No Boating Certificate Required ?
 

Okay,

I was surfing through the various Winni Marina websites, much to the chagrin of my boss who thought I was actually working at my desk on a Friday afternoon..... instead of dreaming about how fast I could get outta here and hit the road for the condo.
BUT I digress ....

as mentioned- I was surfing the Marina websites and came across a statement that I am SHOCKED by ...... under the "Boat Rental" tab one Marina claims -

"Again this year; we will have a limited selection of 20' pontoon boats available with a 25 hp engine, that means you won't necessarily need a safe boating certificate to rent"

Since when is there a size or horsepower clause that negates having a Boating Safety Certificate ?



(Let's see how long this thread lasts before being turned into a Political debate).

That has been part of the law for as long as I can remember.

Yep it has been 25 HP or less does not require a certificate since the start of requiring a certificate

WOW ... others killing time on a Friday too :laugh:

Makes sense ... now that I think of it .... MA is the same (or similar) for their Boating Certificate of minors

thanks for the quick clarification .... that was truly a duhhh on me!
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As the other posters have said this has always been part of the law.

I believe it was primarily driven by the rental industry, as if there had been no exclusion to the law it would have had detrimental effects on the business.

But it also allows some room for small fishing boats etc. that only have trolling motors.

I have never understood why 25 hp was the chosen bench mark. I myself supported something lower say under 10 h.p. however I do realize that it would have made it hard on the boat rental business.

Out of idle curiosity, did you take the boaters certificate class and test?

Know the laws but ignore them
 

We have several families at Sandy Point who bought their 13 and 14 year old sons small boats outfitted with 25 hp motors since they knew that the kids could drive them without certification. HOWEVER, these same dads let their underage sons & daughters use their jet skis and laugh when they drive them like idiots out in Alton Bay. Go figure!

This is quite often the case, sadly. I right now am dealing with my son's wanting to take the jetski out by themselves. Sometimes it hard being a Parent..... oh wait that is the thing some parents forget... It is already to be mean, and stick to your guns and the rules.

(Oh by the way, they have been told that they can't take the jetski out)

If you passed the test.............
 

As others have said, this has always been the case. That is why you see so many young people with boats like Whalers with 25 HP motors. They do have to learn somewhere............. Maybe you don't remember that part of the rules when you qualified.

I know that most of us act in a similar fashion when approaching another boat on the lake. You see the other boater move in one direction or the other and you may do the same.

This summer a small pontoon boat was on a trajectory to cross my path. I had the right of way yet they kept on coming. I immediately assumed that it was a renter in a 25HP pontoon boat. It was.

I know Thurston's rents a number of pontoon boats with 25HP to unlicensed people. Some minimal instruction should be necessary just to keep the occupants of the rental boat, as well as other boaters on the lake, safe.

I don't know where that question is going and if you are trying to instigate something.... But I will presume it is a straight forward question for now.

For the record, when MA first adopted the requirement for underage boating certificates (some 25 years ago) I personally coordinated with the MA Environmental Police - the NH version of Marine Patrol - to hold a specially arranged program for approximately 15 youths ( and their parents) at our local Lake Assoc Hall. At the time I was Chairman for our Lakes Youth activities committee. This was a multi week/ classroom program with Certificates issued upon completion of the written exam ( parents didn't have to take the test due to MA law- but we all did in any event as an example to the youths!).

Subsequently, when the NH requirement was placed into effect, years later, on a rolling age basis, both my wife & I along with other family members immediately took that program as well as more than half of our boating is done here at Winni.

So "technically" I and my family hold two Certificates for boating


To the others responding to this thread...... when I wrote the original post, I had a COMPLETE lapse of memory.... Based on the first quick response, my (aging) brain kicked back into focus!



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Thanks for your response.
Not trying to instigate anything, it’s just that one of the biggest reasons why someone is required to have a Boating Certificate is because of the HP of a motor.
Probably some people don't know the exact HP but just about everyone I've talked to knows that it is a requirement.

Rusty--

All good !

When I had my memory lapse it's because I juggle actually 3 ( yes three) different sets of regulations in my now aging brain- which apparently is skipping gears periodically. :D

We have the MA State Reg's, The NH Reg's, and believe it or not our Lake in MA has Legislative power to create & enforce their own.

One example of a severe disconnect with other regulations is our Lake only requires 75' separation. Not the typical 150' rule!

There are others of course.... Thus the "gear slip"


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And that's the problem
 

Too many people come up and rent pontoon boats at a number of different marinas. None have the knowledge they should have and don't need it to rent one.
Some "may" have knowledge from another state where the laws are different, and that's the problem.

Anyone running a 20 foot pontoon, no matter what size and motor size, is just as much as danger doing something dumb, as someone with a larger sized motor.

We had a little boy around 6 driving a whaler around all alone. He is older now, probably 11, but I don't know how he survived. He certainly should not have been out there.

I can't imagine too many scenarios where a 20+ foot boat with 25 HP is going to be a true danger, solely due to inexperience. I would say nuisance would be a better description. Not saying it can't be dangerous, but I'm speculating that any true danger would be caused by impaired operation or moments of stupidity, not inexperience. I would also speculate that there are plenty of occasionally-stupid and/or impaired people out there with plenty of experience and boating certificates... I have plenty of experience and a boating certificate and do some really stupid things now and then.

If I recall back in the day ( I believe it was a Wednesday ), there were no rules or laws for certificates or age. Then a law passed back in the late 80's/early 90's that if the boat has over 25hp, you need to just be 16 or have an adult on board. Then in the late 90's the certificates started to kick in.

I remember this because I was told for years I could drive the family big boat when I turned 15. That year was when the enforces the 16 year old rule.

Haha no comment about the certificate just wanted to say you sound like me...Only difference is for me it's five days a week. :D

Authiorized agents
 

I have a story to tell...

Some years ago I had a tow call for a jet ski on the rocks. The operator had rented the boat and had a temporary license issued by the authorized agent, the renter.

The guy didn't know where he was or where he came from. I had to check the registration to find out where to take him. The renter was not much help because he was Japanese and didn't speak a work of English!

I have noticed that the marina operators seem to be taking this more seriously these days.

Misty Blue.

2 Quick points that should be made:

1) given the proper training, a 10-15 ft boat with a 25HP motor is a great platform to teach young people the correct way to safely operate a boat. My son has Been using his own boat for years, and now I have no issue letting him drive or park our family's boat.

2) possession of a valid boating certificate has no bearing on the ability of the holder to safely operate a boat. You can pass the course, and still have no idea how to operate a boat, or react to different situations. Experience is the key,.

Rental
 

I would like to pass legislature that no matter the horse power of the leased vessel the renter must pass a safety course. I have seen too many crazy things happening by leased vessels in the Weirs Channel as well as on the lake.

Safety course
 

Taking this class and never being in A BOAT?
Who takes a driving class/test w/o driving a car?