It'sssssssss Herrrrrrrrrrrre!

[delmarrey]

Have you received yours yet?????????? A sticky magnet directing you to the web site.

In 2005, a law was passed requiring boat operators to take a boater safety education course in order to operate a boat in Washington state. The law applies to operators of motorboats with 15 horsepower or greater.

Mandatory Boater Education

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-and-6365.html

[GordMay]

NOPE - I'm no longer (or won't be by 2009) qualified to operarte a boat in Canada.

Under Canada's Competency of Pleasure Craft Operators regulations, the following operators must carry proof of competency when operating a powered pleasure craft in Canada:
- any operator born after April 1, 1983; and
- all operators (regardless of age) of powered recreational vessels less than 4 metres (13 ft) in length. By September 15, 2009, all operators of all powered pleasure craft will have to carry proof of competency.

[cat man do]

I just got my Quensland licence. I'm Qualified and Safe.

The new rule says that we all have to have one as it will save lives,

Doesnt matter if you have a gazillion sea miles under your belt and have been playing boats for 30 years.

so sit in a room with 6 other numbnut's who didnt know squatt.

Get told a pile of info, a lot incorrect eg:

Vessels under 50m must display 1 red, 1 green and an all round white while underway.

How to get up to date weather and contact the coast guard ? By using a mobile phone, no mention of radio

Apparently you only need 2-3 metres of chain to safely anchor.

Nav marks was a classic, as everyone except me was just using their boat localy in CQ, we only discussed the couple of marks in the area, as we don't need to worry about the other ones, you'll probably never see them.

No first aid

Nothing on Electricals

Nothing on Radio

Nothing on stability or overloading

Nothing on safety checks before going out

But it's OK, everyone passes, as we are encouraged to do an open book exam, with discussion, which involved someone reading out the questions and me answering (without the open book)

Then we get to mark our own paper's and make corrections if they were required.

What a joke.

Save Lives, I think this will cost lives. (Darwinism at it's finest)

One of these Knob's didnt know how to read a tide chart, another didnt know how to tell the difference between High and Low water , Maybe the big H and L next to the big number and the little number. Doh


And that was $170 for the pleasure and $30 to department of transport for making a note on their electronic record that I am now Qualified to use a private pleasure vessel up to 50m in length.

Not to mention 6 hours of my life i'll never get back.

I'm safe, I have a...............note on computer somewhere that says so.

Don't even get a **%$#^& card.

Name collecting and revenue raising is all it is.

Dave

[knottybuoyz]

I was involved in the early days of the "Pleasure Craft Operator Card" program for Coast Guard in an IT technical capacity. At that time the gov't (CCG) caved into industry lobbyist demands for a "non-gov't" controlled system. They wanted private industry to design, deliver and certify operators. The CCG's involvement would be to "certify" the trainers and their programs. A question bank came from CCG Office of Boating Safety that the course providers could call on.

The PCOC program was never intended to be a "boater training" program in that it would teach you how to operate a boat. It was to help ensure all boaters had at least "some" exposure to safe boating information in an effort to satisfy the risk managers and absolve the gov't of any liability. Nice work eh?

The Office of Boating Safety was x-ferred out of CCG in '04 and sent to Transport Canada so it's no longer a CCG program.

There are so many holes in the program it's pathetic. Years ago when we were looking around the dealers for a boat, more than once, I got offered the card for free if I bought the boat, no course, no test, nuttin'. Needless to say I didn't tell them (dealers) where I worked or they would have sh*t their pants!

That being the status of the program I objected to ever getting my PCOC until last year. Didn't want to get caught up in the mad rush of Sept. 2009 when it becomes mandatory for everybody. We took the "Canadian Power & Sail Squadron" course and it was pretty good for a one day boating safety seminar. I was the first one in that particular units history to "ACE" the test! Lori did really well too, think she only missed 2 questions.

Does the sytem work here in Canada? I think you'd have to say "Yes" and "No".

[merlin]

I got mine at boat-ed.com even though it is not required here. I thought it had some good info in the course but too much about regulatory issues that aren't worth memorizing (how many fire extinguishers do you need and so forth).

Boat-ed offers Washington as well

[bearphish]

had to have the Boat US safety card here in Forida to run the jetski business out of Singer Island. For that matter, the law stated that I had to check to make sure everyone I rented to had one as well. yeah, right. tourists decide to rent jetskis on a whim... they don't want to study up, get online, take a test, etc. i wasn't about to turn their business down at the time, though now that I look at it i wish they had all gotten SOME kind of safety course other than my own instruction and guidance. what a bunch of idiots on the water. i didn't last long in that business. i'm glad. jetskis blow.

So, the question is, if you are registered in an area that does not require licensing, and you are boating in a place that does, what are the rules? Ca does not have any requirements. Will I have to obtain a license when I sail to Washington? If not, what is to stop all the Wa. boater from registering their home port as Oregon?

[knottybuoyz]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

If not, what is to stop all the Wa. boater from registering their home port as Oregon?

I'm not totally sure about the rules in the US but you can register your boat where ever you have a legal residence. We met this couple last year, boat registered in St. Anthony ID which is a long way from the ocean or any sizeable river that I can see.

When we took the PCOC test with the Power Squadron we had to reach a certain mark to make our cards good in the US. I'm guessing recognized by any state that uses the US Power Squadron.

[muskoka]

Hong Kong has a licensing scheme. It sounds much like the rest, a license based upon a need to license rather than a practical test.

Personally, I'm all for licensing, though I think it should include a demonstrable ability to handle the type of vessel you're being licensed for. There are far too many tragedies wrought by day trippers on jetskis and powerboats to think otherwise.

My personal experience was my windsurfer (sailed by a friend) getting cut in half by a powerboat towing a waterskier. My friend bailed out whilst under sail (ie a big f*** off sail was there for all to see) and had the dilemma of thinking 'Do I jump left or right?' Settling upon his choice he was quite thankful they weren't aware of his presence until they'd hit the board. The alternative would have been a 50-50 chance of 'left or right' to avoid at which point he'd have been literally dead in the water.

Ironically, the fellow driving the boat was a professional pilot. Thankfully, no injuries - but I do not exaggerate, the board was cut in two.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by muskoka

Personally, I'm all for licensing, though I think it should include a demonstrable ability to handle the type of vessel you're being licensed for. .

I'm all for that.

With my test I showed that I could use the throttle and drive in a straight line, and then turn a corner, in a dinghy about the same size as my tender.

Thats the same as my 50ft powercat is'nt it?

Dave

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

So, the question is, if you are registered in an area that does not require licensing, and you are boating in a place that does, what are the rules? Ca does not have any requirements. Will I have to obtain a license when I sail to Washington? If not, what is to stop all the Wa. boater from registering their home port as Oregon?

At least in Washington:

Any person who is a non-resident and who either operates on Washington waters for 60 consecutive days or fewer

From:
Washington Boating License and Boat Safety Course - Who May Legally Operate a Boat or PWC

Canada has something similar.

I have to get mine in 2014, I miss being too old to have to get one at all by less than a year.

I did take the BoatUs online one to get 10% of my boat's insurance.

John

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

So, the question is, if you are registered in an area that does not require licensing, and you are boating in a place that does, what are the rules?

For any singapore registered vessel powered with a motor regardless of size or hp Singapore requires 3-days of instruction, a computerized closed book test, a practical on-water test, an oral exam, a vision & color blindness check and a medical exam. It was a b*tch. I failed the written by one question the first time through.

No person may operate a singapore registered vessel without the license. Visitors may operate non-Singapore registered craft.

I think licensing sets a baseline of understanding for boaters. We'll have all been through at least the right of way rules!

[coot]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

So, the question is, if you are registered in an area that does not require licensing, and you are boating in a place that does, what are the rules?

I have found that generally these rules look like "You must have <whatever> to operate a boat here, except if you are here for less than X days". Some of them do NOT accept the equivalent <whatever> from your home state.

For example, last time I looked: if you're in New Jersey for X+1 days, you have to pass a New Jersey approved course, even if you already have passed a Virginia approved course or if you live in Maryland and it is not required by your home state.

Of course, phrasing it in terms of "operate a boat here" eliminates all questions about where the boat is registered, where you live, etc.

The tedium is that you have to check all the rules for all the places you might go. If anything, the proliferation of different licensing requirements in different states of the US is the best argument in favor of some sort of federal regulation -- either a federal license that each state would be compelled to accept, or a requirement that all states accept each other's qualifications.

[GordMay]

In Canada:

For non-residents, proof of competency can take one of three forms:
1. A Pleasure Craft Operator Card;
2. A completed boat rental safety checklist (for power-driven rental boats); or,
3. An operator card or equivalent which meets the requirements of their state or country.

The Regulations apply to non-residents if:
* They operate their pleasure craft in Canadian waters for more than 45 consecutive days or,
* They operate a pleasure craft that is licensed or registered in Canada (including rented or chartered boats).

The Regulations do not apply to non-residents who operate their pleasure craft (licensed in a country other than Canada) in Canadian waters for less than 45 consecutive days. Please note that a proof of residence will be required on board at all times.

If you require more information on how Canadian requirements apply to non-residents, visit the Requirements for Foreign Recreational Boaters In Canadian Waters, at:
Office of Boating Safety

[cat man do]

Well I did say the Boat License Course in QLD was a joke, and heres proof.

Boat licence standards blasted | The Courier-Mail

Dave