Virginia Making New Requirements

[Bad Obsession]

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/education/requirement/

Discuss:

Personally, it is great to require it for PWC operators. This says NOTHING about sailboats. Unfortunately, when a sailboat is under power it is considered a motorboat under the current laws. This also would apply to a dingy with an outboard.

You can take a challenge exam but it isn't on-line. I think that is crap as well. True, most of these courses offered by VA are free but it ties up a day that you could be doing something else.

 

[catsailor]

I agree it's anoying, but it helps kids.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/education/requirement/

Discuss:

Personally, it is great to require it for PWC operators. This says NOTHING about sailboats. Unfortunately, when a sailboat is under power it is considered a motorboat under the current laws. This also would apply to a dingy with an outboard.

You can take a challenge exam but it isn't on-line. I think that is crap as well. True, most of these courses offered by VA are free but it ties up a day that you could be doing something else.

In MD there is a similar requirement (on-line, if you like). Finally I got my daughter to take it; she studied and took notes and did great on the test. And you know what? Not only did she learn a few things (very little - she's been sailing with me for years), she jumped up 3 steps in responsibility as a result. It was amazing to see. Suddenly, she thought, acted, and held herself as a little adult. She was 13 at the time.

 

[Ross]

Re: I agree it's anoying, but it helps kids.

I don't see a down side to this.

 

[Bill Roosa]

The down side

I agree Ross, there is not a down side to the result. The down side is I have to pay someone to prove that I know what I know. IMHO I would increase the fines for not complying with the rules and then enforce them.
I don't see why responsible folk should have to pay for irresponsible folks actions. I thought I was presumed innocent till proven guilty. With this new law they presume that I am not in compliance when in fact I probably am safer than the requirement they set.
Is this new law going to cause the idiot to maintenance his motorboat, so it does not catch on fire or sink or break apart and kill those on board? Probably not. Will it prevent idiots from boating in sever weather or make sure they have the proper spares or gear to handle emergencies or health issues? Probably not. What about preforming CPR we should have someone on every boat that knows that, right. What about rescue swimming? Certainly we should have at least one person certified in rescue swimming on every boat, just in case. and I should certainly have a VHF radio even if I am not required to have one.
This law does not prevent people being idiots. No law can.
So tell me what the rules are and fine me when I don't follow them. If I kill myself because I'm stupid the that is just natural selection and I'm all for getting the dumb genes out of the pool.
What about the idiot that kills an innocent person. Well if you (ahemm) keep a good lookout....... do the things you are supposted to be doing that is not going to be happening much.

 

[wonkodsane]

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/education/faq.asp#what-boats-are-affected

It specifically addresses sailboats. Glad I have an 8hp outboard. Anything with a motor 10hp or up requires the test.

 

[Ross]

It doesn't specifically mention sailboats. It addresses boats carrying more than 10 horse power. For some obscure reason I rather doubt that sailboaters motoring a 28 hp boat at 6 knots is going to attract the attention of law enforcement.

 

[Chuck Creel]

So what is the down side?
I see some basic boating safety beiing taught and who knows , it might save the life of you or your family.
Other states hae already implemented this and speaking as a professional mariner who DODGES PWC's , Ski boat, knee boarders , etc. on a daily basis, Im glad to see it.

However , to quote a comedian, " quote" You can't fix stupid. " end quote.

200 Ton Masters

 

[Bill Roosa]

Requirments???

Sure would be nice if they quoted the safety requirements that the new law is going to make us learn. Heck, I could even be proactive and read them and comply before 2016. It is just a ploy to get our money folks. If all they wanted was us to be safe thenthey would provide us the information.
I'd agree with you Ross, sailboats are not the problem and unless you are up on plane (yuck yuck yuck) you are not going to be attracting attention.

I guess wind surfers going 40 knots are also exempt since they don't have motors and are not manually powered. I can't see them being much of a threat to most boats but heck you can't be too careful, I suggest we make them include wind powered vessels that can exceed 15 knots, no 16, well maybe 21 or 23 knots, you know I don't know when a wind surfer actually becomes probabilistically dangerous to others. We clearly need a VA state inquiry into this VERY serious threat to our safety.
So now that we have gotten rid of the idiots in the boating community whats next. I suggest we legislate running with sharp objects be the next thing that the fine state of VA help us with. Gads, ain't America great!!!

 

[Bad Obsession]

Ok...My thoughts are, at this point, that it isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it isn't a good thing either. For years most of the sailors that I know seem to have a better grasp of the navigation rules.

I think that they need to put an on-line course on their website and also an on-line challenge course. I am wondering if that Boat US on-line boater safety course will apply because I took that for fun and easily passed.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Just checked...The boat US course isn't accepted in VA. That is stupid because you know that it is a good course.

I wonder who's pockets got padded when this law was created because it talks of specific places where you can take the course for a fee! Smells stinky if you ask me!

 

[Ross]

I have been driving automobiles for 55 years and can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have been asked by law enforcement to show my license only one of those times for a traffic offence. The rest were for rather strange checks on back roads where they had set up check points.

 

[catsailor]

My daughter and I were checked once, fishing from our tender.

I have been driving automobiles for 55 years and can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have been asked by law enforcement to show my license only one of those times for a traffic offence. The rest were for rather strange checks on back roads where they had set up check points.

In truth, he was doing Memorial Day sweep, tagging jet skiers. He only spent a few minutes with us, since everything was in order (kid's operating permit, fishing permits, life jackets, noise maker).

 

[Marc Bergmueller]

What gets me is the age requirement. I live near Ocean City Md and there are power boat rental spots on the bay. Got cash, rent a boat. I've seen many older men leave the docks with absolutley no clue. I took mine years ago in PA(even though I was grandfathered) and glad I did, you forget things. When I got sailboat insurance, I had to produce a saftey course certificate for a discount.
Never mind, I just read the rest of the bill.

 

[wonkodsane]

It doesn't specifically mention sailboats. It addresses boats carrying more than 10 horse power.

The FAQ at the link I posted above specifically mentions them. "Sailboats do not have to meet the requirement unless the sailboat has a motor that is 10 hp or greater (whether or not the engine is running)." They may be classified by engine HP, but they are specifically called out.

I would be fully behind the new law if I felt that it would do any good. You can't really legislate intelligence, courtesy, or safety, so I'm not expecting the conditions on the water to change much in the coming years.

 

[Ken Honeycutt]

I hope the politicians in Chicago don't hear about this. I can just see them requiring a safety course for any boaters in the Chicago Harbors followed by a yearly renewal fee for a sticker proving you took the course (for a small fee of $100 or so of course).

 

[MrBee]

So Bill....Are you saying that any boater that does not know CPR or is not certified as a rescue swimmer should not be able to boat. You should have plenty of space to boat when all us idiots can't go out any more. Not every one was born perfect and all knowing... Please give me a description of your boat and i'll try not to run into it.
Since it is a statistical fact that most accidents happen at home, maybe we should make people take a test before they can live in anything more than a tent.

have fun and keep it safe.

Bee