New Hampshire Classroom Course for Boating Education

[Rich]

I don't know, but I would assume 'no you must be over 15 years' or the certificate won't be valid. They take your age into account and probably won't allow one to take it if you're not old enough. If you mis-represent the age of the applicant, then that is a different issue which would also make it invalid.

From the study guide:

Who May Operate a Vessel

A vessel powered by 25 horsepower or less does not require the operator to have a Safe Boating Certificate.

A “ski craft” (motorized vessel less than 13 feet long that is capable of exceeding 20 miles per hour and has the capacity to carry no more than an operator and one other person) may be operated only by persons who are 16 years old or older and who have a valid Safe Boating Certificate.

A vessel powered by more than 25 horsepower (other than a “ski craft”) may be operated by:
• A person under 16 years of age only if he or she is accompanied by a person 18 years old or older who has a valid Safe Boating Certificate. The accompanying person is responsible for any injury or damage caused during operation of the vessel.
• A person 16 years of age or older only if he or she has obtained a Safe Boating Certificate.

FYI, it's not a license and as such never expires, but it is a certificate of having taken the safety training and having passed the exam showing you "know" the material presented in the class.

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by Rich

I don't know, but I would assume 'no you must be over 15 years' or the certificate won't be valid. They take your age into account and probably won't allow one to take it if you're not old enough. If you mis-represent the age of the applicant, then that is a different issue which would also make it invalid.

From the study guide:



FYI, it's not a license and as such never expires, but it is a certificate of having taken the safety training and having passed the exam showing you "know" the material presented in the class.

so what I am alluding to now I would say is why couldn't a 13 or a 14 year old take the class and pass it and have their certificate and when they turn 16 it becomes valid?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by AC2717

so what I am alluding to now I would say is why couldn't a 13 or a 14 year old take the class and pass it and have their certificate and when they turn 16 it becomes valid?

If they take the Maryland online course they can! Here is what it states...

"There is no minimum age requirement to take this online course. You do not have to be a resident of Maryland to take this online course."

Dan

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

If they take the Maryland online course they can! Here is what it states...

"There is no minimum age requirement to take this online course. You do not have to be a resident of Maryland to take this online course."

Dan

so what is to stop a 13 year olr or any kid for that point from taking a test from MD and the day they hit 16 in NH they are legal???


also another reason why non of this makes sense

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by AC2717

so what is to stop a 13 year olr or any kid for that point from taking a test from MD and the day they hit 16 in NH they are legal???


also another reason why non of this makes sense

Nothing is stopping them except the certificate won't be valid in NH until that person turns 16 and whats wrong with that??

What doesn't make sense?...if the state (NH) accepts the MD exam what difference does it make at what age they passed the test as long as they pass?? While it may be frowned upon, it is completely legal and in all honesty do you really believe the certificate makes someone an instant Captain??

Heck I know a dozen or so island kids under the age of 15 that could navigate a boat way better than many adults I see attempt it on weekends!

My wife aced (100%) the online exam when it first came out but there was no way in hell she was going to get behind the helm of a boat without hands on instruction and lessons which she has been taking dilligently!

Dan

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Nothing is stopping them except the certificate won't be valid in NH until that person turns 16 and whats wrong with that??

What doesn't make sense?...if the state (NH) accepts the MD exam what difference does it make at what age they passed the test as long as they pass?? While it may be frowned upon, it is completely legal and in all honesty do you really believe the certificate makes someone an instant Captain??

Heck I know a dozen or so island kids under the age of 15 that could navigate a boat way better than many adults I see attempt it on weekends!

My wife aced (100%) the online exam when it first came out but there was no way in hell she was going to get behind the helm of a boat without hands on instruction and lessons which she has been taking dilligently!

Dan

couldn't agree more, I was being sarcastic. I was directing my remarks to how a test makes people legal but doesn't mean they are good boaters, although some may think so. I should have made it clearer

[Rich]

I don't think *anyone* has said that passing the exam makes them a good / safe / nor knowledgeable boater.

Where is this coming from? I have never seen anyone that has said this.

All it proves is that you read the materials, and passed the exam. It doesn't mean you can remember the information, nor does it prove that you follow the practices presented in the course.

After passing the exam and after boating for a few years, I still am trying to learn everything that I can. I'm the last person to say that I know what I'm doing. Most people that I know will also say the same thing, that it is a continual learning process that never ends.

[NoBozo]

When I took the NASBLA exam in RI, (Proctored) there was a young girl leaving the test room ahead of me in Tears. She had been completely overwhelmed by the content of the exam. She "looked" to be 14 or 15. I asked one of the proctors about it and he said it really didn't matter how old the person taking the exam was because in practice, it would be unlikely someone under 14 or so would be able to Pass the exam.

As to the Maryland question, what would prevent a fully prepared adult from taking the exam On Line "For" the child..or anyone else? No proctor to verify the identity of the person actually taking the exam. NB

[NoBozo]

Something else I noticed about the Maryland website. There was a NASBLA Logo "shown"..along with the Coast Guard Logo, up in the right hand corner of the front page.

No Where.. on the website did I see Any Words... saying that the Maryland boating safety program is approved by NASBLA. Did I miss something..or something..? NB

[Rich]

I can't say if you're splitting hairs.. but this page implies that it is a NASBLA card:

https://www.boat-ed.com/maryland/boating_card.html

[arch13]

In NH you are allowed to sit for the proctored test if you are 15, and the ID card will be mailed to you on your 16th birthday.

Anyone under 16 is allowed to operate a vessel only if they are supervised by someone 18+ who has a boating certificate. (Weirdly once you turn 16 you lose the option of operating under the supervision of someone else, and you must have your own boating license.)

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Originally Posted by Rich

I can't say if you're splitting hairs.. but this page implies that it is a NASBLA card:

https://www.boat-ed.com/maryland/boating_card.html

I just called Maryland. If you vote in NH you are required to take the NH Boater Safety Course. If you live in a state other than NH you will need to call them at 1-800-830-2268. I was curious because I am a member of the Lakes Region Power Squadron and we teach the course for a boating certificate here in NH.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Greene's Basin Girl

I just called Maryland. If you vote in NH you are required to take the NH Boater Safety Course. If you live in a state other than NH you will need to call them at 1-800-830-2268. I was curious because I am a member of the Lakes Region Power Squadron and we teach the course for a boating certificate here in NH.

This is interesting, is there some rule/law/policy one can see to solidify this?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Greene's Basin Girl

I just called Maryland. If you vote in NH you are required to take the NH Boater Safety Course. If you live in a state other than NH you will need to call them at 1-800-830-2268. I was curious because I am a member of the Lakes Region Power Squadron and we teach the course for a boating certificate here in NH.

Even looking through nasbla.org I can't find any reference to a policy such as this, but I'll let my friend know what you said, but it would be nice to have something more firm than 'someone online said'.

[Winnisquamer]

Originally Posted by Rich

Even looking through nasbla.org I can't find any reference to a policy such as this, but I'll let my friend know what you said, but it would be nice to have something more firm than 'someone online said'.

Calling Maryland asking about NH laws? I wouldn't take that for fact.

[ishoot308]

Well here is some more hearsay...I can tell you that a few people I know have taken the out of state on line courses and have confirmed their validity with the NHMP. Response was, while it is frowned upon, it is legal...Simple way to check is to call NHMP...

Dan

[Rich]

My take, and I have been often known to be wrong . . .


If the MD card shows up, and it is NASBLA approved, then NH will allow it and it will be valid.

When signing up for the course, there is no questions about 'where do you vote' or 'where is your residence', and it allowed a NH mailing address.

So far my friend has the temporary paperwork that shows he has his certification and is only waiting for the permanent card.

I have my NH Certification and actually took the one day class that ended in the proctored exam. I thought it was a good review of the material, and I always learn more when there is an instructor doing the training. But I can see how some people may prefer an alternative, so I pointed out the MD option.

[NoBozo]

This is Funny.......or maybe SAD.. Some people here are "Exploring" the idea of Some Way... How they can subvert (Get around) the system.

Why not just follow the law, attend the boating course ...and take the Proctored EXAM. NB

[Descant]

I'm embarrassed for those who would encourage or support taking some out of state exam because it isn't proctored, i.e POS taking the exam. Look at all the threads here about people who don't understand our buoys and the 150 ft rule. And you want them to take a course that doesn't even touch on these issues or any other NH situations. People on this Forum should be better than that.

[Rich]

FYI... my friend studied the NH material, passed the online portion of the NH exam, but between work and family obligations he found it very difficult to find an in person exam thst he could attend.

So instead of missing a summer of boating, he has learned the material ( from both NH and MD) and is now boating gaining experience.

Not everyone is retired nor has a lot of spare time. He found he could easily do this study during lunch and/or other spare time, so why not pass the exam online too.

Also, some people freeze up at exams and are intimidated by a formal environment, this gives them a more casual environment to pass the exam. Heck, even his wife took the class and passed too, just to show she could get a better score than him. She never would have done this if she was forced to go to a proctored exam. So now we have two boaters that know the material, instead of just one!

I only mentioned this option here to possibly help others that may be in a similar predicament.

There appears to be no laws nor polices broken here. Can you find even one printed that says this is frowned upon or not allowed? When he told me about it, I looked myself and couldn't fine one myself.

How about those of you that took the NH online exam before NH required you to attend a proctored exam? Did you run out and retake your exam because you are not playing by the current rules? I'm guessing not. I bet a lot of people actually rushed in to take the online exam before the deadline to require the in person proctored exam occurred. Do you want all those people to turn in their certificate and take the course again because they circumvented the new system? I doubt it.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

Why not just follow the law...

Which law isn't being followed?