"What do you guys think of people having to do ashort water users test before being allowed on the water, like new motorcyclists, to ensure they have a safety awareness?"
Seen this sort of thing over the years of my boating. I started at 6 years old, bloody long ago now, never mind.
Australia has recently, well last three years, introduced a Skipper's Ticket system for recreational boaters. It has actually worked out very well.
Mind you, a boat with no rego sticker or numbers stands out like a saw (Yes I know) thumb as there is an idiot or two still floating about aye?
Here is the gist, have a browse from here..........
Now, you guys ought to know that you just can't legislate stupid.
It can't be done.
Though it can be tried. It varies state to state in the US but here's a local attempt to instill a bare modicum of education to those entering the world of boating: http://www.boat-ed.com/Delaware/index.h ... 4AodOmUd9A
There's a grandfather exclusion for people born prior to 1978, which means there are plenty of middle-aged and older people who may never have known that there are these things one can wear that keep people from sinking if they fall overboard, and such like that.
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.
- Prof. Peter Drucker
I sail out of Ipswich with a sail training scheme, you won't believe the number of incompetent people we see often in small boats with little or no training or experience. The one I like best is when the small boats rush to the front of the lock, without speaking to the lock keeper on the VHF, and then sh&t themselves when 2 50 foot yachts and a Thames barge come in behind them, squeezing to the front also
We have had a bit going on. Ive since taken voluntary redundancy after 18 yrs being with the company. We are half way threw doing a heap of renos at our place and went up to frazer island for a holiday. Have had the power out for a while because of renos. So ive been lurking threw the forum on the phone. Once all is done here by early Jan 2014, Im going to tackle a how to post on making a seagull shiping crate so I can store some of my motors. Ive got a crate on loan from Chris to copy. Im then going to finish of my 102 Ad for the Waitiko run at NZ next year.
Well heres a start to the renos. I had all the back yard cleaned up ready for the Fencing mob to fit a new colourbond fence and the builders to install a bigger seagull shed.I came out this morning and found the old shed knocked over and all the tools and tent pegs spread all over the place.I asked the boys who did it and they said that it must of been the possum last night because it was not them