain dead day). Other people have hit me, but each one of them said exactly the right thing at the time: "I'll pay to get it fixed!" Nice guys.......

 

[woodster]

i think ever power boater should have to take it ...there is a lot of good info in the test that if they would take it i may just impress on them about the seriousness of boating and getting along with others on the water ..it was an interesting test and the only question i missed was something about level 2 of hypothermia and there was a lot of stuff about the pwc operators but not so much about sailing ..but some basic navigation markers and buoys...all in all i was glad to take it ...oh and i have learned a lot more on this site than anywhere else

 

[JohnCTV21]

In Ct the classes are free, just like the hunter safety courses.

It was kind of sad in my class, the instructors didn't know dipitydo about sailboats and I ended up teaching that portion of the class.
At least the power boaters in my class got a good education about behavior around sailboats.

 

[Roadking Larry]

I'm not one to support more government intrusion into our lives but sometimes a little mandated training can be a good thing. Unfortunately the ones least likely to take training voluntarily also tend to be the ones least likely to benefit from mandated training.
People make honest mistakes and errors but monumental stupidity and negligence needs to be punished with monumental repercussions. Maybe if causing damage or injury due to negligence/stupidity was more likely to result in appropriately severe punishment we'd see less of a problem.

 

[Paul Mermelstein]

I teach the Maryland state boating course as well as the United States Power Squadrons course. They are almost identical. Most states have a very similar set of rules, and therefore a similar course. Most of these states participate in NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators) and share a lot of info. The Power Squadrons course is NASBLA approved and is accepted in almost all participating states.

Each state's requirement regarding who must take it differs however. In MD, you must take it if born after July 1, 1972. In NJ, everyone must take it now. And as Woodster posted above, if born after Jan 1, 1998 in GA it is required.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

With cars and trailers, each state recognizes the other state requirements. Good example. Some states do not require boat trailers to be registered. Going thru another state for example, Virginia, the police with a TN liscensed vehicle will not stop that vehicle pulling a trailer with no tag on it as they know TN does not require it but must be pulled by a TN liscensed car.

Same applys to boats and people as well. Some states may require registration on a daysailor with/without a motor. In Virginia a daysailor under 18 feet do not have to be registered as long as no motor is on it. If sailing that same boat in another state that does require registration, then showing proof of where you live for example the VA drivers liscense is accepted.

What I am trying to say if you are in another state, they will accept what your state requirements are and vice versa. Going into Canada, different story as that is another country. However, safety boating courses is a good way to promote SAFETY as there are too many idiots on boats out there and all of us have seen them. I always told my customers to have fun but sail defensively to avoid accidents. When I threw regattas, I had no protest committees. All parties involved were required to do two complete circles no matter what before proceeding. Never had need of a protest committee with that rule as everyone was watching out for themselves and the other sailors.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

What I am trying to say if you are in another state, they will accept what your state requirements are and vice versa.

Sadly this does not seem to hold anymore. As of now it seems to be limited to boat registration but I would guess it is only a matter of time before the operator licensing/training follows the same path.

What I am referring to above is that in Florida they will cite you for not having your boat registered if you are USCG documented only. http://www.oceannavigator.com/May-June-2013/A-fog-of-regulation/