Boating in October

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

...You can get a drivers license at 14 in South Dakota, then drive a car in NH...

Not true!

TITLE XXI
MOTOR VEHICLES
CHAPTER 263
DRIVERS' LICENSES
License Reciprocity
Section 263:39
263:39 Limitation. – The provisions of RSA 263:36-38 shall not be deemed to authorize a person under 16 years of age to drive a motor vehicle on the ways of this state.

While there are federal ramifications for a State not to enter in to reciprocal agreements with other States regarding driver's and vehicle licensing, individual States are still allowed to retain their unique identities within their own respective license codes. In this case, while some States do indeed issue licenses to individuals under the age of 16, New Hampshire law trumps that portion of reciprocity and mandates that all out-of-state drivers be at least 16 years of age and hold a license that was granted as an equivalent to New Hampshire's standards.

There is no such federal strings yet required for boating licenses. Furthermore, after being in contact with both Lt. Dunleavy and the Education Coordinator for the New Hampshire Marine Patrol it has been determined that the current regulations for boating license reciprocity in New Hampshire are clear. The same legal verbiage that requires equivalency testing for motor vehicle licenses also applies to boating licenses. The difference is that according to the officials I contacted above there is no reliable way to verify license issuance and compliance in another State. Therefore the official NHMP policy is to ignore the equivalency portion of the RSA and accept any NASBLA approved certificate.

Unfortunately this is a fully understandable position given the haphazard way boating licensing is being approached at the national level!

Bottom line....reciprocity is not and never has been one hundred percent.

[Bear Islander]

Originally Posted by Skip

Not true!

TITLE XXI
MOTOR VEHICLES
CHAPTER 263
DRIVERS' LICENSES
License Reciprocity
Section 263:39
263:39 Limitation. – The provisions of RSA 263:36-38 shall not be deemed to authorize a person under 16 years of age to drive a motor vehicle on the ways of this state.

While there are federal ramifications for a State not to enter in to reciprocal agreements with other States regarding driver's and vehicle licensing, individual States are still allowed to retain their unique identities within their own respective license codes. In this case, while some States do indeed issue licenses to individuals under the age of 16, New Hampshire law trumps that portion of reciprocity and mandates that all out-of-state drivers be at least 16 years of age and hold a license that was granted as an equivalent to New Hampshire's standards.

There is no such federal strings yet required for boating licenses. Furthermore, after being in contact with both Lt. Dunleavy and the Education Coordinator for the New Hampshire Marine Patrol it has been determined that the current regulations for boating license reciprocity in New Hampshire are clear. The same legal verbiage that requires equivalency testing for motor vehicle licenses also applies to boating licenses. The difference is that according to the officials I contacted above there is no reliable way to verify license issuance and compliance in another State. Therefore the official NHMP policy is to ignore the equivalency portion of the RSA and accept any NASBLA approved certificate.

Unfortunately this is a fully understandable position given the haphazard way boating licensing is being approached at the national level!

Bottom line....reciprocity is not and never has been one hundred percent.

I shudda known Skip would come along and trump me on that! However my point is still valid, there are things that you can do in NH through reciprocity that are not allowed to NH residents.


Besides my statement is true. A 14 year old with a South Dakota license can drive in NH. They just can't do it legally!

[Rattlesnake Guy]

By that logic an 8 year old can drive in Maine

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

By that logic an 8 year old can drive in Maine

Only if they are taking their kid to day care though.

[HomeWood]

Well... I just passed the online safety course test at Boat-Ed.com and the certificate that gets mailed to me IS ISSUED by NC Wildlife Resource Commission. So, I'm good to boat in NH now. Yay!

The hardest part of this whole process was finding out what NH will and will not accept.
The test wasn't really hard. I got a few wrong, but I did learn some stuff and got some good reminders.

[HomeWood]

So, I get a call back today from NC wildlife (8 days later )and the woman tells me that the safety certificate that I get online from Boat-ed.com, IS NOT actually issued by the state, but NC will observe it just the same as if I went through a NC wildlife course. Boat-ed sure makes it sound like it's state issued according to their site. It's got NC wildlife course all over it. You can even look for yourselves, it's confusing. It's only the same course she tells me. She tells me to call Boat-ed and I did. The woman at Boat-ed says that NH will accept it and that they have already gone through it with the state of NH. She then gives me the number to NH Marine boating education/enforcement and tells me to ask for a specific person. That person is not there, but the guy that was tells me that they only accept state issued certificates. (We all know that) But he said it depends on what the certificate I get in the mail "looks like and how it reads". Basically he said if it looks state issued it may be acceptable. Looks state issued and reads as if it's state issued? What the he** does that mean? It's like they will kind of accept it, but maybe not, but maybe they will. "We've been having a lot of problems with the confusion over this". Ya think????? How about making it a lot freakin easier for people who want to obey the rules to do so. Like me and a lot of other people. If you can't tell, I'm a little steamed over all this.
When I get my certificate in the mail, I am supposed to then fax it to NH marine education/enforcement and the guy I talked to today will tell me if it will be ok. I doubt that it will be him checking me on the water. If worse comes to worse, I can go to a marina that will issue a 2 week certificate after a short test. Wow, what a freakin' headache!! Almost not even worth the 14 hour trip up there. I guess my dad who is not required to have a certificate until 2008 can drive MY boat if I can't get anything....

I won't do it, but we all know that if I took the chance and went out with nothing there would be two boats on the lake. Mine and an MP!
Even though I have never ever been stopped before. Good luck or good boater?????

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by HomeWood

When I get my certificate in the mail, I am supposed to then fax it to NH marine education/enforcement and the guy I talked to today will tell me if it will be ok. I doubt that it will be him checking me on the water. If worse comes to worse, I can go to a marina that will issue a 2 week certificate after a short test. Wow, what a freakin' headache!! Almost not even worth the 14 hour trip up there.

I agree with you Homewood it is a headache... I myself carry certificate from both NH and Vermont with me. I have had the Vermont certificate for years because they required it before NH when I lived up there and boated on Lake Champlain. When NH started to require the certificate I went round and round with the MP...(no reflection on them, they where all pleasant to deal with it just wasn't easy because no one knew).... and in the end I decided to just get my NH certificate, which I could still do online at that time and it would be less agrivation..

[HomeWood]

I wish I knew about the safety certificate thing when you could still take it online and it was accepted. That's one of the biggest problems. Nobody can give me a straight answer!!!!!

[Phantom]

Once again -- it has been checked by numerous other people-- i..e see all the threads on the topic.

NHMP will accept any out of state certificate or license providing it is a NASBLA approved course and clearly indicates such on the issued card.

[HomeWood]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Once again -- it has been checked by numerous other people-- i..e see all the threads on the topic.

NHMP will accept any out of state certificate or license providing it is a NASBLA approved course and clearly indicates such on the issued card.

That's the key. Out of state means any STATE issued. Boat-ed.com is a third party company. NC Wildlife told me that a certificate through them is not actually issued by the state of NC. Boat-ed.com is deceiving. It has the NC wildlife logo and calls the certificate you get as being the NC Wildlife boating safety certificate.

[HomeWood]

Ok, so here is the final result. I faxed my certificate/card yesterday that I got in the mail. I just got a call back from a gentleman at NH Marine education this morning. He said, it's a vaild certificate and I am all set to boat in NH. Even though this was a big pain for me. The people at NH marine education have been very helpful the whole time and seemed eager to work with me. I would still say that even if I they told me that it was not an acceptable certificate. I'm glad this is over and now I can just concentrate on my vacation.

[Island Girl]

Along with your certificate... I would also bring a copy of the FAX!!! Have a great vacation... October boating can be a lot of fun... dress warmly though.

[HomeWood]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

Along with your certificate... I would also bring a copy of the FAX!!! Have a great vacation... October boating can be a lot of fun... dress warmly though.

Will do for sure, along with NH Marine educations phone number .
Thanks, I can't wait to get up there.
Geez, after temps of 105 degrees this summer, I wonder if I can even find my warm clothes.

[Island Girl]

[HomeWood]

Now that's bundled up.

I'm hoping for 60's during the day at least. I'll pretty much be fishing on the boat instead of going for long boat rides. You'll find me in Greens Basin a lot the first week of October.

[Phantom]

Island Girl --- That's too funny

Thank god for "full canvas" or I'd never get my wife out. Makes for a world of difference & comfort !!!

[HomeWood]

I just got home yesterday afternoon. The boating, fishing and weather couldn't have better!!