Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - New to boating...shocked safety course not mandatory!

VarneyPoint · 08-05-2005, 09:12 AM

Woodsy, I was writing up this response when I read yours so mine is a little redundant.

I think we can all agree that more and better education would benefit our waters immensely. However, as someone already stated, by making the process of obtaining a certificate, license, etc. difficult, it is going to drive away tourist dollars from the area and create layer upon layer of red tape that ultimately will need to be paid for by us, the taxpayers. We live in a unique area. Lake Winnipesaukee is a large, busy place for essentially 3 months. While I am all for hiring more MP officers and increasing their budget, etc. etc. it is going to cost money, real money. Money that can only be found by increasing registration fees. Increasing fines won’t provide the revenue needed to add 20 more officers and 5 more patrol boats to the lake. Also, the idea of attaching what you do on the water, to what you do on the road is unrealistic. Boats and cars are two different animals, regulated by two different agencies. With the exception of DWI, you can’t make a reasonable case that someone who is a bad boat driver is automatically a bad car driver. I can understand the thought process but I disagree with the conclusion. If I violate the 150’ rule by 30’ I shouldn’t get points on my driver’s license or have my auto insurance go up. In two years time (by 2008) everyone presumably driving a boat will have to be certified. So, I think the idea of placing a flag or sticker on each boat is silly. There isn’t a sticker on my car that says I am licensed. When I register it, the RMV checks to make sure I am a current licensed driver. I think boat registrations should be the same. In 2008, when you register your boat, PWC, etc., the state should cross check to see if you are certified. This would be pretty easy. If you are, no problems, if not, you can’t register until you are. People will be sure to get certified ASAP if they cannot register their “toys.” Ideally, you could assume that 9 out of 10 boats you pass on the water is driven by a certified operator (in 2008) if it is registered in NH. We are getting there, it is not perfect and does nothing now, but it is coming. In the meantime there a couple of things that could be done right now. Eliminate the online test. What stops 2 or 3 guys, teens, etc. from huddling around a computer for a couple of hours while they each fill out the forms and take the test cheating along the way. At least make people take the test in written form in a classroom setting. Second, raise the registration fee by $10. There are approximately 100,000 boats registered boats in NH. Take the extra million and give it to the MP. I would think a million bucks could go a long way into paying for more officers and patrol boats. Would you really mind paying an extra $10? It is 4 gallons of gas.

08-05-2005, 09:12 AM	#23
VarneyPoint Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: MA Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Woodsy, I was writing up this response when I read yours so mine is a little redundant. I think we can all agree that more and better education would benefit our waters immensely. However, as someone already stated, by making the process of obtaining a certificate, license, etc. difficult, it is going to drive away tourist dollars from the area and create layer upon layer of red tape that ultimately will need to be paid for by us, the taxpayers. We live in a unique area. Lake Winnipesaukee is a large, busy place for essentially 3 months. While I am all for hiring more MP officers and increasing their budget, etc. etc. it is going to cost money, real money. Money that can only be found by increasing registration fees. Increasing fines won’t provide the revenue needed to add 20 more officers and 5 more patrol boats to the lake. Also, the idea of attaching what you do on the water, to what you do on the road is unrealistic. Boats and cars are two different animals, regulated by two different agencies. With the exception of DWI, you can’t make a reasonable case that someone who is a bad boat driver is automatically a bad car driver. I can understand the thought process but I disagree with the conclusion. If I violate the 150’ rule by 30’ I shouldn’t get points on my driver’s license or have my auto insurance go up. In two years time (by 2008) everyone presumably driving a boat will have to be certified. So, I think the idea of placing a flag or sticker on each boat is silly. There isn’t a sticker on my car that says I am licensed. When I register it, the RMV checks to make sure I am a current licensed driver. I think boat registrations should be the same. In 2008, when you register your boat, PWC, etc., the state should cross check to see if you are certified. This would be pretty easy. If you are, no problems, if not, you can’t register until you are. People will be sure to get certified ASAP if they cannot register their “toys.” Ideally, you could assume that 9 out of 10 boats you pass on the water is driven by a certified operator (in 2008) if it is registered in NH. We are getting there, it is not perfect and does nothing now, but it is coming. In the meantime there a couple of things that could be done right now. Eliminate the online test. What stops 2 or 3 guys, teens, etc. from huddling around a computer for a couple of hours while they each fill out the forms and take the test cheating along the way. At least make people take the test in written form in a classroom setting. Second, raise the registration fee by $10. There are approximately 100,000 boats registered boats in NH. Take the extra million and give it to the MP. I would think a million bucks could go a long way into paying for more officers and patrol boats. Would you really mind paying an extra $10? It is 4 gallons of gas.