Proposed Bill Prohibiting Youth Boating in Florida

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

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.

If I were a journalist I would call Senator Farmer's office. I'm sure an aide would be happy to brag about how much support the senator has for this bill.

[svHyLyte]

Last week I brought this matter to the attention of the Sailing Fleet Chairman at our yacht Club who likewise informed the Club Commodore and head of the Juniors Sailing Fleet Program (that has just completed the construction of a $2.5+ million "Pram Shed" at our Club for the benefit of the Juniors' Sailing program--7 to 16 year olds). Coincidentally, last Saturday our Club hosted a meeting of the officials of the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs (FCYC) where the matter was raised and universally denounced. Among the members of the FCYC Clubs is a lot of civic/political "fire power" so I suspect this measure won't go too far. We shall see, eh?

[hafa]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Last week I brought this matter to the attention of the Sailing Fleet Chairman at our yacht Club who likewise informed the Club Commodore and head of the Juniors Sailing Fleet Program (that has just completed the construction of a $2.5+ million "Pram Shed" at our Club for the benefit of the Juniors' Sailing program--7 to 16 year olds). Coincidentally, last Saturday our Club hosted a meeting of the officials of the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs (FCYC) where the matter was raised and universally denounced. Among the members of the FCYC Clubs is a lot of civic/political "fire power" so I suspect this measure won't go too far. We shall see, eh?

Now that's how things get done! Bravo!

[Cavalier]

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.

Around 10 years ago, a bunch of teenagers crammed themselves into a car and proceeded to drive downhill down an under-fjord tunnel north of Stavanger, Norway, at 120-140km/h (in a 60km/h zone). When they hit the curves in the tunnel they lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a concrete maintenance shed, punching it 2m laterally off it's base.



Nobody in the car survived.



To avoid such a thing happening again, the local council changed the posted speed limit from 60km/h to 50km/h!



..slow hand clap..

[svHyLyte]

Further to this matter, at last Saturday's meeting of the Board of Directors of the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs, the Board Members voted unanimously to oppose the proposed legislation. The Council is voicing its opposition directly to the Legislature and is instructing its lobbyists to inform the various state representatives. Likewise, the matter will be directly addressed to Gov. Rick Scott. Further, members of Council Member clubs will be advised of the matter and encouraged to contact their respective state representatives with their opposition. Given the foregoing, I suspect this measure will be shortly DOA.

FWIW...

[Capt Phil]

Interesting Bill! As a youngster escaping a violent and aggressive stepfather, I ran away to sea at the age of 14 and never looked back. Spending my first 30 years or so working commercial vessels, towboats, seiners and other commercial craft, I became pretty competent at driving boats. I also lived aboard my own sailboat, a 38 foot Ingrid double ender that I took to Alaska and around Vancouver Island twice before sailing to and settling in San Francisco.
I moved to San Diego after a few years and started up a successful delivery business that I sold about 10 years ago for a substantial profit and am now retired.
Had I not gone to sea and learned the ropes at a young age, I would probably be a drunk or dead by now. All the taxes I have paid and good I have done would not exist.
So Senator Farmer had better listen to someone other than an individual who has been wronged by a young boater.
The earlier one learns to respect the ocean and those who sail on her, the better life they will have... Phil

[Lepke]

Senator Farmer is a politician. Florida has many boaters with children. Take up a collection, pay Farmer more that the people supporting the bill. That's how it works.

[svHyLyte]

To All:

Earlier today I received word from our representative to the The Florida Council of Yacht Clubs (FCYC) reporting that Farmer has withdrawn his Bill to regulate/prohibit youth boating/sailing in response to pressure brought by FCYC and widespread opposition by others that disapproved of his proposition. Sometimes common sense prevails although, evidently, among a certain class of politician-attorneys common sense is an uncommon virtue.

FWIW...

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Sometimes common sense prevails although, evidently, among a certain class of politician-attorneys common sense is an uncommon virtue.

Their brand of common sense is common to them!

Sent from mTalk

[RPZ]

I was out hunting with a shotgun unsupervised at age 15. There are plenty of grandparents and great grandparents who were driving delivery trucks as young as age 8. 16 year olds have circumnavigated the globe in small yachts.

Parents should decide when their children are old enough to sail or pilot what yacht or what boat, where and when.

[Seeking Solace]

It is probably a moot point now since SV/HYLYTE has pointed out that the bill has been withdrawn.

I've grown up on the Florida coast where we have many miles of salt water and very few fresh water places that aren't man made and those that are don't fair well for sailing anything.There is enough policing going on in NW Florida to make up for the whole state. You can hardly get near the water without the Coasties, Marine Patrol, or some type of Game Warden asking you for information about what you're doing, how long you've been doing it, and what's in your cooler. It's always been that way. I monitor 16 all the time and I can't say I've heard any unanswered calls for distress in many years.

All of the kids where I lived had a boat. We often used the same truck to get them to the docks because we weren't old enough to drive. I had a 14' with a 40hp when I was 9 that I bought cutting grass in the neighborhood. We collected coke bottles for the refund to keep gas in it. The never ending patrol kept us out of trouble and with the right safety gear onboard. We're all old now. We survived camping on islands, desolate stretches of beach, wind and waves. I think we sunk that 14' boat 6 times one summer in a pass going to the Gulf side of the island. It had a foam core so it never went completely down. Just lost the battery and tackle boxes. That time spent on the water taught us more than most can imagine. I didn't even buy a TV until I got married.

Needless to say, there's enough enforcement and legislation in Florida already.

As a side note, those of you who hate kids are probably hated by kids too.

[RPZ]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

To All:

Earlier today I received word from our representative to the The Florida Council of Yacht Clubs (FCYC) reporting that Farmer has withdrawn his Bill to regulate/prohibit youth boating/sailing in response to pressure brought by FCYC and widespread opposition by others that disapproved of his proposition. Sometimes common sense prevails although, evidently, among a certain class of politician-attorneys common sense is an uncommon virtue.

FWIW...

I make reference to the preceding poster as well; Florida seems to have become the California of restrictions or attempts to restrict boating and yachting.

Just because, or in spite of, Farmer dropping this idiosy, there should be pro active work to reduce legislative and regulatory nonsense like this. Even if Farmer does not, someone else will be back with this just as soon as some incident(s) occur that can be promoted by the media to push the emotional buttons of enough people.

And at some point someone(s) needs to stand up and just say "so what?". The world is a dangerous place, and even stepping out of your home to walk to the corner store can be dangerous. No, not " even if it saves one" is a satisfactory basis for regulating any form of human activity.

[Newportyachty]

I had my first boat a Naples Sabot (SoCal Kid) at the age of 8 and have been sailing ever since. I started in the Jr. Program of our Yacht Club and never looked back. Now after at least 37yrs of sailing and at least 20 boats its a great life. Florida is full of kooks, one reason other than the heat I would never live in that non-cultured hellhole...