Why there are boating laws

[Gyrene]

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.

 

[Steve A W]

Re: Why there are boating laws

That's a great story!
I would of followed Him from a distance just to see what happened.

Steve A W

 

[Gyrene]

Re: Why there are boating laws

That's a great story!
I would of followed Him from a distance just to see what happened.

Steve A W

Nah, we were scraping and painting - which is what we did with that boat about 85% of the time!
I was in my teens, but it stuck in my mind - and the guy had his family aboard!
I just thought to myself that I was quite sure I would have asked that question before I'd sailed off....

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Why there are boating laws

And they don't even need a licence, to drive that boat, or breed for that matter.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Why there are boating laws

Guy yells back "Any fool knows you don't throw a piece of machinery from forward to reverse".

well that part is true. Best to avoid using reverse as a brake as much as possible (the bigger the boat, the harder, I know) and at most just give it a tap.

The common mistake is trying to come in slowly in gear. The correct process is to coast in neutral with occasional forward bumps.

The boat I learned on, starting about age 10, had no reverse. it can be done.

 

[Gyrene]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Guy yells back "Any fool knows you don't throw a piece of machinery from forward to reverse".

well that part is true. Best to avoid using reverse as a brake as much as possible (the bigger the boat, the harder, I know) and at most just give it a tap.

The common mistake is trying to come in slowly in gear. The correct process is to coast in neutral with occasional forward bumps.

The boat I learned on, starting about age 10, had no reverse. it can be done.

I'll bet yours was a small boat - this one was about 25' - a cabin cruiser w/flying bridge - guaranteed it had reverse.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Guy yells back "Any fool knows you don't throw a piece of machinery from forward to reverse".

well that part is true. Best to avoid using reverse as a brake as much as possible (the bigger the boat, the harder, I know) and at most just give it a tap.

The common mistake is trying to come in slowly in gear. The correct process is to coast in neutral with occasional forward bumps.

The boat I learned on, starting about age 10, had no reverse. it can be done.

interesting! i spent 25% of my life as a commercial fisherman....and my first time docking a somewhat heavy cape islander, i did the approach, and shifted into neutral.....got a good lecture for doing it! if the prop aint turning you have no steering. was taught to come in at idle in gear and use hard reverse and rudder to stop/dock.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Why there are boating laws

The common mistake is trying to come in slowly in gear. The correct process is to coast in neutral with occasional forward bumps.

that's the way i do it. granted i don't have a cruiser.

if the prop aint turning you have no steering.

if your static in the water, if the prop aint turning then, you have no steering. if you're going fwd., slow at idle and put it in neutral the boat will carry. still have fwd momentum. the rudder does effect direction in this instance. at least on anything from a fishing boat to a small i/o like my nineteen. least that's been my experience. if possible (barring wind and current) and usually for me. i don't even use reverse to stop i'm going so slow when i approach the dock i just step off the boat and stop it's last bit of fwd. momentum with a line from the boat to me on the dock.

 

[Volphin]

Re: Why there are boating laws

interesting! i spent 25% of my life as a commercial fisherman....and my first time docking a somewhat heavy cape islander, i did the approach, and shifted into neutral.....got a good lecture for doing it! if the prop aint turning you have no steering. was taught to come in at idle in gear and use hard reverse and rudder to stop/dock.

That's correct for larger vessels. The bumping works for small pleasure craft.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Gyrene, I think the guy was yanking your chain

 

[Gyrene]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Gyrene, I think the guy was yanking your chain

No, he wasn't. He was quite upset.

 

[joed]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Anything with a rudder would still have some steering with the prop not turning.
A jet boat is completely different. You must have the motor running to steer. It is the jet wash that is your rudder.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Why there are boating laws

No one told this guy to go from forward, them immediately to to reverse. There's a middle part called neutral that idles the RPM's down so you can then proceed to reverse. That's as basic as it get's. If any fool wants to slam gears, and ignore what he was told, he deserves what he gets.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Why there are boating laws

What law was the guy breaking? Only thing I see is the lack of common sense and heeding advice.

 

[Gyrene]

Re: Why there are boating laws

What law was the guy breaking? Only thing I see is the lack of common sense and heeding advice.

Most states now require boat owners to take a basic boating course. The story is why such laws came into being because of people with such ignorance that they were unsafe.

 

[joed]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Boating courses I have seen here are for rules of the water and safety(bilge fans, life jackets, etc.). Not much about operation of boat(how start engine, how to load on/off trailer, how to backup up a trailer).

 

[devon84]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Boating courses I have seen here are for rules of the water and safety(bilge fans, life jackets, etc.). Not much about operation of boat(how start engine, how to load on/off trailer, how to backup up a trailer).

I've taken the course for Missouri and it gives you all of the basic operation knowledge ie: how and when to start the engine, loading and unloading procedures, how to approach a dock properly, ect.

 

[garbageguy]

Re: Why there are boating laws

Most states now require boat owners to take a basic boating course

While I think it's a good idea, I don't think most states require boat operators (not owners) to have taken a boating course. If a state has requirements, it's usually for certain ages and/or vessels. But just think of the drivers out on the road, there's plenty that passed a test and have a license - but...

 

[kentuckydiesel]

Re: Why there are boating laws

What states require adults to take a boating course? I've never heard of such a thing.

Here in KY, if you are 18 years old, you are good to go. If you are 12-17 and operating a boat with an engine over 10hp, you have to take a boater education course unless someone 18 or older is with you on the boat.

That said, if the boat has an engine less than 10hp, you could still be in diapers and operate it all by yourself...no boater education required.

(BTW, I hate frivolous laws.)

-Phillip

On edit:
12yrs old was a big year for me. My dad taught me how to drive trucks and tractors with manual transmissions....and his 28' carver. I took that carver all up and down the river here. Never had any problems, though I did read a safe boating pamphlet for fun one time.

If a 12 year old can do it....

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Why there are boating laws

What states require adults to take a boating course? I've never heard of such a thing.

...

If a 12 year old can do it....

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.