Crazy!

[byron]

Another crazy move from Europe, they want to downgrade the Waterman's licence to a simple Boatman's Licence. Jeeze! Watermen may be annoying at times but the plain fact is they know every ripple, pebble and swirl of the Tidal thames. They known stuff that isn't on any admiralty chart.

 

[TrueBlue]

Silly Season 12 months of the year?

I don't know whether to

<ul type="square">[*] express anger
[*] make a comment with deletable expletives
[*] rant on and on
[*] whateva!
[/list]

Trying to be a sensible chap it really make me rather sad.
It's another attempt by those unaccountable folk in Brussels along the long road to "harmonisation" or dumbing down as cynics would have it.

I can see the concept of Harmonisation and if properly managed, I suppose could have benefits to the European Ideal.
Unfortunately the only examples that come to mind are:-

<ul type="square">[*] The Straight Banana (OK joke - I know)
[*] The Uniform Apple
[*] The Maritime and Coastguard Agency being responsible for non tidal waters.
[*] the uniform band of fuel duties masquerading as the minimum fuel duty (Red Diesel etc)
[*] RCD
[*] CE certification (because it is ineffective)
[/list]

All of the above allow for no variation (by definition) and accordingly ignore local practices - which is the subject of your thread.

Surely life in the EU doesn't have to be uniform, does it?
Can't we have our British Pint of Beer, the Germans their litre of lager and all co-exist?

Couldn't our Thames Waterman be a superset of the Boatman's License without destroying the principles of Harmonisation? Surely, there are some clever legal draughtperson's in BXL, aren't there - or perhaps not....

I challenge anyone reading this thread to name one or more of Brussel's regulations which has been to our benefit or to the benefit of a majority of EU members. When doing so pleas say what the benefit is.

Sorry folk, this became a bit of a rant.

 

[byron]

Re: Silly Season 12 months of the year?

Great stuff, like, you need a Yachtmasters or helmsman certificate to navigate inland waters of France, Holland, Belgium etc.
No! No! No! A deep sea Masters Ticket isn't good enough. True the Belgians wrote to me (passed letter to RYA) saying it was an oversight and they would recognise it, however it only takes one Jobsworth to say it ain't on his list. Similarly I wonder about my Radio Ticket, its a professional marine one, maybe that isn't good enough too.

 

[Bilgediver]

Re: Silly Season 12 months of the year?

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Similarly I wonder about my Radio Ticket, its a professional marine one, maybe that isn't good enough too.

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Well I hope you have done away with the morse and upgraded to GMDSS /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

John

 

[byron]

Re: Silly Season 12 months of the year?

HiYa John, Long time no speak. Yup! Eileen made me do the upgrade it about 2 years ago, why I do not know; at my age I am unlikely to be working a commercial ship again.

 

[Bilgediver]

Re: Silly Season 12 months of the year?

MAybe next year Brussels will insist Woolwich radio goes GMDSS /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif They seem to rule everything else.

John