Bam Bam

Here in Ontario, they have made boating licenses mandatory with a phased implementation.
The following are the laws of who needs to have a license:
All operators born after April 1, 1983 have to be licensed by September 15, 1999
All operators of craft under 4 m in length, including personal watercraft have to be licensed September 15, 2002
All other operators have to be licensed by September 15, 2009

To get your license, you have to pass a multiple choice exam which is not easy. The government states that the cost of this program is financed by the fees to take the license but I doubt that this is the case.

Having boated all my life, I can tell you that the only times that I have had close calls is with Houseboat rentals and Jet Ski's. The Jet Ski's are the main reason why this program was put in place, not high performance boating. So far, I have not seen it make any difference with the people who ride the Jet Ski's.

mr_velocity

There is an article in Power and MotorYacht this month about insurance. The insurance companies loss due to hurricane damage is the reason the cost is so high. It's not just the performance market, even the larger vessels are getting slammed.

Panther

They made it mandantory for Jeskiers to get licenses in NJ. They also had to take a boating safety course. I really don't have a problem with it.

Maybe insurance co's should give a discount if you participate in an optional boating safety and license agreement.

fund razor

First of all, if you don't fit into the category below, please exclude yourself before getting p*ssed at me.

Licensing:

It won't make a difference.
You can't legislate common sense.
It sure doesn't work with cars!

People are supposed to learn how to spell,too.
And they are supposed to be tested before they get out of school.
Read some of the posts on this board and you will see how it worked.

Jacking up my insurance and making me take (another) course won't make me any safer of a boater than I already am after 20 years.

Maybe the solution is this: If you can afford a 100 mph plus boat (and we all know how much each extra mph costs after about 60) maybe you should pay a lot for insurance and carry some of the responsibility for the heavy risk you have assumed.

The ability to go 100mph and more on the water carries with it certain risks. Don't just sign up for the fun. Sign up for the responsibility too.

hot water

I am leaving to go to the Catalina Ski Race and won't be back until Monday. I just wanted to leave with a couple of comments.

1. I believe at the very minimum every watercraft owner should be required to complete a USCG exam. At least everyone will know the rules of the road out there.

2. How in the hell can you say that it does not work for automobile driver license's, can you imagine what the roads would be like out there if nobody had a clear understanding of what the driving rules were

hugetime1

what they should do is start making the right party responsible for accidents, for instance if you are on a jet ski and drive into the path of an oncoming boat and get your azz run over, you should be responsible for that accident, not the other way around. I have had a few close call with jet ski's and it is always there fault. i was just going straight and fast, and the next thing you know there is a jet ski in front of me doing donuts in the middle of the lake, if I had it my way I would run there dumb azz over.

fund razor

Hot water:

I think that everyone should be required to take the same safe boating course that I elected to take on my own. But even if they did, most people go back to doing whatever they want to do anyway.

How the hell can I say it doesn't work for autos?
I can say it doesn't work for autos, because I drive on the road with these incompetent idiots every day. I can't imagine that these fools are picking up anything in driver's ed... and if they are, it has been forgotten. Most do not exhibit a "clear understanding" of what the rules are.

By the way, licenses can't possess anything. Therefore the plural form of "license" is "licenses."
Not "License's"
See, you learned that in school, but that doesn't mean it stuck.
(maybe you don't care, maybe it was an oversight, maybe just a mistake, but that's exactly my point)
You can "teach" anybody anything, it's whether they maintain and use that knowledge...

Lucididee

No on the license thing. Just another way to take our $. I agree on taking courses. Especially for 1st time owners.

The really just need to give an "Idiot Test". If you are an idoit you do not drive a boat, and maybe the car too. There are too many people out on the water that shoulnd't be at the helm.

nolimits

You think everyone should be required to take the same class you did. Good. I think so too. I assume you think they should because it shows responsibility and they will learn stuff. Perhaps the class could be improved and reflect real world conditions and require a passing grade. You know, force them to pay attention. Even a complete dope might get info to save his or someone else's life. If they are made to take it, they need to prove it. Ergo a license. See the connection.

It works for Autos because if you break the rules and are caught, you are fined. Further, if you screw up bad enough, you can lose the right to drive. If you are a known and repeat offender, you should share more in the cost of insurance. You pay a higher rate, while I get a break. This sound familiar? Driver's Ed teaches young adults how to handle a car. Get real world education so they can apply what they have learned in class. Because you see people who screw up, doesn't mean that training and teaching doesn't help.

In your world, people sit back and either get it or don't it seems. No sense trying to force training so our kids are safe because some people will never get it.

By the way, your spelling analogy is weak at best and sounds a little arrogant and pompous.

LostinBoston

Ditto on both points.
Last year i was hit in my car while going straight inthe right lane by a guy in a Lexus SC (POS) with his family in the car including a baby in a baby seat.
Somehow i was found to be HALF responsible. I know M*******s hate jersey guys in vettes but this is F**kin ridiculous. If the people at fault were forced to pay for what they screwed up insurance would be a lot better.
On a plus note, when some drunk kid tried to steal my boat he ended up paying over 3000 or damages caused cuz he was a moron. although i wish i cought him and knocked his dumb a$$ into the canal. I cant imagine what would have happened to my insurance if i put a claim in.