Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

[christianL]

How many times have you hauled your rig down to the ramp and discovered a long line and lengthy wait? As you watch, it seems as if NOBODY has a clue as to what the heck they are doing! Husbands in the boat yelling at wives to "Go! Go! Further back!!" and "Stop!!". After 4 or 5 tries and 20 minutes, the boat is off the trailer and soon slamming up against the dock and other boats, tying up valuable dock space as wifey tries to park the rig. (taking up 2 spots, I might add) Meanwhile your average launch time is about 1.5 minutes, from start to finish and you wonder "am I the only person that knows anything here?" I believe you should be required by law to take a boater education course and pass a practical real life test before you can even purchase a boat. Does anyone agree?

 

[Thad]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

To buy a boat? No, I don't think that would work. You could borrow a buddies boat.

Now, to operate a boat? YES! I would support a license to operate bill.

Now, keep in mind, this would do very little for the problems at the ramp. Not to mention add to the already "angry" boater who does not like to be "checked" by DNR as it is. Add a license into the mix and oh boy, is there going to be outrage.

I am afraid it is a loose-loose situation. Before there could be any enforcement to such a law, current laws need to be more strictly enforced. There simply are not enough available resources to allow that to happen. And with downsizing, cutbacks, and budget cuts, there will not be for some time.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

How many times have you hauled your rig down to the ramp and discovered a long line and lengthy wait?

Rarely, if ever at all. I'm on the water long before "rush hour" and come back before or stay out long after "rush time" in the evening.


As for the training, you can't fix stupidity.

Driver's education is required to drive a car yet there are still lots of accidents and lots of idiots on the roads.

 

[salty87]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

no way, there's too much govt already.

what's next?...you have to show papers to even launch? aye, comrade

you can't teach manners on the ramp anymore than you can teach common sense. the ramps around here have signs telling people to use the loading area not the ramp for loading. i think the signs are only used as target practice for cig butts.

 

[rjlipscomb]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

No license to either boat or operate (18 and older). License to operate under 18.

I like to see private enterprise resolve issues, not government. It sounds like a great business enterprise to "valet" launch and retrieve your boat. All you do is drive the tow vehicle, my guys/gals will take care of the rest. I would enhance the business operation by employing gorgeous girls in minimal swimwear.

 

[shvy]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

I go when there no one at the ramps

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

Any thing that people want to know they can easily find on the computer now adays, doesn't mean they'll do it.(Some) People even get mad if you try to help or make a suggestions, sometimes the best thing to do is let them learn the hard way and break out your camera when they are sinking and show us here on Iboats

 

[skargo]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

Their should be a license to breed.

 

[christianL]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

No license to either boat or operate (18 and older). License to operate under 18.

I like to see private enterprise resolve issues, not government. It sounds like a great business enterprise to "valet" launch and retrieve your boat. All you do is drive the tow vehicle, my guys/gals will take care of the rest. I would enhance the business operation by employing gorgeous girls in minimal swimwear.

That's an excellent idea. Professional boat launchers and retreivers. Everyones's first launch would be evaluated, and if you get a score of 'idiot' you are required to use the service!!

 

[bekosh]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

End well, this cannot.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

no don't agree; you don't have to have a drivers license to by a car.
to many people today with 00% patience

 

[wa2712nj]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

For the record, having completed the recently required Wa. State boater's education course, it (and I suspect all) state mandated courses doesn't cover launching. I only recall one sentence in the entire book that covered ramp procedures, and it simply said that the queue for retrieval is formed by the vehicles on the ramp, not vessels in the water.

Ramp launching/retrieval is really a pretty specialized topic - there's lots of folks who never use one, like folks who keep their boat at a marina or private dock.

I didn't find it hard to learn, but we already had a camper so I was used to backing that up.

Most of the bad behavior I've observed at the ramp I use seems to be by folks who look like more experienced users, but who are overly impatient to get out fishing. And alas, but some of the native Americans from a nearby rez who seem to see the (off rez, public) ramp as their private property.

-dm

 

[Thad]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

Oh boy! This one's sinking fast

 

[bekosh]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

I recommend this. 100% guaranteed.
Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie (AFDB)

 

[skargo]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

I recommend this. 100% guaranteed.
Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie (AFDB)

Awesome!

 

[QC]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

End well, this cannot.

Going well, it wasn't . . .

I just simply deleted all of the posts that our Sages, bekosh and Yoda, predicted . . . but I am not sure even Yoda saw that train wreck coming . . .

Edit: BTW . . . this topic has been beat to death and a search will even reveal my opinion. I am leaving it for now. For what reason? I know not . . .

 

[Y-Guy]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

I also took the WA online course, no real help as far as what I'll need to know in launching/retrieving a boat. However I've talked to friends about it, and my first trip out I'll invite one of them to come along and give me some guidance.

But it's the same thing I see when RVing or ATVing, lots of new people. You know what, I stop and offer to help them out. I can't count how many times I've seen newbies struggle at the dump station, I approach and offer to help them if they'll take it. Most do accept the help.

I would hope that any experienced boater would offer to help me out my first few times launching my boat rather then standing back laughing at me.

 

[JB]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

Their should be a license to breed.

It is called a marriage license.

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I would support a license to operate over X HP on congested public waters.

You don't need a license to drive on private property; there should be an exclusion for wilderness and private waters and for small engine boats.

 

[skargo]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

It is called a marriage license.

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Really, weird how all those un-married people have kids.

That being said, my wife and I have been married for 14 years and no kids. We'll never have any either. Some here might say that's a good thing

 

[chifloater]

Re: Should Boater Education be Required to Buy?

This whole world is stressed out and wanting to do everything fast.faster .cmon.cmon.cmon....geeesshh RELAX....Help everyone and stop to talk to people !! You might meet someone to share alot of stories with ....isnt that the whole idea of boating?? we have to deal with bull**** and stress at work , why do we need it on the weekend, or vacation??