They aren't just rude to sailboats...
- Thread starter Kermit
- Start date
We've had boat operator licensing discussions before, and it always ends up the same way: Some people think it will cure all on-water rudeness, and others think it is both ineffective and needless government oversight. I'm with Meriachee -- it's probably not so much a lack of knowledge "I don't know which side of the channel I should hug", but indifference or thoughtlessness. I know I am preaching to the choir, because if you spend time reading sailing blogs you are probably not in this group. We need to reach out to people who see the water as the untamed wilderness where there are no rules and you are free to act out any fantasy if you have money for gas. Unfortunately, most of our outreach is voluntary - power squadron, yacht clubs, this posting, etc. and does not reach the freedom-loving jerks.
I suggest that some regulation might help, but not so much "education" as attitude. Licensing does two things - sets a minimum of education (you need to understand the rules-of-the-road) and enforcement (boating is a privilege, not a right). I'd like to see better enforcement of drunk boater laws, and reporting / ticketing of dangerous behavior like the jet ski jumpers or cutting off skiers.
I suggest that some regulation might help, but not so much "education" as attitude. Licensing does two things - sets a minimum of education (you need to understand the rules-of-the-road) and enforcement (boating is a privilege, not a right). I'd like to see better enforcement of drunk boater laws, and reporting / ticketing of dangerous behavior like the jet ski jumpers or cutting off skiers.
People pulling kids on blow up couches through the mooring field where people regularly swim, and while the boaters using said field have no idea that this goes on, since there are no signs, regulations, markings on a chart or hallway monitors, it doesn't preclude common sense, however, the boaters in question seem to think that they "own" the lake, and that the boats in the mooring field are somehow impacting their personal ability to go wherever they want, whenever they want.
Indifference is only a short step from irresponsible.
Some of the things we've been forced to take evasive action to avoid goes beyond irresponsible, and one time we got yelled at after we had to drop the kite to avoid running over the kids that got dumped off the blow up couch, barely 100 feet in front of us.
Rules? We don't need no steenkin' rules.
Indifference is only a short step from irresponsible.
Some of the things we've been forced to take evasive action to avoid goes beyond irresponsible, and one time we got yelled at after we had to drop the kite to avoid running over the kids that got dumped off the blow up couch, barely 100 feet in front of us.
Rules? We don't need no steenkin' rules.
In Canada, you need to take the boater's course to get the federally required boater's licence to operate a boat.
Really? Wander over to the rental place on the pier next to the boat launch at Horseshoe Bay and see what the requirements are. The sign clearly states "no boaters license required". I'm not saying it's not required, it's just laughable.
That's why the parole officer always follows me into the... Oh wait. That's not what you were talking about.
It's not about education, it's more about common sense. but you just can't teach people common sense ;( .
Case in point: just last week we were at the ramp preparing to launch when a guy comes alongside with a pontoon boat and asks if I was ready to launch, or if he should wait. I said I was ready to go, so he looked around first, and seeing no-one else in the area waiting, he backed down the "take out" side to launch. this was mid week and very few boats around. this is also a VERY wide launch area that can accommodate 4 rigs on the two ramps anyway. just as he hits the water a guy wheels in with skiboat trailer in tow hollering obscenities at the guy with the pontoon boat. still no boat in sight that needed recovery, but the guy insisted that the pontoon boat "was Fin things up for everybody". One of the pontoon boats passengers was in a wheel chair, and the ramp was already out for him to board, but the powerboat guy kept right on ranting as the wheelchair boarded. pontoon wasn't there a total of more than 3 minutes tops and went silently on his way.
I doubt that any amount of "education" would have helped.
Case in point: just last week we were at the ramp preparing to launch when a guy comes alongside with a pontoon boat and asks if I was ready to launch, or if he should wait. I said I was ready to go, so he looked around first, and seeing no-one else in the area waiting, he backed down the "take out" side to launch. this was mid week and very few boats around. this is also a VERY wide launch area that can accommodate 4 rigs on the two ramps anyway. just as he hits the water a guy wheels in with skiboat trailer in tow hollering obscenities at the guy with the pontoon boat. still no boat in sight that needed recovery, but the guy insisted that the pontoon boat "was Fin things up for everybody". One of the pontoon boats passengers was in a wheel chair, and the ramp was already out for him to board, but the powerboat guy kept right on ranting as the wheelchair boarded. pontoon wasn't there a total of more than 3 minutes tops and went silently on his way.
I doubt that any amount of "education" would have helped.
Yes unless things changed recently, all you need to rent a small power fishing boat is a driver's licence, a good credit card, watch the required a short video and answer a multi choice questioner. You need a LOT more to bare boat charter a power boat or sailboat.
the question on the exam was ...what is the difference in ignorance and apathy....da dom...the answer is ....."i don't know and furthermore i don't give a damn"..........
Mandatory Boater Education results in people attending a class (and usually the shortest one allowed!) barely passing the exam, then sitting back and feeling that they now know EVERYTHING that they will ever need to know (no need to ever take another course!). I have taught courses in Rhode Island where the course is mandatory for anyone operating a boat if they were born since January 1, 1986, and everyone operating a PWC (regardless of age). Although most students did take hte course seriously (mostly the ones that were taking it because they WANTED to, not because the DEM told them to), far too many were only there to get that certificate and ID Card, and often barely scored the minimum passing grade, then tossed the textbook in hte trash as they left the classroom.
I have taken the 12-Lesson USPS course (1987), the 13-lesson USCGAUX course (1989), and taught the 6-lesson and 13-lesson USCGAUX courses as well as the ABC (America's Boating Course) and ABS (About Boating Safely, basically same as ABC) and the Massachusetts State Boating Course far too many times to give a record of how many times I have taught them........ and you know what? I still find that I learn (or am reminded of) something EVERY time that I teach!
Where I sail there was a controversy this Spring as the USCG was talking about removing several buoys marking harbor channel. The local Harbormaster successfully fought the move, but I disagree with his reasoning.... he claimed that this action would result in mass strandings of boats since hteir operators would no longer know where hte channel was. Well, with the exception of one buoy marking a shoal, the rest of the channel is pretty easy to follow, especially if you use a chart (or chartplotter), and most sailors would certainly realize that the channel leads right between the lines of moorings...... also, most of the powerboats draw less than 2' of water, plenty of depth even outside hte channel for them. Truth is, I don't think there would be that many goundings.... but without the buoys there would be a constant problem of powerboaters wandering aimlessly around hte harbor, unsure how to get in or out since the "road" was no longer marked! 90% or more of the powerboats follow hte channel buoy to buoy coming in and out (even making lengthy "detours" to do so instead of running straight out to open water) even forcing deep draft vessels to alter course to avoid them. Most sailboats sail everywhere EXCEPT the channel and few ever run aground! Go figure!
I have taken the 12-Lesson USPS course (1987), the 13-lesson USCGAUX course (1989), and taught the 6-lesson and 13-lesson USCGAUX courses as well as the ABC (America's Boating Course) and ABS (About Boating Safely, basically same as ABC) and the Massachusetts State Boating Course far too many times to give a record of how many times I have taught them........ and you know what? I still find that I learn (or am reminded of) something EVERY time that I teach!
Where I sail there was a controversy this Spring as the USCG was talking about removing several buoys marking harbor channel. The local Harbormaster successfully fought the move, but I disagree with his reasoning.... he claimed that this action would result in mass strandings of boats since hteir operators would no longer know where hte channel was. Well, with the exception of one buoy marking a shoal, the rest of the channel is pretty easy to follow, especially if you use a chart (or chartplotter), and most sailors would certainly realize that the channel leads right between the lines of moorings...... also, most of the powerboats draw less than 2' of water, plenty of depth even outside hte channel for them. Truth is, I don't think there would be that many goundings.... but without the buoys there would be a constant problem of powerboaters wandering aimlessly around hte harbor, unsure how to get in or out since the "road" was no longer marked! 90% or more of the powerboats follow hte channel buoy to buoy coming in and out (even making lengthy "detours" to do so instead of running straight out to open water) even forcing deep draft vessels to alter course to avoid them. Most sailboats sail everywhere EXCEPT the channel and few ever run aground! Go figure!
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I have always been astonished that there are not more fatalities on the water. Boat-operator licensing is definitely on the way; it's inevitable if for no other reason than the ever-increasing number of PEOPLE out there. Florida adds over 1,000 new residents PER DAY.
I know a guy fairly well who put his wife in a wheelchair years ago, in some kind of drunken jet ski incident. She has not and will not ever walk again. Raise your hand if you think you could live with that.
I know a guy fairly well who put his wife in a wheelchair years ago, in some kind of drunken jet ski incident. She has not and will not ever walk again. Raise your hand if you think you could live with that.
My observation is based upon the premise that you cannot outlaw stupidity. The corollary to that is some power boaters have more money than brains.
Combine that with too much testosterone, a huge ego, add a copious amount of alcohol and voila! An accident waiting to happen.
Combine that with too much testosterone, a huge ego, add a copious amount of alcohol and voila! An accident waiting to happen.
Perhaps the solution to some of these problems is not education, or even licensing (that can be taken away), but more enforcement. What limited drunk driving and street racing on land was a combination of public shaming lead by public-service advertising, and stricter enforcement. Not long ago, both activities were accepted by the populace, and winked at by the cops. After a generation of public awareness raising and more jail time, neither are something you brag about at parties (perhaps I no longer go to the right parties?). I'd like to see more PSA's about sober boating like this very popular video by Norwegian authorities:
I'd also like to see stricter reckless / drunk boating enforcement by harbor police and CG. The guy driving water skiers through the mooring field or running at 40 kts next to some canoe should get boarded, tested, and ticketed. If someone wants to test me as I sail at 6 kts, they are welcome to, but even if I was passing out drunk I doubt I would do much damage to another boat!
Two words, "rented pontoon".
And if I'm honest, just plain old pontoon boats. My theory is these floating porches, with all that initial stability, lull people into a state of complacency that overwhelms their senses and their common sense. Or it's the copious amounts of beer.
And if I'm honest, just plain old pontoon boats. My theory is these floating porches, with all that initial stability, lull people into a state of complacency that overwhelms their senses and their common sense. Or it's the copious amounts of beer.
RENTED PONTOON BOATS!! About 4-5 weeks ago a rented pontoon boat in Ocean City Md. Had ( IIRC) 17 people aboard and kids sitting forward dangling thier legs overboard. 1 kid went under and got fatally hit by propellor. I hope every adult on board does jail time.Havent hearf any more since the incident.