Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

[fisherguy123]

Here in Canada you now by law have to write and pass a recreational boaters exam to obtain a "Pleasure Craft Operator Card" to operate any powered boat, even a canoe with a trolling motor. The fines start at $250 to be without it. The stupid thing about this is that I have a friend who is a commercial lobster fisherman who doesnt need it for that, but his commercial license doesn`t cut it if he decides to take the same boat out and do some recreational activities .He must obtain the card or he can be fined. There is no excemption. Does this seem like another government money grab? It cost me $65 to get me Card at a one day course.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

Here in NY you just buy a boat and........

You can go act retarded out on the waters. .

No license needed .... just money. .

 

[Bayliner1952]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

Here in CT you need a license to use a boat with a motor, and it needs to be PWC if you intend on using a jet ski. Most are a combo license.

I agree with your opinion about another government "money grab" (They bumped our fishing lisence from 20$ to 50$ last year)(I refused to get one)
But I do also believe that all states should require a boat license. I feel that you need to be more responsible in a boat than in a car.

I brought my boat to Massachusetts last year. MA does not require a boating license, and it shows. I won?t get into specifics, but I feel much safer in CT knowing that the people around me needed to pass a test about boater?s safety.

 

[642mx]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

You don't even need a brain to operate a boat in Indiana... I see people without brains operating boats all the time.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

The worst idiots on the water were the ones riding jetskis. A few years ago they required licencing and mandatory classroom training. Now the typical jetski rider at least has half a brain....LOL. Seriously though, it has improved things considerably. The law didn't go far enough, though. It exempted people who were renting a ski at a licenced rental shop. So, now if you see an idiot on one you can be assured he just rented it.

The jetski idiot has now been replaced by the gofast idiot. You know, Donzis, Scarabs, Fountains, etc. More money that brains. I pray they make EVERYONE take a course, pass an exam and get licenced. I don;t care how much $ it costs!

I realize that you can't fix stupid, but if it at least cures one single idiot it will be worth it.

 

[Low Time Bayliner]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

In Washington State a card is needed except for older folks. The test here is quite similar to the Canadian test. I believe that it is because the Power Squadron is involved in both. Being one of the old folks, I did not get one here. I did take the Canadian test administered here by the Power Squadron because if I spend more than 45 days in Canada, I am subject to your program too.

 

[Snobike Mike]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

In general I wish the licensing requirements for recreational boat operation were much higher because the world is filled with people just waiting to get a Darwin award and I don't want them to take me along with them.

Cheers.

 

[64osby]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

Here in Michigan here are no restrictions if you are over 16 for boats, pwc need a certificate.
There are no restrictions for a boat w/ 6hp and under, so you could send your 4 year old out for the day.
12 -15 years old can operate a boat w/ up to 35hp w/ adult supervision or a certificate. So you can have the crazy kids being watched by the clueless parent

Certificates cost $29.50 - only if you pass.

Most of the places we go are smaller lakes and most of the people have a clue as to whats right, thankfully.

 

[Go Aweigh2452]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

As Low Timer stated, WA is grandfathering us old boaters into the license thing. It only costs $10 so it is no biggie. I don't need the license due to grandfathering of my age but took it anyway to see what if anything, it was worthy. I saw many questions on PWC's that I had no idea since I don't operate one. I would have made two or three exams dependent on your boat ownership... IE. own a PWC, take a specific test, own a power boat, have other important test questions... a PWC owner could care less about what kind of safety items you need on a 16 foot boat or what lights are required and when to use them. I don't think they need to know about bilge pumps, etc... Just my two cents. BTW, I do carry my boaters license... I figure if I am ever stopped, it won't hurt to show my license rather than argue that I don't require one... Some of these boat police don't do math too well... OK, bad joke...

When I lived and grew up in NY, I had to have a boaters license and had my first one at 13. Not sure what happen to that requirement?

 

[eastont]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

The law here in Canada is nothing but a money grab. A person can get their license via the internet, with an adult who is not related to act as a scrutineer. What a joke that is. Nobody knows who is really taking the test, or who the actual scrutineer is.
A friend of mine got a license for everybody in his family just by changing the name and date of the test. He was the only one in the room, he was testee and scrutineer......what a joke.

Oh yea, he also got one for his dog.

This is a total waste of money. On my test the majority of the questions were related to buoy markers and their meaning. Nothing about actual boating. Over 90% of the boaters in Ontario are on lakes that don't have buoy markers, but they do have storms and some rough water, but there is not one question relating as to how to deal with various water conditions.

Sorry for the rant, it just peeves me off.

 

[wbc1957]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

Due to governments needing more and more money, I expect that there will come a time when we will need a license to shop, eat out, cut our grass, have a party at home. The Federal Government wants all the power and money it can get.

 

[nlain]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

In Georgia if you are 16 years or older you may operate any boat/pwc on Ga waters. There are restrictions on those younger, either pass a boater safety course, or Are accompanied by a competent adult, or Are under direct supervision of a competent adult. You can pass the safety course online for the state of Georgia.

 

[badkins50]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

I think here in ohio it is if your born after january 1st 1985 then you have to have your boating exam certificate. Even though I was born before 1985 I elected to still get mine for the safety of the boating education. Our oldest daughter just turn 13 and is starting to ask when she can get hers. I think it's she does.

 

[Greg Mrozinski]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

In Maryland, anyone born after 1972 must take and pass a boaters safety course to operate a boat. I believe there are additional age restrictions for PWC operators.

 

[86 century]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

You know the first country to have gun registration was Germany around 1935 or so and we all know how that turned out.
A people willing to give up any amount of freedom for any amount of safety deserve neither.

 

[tbird175]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

Here in Al you must pass a written test for an operators permit. Us old timers were grandfathered in.

 

[Lemerica]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

Yeah I just did mine at www.boatsmartexam.com. I wasnt to happy about doing it but after reading all the info and passing the test Im glad I did it. I didnt realize there was so much I didnt know. Better safe than sorry even if it did cost me a few bucks.

 

[BigReidy]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

Down here in Queensland Australia, Its mandatory to take a course and sit a recreational marine drivers test before you can take a boat on the water and PWC owners then need to sit a further PWC course after their boat course.

 

[hostage]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

In NY no need for one if you have a license. You can get a license to operate a boat if you are over 13, don't know the requirements for it whether it is a test and class. PWC on the other hand require a license for all ages.

I don't know about grandfathering to old people. At least with a stupid young person you can predict what they are going to do lol. Old people diving scare me, no offense.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Do you need a boaters license in your part of the world ?

You know the first country to have gun registration was Germany around 1935 or so and we all know how that turned out.
A people willing to give up any amount of freedom for any amount of safety deserve neither.

The 1935 law was not registration - it was confiscation. Nobody got registered, but EVERYBODY gave up their guns.

Freedom isn't free. It also requires responsibility. The problem is that today too many people won't accept responsibility for their own actions. If you kill somebody out in your boat because you were reckless or just didn't appreciate how dangerous the boat can be, then that person should lose ALL of his freedom. But then again, what about the dead victim? They lost freedom too but its too late for them now!