boat drivers license

Joined
Jul 17, 2005
Messages
14
I live in Ohio and we require a license for anyone born after 1982. My nephew and I have been having a runing debate on the necessity of this.<br /> My family has owned a boat since I was 5 ( now 40) and used it every summer. My dad taught us , those who were interested, how to drive, load, and launch. He also stressed safety and courtesy.<br /> Being out there on the lake these days my own kids and various others, it scares me spitless to see the total incompetence of some of these new boat owners. <br /> I for one beleive the license is a good concept but would like to see more enforecement of safe operation.<br /> anyone else??<br />Lisa
 

Booner

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
276
Re: boat drivers license

Floating Carter hit the RED SEARCH button at the top of the screen there is 4 pages you can read thru. Some states already require some don't. I have already said that its just more buricratick (sp) BS. Except maybe Bayliner owners should be required :D :D
 

sergioy

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 14, 2003
Messages
376
Re: boat drivers license

After boating this weekendand and dealing with more idiots than I care to, I say yes. No license, no boating.
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,088
Re: boat drivers license

If a "Boater's Licence" removed, Just 1 Idiot from the water,.........<br /><br />I'm All For It.............
 

18rabbit

Captain
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
3,202
Re: boat drivers license

Doesn’t matter if you like the idea or not, a boating license is coming to a neighborhood near you. And it will be tied to your nat’l ID…in other words, your driver’s license. It will have absolutely nothing to do with boating safety.<br /><br />Fwiw, since driving was reclassified from a “right’ to a “privilege” (less than 50-years ago) that privilege has routinely been suspended for political reasons much more often than for reasons of safety.
 

AaronG

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
234
Re: boat drivers license

Boat licenses(or courses) are a good idea. My father in law and I took a coast guard couse a couple winters ago so we could ride PWC's. The course would also be required to operate a boat if you were born after 1978 or so. Anyway, the instructors were good, the book was well written, and we both left the class feeling like we learned something. My father in law has owned boats for 40 years. Mostly big boats. There was a lot of info in the class that was new to him. I think every state should require a in person class to operate a boat. I think there are more morons out on the water then on the roads!
 

levittownnick

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
789
Re: boat drivers license

Just add to the bureacy. It don't work for cars, why would you think it will work for boats? It's just annother way to reach into your wallet. See below.<br /><br /> <br /><br />New Discovery ... New Element<br /><br />A major research institution has recently announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named "Governmentium". Governmentium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 11 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.<br /><br /><br />These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete, when it would normally take less than a second.<br /><br />Governmentium has a normal half-life of 4 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact Governmentium's mass wi actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.<br /><br />This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "Critical Morass". When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium - an element which radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.
 

dtherrien

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
213
Re: boat drivers license

yes...i think all states will be reqiuring a boating licence. I just got mine and it realy isnt that big of a deal. if you still have half of your brain cells left...you should pass!!!
 

levittownnick

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
789
Re: boat drivers license

Enforce the laws that are in place. Don't enlarge the buracratic process by requring a lisence. The money collected for the lisence possibly woun't even cover the cost of adminestering them, and since the money has to come from somewhere, they will just dig in one of your other pockets. The lisence will solve little other than to camp on what few "priviliges" we have.<br />(Spelling is one of my many weak points. Please overlook the mistakes.)
 

SeaJayacas

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
49
Re: boat drivers license

"i think all states will be reqiuring a boating licence"<br /><br />I will lay big, big odds that all states do NOT require a boating license 5 years from now.<br /><br />Any takers????
 

AaronG

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
234
Re: boat drivers license

The license cost me $25. If you can't afford that, you really have no business owning a boat.
 

dtherrien

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
213
Re: boat drivers license

My licence cost me $15 and the state of mass. doesnt see any of the 15.here it will be required by 2006(i think).The state doesnt care where you get your licence from.and they say it is good for life.I dislike the goverment probably more than mostpeople but it is a hoop you have to go through.I cant see the law patroling every were just to see if you have your licence. in 15 years of boating i have been stopped once to see if i had pfd's and a fire extingisher.
 

levittownnick

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
789
Re: boat drivers license

Your right, if I can't afford $25 I don't have any business owning a boat. However, read the post from dtherrien, he has been stopped once in 15 years. So for the licence to be effective and root out the wreckless types, they would have to establish more patrols = more enforcers = more supervision = more equipment = more everything = more $$$$$ = more bureacy = more out of our pockets & less liberty.<br /><br />I have been boating (with my own boat) since 1970 in the N.Y. Long Island area and have not seen as many idiots on the water as I see on the roads where a licence is required and enforcement is in place. Think about how many times you see in the news some AH that has had their licence revoked 27 times (and they are not in jail) and they just killed someone. If where there is enforcement, they flout the law, what do you think they will do on the water? I fail to see how a boating licence is going to help.
 

txswinner

Banned
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
2,326
Re: boat drivers license

At least a license course to own and boat and get registration, then rental operations would also be required to check for license course when renting or automatically liable. Just a thought.
 

Holdimhook

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 26, 2005
Messages
648
Re: boat drivers license

Many good,insightful posts on this subject. My 2 cents worth is that I'm as much against extra beaurocracy as the next guy, but, I have seen a remarkable increase in the number of inconsiderate, dangerous, idiotic a$$hole$ on the water in the last several years. At least requiring a license will allow revocation of the privelege of operating a boat for some of them. I don't believe studying for a multple choice test is enough education. Perhaps requiring safety courses for violaters might be an idea, however, there's the beaurocracy thing again. :confused:
 

sergioy

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 14, 2003
Messages
376
Re: boat drivers license

I guess my main complaint isn't really that there should be a license. cause I really don't think that licensing removes idiots. Its just that too many people go out there with a new boat and PWC and are completely ignorant as to the rules.
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2005
Messages
14
Re: boat drivers license

I see I'm not the only one concerned<br /> <br /> I don't have an answer but perhaps sales should bear some of the education burden... I recently saw a brand new boat at the ramp, no boat license, registration numbers, no trailer tags...and the didn't have a clue ..scary :eek: <br /><br />Lisa
 

SeaJayacas

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
49
Re: boat drivers license

Next thing we'll require a license before one is allowed to post to a boating board, this should prevents idiots from posting. $50 annual fee, send checks made out to CASH to the following address and a license will be sent to you:<br /><br />Cartel Bank North<br />Caymen Islands<br />Account #10110
 

18rabbit

Captain
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
3,202
Re: boat drivers license

Originally posted by AaronG:<br /> The license cost me $25. If you can't afford that, you really have no business owning a boat.
This argument is not without its merits. For years people have been claiming that anyone that doesn’t make enough money to pay taxes should not be allowed to vote. It just leads to people on welfare voting to return incumbent politicians that will continue to support their lifestyle on welfare…at the expense of those that do pay taxes. It’s call ‘the redistribution of wealth’, a key platform of the communist ideology.<br /><br />And the argument that any fee for licensing will fall short of supporting whatever bureaucracy will be put in place is not without its merits. This is the same thing we were told in California when the controversial 50-cent a pack increase in the tobacco tax was voted in. Proponents of the legislation claimed the funds would be used to offset the cost of public heath for smokers that became ill as a result of their tobacco habits, and it would force people to quit smoking. Within a couple of years the cost of administering the tobacco tax program exceed the funds collected thru the tax increase. California is literally in the position that we cannot afford for people to stop smoking, to would eliminate too many gov’t jobs, causing too big a hit to the unemployment reserve.<br /><br />Fwiw, if you look at the post-9/11 loss of freedoms, and they are probably vastly more significant than the average person realizes, you will see the writing on the wall. It’s not about safety; it’s about being able to control people’s movement and in particular the ability to leave this country without permission. With a boat that is something that can be done within minutes…so that freedom will be controlled. My crystal ball puts the timeframe at about 2008; the year the ability to freely travel within the western hemisphere without a passport comes to an end. I could be wrong, but if I am, there will exist a huge inconsistency.
 

AaronG

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
234
Re: boat drivers license

Its not about the license, or the 25 dollars. Its about spending 4 hours in a classroom with Coast Guard Auxilary guys teaching you how not to be an idiot on the water. <br /><br />Everyone should do that before they operate a boat.
 
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