[ApS]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

I am in full support of in water testing, but only for boat types they want to operate. Regarding your example of demonstrating proficiency in a sailboat, it would be the same concept as a driver's license (test for your class of vehicle). I have a Class A CDL and a motorcycle endorsement and had to road test in/on each vehicle type. If I want to drive a school bus, I need a different test.

We in the boating community operate in a watery environment that is highly changeable—rocky and deep, oftentimes cold and dark, with the constant danger of drowning—that is non-existent on roadways. That peril means we check the weather, monitor the airwaves, call-in enforcement when necessary, and depend on other boaters for our mutual safety.

In that sense of community, we wave to one another in assurance.

Knowing exactly how each type of craft operates can make the difference between "a rescue" and "a rescue gone-wrong".