Is a Boating Certificate REALLY necessary?

[Mr. V]

Get off your high horse and take the course, you sound like the exact person that should take the test. You probably don't know as much as you think you do!

Oh sure, when I fly out for my two week vacation this summer, I'll be sure to make time to take a boating course in NH.

Get real!

I live 3000 miles away; the LAST thing I want to do is blow a day in some classroom.

But as I said, I'll probably take a course offered locally by the Coast Guard Auxiliary which will yield the now all-important boating certificate.

I was surprised to find that the penalty for operating a boat in NH without the boating certificate was so trivial.

Couple that to seemingly low chance of discovery, and a risk analysis becomes inevitable, at least for those with a scofflaw gene.

Thanks to the one responder who actually chose to answer my question.

As for the rest of you ...

http://images.tmuscle.com/forum_imag...1e9b078e87.gif

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

Oh sure, when I fly out for my two week vacation this summer, I'll be sure to make time to take a boating course in NH.

Get real!

I live 3000 miles away; the LAST thing I want to do is blow a day in some classroom.

But as I said, I'll probably take a course offered locally by the Coast Guard Auxiliary which will yield the now all-important boating certificate.

I was surprised to find that the penalty for operating a boat in NH without the boating certificate was so trivial.

Couple that to seemingly low chance of discovery, and a risk analysis becomes inevitable, at least for those with a scofflaw gene.

Thanks to the one responder who actually chose to answer my question.

As for the rest of you ...

http://images.tmuscle.com/forum_imag...1e9b078e87.gif

What a noise this tree will make when it falls. Don't hurt anyone.

[jeffk]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

Oh sure, when I fly out for my two week vacation this summer, I'll be sure to make time to take a boating course in NH.

Get real!

I live 3000 miles away; the LAST thing I want to do is blow a day in some classroom.

But as I said, I'll probably take a course offered locally by the Coast Guard Auxiliary which will yield the now all-important boating certificate.

I was surprised to find that the penalty for operating a boat in NH without the boating certificate was so trivial.

Couple that to seemingly low chance of discovery, and a risk analysis becomes inevitable, at least for those with a scofflaw gene.

Thanks to the one responder who actually chose to answer my question.

As for the rest of you ...

http://images.tmuscle.com/forum_imag...1e9b078e87.gif

This seems to me to be the same question as for a car driver's license. To operate a car in NH you are required to have a valid driver's license from a recognized authority. There are fines for driving without a license. The chances of a random stop are slim. If you screw up and get caught not having a license makes everything worse. Yet very few play the no car license game. People go and get their car license, putting in the time and money to take written and road tests and, in some cases, required driver education classes. Why should boating be any different? In many ways operating a boat is much more difficult than a car. I think the training requirements should be much more than they are, including a hands on training and on-the-water exam. You should be allowed to do it in your home state and have it transfer just like a car license does. Why do people resist this common sense requirement? Because it's inconvenient? Fine, go somewhere else and boat.

[NoBozo]

I remember a certain Seinfeld episode where Kramer was test driving a New Saab.. Un beknown to both the car salesman and Kramer............. it came upon them.... Gas mileage became THE factor. How far will this stinkin car go before it runs out of gas....? Adrenalin was running......Testoserone...There was RISK....where will we be... WHEN....it happens?

To Kramers credit....he didn't give in to the salesmens early concerns and the salesmen got "caught up" in the Quest. You have to appreciate that.

SO: Maybe driving your boat without a "Certificate" holds the same kind of.....Adventure. We have to appreciate that..don't we.. NB

PS: I think I would have to recommend NOT getting the Certificate.

[Mr. V]

SO: Maybe driving your boat without a "Certificate" holds the same kind of.....Adventure. We have to appreciate that..don't we.. NB

You don't understand.

It is not because I crave adventure that I ask the question, and presuppose a willingness to take the risk.

It is because the cost of a ticket is less than the cost of taking the course, if you factor time spent with it.

Fifty bucks, that's nothing.

Heck, I sometimes risk more than that on one roll of the dice at a craps table.

Why should piloting a boat be any different?

[jonfinn]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

You don't understand.

It is not because I crave adventure that I ask the question, and presuppose a willingness to take the risk.

It is because the cost of a ticket is less than the cost of taking the course, if you factor time spent with it.

Fifty bucks, that's nothing.

Heck, I sometimes risk more than that on one roll of the dice at a craps table.

Why should piloting a boat be any different?

Reading this thread, I'm reminded of an old saying, "He who is good with a hammer thinks everything is a nail."

Mr. V raises a good point: If the price of the ticket is about the same as taking the course, why take the course? After all, how hard can it be to operate a boat? Isn't it pretty much like driving a car?

Everyone else is saying: If you don't take the course, you're presenting yourself as a danger to everyone else.

Most experienced boaters (myself included) get a bit OCD about caring for their boats, navigation, planning and safety. Why? Because most understand how quickly you can get in to deep, even life-threatening trouble.

My advice (since you did ask) is to take the course. Or if that's too much trouble, hire someone to captain your boat for you.

It's soooo not about effective time-management. right?

[Seeker]

To Nobozo: Actually it's 66 years. I purchased my first powerboat when I was 9.

To Airwaves: It was the head of the NH Boating Safety whatever (I'll find his name if you like). Like arguing with a frigging pine tree. I told him what the RSA said but he just didn't care and "He's the boss" so he wouldn't issue my cert.

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Originally Posted by Seeker

To Nobozo: Actually it's 66 years. I purchased my first powerboat when I was 9.

To Airwaves: It was the head of the NH Boating Safety whatever (I'll find his name if you like). Like arguing with a frigging pine tree. I told him what the RSA said but he just didn't care and "He's the boss" so he wouldn't issue my cert.

Seeker;
Thank you. I love adding colorful sayings to my repertoire. "Like arguing with a frigging pine tree" is worth adding to the list. LOL

[AB_Monterey]

Originally Posted by Mr. V

Oh sure, when I fly out for my two week vacation this summer, I'll be sure to make time to take a boating course in NH.

Get real!

I live 3000 miles away; the LAST thing I want to do is blow a day in some classroom.

But it's not "blowing a day".

Take the test on-line before you leave.

Sign up for the proctored test on a Saturday AM. (Assuming you get an acceptable grade on-line)

We were in and out in less than 20 minutes and out on the lake 20 minutes later.

[Airwaves]

Seeker wrote:

To Airwaves: It was the head of the NH Boating Safety whatever (I'll find his name if you like). Like arguing with a frigging pine tree. I told him what the RSA said but he just didn't care and "He's the boss" so he wouldn't issue my cert.

He wouldn't issue a certificate? Why would you ask him to issue a certificate? If you need a replacement certificate for the USPS safety course that you took then you would contact the USPS not the NHMP. The law is the law. If he said he didn't care what the RSA says then I personally would have complained to his boss. Yes, he has a boss.

[Knockers]

{comment removed}

[Airwaves]

Knockers, you are probably right and I thought the same thing when I first read his post. However I think something interesting has come from this thread, and that is after several years of being in place there apparently are still NH officials that don't understand the law.

I refer to Seeker's posts that the head of the NH Boating Safety Division told him his Power Squadron certificate was too old!

While it would be a good idea for him to take a refresher course, the NH official was wrong. The law is quite clear specifically saying that a certificate issued by the Power Squadron and Coast Guard Auxiliary are both accepted in NH. Like NH's certificate, both are valid for life.

[Mr. V]

Originally Posted by Knockers

{comment removed}

The question I posted is valid.

A $50 fine is a slap on the wrists; add to it the fact that it is unlikely to ever be administered and you have a perfect scofflaw situation.

I have boated for many years on Winni and elsewhere, I just don't operate a boat too often anymore on Winni.

FWIW, I own an MB Sports tournament boat, but it is out west, where i live.

No boating certificate required, either.

"Live Free of Die" is dead, Knockers.

[NBR]

Let me think, Oh yes, with that attitude what other New Hampshire laws will you choose to ignore. If your state has a recognized program you can take that and it will be recognized here. You should learn the NH navigation rules since red right return doesnot apply here.

While we truely love our tourists and the money they bring our small state I have no problem if you want to stay in Oregon.

[Mr. V]

Originally Posted by NBR

Let me think, Oh yes, with that attitude what other New Hampshire laws will you choose to ignore. If your state has a recognized program you can take that and it will be recognized here. You should learn the NH navigation rules since red right return doesnot apply here.

While we truely love our tourists and the money they bring our small state I have no problem if you want to stay in Oregon.

I know how the channel markers work, NBR, I've boated on Winni most of my life.

Odds are I'm as competent to operate a boat as you are.

As for other laws I will ignore, let's start with speeding on highways.

I usually drive five to seven mph over the posted speed on an Interstate.

So does most everybody else.

What, you going to tar and feather me for doing what everybody else does?

FWIW, I wouldn't come back to your state if I had no family there and if we didn't have lakefront property on the big lake: pretty far to travel to look at a pretty view and (sometimes) contract duck itch from the less than sterling water in the lake these days.

Your attitude ("stay in Oregon") reminds me of that voiced by a former Oregon governor, Tom McCall: "We want you to visit our State of Excitement often. Come again and again. But for heaven's sake, don't move here to live. Or if you do have to move in to live, don't tell any of your neighbors where you are going."

Narrow opinions for narrow minds, eh?

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by NBR

Let me think, Oh yes, with that attitude what other New Hampshire laws will you choose to ignore. If your state has a recognized program you can take that and it will be recognized here. You should learn the NH navigation rules since red right return doesnot apply here.

While we truely love our tourists and the money they bring our small state I have no problem if you want to stay in Oregon.

Let's put this in perspective. Most people boat on one or maybe two bodies of water. If I am dumb enough to run up on a rock and trash my outdrive, that's my problem. Many lakes in NH don't even have markers so it won't make a difference. Boating is a lot about local knowledge.

Some people seem to think that the boating certificate requirement has somehow been the holy grail for boating safety. It's not.

The safety record of boating in NH speaks for itself, and it did not take the certificate program to get there. Reading this the forum, some people must think everyone else is stupid.

[Airwaves]

...David T. Barrett, Director of the Division of Safety Services, said the low fatality rates reflect a combination of factors, such as mandatory boater education...

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by Airwaves

...David T. Barrett, Director of the Division of Safety Services, said the low fatality rates reflect a combination of factors, such as mandatory boater education...

So what are the annual fatalities by year for the last 20 years? You only quoted a part of the statement.

As a recall the boater education class, a bunch of time was spent on the 150 ft rule and the life vest requirements. The rest was mostly fluff.

The season is very short in NH. Compared to many other lakes in other states, Winni does not have the volume of boats that people want to believe. Even if you required a 40 hour boating course I am convinced there are some busy bodies who would ask for more......

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Airwaves

Seeker wrote:

He wouldn't issue a certificate? Why would you ask him to issue a certificate? If you need a replacement certificate for the USPS safety course that you took then you would contact the USPS not the NHMP. The law is the law. If he said he didn't care what the RSA says then I personally would have complained to his boss. Yes, he has a boss.

Airwaves, If you read my post you would know why I wanted a certificate. To repeat, the USPS one was a large paper cert and I just thought it would be convenient to have a nice small plastic one. THe RSA says this is possible if you send in a copy of yours with a check for $10.
I'm done, stick a fork in me for this thread.