Proposed Bill Prohibiting Youth Boating in Florida

[Jim Cate]

Here's an age limit that I'd support:

No person under the age of 100 shall operate a jet ski in any waters, anywhere.

Jim

[barnakiel]

The problem is not Florida-specific. We have idiots everywhere. They are not many, but they yearn for power.

And the way to make boating safer for everybody is not via the avenue of laws and prohibition but rather by spending more time on the water and providing our boating youth with quality training and by showing them examples of great boatman-ship worth following.

b.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Here's an age limit that I'd support:

No person under the age of 100 shall operate a jet ski in any waters, anywhere.

Jim

Priceless!!!

We don't need any more laws. As is where I am we don't recognize the US Canada border. We wouldn't follow this dumba$$ law either. My kid doesn't take the RIB with the 15hp because it's a handful, she doesn't have the stength, and I'm the parent. She can take a laser any time she wants, laws or no laws. I quit following stupid laws a long time ago.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Here's an age limit that I'd support:

No person under the age of 100 shall operate a jet ski in any waters, anywhere.

Jim

too liberal... under 110 is better.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Funny you should mention that. NH has a similar law.

To be fair, NH only has a few miles of coastline. Their boating laws are all directed at the zoo they call the lakes. If you've been there on a summer weekend, you know what I mean.

Yes, I am aware of the lake behavior inducing the add'l law making reaction. As usual the legislators are in a rush to enact new laws and regs rather than make sure the existing ones are obeyed. And as usual unless widely enforced, the new laws will be as useless as the old ones.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Yes, I am aware of the lake behavior inducing the add'l law making reaction. As usual the legislators are in a rush to enact new laws and regs rather than make sure the existing ones are obeyed. And as usual unless widely enforced, the new laws will be as useless as the old ones.

This new proposed law would be easier to enforce... compare the difficulty of apprehending a 10 year old in a Laser with a drunken 30 y.o. in a 70 knot jet ski. The kids will be goners.

jim

[friz]

Curious why the good senator's bill only applies to "salt water". Florida has more freshwater lakes and rivers than most states. Possibly an ulterior motive?

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

... I haven’t read the Florida legislation, but the quote the OP posted indicated a 10 hp limit, not 10 foot limit. I assume the 10 foot restriction is elsewhere in the bill? If not, then this is may all be a tempest in a teapot.

FYI, the salient essence of the proposed measure is:

A person may not operate a “specified vessel” in “saltwater”, [i.e. “...all of the territorial waters of Florida excluding all lakes, rivers, canals, and other waterways of Florida from such point or points where the fresh and salt waters commingle to such an extent as to become unpalatable because of the saline content…”] if the person is younger than 16 years of age…

… a “Specified vessel” means a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater or a sailboat, or other rigged vessel,with a length of hull of 10 feet or more.

The foregoing would apply to virtually all of the "coastal" waters of south Florida stretching inland for a distance of 5 miles or more (in rivers) and virtually "all" of the Florida Keys. A cogent argument against the proposed measure can easily be made but doing so here would serve no useful purpose and waste of bandwidth.

FWIW...

[Captain Bill]

I fear we are all over reacting to this proposed legislation. It was noted earlier that the senator proposing this is a Democrat. I can't remember the Republican controlled legislature passed a law proposed by a Democrat. The kids boating rights are almost perfectly safe, unless of course if they're living aboard anchored out.

[DeepFrz]

Dear lord. What a ridiculous law. I suppose this is a response in part to the two kids that were lost in their fishing boat off FL around a year ago.

I think you all know, or should know, that not many public safety laws are pushed by any politician because there had been several deaths. Laws are pushed either because the corporate lobbyists want the law or because of public pressure. Look behind this law and you will probably find a group of citizens, your peers in other words, who are lobbying hard for this law. Perhaps influential supporters of the senator.

[rognvald]

Fascism is state control of people's lives. Its premise is that the State knows better than the people. Examples of fascist governments are: Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela(under Chavez). History is the best teacher. It's your choice. It is a short walk between the Nanny State and Fascism. Good luck and safe sailing.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

FYI, the salient essence of the proposed measure is:

The foregoing would apply to virtually all of the "coastal" waters of south Florida stretching inland for a distance of 5 miles or more (in rivers) and virtually "all" of the Florida Keys. A cogent argument against the proposed measure can easily be made but doing so here would serve no useful purpose and waste of bandwidth.

FWIW...

Thanks. Didn’t see that. Absolutely crazy, useless law. The 10 foot thing is nuts, and restricting it to salt water makes it completely bonkers. I bet DeepFrz is right … who is behind this bill?

[jcapo]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

... I bet DeepFrz is right … who is behind this bill?

Waterfront property owners?

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I think you all know, or should know, that not many public safety laws are pushed by any politician because there had been several deaths. Laws are pushed either because the corporate lobbyists want the law or because of public pressure. Look behind this law and you will probably find a group of citizens, your peers in other words, who are lobbying hard for this law. Perhaps influential supporters of the senator.

Thinking big, if I were serious about reducing the number of boaters long term I would restrict the children.

Are there people in FL who are unfriendly to boaters?

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Jason Flare

Thinking big, if I were serious about reducing the number of boaters long term I would restrict the children.

Are there people in FL who are unfriendly to boaters?

I would rephrase this questions to "are there businesses in FL who are unfriendly to boaters?" Then the culprit will crystallize. IMO this would be the usual suspects - the insurance companies. Same ones who were behind and bankrolled MADD and the artificial media hysteria back in the 80s about DUIs and what not just to jack up the prices of the auto insurance. Follow the bouncing dollar signs here.