Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

[country_bumpkin]

In TN if you were born after 1989 you need to be 13 years old and licensed to operate motorized watercraft. In order to do that you need to pass a 'safe boating course'.

Even though my older ones were born before this (23 and 20 yo's) the appeased me and attended the course this morning with their younger sister who needed the license. I told them I would let them take the boat out without me if they did.

Anyway, it was pretty cool there were about 45 teens that attended, and 2 Dad's.

The older two did not take the test, they bolted as soon as the class was over. I took the test. Got 5 wrong, younger daughter got 3 wrong, we both passed and she can now pilot our boat!

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

In TN if you were born after 1989 you need to be 13 years old and licensed to operate motorized watercraft. In order to do that you need to pass a 'safe boating course'.

Even though my older ones were born before this (23 and 20 yo's) the appeased me and attended the course this morning with their younger sister who needed the license. I told them I would let them take the boat out without me if they did.

Anyway, it was pretty cool there were about 45 teens that attended, and 2 Dad's.

The older two did not take the test, they bolted as soon as the class was over. I took the test. Got 5 wrong, younger daughter got 3 wrong, we both passed and she can now pilot our boat!

Why sit through the whole class and then leave at the test. Seems odd, around here you need an operators card no matter your age or type of vessel as of September. Although, unfortunately, the operators card test is 'dead' simple to pass. Hopefully they tighten things up a bit.

Ian

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

We all did ours a few years ago. Whole family have their safe boating cards now.

 

[marine4003]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

This is why i hate it when the govt intervenes in things they have NO business being involved in. A "Safe Boating card" that's absurd, when will a "card" make you a safe boater??,that only comes from experience, its all about $$$$
sure, i concede that there is some good knowledge given,but boating is so much more than text knowledge. I truly hope you dont give your 13 yr old carte blance to operate the boat, solo, based on a course.
the best way to learn safe boating is an experienced operator spending lots of time with the novice, learning by hands on.

 

[bigbroncoxlt]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

What kind of test did the have you do Country? My son will need to take this coarse sometime in the near future if he plans on driving my boat, Maybe I'll get hunters safety and boating all taken care of the same year!

Jeff

 

[bsktball55]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

This is why i hate it when the govt intervenes in things they have NO business being involved in. A "Safe Boating card" that's absurd, when will a "card" make you a safe boater??,that only comes from experience, its all about $$$$
sure, i concede that there is some good knowledge given,but boating is so much more than text knowledge. I truly hope you dont give your 13 yr old carte blance to operate the boat, solo, based on a course.
the best way to learn safe boating is an experienced operator spending lots of time with the novice, learning by hands on.

I"m sure it's no different than the test you take to get a driving permit. Rules of the road, what to do in certain circumstances. Your parents didn't give you the keys to the car as soon as you passed your permit test and let you go driving by yourself did they? It doesn't hurt for anyone to take these safe boating classes especially young kids. But, like you said it doesn't give you the experience that you need to be able to operate the boat on your own.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

I"m sure it's no different than the test you take to get a driving permit. Rules of the road, what to do in certain circumstances. Your parents didn't give you the keys to the car as soon as you passed your permit test and let you go driving by yourself did they? It doesn't hurt for anyone to take these safe boating classes especially young kids. But, like you said it doesn't give you the experience that you need to be able to operate the boat on your own.

True that !

To be fair to both sides of the issue , I have to say that I have been boating for 30 + years . Needless to say , thats a lot of practical experience that you will NEVER aquire from any book test .
I also took the online course , and managed to miss several questions , although I passed by a wide margin .

For the curious , the link is here : http://www.boat-ed.com/tn/index.htm .
Give it a shot , even the old salts might get a surprise or 2 .

 

[CaptNCamille]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

I always felt that you didn't really learn how to drive a car until after you got your license, and that you didn't become a good and responsible driver until you have had years of experience. Notwithstanding that, classroom training is important to make sure that each driver knows the rules of the road and safe driving techniques. These are reinforced with periodic classroom training for which an insurance discount is given.
There is a lot to know when it comes to boating for which experience would be a slow teacher. How long would it take someone to figure out through experience alone what all those red and green things floating around are for?
That's why as far as I am concerned, no one should be allowed to operate a boat unless they have first succesfully completed a safe boating course. Then get behind the wheel with at least some basic knowledge and build upon that with experience.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

I agree! You need to know something about boating before you just behind the helm. However, you will never learn everything from the classroom. You need to get out there with someone experienced!

In the next couple of months, my wife and i are going to be taking it together. I already have mine, but i told my wife that i would do it again with her so she knows she has my support. Figured a refresher for me is not bad either!

 

[country_bumpkin]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

I truly hope you dont give your 13 yr old carte blance to operate the boat, solo, based on a course.
the best way to learn safe boating is an experienced operator spending lots of time with the novice, learning by hands on.

No, she needed the card to operate the boat legally, even under my supervision.

There is a lot to know when it comes to boating for which experience would be a slow teacher. How long would it take someone to figure out through experience alone what all those red and green things floating around are for?
That's why as far as I am concerned, no one should be allowed to operate a boat unless they have first succesfully completed a safe boating course. Then get behind the wheel with at least some basic knowledge and build upon that with experience.

I agree. Gow many 30-40 yr old's go out and buy a shiny new boat, take it out to the lake thinking it's no big deal, but when the encouter another craft they have no idea of who is 'stand on' and who is 'give way'.

This course was not only about safety, but about courtesy, and the environment. Emphasizing NOT to ready your boat on the ramp, respect anlgers, PWC ettiquite and safety, MWD etc.

 

[country_bumpkin]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

What kind of test did the have you do Country? My son will need to take this coarse sometime in the near future if he plans on driving my boat, Maybe I'll get hunters safety and boating all taken care of the same year!

Jeff

Jeff, go out to the TWRA website, you can actually take it online, but I thought the 4 hour presentation was well worth the time.

CB

 

[buckw13]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

I also have benn boating for many years now but here in new york your need the boaters safety course to operate a jet ski so i went and took it. I thought the course was informative and reminded you of correct courtesy. I would reccomend everyone to take the course because i believe sooner or later everyone is going to need it and they will raise the prices and it will end up costing you more to get it.

 

[CaptNCamille]

Re: Forced Family Fun, We all attended a safe boating course today!

Courses are free through the Power Squadron. There is a nominal charge
(I think it is $40.00) for the book. I believe the USCG courses are also free, but I am not sure.