T&T: COLREGS

[Peter Bennett]

Sunday, March 25, 2007, 8:32:26 AM, Kevin wrote:

>> -----Original Message-----
>> ...... may I suggest that mandatory licensing or
>> certification of all boaters which includes mandatory boating safety
>> education and/or testing is a way to insure that everyone on the water has
>> at least READ the Navigation Rules and passed a test on them.  

KR> Allen,

KR> While I see where mandatory education may well help the safety problem, why
KR> would you also suggest going beyond that and adding an additional licensing
KR> requirement?

KR> Once you've forced the mandatory education, what benefit would an additional
KR> license requirement bring to the table?

KR> BTW, New Jersey is in the process of implementing the mandatory education
KR> requirement (this year everyone below 47 needs it, next year everyone below 57).
KR> The requirement is for a one time boater safety course, but no license is
KR> invloved.

KR> Kevin

This perhaps depends on the definition of "licence".  If a licence is
simply proof that the person has taken a safety course, then you
could say that NJ already has "boater licencing".

In Canada, we have a "boater licence" in the form of the "Pleasure Craft
Operator Card" which is issued on passing a fairly simple written
test, and is good for life.  This is being phased in over 10 years or
so, starting with smaller boats - currently, I need a PCOC to run my
outboard-powered dinghy, but not for my 31 ft cabin cruiser (I will
need it for the big boat in 2009).


-- 
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI    Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lien Hwa 28 (AKA Polaris 30) "Sea Spray"
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter 
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca