I'm with you on all of your points, however you are only required to take a boating saftey course in NY to operate a jet ski (any age) or operate a boat under the age of 18. If you are 19 or older you can run any boat you want with no training.

I don't own a jet ski and never have but I did take the 8hr safety course they require here in NY to operate one because there was talk of it becoming mandatory for all boaters in NY and NJ (not sure about NJ now) but nothing further has become of it in NY and after taking the course 4 yrs ago I was not all that impressed with the content of the course, it was all very basic. But I guess stupid people need basic.

My bad. Now I remember why I took it - just in case I had to drive a PWC. What they teach in the 4 hour course is very basic - but important. To flunk this course, you'd have to be brain dead. I took a much more in-depth course from the USCG Auxillary many years ago. It was much better.

I'll still come back to something very basic. If you can't tell your boat is overloaded because nobody can move and it appears to be sinking at the dock, you're an idiot.

Sweet. I can put 19+ people on my 342. Time to party!! Anyone know of any good fireworks shows coming up? :lolhit:

Thats 29 people for me on the Formula 400SS

i dont' think so

Any word on how many life jackets they had ? I ask because that is a law already and if they didnt have enough than no law would have saved anyone from this capt

IT all comes down to the CAPTIAN is responcible ( sp?) for all people aboard... he should have known better.

Length x Width divided by 15 ...

Not excatly true. Smaller boat have a capacity plate, yes. If a boat is Yacht certified, typically over 30 ft. There is no limit to the number of people as long as you have life vests on board for each person.

Either way , these people are idiots. Therefor NYS will make the general assumption all boater are. Plus they can require a course they get to charge you for, its a win-win for them.

Back in the 70's I spent a lot of time on Lake Hopatcong in NJ. Summer weekends were very busy. On one such weekend I watched a family of 6 or so motoring along in a 15 foot aluminum runabout with an old 35 hp Evinrude. Sitting on the small deck forward of the windshield was a teenage boy who had his legs dangling on both sides of the bow with his feet dipping in and out of the water at a speed of about 15-18 mph (slow planing speed). As I watched he dipped both feet in and they caught water....pitching him forward and under the boat. Thankfully the engine tilted up as it passed over him and he emerged with a few bruises. I saw him swim over and climb back into his boat with a lot of yelling and crying from his folks......... This is where the story should have ended.

A couple of hours later....what do I spy but the same boat going in the opposite direction with you know who....sitting you know where...doing you know what.

Today, I imagine the young fellow is on welfare and waiting for the government to pass a law making banging your head against the wall illegal while forcing sheet rock manufacturers to add 4 inches of padding to their material ( The fire proofing addendum of this legislation will follow in a few years). This will be sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer who will announce it on a Sunday timed perfectly for the evening news and CNN.

Hilarious

Great post !!!