License for Boating?#%#@%&^

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Being drunk and stupid on the water is no joke and it's actually 80% of the problem.

No card will stop that.

[eric58]

we need to pass a law that for every law passed, 10 laws must be repealed.

[waterworldly]

The biggest issue I have with licenses are kids. As a kid, I grew up on the river and spent many days in small boats puttering about in the swamps and coves. As a kid, I couldn't get a license, according to these posts. All of my little back bay adventures would have never happened. I wouldn't be posting here now (I know, that wouldn't be a bad thing sometimes!). Cars and planes are quite a bit different from small watercraft. Small boats were my first introduction to real adventure and independence, something my parents nurtured. But that was 40 years ago, before the government started to substitute responsibility with regulation.
Part of the issue today is the reluctence of anyone to say "BOO" to anyone who is making a mess of things. In times gone by, if one person was wreaking havoc in an anchorage, they got told about it. Now, most complain, but no direct confrontation to those doing "whatever" they want. If boaters would police themselves more often, perhaps legislators in far flung land locked capitals would not find it necessary to address each headline grabbing story ("Boat tragedy takes another victim") with more regulation and legislation. A simple "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING" will often work wonders to dampen a badly behaving individual. I fear that everyone is so afraid of everyone else these days that they just look the other way. Please, no stories about people getting killed over a pizza, I know that happens, but not with the frequency you would imagine in a country with almost 400 million people.

[oldjags]

The license law in Alabama actually seems to be working. It was passed after a number of kids died in separate boating accidents over a couple of years. Now fatalities are down, and the number of idiots on jetskis has decreased significantly.

The law was really aimed at people who are not regular boaters -who might only go boating once a year when they get invited to a holiday party and decide to take out the host's jetski after having 3-4 beers.

I've already used it a few times to keep young nephews off my 225 HP Sea-Doo without me being the bad guy. "Gee, Johhny, I'd love to let you take'er out, but ya gotta have a license!"

All they do is add a 'vessel operator' endorsement to your driver's license after you pass a safety test, which you can take on-line, so the hassle factor is minimized.

The real teeth of the law is that you can now get a DUI on the water just like on the highway. That alone helps keep the bubba's whooping it up on Memorial Day in check. The marine police are out in force on holiday weekends doing safety checks, but most other times are pretty inconspicuous.

We also haven't had a single terrorist attack since the law passed.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by oldjags

I've already used it a few times to keep young nephews off my 225 HP Sea-Doo without me being the bad guy. "Gee, Johhny, I'd love to let you take'er out, but ya gotta have a license!"

I have used that too.
But while I use it I cringe inside because I am not the one taking the responsibility.
If I was I would not have to blame it on the law. I would just say no.

[oldjags]

Originally Posted by Therapy

I have used that too.
But while I use it I cringe inside because I am not the one taking the responsibility.
If I was I would not have to blame it on the law. I would just say no.

Kids can be unbelievably persistent in not taking "no" for an answer, especially when they know you're the only barrier between them and what they want. "Because it's the law" tends to make the arguments a lot shorter. I'm all for that.

I've got another 15 year old nephew coming down next weekend with his mom and dad, who evidently have little control over him. He's wrecked their 4-wheelers, shot holes in their inflateable boat, and lots of other good-natured fun things. I doubt me telling him "no" is going to be enough all by itself to keep him off my Sea-Doo. He's just the type that would take it out anyway, damage it, then not know anything about it. Even worse, he might kill himself or someone else.

I'm gonna take the keys to all the boats with me next week, as I've got to work while they vacation at my lake house. I don't have a real warm and fuzzy feeling about it.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by oldjags

Kids can be unbelievably persistent in not taking "no" for an answer, especially when they know you're the only barrier between them and what they want. "Because it's the law" tends to make the arguments a lot shorter. I'm all for that.

I've got another 15 year old nephew coming down next weekend with his mom and dad, who evidently have little control over him. He's wrecked their 4-wheelers, shot holes in their inflateable boat, and lots of other good-natured fun things. I doubt me telling him "no" is going to be enough all by itself to keep him off my Sea-Doo. He's just the type that would take it out anyway, damage it, then not know anything about it. Even worse, he might kill himself or someone else.

I'm gonna take the keys to all the boats with me next week, as I've got to work while they vacation at my lake house. I don't have a real warm and fuzzy feeling about it.

That is what I mean about the responsibility. Family law. Personal law. Not some obtuse, distant 3rd or 4th party.
Something America (yes, me too it seems) is letting slip away.
I don't envy you your upcoming visitor. I don't know what to say. Remove the battery, plugs, short the kill switch.................I know you can't beat the snot out of him.........too bad.

[hellosailor]

Gord-
"What makes boat operators so different from drivers & pilots?"
The difference is that when a boater crashes, there's usually very limited damage, and it is kept to the "other boaters". When a pilot crashes, there's a big mess among the general electorate. When a car or tractor trailer veers off the road, there may be 10,000 motorists stuck behind the debris, or a dozen pedestrians run down.

The difference is the scope of the damage, and that it happens to "the public" as opposed to "that clique". But that's being recognized as changing too. Consider that 20-30 years ago "boating while intoxicated" was never mentioned, and today it is usually illegal and ranked right up with drunk driving in many places. If enough damage is caused, the regulators will step in. If we don't want regulators...the boating community has to step up and make sure there's no dirty laundry--seen or unseen.

[eric58]

I used to say"for every new law passed, 2 laws must be repealed", but now, because of inflation and everything I've upped it to 10. However I'm willing to compromise. Oh ****, that reminds me, if you compromise with evil you lose. now what do I do?

[oldjags]

Originally Posted by Therapy

I know you can't beat the snot out of him.........too bad.

As a society we've become paralyzed when it comes to disciplining our kids. It's now politically incorrect to do anything that might harm their 'self-esteem'. It used to be that mortal fear of a good whipping and public shame and embarrasment were strong motivators of good behavior. Those weapons have been removed from the arsenal.

So, we're now raising a generation of self-centered idiots from whom nothing has ever been demanded, and who think everything is owed to them. When they go out and do something nobody who was ever raised right would think of doing, the only option is to pass more laws.

Government is replacing the family as the keystone of society, and it's an intentional, deliberate movement that has infected all aspects of life.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by oldjags

I've got another 15 year old nephew coming down next weekend ....... I doubt me telling him "no" is going to be enough all by itself to keep him off my Sea-Doo.

Your Sea-Doo needs a service at the marina (far) across the bay doesn't it?

Originally Posted by oldjags

a good whipping and public shame and embarrasment were strong motivators of good behavior. Those weapons have been removed from the arsenal.

Yes, but arn't Tasers legal in the USA?

I'm glad we are 10,000 nms from my 5 nephews...