Next message: Fred Leedy: "Re: lv-ab: Licensing Boaters for Proficiency: Proposed Course Of Action By Homeland Security"
Now guys, you have to understand the meaning of the term
licensing. Same with firearms it is to make a privilege and right
into an illegal activity so you require to be licensed to do it.
The bottom line is that it is a money-grab and it will not be long before it
is
an annual fee to maintain "proficiency".
Don't take me wrong, from what I have seen in the water I fully support
proficiency classes and tests. But government should not be involved.
It should be don from a local college and stay at that level.
I am one of those instructors-examiners for the Canadian version of
boating license for powerboats.
How much and at what extend this is regulated, it is getting out of hand
and ridiculous.
Yanni Marinated
S/V Princess Thalia
Hamilton-Fifty Point @H3
www.yannismarine.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Kelly" <>
To: "Steve Weinstein" <>
Cc: "A LiveAboardList" <>
Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2007 8:39 AM
Subject: lv-ab: Licensing Boaters for Proficiency: Proposed Course Of Action
By Homeland Security
> WOW Steve,
>
> Lets think twice about this. Without faulting your motive and goal, I
> sure do not want to see boating proficiency tests and licensing. I hope
> this does not start a flame war, but it could make a perfect troll for
> starting one on this list - as mandatory insurance and other stuff has in
> the past.
>
> The bureaucracy and costs would be high without improving safety. I used
> to be a prosecutor (first as a state - later federal) and can vouch that
> most licensing is a joke - more of a tax than protection anymore - but it
> is real expensive for the public. They usually find unlicensed folks
> only after an accident or a police stop. Do you really want a boat
> policeman checking everyone coming out of the marina to insure they have
> their boat driver's license on them? How else could you enforce it? Are
> we a lot safer that all boats are licensed by the state or federal govt?
> And trust me, they would say sailboats can be just as dangerous, so
> sailors would not be exempted.
>
> If there is proficiency testing, it will be a cash cow for the
> government. Boaters alone will be responsible for paying for it. Do we
> need a $40 a year relicensing fee to be safe? Because soon, many will say
> only the boaters benefit from it since most members of the public are not
> on the water, and would want boaters only to carry the whole cost of both
> our licensing and our boat safety programs and fees would rise as they
> will need to hire more boat police to help enforce the law and check for
> licenses.
>
> Though we do have drivers licensing for cars. It does not stop the
> unlicensed from operating without license or insurance. There are tons
> of illegals doing so. But they only catch a few who have had an accident
> or done something else wrong, so it really does not improve safety.
>
> Even with your own auto diver's licensing, think about it. We all took a
> drivers license test at least once, but if you get a license the first
> time after a test (usually at age 16) - after spending a half a day -
> from then on you go in every couple years and just pay again and again
> and again without being tested. You are left with just the bureaucracy.
> Do we really need folks that protect our airports from terrorists to
> "protect" us boaters on the water too? If you want more 'safety', just
> give the USCG more money and they can do more vessel checks of those
> crazy boaters who do not follow the law presently.
>
> Ed
> USSV ENJOUE,
>
> Ed & Sue Kelly
> at Herrington Harbour North, just South of Annapolis
>
> To see our boat, go to www.google.com, click on MAPS, and then enter the
> following line:
> 38.772806, -76.563211
> In text (pasting it in is easy if you know how to cut from above
> and paste) onto the GOOGLE, then click Maps & enter in the search blank.
>
> It should show Latitude 38°46'22.10"N Longitude 76°33'47.56"W
>
>
>
>
>
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