Safety Courses??

[can-amsledder]

What safety courses (if any) are required where you are located to operate a boat? And what safety courses have you taken?

Just curious as to how well trained we are. I have yet to take a course.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Safety Courses??

If born after 1982 yes certificate required 25.00 boater safety course, you can do it online.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Safety Courses??

my girlfriend needed to do the safety course to be legal, so i went along even though i didnt have to. It was a great opportunity, and only cost 10 bucks extra for me to go. I learned alot and got refreshed on quite a bit.

 

[DareDog]

Re: Safety Courses??

Here in NYS you take course then there is a test and you can do it when your 10. that's when i did it learned a lot and still rember it after 9 yrs

 

[cribber]

Re: Safety Courses??

If it's required or not everyone should take the USCG Boater's Safety Course. A lot of good information and try to find a class locally so you get local information as well.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Safety Courses??

If it's required or not everyone should take the USCG Boater's Safety Course. A lot of good information and try to find a class locally so you get local information as well.

+1. Agree 100%.

 

[MNMARK]

Re: Safety Courses??

It varies state to state. In Minnesota its required if under the age of 17. Check with your DNR, or goggle it for your state. In Minnesota there is s free course offered by the water patrol, great course.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Safety Courses??

Wisconsin law states "If you were born after 1988" you are required to complete a safety course to operate a motorized boat OR PWC and certificates are not VALID to anyone under 12 years of age.

I for one do not believe it is being enforced here just because of some of the antics I've witnessed on the local waters in recent years. Either that or the course just isn't working the way it should be.

 

[MAXXIE]

Re: Safety Courses??

I took one online, (not required), for the 5% insurance break & was very surprised with the information I learned, very happy that I did take the course. I think like an earlier post stated, if born after a certain year it is required, I don't see what age has to do with it. It not like you get smarter with age, in most cases we get dumber. I do think every PWC needs to carry a certificate with them regardless of age, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

 

[riptide09]

Re: Safety Courses??

No requirements in MA. I operate a lot in NH and they require a class for operating 25HP or greater. It is like a 4 hour class followed by a multiple choice exam. Cost was like $45. It was not a USCG class however it was a NASBLA class which is accepted by any state that requires a class. You can also just take the exam which is like $10.

I made my wife take it also. I thought most of it was common sense however she thought it was very good and that everyone should take it. Saved me a $$ on my boat insurance also.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Safety Courses??

In New Jersey you are required to take the Boaters Safety Course for any size boat and depending on power and size you may also need your boaters license as well. I have both.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Safety Courses??

i took my first boater safety course when i was a kid in the late 60's and early 70's. all i remember is it was in mn.

more recently, i've take classes through the usps. i would think they are better than any online class due to everyone shows up and there is discussion about boating. i liked it so well, i went through 4 of their required classes and several optional classes...

boater ed. is the way to go... there is so much to learn about boats and boating that it's an ongoing process i think.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Safety Courses??

As was stated, in NJ you are required (no more grandfathering in) to have a boating safety certificate. The certificate may be obtained by taking a 1 day course+exam for $50/$55. They have boiled the standard 5 day US CG Auxillary course into a few hours. The course I was in, focused on passing the exam, and everyone did. I think the instructor stopped grading the exam when you reached the max amount of wrong answers that still passed. I got one answer wrong, however, the test was wrong, and I was right......

On the practical side, there is a difference on the water. People actually seem to understand the "rules of the road", when boating, which is very nice.


A NJ boating license is also required for freshwater motorboating, of which we have a small amount. It is simply a fee (or tax) they collect, w/o any knowledge requirements.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Safety Courses??

As was stated, in NJ you are required (no more grandfathering in) to have a boating safety certificate. The certificate may be obtained by taking a 1 day course+exam for $50/$55. They have boiled the standard 5 day US CG Auxillary course into a few hours. The course I was in, focused on passing the exam, and everyone did. I think the instructor stopped grading the exam when you reached the max amount of wrong answers that still passed. I got one answer wrong, however, the test was wrong, and I was right......

On the practical side, there is a difference on the water. People actually seem to understand the "rules of the road", when boating, which is very nice.


A NJ boating license is also required for freshwater motorboating, of which we have a small amount. It is simply a fee (or tax) they collect, w/o any knowledge requirements.

The NJ Boating license must be for stocking I bet? Can't see it for anything else.

 

[stewman]

Re: Safety Courses??

Boater operators certification is mandatory here in BC canada

 

[can-amsledder]

Re: Safety Courses??

This was in the local paper today.

Watching out on the water
By Rick Pfeiffer
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

NIAGARA FALLS ? It is as much a sign of summer as street festivals and backyard barbecues.

When the sun comes out and temperatures climb, Western New Yorkers typically head for the shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Niagara River. They come with boats and watercraft of all shapes and sizes and, sometimes, no idea of how to play on the water safely.


CLICK FOR FULL ARTICLE>>http://lockportjournal.com/local/x1778839267/Watching-out-on-the-water

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Safety Courses??

Oregon has been "grandfathering" for the last 5 years and it's now to a point where everyone is required to attend an 8 hour class or take an online course. I would agree with the others that those courses are just the beginning and further education should be based on where and how you boat. Fishing in a mountain lake is much different than crossing the bar and going offshore at Tillamook Bay so the amount of training and education should be different.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Safety Courses??

Unfortunately there is no requirements that I am aware of in Florida other than if you were born after Jan 1 1988. There should be, and it should be an endorsement on your lisence, kinda like a motorcycle, but there isnt. Any moron can go plop down $50k on a boat and go boating.

My daughter took it at age 9. Even if its not required in your state, I HIGHLY URGE you to take it anyway. It is very informative. Everyone in my family has taken it even though not everyone drives the boat.

http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/default.asp

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Safety Courses??

I am an instructor with the Lakeland (Florida) Sail and Power Squadron. I find the attitudes of the respondents interesting.

There are those who seem to feel that the only reason to take a boating course is to "get the license" or to reduce insurance and for them the online non-proctored course is "good enough".

Then there are the respondents that realize the course is actually a means of heightening their awareness and saving their lives. For those folks having a course taught by a live person enabled them to receive information that may not be in a book or computer. Information that can be shared by people that lived through the experience.

I enjoy sharing my experiences with my students, giving them the benefit of my mistakes so as to help them avoid repeating them.

Boating is nothing like driving a car, you can not just stop and get out and walk away.

Most of the problems we experience as boaters, especially the tragedies, can be traced back to some simple omission on the part of the captain. Something we failed to correct, take into account, or anticipate.

Boating Safety Classes are, hopefully, designed to make us think, plan and anticipate and be proactive in the mundane task of saving the lives of ourselves and our loved ones.

Remember that every time we go out on the water we run the risk of becoming part of the food chain.