Is a Boating Certificate REALLY necessary?

[NonVoting Taxpayer]

Mr V
In Oregon as of 2009 you are required to have a boating certificate just like NH to operate a powerboat. You can take it online and it also will be good in NH. Go to www.boat-ed.com for more information on taking the course in Oregon. This way you don't waste one of your days.
There will be some who are going to say an on-line course is not valid in NH but as long as your state allows them online they are good here also.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by NonVoting Taxpayer

Mr V
In Oregon as of 2009 you are required to have a boating certificate just like NH to operate a powerboat. You can take it online and it also will be good in NH. Go to www.boat-ed.com for more information on taking the course in Oregon. This way you don't waste one of your days.
There will be some who are going to say an on-line course is not valid in NH but as long as your state allows them online they are good here also.

Are you sure about that?? See below...

"Beginning January 1, 2007, New Hampshire law requires that everyone pass a proctored, in-person exam in order to apply for the required New Hampshire Safe Boater Education Certificate issued by the New Hampshire Department of Safety. Once you have obtained your New Hampshire Safe Boater Education Certificate, you have fulfilled the requirements of the law."

I may be completely wrong but If I read this law correctly, out of state non proctored in person exams issued after January 1, 2007 are not accepted in NH, or is this a loop hole for out of state residents and only required for NH residents??

How do you read this??

Just curious;

Dan

[Airwaves]

To follow the letter of the law a proctored exam is required. In reality I don't think that out of state certificates indicate whether or not the exam was proctored or taken online, so the only thing the NHMP can look for is whether it is issued by the USPS or USCGAux (both proctored exams) or by another state that has the NASBLA seal.

I do NOT believe NH honors certificates issued by private companies even if they are NASBLA approved. An example would be Boat/US or Boat Wise.

[NoBozo]

My NASBLA Card obtained in Rhode Island ..(two years ago) specifically says the exam was Proctored. It certainly was. An on line TEST was NOT an option. Your Full Name and Date of Birth are printed on the back of the card.. after you pass the test. There is no "License Number," or Serial Number, or Expiration date on the card.

Prior to the Proctored exam, you could take as many Practice Tests on line as you wished, and each time you took one...the question set was different. After each test you would be scored, which gave you an idea how good you were. If you got a question wrong you would be directed to a Topic in the textbook where you might find your error. Then you go back and read the book Again.
These tests did not count for anything. They were just for practice. NB

PS: For those unfamiliar with the term: A Proctored Exam means you are in a Hall taking the exam with a lot of other people... and "Proctors' ...are roaming around....looking over your shoulder making sure you don't Cheat. This is common practice in College.

[webmaster]

This quote from an earlier thread may be helpful:

NH law does say that an out-of-state certificate must meet or exceed the NH requirements. Since NH did not allow online testing after 1/1/07 it technically shouldn't allow certificates obtained online in other states after that date. HOWEVER, the Marine Patrol has declared that their officers can not be involved in determining those nuances during a stop. Some out-of-state certificates obtained online do not say so. Every state's certificates and requirements are somewhat different. Because of this the Marine Patrol has confirmed that any government issued NASBLA approved certificate or license will be accepted by them, no matter how it was obtained. You can confirm that by calling the MP.

[KTO]

Plus it's good for the rest of your life...soooo

If you plan on coming back next year and the year after that and for the next 20+ years...then that's really 40+ weeks you're spending on the lake. Pretttyyyy significant.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by KTO

Plus it's good for the rest of your life...soooo

If you plan on coming back next year and the year after that and for the next 20+ years...then that's really 40+ weeks you're spending on the lake. Pretttyyyy significant.

I'm sure there was debate about the 150 rule when it was established, then rafting restrictions, then the boater certificate requirements, now a speed limit. So what is enough for the Depends wearing crowd?

I think a good battle to restrict any development on the lake shore on environmental grounds would go a long way to curbing the "legislative feature creeping"........ I think a lot of this stuff comes from retired nannies who sit around the lake and do nothing but belly ache that they don't have exclusivity with the view from their little shanty.

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

I think a lot of this stuff comes from retired nannies who sit around the lake and do nothing but belly ache that they don't have exclusivity with the view from their little shanty.

You have absolutely no idea how accurate that statement is, in general.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by KTO

Plus it's good for the rest of your life...

Ha, I wish I could remember how many times I have been told that only to see such promises fall off the table,,,

I think they should add a line at the end of any rule that uses the term life to define just what "life" means,,,

Life of the person, Life of the group who lobbied for the rule, Life of the guy who wrote the rule, Life of the rule (which "They" can change at ANY time) Life of the word "Life" (until they come up with a new term to replace it with,,)

Sorry I dont have a lot of faith in such promises, if there is money to be made or some group with an agenda and $$ behind them I can assure you the term "Life" will mean anything but FOREVER! (Just ask any Massachusetts FID card holder,,, )

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

Ha, I wish I could remember how many times I have been told that only to see such promises fall off the table,,,

I think they should add a line at the end of any rule that uses the term life to define just what "life" means,,,

Life of the person, Life of the group who lobbied for the rule, Life of the guy who wrote the rule, Life of the rule (which "They" can change at ANY time) Life of the word "Life" (until they come up with a new term to replace it with,,)

Sorry I dont have a lot of faith in such promises, if there is money to be made or some group with an agenda and $$ behind them I can assure you the term "Life" will mean anything but FOREVER! (Just ask any Massachusetts FID card holder,,, )

Exactly!! The next order of business is for the mamby pambys to say people need refresher training on boating laws.

[tis]

Thinking the same thing as you, I saved the paper that said you will never have to take the course again. However, I know it won't matter if and when they decide we have to it every few years or so.