Hi all,
Whilst this article is with reference to a UK issue, I wondered what others thought of this, and whether there are regulations in your respective countries regarding pleasure craft?
http://www.britishseafarers.co.uk/pleasure-craft-how-are-they-regulated/
Kind regards,
Jack.
Jack, welcome to the forum. In the U.S., the 50 states are responsible for administering boating laws. State boating safety acts typically mirror federal statutes and may be more, but not less, restrictive. Most U.S. states are slowly adding minimal (8-hour, basic rules of the road, how to back a boat trailer, wear a PFD) boating safety course requirements. Vessel registration varies by state, but typically vessels of any kind (wind-powered, motor, etc.) must be registered/titled (i.e., taxed) if over 14-16 ft. LOA. You can find an interesting overview of recreational vessels here: http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/workflow_staging/News/614.pdf. I was amused that the article you link stated there are more than 100,000 pleasure craft registered in the UK. There are more than 600,000 registered in Texas alone. Cheers.
Hi txh2oman,
Many thanks for the warm welcome.
I was aware that the US had “some” kind of regulations, but I wasn’t sure as to what they entailed and how extensive they were.
I think many in the UK have felt for some time now that there needs to be some kind of training as per the States, but there doesn’t seem to be any kind of movement in that direction in terms of the maritime bodies here.
Kind regards,
Jack.
[QUOTE=txh2oman;167369]Jack, welcome to the forum. In the U.S., the 50 states are responsible for administering boating laws. State boating safety acts typically mirror federal statutes and may be more, but not less, restrictive. Most U.S. states are slowly adding minimal (8-hour, basic rules of the road, how to back a boat trailer, wear a PFD) boating safety course requirements. Vessel registration varies by state, but typically vessels of any kind (wind-powered, motor, etc.) must be registered/titled (i.e., taxed) if over 14-16 ft. LOA. You can find an interesting overview of recreational vessels here: http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/workflow_staging/News/614.pdf. I was amused that the article you link stated there are more than 100,000 pleasure craft registered in the UK. There are more than 600,000 registered in Texas alone. Cheers.[/QUOTE]
Don’t know about Texas but here in Maine every boat with a motor has to be registered with the state. If I read the article correctly in the UK it’s only vessels over 13.7 meters.
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;167374]Don’t know about Texas but here in Maine every boat with a motor has to be registered with the state. If I read the article correctly in the UK it’s only vessels over 13.7 meters.[/QUOTE]
In Florida it is the same as Maine but that doesn’t mean people know how to operate them. If you are stupid enough and have money you can buy and operate a boat here without a boater safety course(unless you were born after 1/1/88). I know, I was stupid and bought a boat. Even with people who take the boater safety course, they still act pretty dumb.
Quite some time ago, in New York there was a collision between a recreational boat and a commercial tug and barge. Although the recreational boat was anchored (fishing) in the middle of the channel leaving the tug and barge no room to navigate, and the recreational boater was determined to be negligent, the crew of the tug and barge received license suspensions and penalties. The Coast Guard said that the tug and barge crew (being professional mariners) had to be held to a higher standard based on their training and experience. To this day, I would like to know what the baseline is for a “higher standard.” Higher than the training and experience of the recreational boater who plunked down a credit card, pulled the starter cord and went happily off to be drowned?
The government will let us know what to do.
Just like being in a union.
I am sure Jeaux Boss will tell you what you think.