Boating Observations

[wings&wheels]

...from a novice.

There really needs to be some sort of uniform license system, and I'm generally a small govt. type... Maybe based on power, use (coastal, etc.), weight/length, whatever but it is a bit crazy that in many states you are only a check, credit card or friendly loan officer away from the water. I'm a prime example; never touched a boat until 2018, self taught on ~18' lake boats until the very end of last year and bang, into a coastal cruiser. Now I did the Power Squadron training, safety and on water courses, but none of that was mandated. I shook the sales guy's hand and was handed the keys to a 33', 700hp weapon...crazy.

Over the past month I've seen 2 boats almost t-bone each other, one under sail having the right of way, a huge sportfisher pass a small bowrider so close as to hit it with its bow spray and, while tying up our boat, 3 groups of folks on three boats hurling F bombs at each other after one passed the other two in the marina lane.

That said....I love boating and am now an addict! Sail on!

Thoughts??

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Your answer is here.

 

[BISCUT]

With the current state of the US and really the world, let's start with a test/license to reproduce. My friends have boats, 40ft's and cigars. I love the water and am an avid canoe and kayaker but the big boats don't do it for me. Granted I am in NY and the Hudson and some time in the Atlantic by Long Island doesn't give the same OMG as I'd expect say in FL.

 

[wpod]

Have you paid attention to the licensed vehicle drivers on the roads and highways? Licensing will not fix fix stupid.

 

[Oro_O]

...from a novice.

There really needs to be some sort of uniform license system, and I'm generally a small govt. type... Maybe based on power, use (coastal, etc.), weight/length, whatever but it is a bit crazy that in many states you are only a check, credit card or friendly loan officer away from the water. I'm a prime example; never touched a boat until 2018, self taught on ~18' lake boats until the very end of last year and bang, into a coastal cruiser. Now I did the Power Squadron training, safety and on water courses, but none of that was mandated. I shook the sales guy's hand and was handed the keys to a 33', 700hp weapon...crazy.

Over the past month I've seen 2 boats almost t-bone each other, one under sail having the right of way, a huge sportfisher pass a small bowrider so close as to hit it with its bow spray and, while tying up our boat, 3 groups of folks on three boats hurling F bombs at each other after one passed the other two in the marina lane.

That said....I love boating and am now an addict! Sail on!

Thoughts??

Pretty much agree with you on all accounts. Here we have at least an education/course requirement for a license. It's pretty minimal but it's a step in the right direction. Everyone has to have one for any boat with more than a trolling motor, unless you were older and grandfathered in when the law was adopted. It has to help a lot, I think. I believe a majority of states now have at least this education requirement.

On the high end, a lot of more powerful, expensive, or larger boats are kind of self-regulating. Insurer's won't offer coverage w/o some proof of training and competence, and marina's wont' let moorage w/o insurance.

 

[JohnnyG]

I think the issue lies more with enforcement. Nobody is out there looking every day, not the Coast Guard, not the state game commission, nobody. I see it every day, speed violations, no wake violations, boaters hitting Manatees, alcohol, you name it.

But yes, the consequences are pretty much self correcting on the water, especially offshore.

 

[BISCUT]

I think the issue lies more with enforcement. Nobody is out there looking every day, not the Coast Guard, not the state game commission, nobody. I see it every day, speed violations, no wake violations, boaters hitting Manatees, alcohol, you name it.

But yes, the consequences are pretty much self correcting on the water, especially offshore.

Actually not so much. Maybe not where you live but where I retired from is flipped for sure. Westchester, NY on the Hudson a violator faces harsher penalties than a person who actually commits robbery. Really ugly.

 

[PontiacHO]

I agree that some folks shouldn’t be allowed to Captain a boat or anything for that matter. My personal gripe is, was, and will always be are the crazies on jet skis. I’m more afraid of them than other boaters….

 

[UncleDave]

...from a novice.
I shook the sales guy's hand and was handed the keys to a 33', 700hp weapon...crazy.

Let's see the boat!

I could say the same thing about cars and even fast motorcycles many have no business in or on anything faster than a bicycle.

 

[wings&wheels]

Let's see the boat!

I could say the same thing about cars and even fast motorcycles many have no business in or on anything faster than a bicycle.

Agree....somehow folks need to be at least familiar with rights of way, etiquette and basic safety. Then again, as JohnnyG noted, these issues can solve themselves especially offshore.

Here she is;

 

[oilcandave]

Yep..on the water for 62 years...kayaks, skiers, people fishing, water mosquitos (jet skis), people in canoes and other can all suffer from the human condition...

Just the other day it was dark and some crazy nearly ran right in to our 1234 jon. Come to find out our bow light was out...

 

[UncleDave]

Agree....somehow folks need to be at least familiar with rights of way, etiquette and basic safety. Then again, as JohnnyG noted, these issues can solve themselves especially offshore.

Here she is;
View attachment 115608

Sweet. Twin 350 yammies.
Grady is a solid builder.

You got a sister?

 

[UncleDave]

Heres my gal - 700 in one mill/ drive..

2750 of running surface - 30ft overall.

 

[alarmguy]

I know in the "new society" one day restrictions will be placed on boating and I could not disagree more with restrictions.

I took a Coast Guard Approved Boating Course roughly 5 decades ago before, actually it may have even been done by the Coast Guard itself most people didnt even know courses existed back then.
It was a requirement from the parents of mine and my best friend if we were to take out the family boat on our own. Gosh I think we were 13 or so years old and most were all adults in the class.
Took it real serious, books, studied, test ect. IT was pretty involved back then and a life long lesson, I remember all of it. I HIGHLY recommend a course to any boater, the amount of information (at least back then) was priceless, this really was an involved course, I dont know what they are today.

Been boating my whole life and I agree with the OP, very few people know what they are doing, Im constantly amazed. But I dont believe in government regulations. First problem would be enforcement and territory. There are towns, counties, states and federal.
Anyway, it will never happen and I cant say I think it should.

Boating is 300% or more safer than driving in an automobile death rate 15 per 100,000 for automobiles and 5 per 100,000 for boats.
Again, its not enforceable unless a local jurisdiction requires it.

WIth that said, yeah, I see it every time Im on the water, those lessons stuck with me my entire life, I still, to this day, use my laminated Coast Guard Safety Course Certificate (its about the size of a drivers license) for an insurance discount as I have been doing for almost 50 years *LOL*
Its a tough topic, I dont know the answer, I kind of agree with the OP but dont see how it can be done without runaway regulations.
I do think someone on the boat should have taken a course and be present and would recommend to anyone to take one.'

Ps. Grady Whites are awesome boats, BTW back when I took that course my friend parents had a wooden Grady White *LOL* and then moved up to a Sea Ray as fiberglass became popular.
Anyway, I see your GW and think, wow, that is a real boat. DO they still come with lifetime hull warranties?

A lot of my early adult years were spent in the ocean off Long Island, NY Harbor and New Jersey Highlands, we didnt use GPS or radio beacons, just my compass with no land in sight, chasing big bluefish on fishing days. Love the peace of the ocean and sea life we would run across.
Non fishing and partying was on the Great South Bay.

 

[oilcandave]

Just so I can be informed...what restrictions are you worried about? Please be specific so I can be prepared. I live 30ft from water and have been boating for 60 years. I don't like rules either.

 

[IndyIan]

Boating is 300% or more safer than driving in an automobile death rate 15 per 100,000 for automobiles and 5 per 100,000 for boats.
Again, its not enforceable unless a local jurisdiction requires it.

I think you are including the whole population in your death rate by activity. But by this measure, flying small single engine planes, or skydiving, or alligator wrestling, has a lower death rate than automobiles as well...
I suspect boating is probably 10 times as deadly by the hour as driving a car since maybe 5-10% of the US population is on a boat even once a year, and probably less than 1% of people spend more time boating than driving?
Anyways, overall , both activities are pretty safe if you are smart about how you boat or drive and where and when.

 

[Donald]

I think boaters would be well advised to take a US Power Squadrons course. Some states have required licenses. People may be more inclined to drink and party on a boat than a car. But don't know for sure.

 

[FZ1]

Heres my gal - 700 in one mill/ drive..

2750 of running surface - 30ft overall.

View attachment 115774

Handsome boat.

 

[UncleDave]

Handsome boat.

If I were building again from scratch Id go with twin 300's Mercs, but when I built it outboards weren't the rage.

She's got a marinized viper engine thumping out 700 HP.

Big G little o!!!

 

[Snagglefoot]

New starter solenoid on the left. Existing one on the right. Break out another $200. (BOAT).