Motor Boater's exam

[iangrant]

Motor Boater\'s exam

With a view to the earlier posting, maybe it is time for a formal qualification to drive a motor boat and know the difference between right and left.

 

[Guest]

Re: Motor Boater\'s exam

Ian, I believe it's coming, not this year or next but it's definately coming. Not altogether a bad thing but I hate the thought of to much legislation!!!

 

[Guest]

Re: Motor Boater\'s exam

Sadly we will all fall to the Licenceing sooner or later.

Sail / Power whatever.

I believe that Jet Ski's and Speedboat clowns should be hit first - preferably by the biggest hardest wave possible, as many a time I have been hanging onto dinghy's, yacht gunwhales, masts etc. and they have blasted through the moorings etc. with no regard for others trying to SAFELY go about their business on the water. I actually overheard a conversation outside a popular Harbour entrance pub, where Jet Ski's / Speedboats meet / launch from ..... one guy to another 'laughing' .... yeh, I came around the boats and there was this guy hanging on to his mast, he'd laid it flat on top of the boat ... well he was working on the end from his dinghy .... didn't like my waves !!!!! so I did it again !!!!!

Now can someone explain to me why this low-life caused so much distress ? BUT seriously will legislation / licencing sort it out ? No I don't think so ...... so what to do ?

 

[bedouin]

Alternatively...

I agree that we need some method of controlling the increasingly poor standards of seamanship exhibited by certain co-inhabitees of the Hamble and other such areas.

However I believe that the 'exam' approach is doomed to failure since it is not always the most ignorant who are the worst behaved. Many such people only understand one argument - and that is money.

As an alternative I would suggest a system of on-the-spot fines for dangerous or inconsiderate behaviour within certain crowded parts of the coast. Boats not obeying Colregs could be fined a sum proportional to the size of their craft - but with a hefty surcharge if the vessel was racing at the time.

If the the sums were large enough it would be in the operators self-interest to learn, and obey, the finer points of Colregs, not to mention nautical etiquette.

Judging by the behaviour I observe on a regular basis, such a scheme could easily be made self-financing and could lead to the more populated parts of the coast becoming much more pleasant places to visit.

 

[peterb]

Racing rules

One of the racing rules specifies that when a racing boat meets a non-racing boat the racing boat shall comply with IRCPS. So you don't need an increased fine, what you really need is a few disqualifications. The trouble is that protest committees are made up of racers (or ex-racers), so will never do it. Does anyone know of a recorded case of disqualification for failure to comply with IRPCS?

Maybe one reason is that that rule is held in the preamble to one of the sections, and doesn't have its own number by which it can be cited. Perhaps we should be pushing for a change in the IYRU rules at their next revision?

 

[Guest]

Re: Motor Boater\'s exam

Fellow boaters lets just think for a moment before we talk our selves into agreeing to be liecenced, for if that sad day ever comes it will not improve the bad seamanship of may I say the idiot few. but will enable the powers that be to extract more tax out of us and put controles on our sport that we dont want or need, followed by a load of newly found jobs for the boys to police our sport, but remember we will be paying for it all.and goodness knows boating costs are high enough.
We should at all times encourage people to sit thier yachtmasters this must be the best way forward.

 

[Bergman]

Re: NO NO NO

And again No!

For one thing it would not solve the problem.

Look at the roads

Ignorance of Col Regs or even left and right is not why there is a problem. It is a question of attitude.

The man who cuts you up on the road because he has a bigger, faster car or considers himself so much more important will do exactly the same in a boat.

An ignorant lout is an ignorant lout whether he has passed a test or not.

I suspect the problem is worse on the Solent because of volume, a sort of water rat effect.

I can't help thinking that most people who go to sea will have enough sense to learn the fundamentals, and those who don't will soon frighten themselves into doing so.

As for tests and licenses I think there is a case for testing and licensing hill walkers and climbers who seem to die in droves every winter. Its far more dangerous than sailing.