poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

[Tacklewasher]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

And this brings up the stupidity of what Canada has done.

I have a safe boaters card, having had to pass a short exam.

I had to take this exam because I fish a small, powered boat on small lakes. My boat is under 4 meters so I had to get the card.

So, because I go to small lakes with a 10 foot boat and an electric motor, I needed to know all the navigational aids. The only aids I MIGHT see on these lakes are milk/bleach jugs to mark a rock. If I'm lucky. But because I put an electric on my boat, I have needed the card for a few years now.

If I didn't have the small, fishing boats (I have 2), I would not have needed to get the card for another year. Cause I am so much safer in my 18' with a 115 on a crowded lake that actually has marker buoys, and stuff than I would be on a lake with 2 or 3 other boats, all anchored and flycasting.

I know they did it to get the jet flea operators, but they did the wrong thing the way they brought in the safe boaters card.

 

[marine4003]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

So how do you prevent the untrained, inconsiderate #$%^ from turning your lake outing into a disaster? by requiring a certificate before the boat can be registered, and increasing the penalties. no registration no boat in the water.

whats that going to do ??? all a certificate means is someone was smart enough to take notes,read some and show up on time to take a test,all that has nothing to do with - common sense - courtesy - awareness of anyone or thing BUT themselfs. certificates - permits - licenses..NONE of it works unless the operator choses to care about anyone but themselfs,and a STRONG police presence on the water.

 

[bhammer]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

I spoke with a LEO at the lake this weekend about your post. I even managed to plug iBoats and he said he's going to check in and join. I said it would be great to have another LEO perspective on the forum.

In a nutshell, he says this topic comes up about a week after every holiday as the local goverment "wants answers" to the problems faced on the lake. The largest hurdle is funding for manpower to patrol and for enforcment. The only way to increase funding is antoehr tax and they have done as far as study higher boatlaunch fees, park access fees and other types of taxes.

He does what he can to help control the quality of operators. If he sees and unsafe act, then he issues a citation and there is a fine associated with it. You can have it reduced by going through a safe boating course.

 

[hazwild]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

I would agree to a mandatory license and proof of insurance just like a land based vehicle ONLY IF:

The money that was spent on the license went to fund more officers for the enforcement of the laws/rules that already exist.

That i think would be a great idea.Our fishing license yearly dues in NC go to the wildlife dept to help with law inforcement

just my 2 cents

 

[arboldt]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

Generally, there's enough rules but not enough enforcement. Though education will help, enough people have posted how too many boaters forget the education and existing rules. As has been noted, there's no legal cure for stupidity short of the Darwin Awards.

Michigan has many generalized boating rules, and publishes in many places local watercraft regulations. The boating rules on Lake Michigan can and should be very different than the Grand River or the small, shallow inland lake I normally boat on.

Wolf Lake, 7 miles north of Baldwin in Lake County, is approx 1.25 miles diameter. I can wade out 100' and not even be up to my waist. There is one hole that's 15' deep, I'm told. It's great for skiing and other recreational boating but lousy for fishing. The SW-most corner is even shallower than most, so the township has regulated it to slow/no-wake. Occasionally I see a 20'+ boat, but honestly I don't know how they launch it. There is no concrete ramp -- you launch in sand, and have to back your vehicle all the way into to water to get your boat off the trailer. The last few years, there's been more kayakers than before. Many Michigan lakes are better for fishing, and have local regs specifying slow/no-wake between 6:30 pm and 10:00 the next morning.

Now with that description, tell me why the same licensing should be required as someone 5 miles offshore in Lake Michigan, or even on the Mississippi.

The county sherriff does have a marine patrol on our lake every so often, and he does stop and ticket boaters for various infractions. He also visits other county lakes. I've been stopped by a sherriff deputy on lakes in other counties for a safety check -- show my life jackets and fire extinguisher, and they wish me a nice day and we're on our separate ways. Now if I were acting foolishly or belligerently, he would educate me, I'm sure. That's never happened, though I see him doing that with others.

 

[hazwild]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

I do see your point education would help alot.I do not think there is only one good answer for this problem when people have more money than brains

 

[erikgreen]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

Education and enforcement.

A lot of the local municipalities out here make laws of their own regarding "their" lakes. So when you go boating you have to follow the rules for the Federal laws, the state laws, the county laws, city laws, and any laws applying to specific locations on the lake (channels, etc).

There are actually already too many laws here , and too many of them crafted to keep the rich folks in their lakeshore homes happy.

Erik

 

[oops!]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

Sorry oops!. But you are wrong here.

Look on page 58 and 59 of http://www.fedpubs.com/subject/boat/safe_boating_guide.pdf

10 km/h speed restriction on boats within 30m of shore in every province from Ontario to BC (inland waters only). There is an exception for pulling water skiers. The limit is not posted.

Again. The rules are there. The enforcement isn't.

yup thats right tackle.......but the buoys for gyro beach are about 75 feet from shore.

for every one else....gyro is one of our most populated beaches...kids, teens. lots of people each day....its in a bay ish area so its not too bad for idiots in high speed boats....(i have seen some 30 mph passes around there)

.the water ski limit is only if you are perpendicular from shore...(i.e taking off from a dock.....)

and none of those questions are on the test !

i think as erik says above.......edumication .....training...is key..
i hope we dont have to go down the enforcement route...i wanna be left alone on the water...

im hoping training and a really hard test....at least as hard as a drivers licence will work.... people seem to do what they have been trained to do.....(sometimes....)

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

yup thats right tackle.......but the buoys for gyro beach are about 75 feet from shore.

Pretty sure you are less than 30m and subject to the 10km/h outside of the buoys.

for every one else....gyro is one of our most populated beaches...kids, teens. lots of people each day....its in a bay ish area so its not too bad for idiots in high speed boats....(i have seen some 30 mph passes around there)

.the water ski limit is only if you are perpendicular from shore...(i.e taking off from a dock.....)

and none of those questions are on the test !

But you have to learn all the buoys and markers.

How many do you see on the big lake where the larger boats run? Then how many do you see on lakes like Beaver, Bear and the like. Guess which lakes have a 10hp limit and you HAVE to have the card for.

i think as erik says above.......edumication .....training...is key..
i hope we dont have to go down the enforcement route...i wanna be left alone on the water...

im hoping training and a really hard test....at least as hard as a drivers licence will work.... people seem to do what they have been trained to do.....(sometimes....)

But I think I'd rather see the enforcement out. And I don't really mean the "checking for throw ropes" type enforcement, more like the "sitting at the bridge tagging people not obeying the posted speed limit" enforcement. And tossing the drunks overboard.

Again, you can make people learn all the rules you want. But when they can speed under the bridge with no fear of getting caught, they will.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

Besides.

What are you doing posting here? You're supposed to be working on your hull extension and posting pics of that!

 

[Renny_D]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

oops!.

Went under the bridge last night. First thing I saw was 2 other boats going under ignoring the posted speed limit (8 km/h). Big Larson (I think) going through on plane and a jet flea. Then came back under the shallow end. As soon as I was through, a ******* on a jet flea following us decided to gun it and soaked all 4 of us.

On my other boat I used to carry a wrist rocket and cherry tomatos. We used to routinely anchor in a narrow byway that was a no wake zone. Still we'd have water skiers and jet skies roaring through there. Was dangerous and destroying the bank. After watching this and getting roosted a couple of times we started carrying the sling shot. Probably not legal but they only got near me once after that they stayed the hell away and went the limit at least where I was anchored. I teach sailing as a side line and it is amazing the number of stupid human tricks performed out there. I think education is the best bet. It won't stop the really stupid; we just hopes that natural selection takes them off the water without harming anyone else.

Thanks
Renny

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

On my other boat I used to carry a wrist rocket and cherry tomatos.

I was thinking paint balls, but I did have grapes with me.

 

[oops!]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

more like the "sitting at the bridge tagging people not obeying the posted speed limit" enforcement.

personally id like to shoot them....wannna hang out under the bridge for a little target pratise?

Besides.

What are you doing posting here? You're supposed to be working on your hull extension and posting pics of that!

heh heh..... im gonna go for a short boat ride for an hour or two...then go start sanding.....was on it yesterday for 8 hrs....goin for at least 4 tonight.....drop by.........rent a boat on ellis and manhatten.....the big bay door behind the toon.

ill have a cold corona for ya !

 

[GrindKore]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

I voted leave it alone. Stupid boaters are just like stupid drivers, there is always a percentage of population that believes rules are for nerds or otherwise chooses to be ignorant.

No amount of legislation or enforcement will change that. The problem is this additional enforcement will only create hassles for rest of us while increasing the tax burden by government agencies.
For example, early this season I was boarded twice by Coastguard, and once by ODNR for "safety check". Although I meet and exceed all state and federal required safety criteria, being hassled repeatedly by LEOs despite stickers and other paperwork they provide is pain in the ***.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

heh heh..... im gonna go for a short boat ride for an hour or two...then go start sanding.....was on it yesterday for 8 hrs....goin for at least 4 tonight.....drop by.........rent a boat on ellis and manhatten.....the big bay door behind the toon.

ill have a cold corona for ya !

Ahhh.

Missed the whole "boat ride for a couple of hours" part of your post.

I had 6 Corona with me but I'm back home now and likely ain't moving again tonight.

But man the Corona sure does taste good. Too bad you weren't there to help me enjoy them.

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

I am all for enforcing the laws already in existance. Most common sense acts are, in some form, already written into law. Creating new laws puts us one step closer to having big brother be our 1st mate.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

I voted for the one that said to make getting a boater's license as difficult as a driver's license, but would have voted for one that said to require a boater's safety course certificate if that choice had been available.

I'm a newbie this year. In addition to all of the wonderful things I learned on this forum before purchasing my boat, I took a boating safety course put on by the local chapter of U. S. Power Squadron (a course I learned about also on this forum). Best $50 boating investment I ever made. Each week we had a different instructor, and each week we heard different stories. At the end was an exam whereby those who passed received a boating safety certificate.

The course has paid off many times what I paid for it. My first time out I was able to recognize ALL of the different buoy markers and knew what to do. And I knew when to yield the right of way on a busy lake. The first few weeks I was having trouble docking, and lining up my boat to load it on the trailer, then remembered one of the instructors said something about using "nudgies on the throttle." Never a problem since.

The problem is that whereas I might feel reasonably confident I know what I'm doing out there, since boating safety certification is not required, I can't be all that confident that the other boaters out there know what they are doing. It would be reassuring to know that we are all playing by the same set of rules.

In Minnesota, and I'm sure this is true for numerous other states as well, you don't have to drive to a sit down class to get certified in safe boating. The Minnesota DNR has a BoatED website with a half-dozen chapters ranging from the types of boats and nautical terms, to tying knots and fueling, to navigation markers and buoys, to boat operation and right of way, to PWC operating, to what to do in an emergency and much more. At the end you can take a practice test as a precursor to the real on-line certification exam good for your safe boating certificate (the real exam costs $15). I personally chose the in-person U. S. Power Squadron course only because I was so new and needed to ask a lot of questions, but I took the on-line practice exam often to make things sink in (somehow I could never get better than 97%).

I've had friends out in my new boat who have boated for years, and even I have taught them a thing or two because they never took a safe boating course.

Here's the thing. Driving cars and trucks is hard enough, but at least there are lanes, stop lights and yield signs everywhere, and cars and trucks have brakes. Boating? Well it's a whole different ball game.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

Yup -- plenty of "no wake" zones, oops. Just not enough "no stupid" zones...Now, git back to sandin and taking pics!

 

[jonesg]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

I voted leave it alone. Stupid boaters are just like stupid drivers, there is always a percentage of population that believes rules are for nerds or otherwise chooses to be ignorant.

No amount of legislation or enforcement will change that. The problem is this additional enforcement will only create hassles for rest of us while increasing the tax burden by government agencies.
For example, early this season I was boarded twice by Coastguard, and once by ODNR for "safety check". Although I meet and exceed all state and federal required safety criteria, being hassled repeatedly by LEOs despite stickers and other paperwork they provide is pain in the ***.

Ditto, its impossible to legislate common sense , but it takes common sense to see that. Thats why gvmnt keeps trying.

"courtesy rules" is a contradiction in terms.

 

[QC]

Re: poll ....all regular i boaters please check in !

LEAVE IT THE FLYIN' FLIP ALONE!!!!

Go chase greenhouse gas emissions with Al Gore until you get that stupidity figured out. That ought to keep the "we need more rules and laws" folks busy until eternity

Sorry Ooops, sore subject . . . rock on, but keep it in Canadia . . .