Why there are boating laws

[kentuckydiesel]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Virginia. Now you have.

and some 12 year olds are just lucky.


FTR I had my first boat of my own at 12-a sailboat--and was running the motorboat solo at 13, driving trucks on the beach at 15, etc. etc. I started my children young, too, with no second thoughts. I was in fear of other people's children, though, adn I would be afraid of you, at 12, driving a 28' carver around solo.

I've had 5 year olds drive a boat just fine on a straight-away. that's not what matters.

That may have not been clear...I wasn't solo at 12, but my parents often stayed down in the cabin and left me to do what I did. (I was a very responsible kid).

Interesting about Virginia. Luckily Virginia still allows people visiting from other states to operate their boats there without a license.

-Phillip

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Why there are boating laws

About 50 years ago, my father had a 1934 lapstrake oak boat that we spent more time working on than enjoying.
Anyway, one day a brand new boat came by the dock where we were working - had a flying bridge but was really too short to have a flying bridge - a boat a landlubber would buy - anyway, comes by slowly and the pilot yells something - after a few slow passes with him yelling, we finally hear "How do you stop this thing? Where are the brakes?"
My father yells back that you throttle down, go to neutral, then throw it in reverse.
Guy yells back "Any fool knows you don't throw a piece of machinery from forward to reverse".
So my father replies, "Then you figure it out".
The guy hit the throttle and we never saw him again....
Scary, but a true story.

Your Dad should have told him to throw the anchor off the stern, then you could've has some real entertainment!:laugh:

 

[younggun]

Re: Why there are boating laws

In SC anyone 16 or older can operate any size boat but 15 and younger can only operate motors under 15hp or take a boating course and operate any. I had a Jon boat with a 9.9 and for my 16th birthday my parents got me a flat bottom skiff with a 40 mercury for $200 because the previous owner had passed away and it had been sitting in a garage for years. I am now 18 and have taken that boat all over and now have purchased my own boat. Everyone is different. I have seen many grown men struggle to get boats on a trailer with 3 or 4 of them while I got my boat loaded and pulled out in half the time by myself, but I was raised backing trailers and driving a little bit of everything on the farm. The boating course in SC has nothing to do with starting or loading and unloading boats which, I think, should be the main part.

 

[briangcc]

Re: Why there are boating laws

NY has required a boater safety course for PWC's for the past few years now. It was phased in over time. Any PWC operator needs to pass the course.

NY just passed legislation this year regarding boat owners taking a boater safety course. According to the DEC, it's aimed at 18 yr olds and under with no plan to make it retroactive to all boat owners. But over time it will eventually catch all boat owners if nothing else then by age .

Canada requires a boater safety card for all boat owners - or at least according to a number of camps I was looking at for a family vacation.

So safety courses are becoming more the norm and not the exception.

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Here in WV, anyone born before 1986 does not have to take the course. Anyone born after that, has to have a certificate to legally operate a boat.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Here in WV, anyone born before 1986 does not have to take the course. Anyone born after that, has to have a certificate to legally operate a boat.

I think in addition to to that they need a special one for jet skis.

 

[Brian 26]

Re: Why there are boating laws

NY has required a boater safety course for PWC's for the past few years now. It was phased in over time. Any PWC operator needs to pass the course.

I'm sure MN will have that soon too. The trend with Jet Skis seems to be every lake shore owner has to own a couple, and ever guest that comes over has to ride them, toss em the keys and off they go weather they know how to drive a boat or not. A friend of mine that lives on a lake actually sold his skis because he said every time he went to go ride them they were bone dry on gas from guests using them. MN started with special rules for jet ski (hours, noise, chasing wildlife) then it progressed to having to put a sticker on the jet ski outlining those laws. I'm sure because every kid that got pulled over told the LEO "I DID'T KNOW I couldn't do that". It really gets me that I have to have an ugly sticker on my mint skis because a bunch of idiots didn't know how to drive a boat.

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Why there are boating laws

I think in addition to to that they need a special one for jet skis.

I didn't know about any special requirements for jet skis here. Good to know. I contacted the WVDNR about the safety courses. I'd like to get my kids to go get their cards. I know you can do it online here but the DNR also offers classroom instruction.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Why there are boating laws

...Interesting about Virginia. Luckily Virginia still allows people visiting from other states to operate their boats there without a license.

-Phillip

I doubt that. The Virginia law pertains to "any operator" so there is no reciprocity for the untrained boaters from other states--but we welcome their fine money!

We also have different age rules for PWC and exemptions for under 10 HP. It's a phase-in process; by 2016 everyone will have to have a card to operate a PWC or boat > 10 HP:

"As of July 1, 2013, all PWC operators age 14 and older and motorboat operators 40 and younger must complete a boating safety course. This is the next phase-in of the Education Compliance Requirement for all Virginia boaters. Beginning July 1, 2014, all PWC operators age 14 and older and motorboat operators ages 45 and younger need to take a boating safety course."

I don't know about reciprocity for adjoining states but it would be good to know if you boat in border areas, such as the upper Chesapeake Bay, Back Bay or Lake Gaston.

 

[joed]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Canada requires a boater safety card for all boat owners - or at least according to a number of camps I was looking at for a family vacation.

So safety courses are becoming more the norm and not the exception.

In Ontario Canada the card is only required for RESIDENTS. Vacationers are exempt. Don't want to affect the tourism dollars.