|
|
Post by mwardncsu on Jan 28, 2014 15:09:12 GMT -5
There are bills before the Virgina Senate & House to remove the requirement for individuals over the age of 45 to have to take the Boat Safety course as is current in effect. I just noticed that the two bills related to the age exemption for the Boating Course requirement will be heard on the 29th & 30th of this month (as in tomorrow and the next day). As such, I recommend you each reach out to your legislative representatives to let your individual comments be heard.... I for one believe this to be a bad piece of legislation - the safety course requirement is one that all need to hold regardless of age. lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?141+sum+HB650lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=141&typ=bil&val=sb52You can see other pending legislation that is game & wildlife related here: www.dgif.virginia.gov/legislation/ |
|
|
|
Post by topgun on Jan 28, 2014 19:36:28 GMT -5
I see they're looking to make fines and/or penalties for people operating a vessel or vehicle with a hidden compartment.
Looks like I'm gonna have to start strapping all of those stripers to the bottom of the boat and have an emergency dumping device if the jolly green giant pulls me over! - just kidding y'all.
|
|
|
|
Post by striperjohn on Jan 30, 2014 8:09:13 GMT -5
I'm all for this safety course, but its not going to change much on SML.
How many of you folks have been in the S turns by the state park when 3 of those damned "cigar" boats come roaring by at 60+ MPH weaving in and out of boat traffic and throwing a 3 foot wake? How many of you have been fishing and had some of the idiot guides (who supposedly are Coast Guard licensed Captains)on this lake either cut you off when you're catching fish, or roar by within 15 to 20 yards of you because they have to get somewhere fast--after all this is there business and we're just fishing for entertainment?
In fact one night last year we'd been fishing down in the Witcher Creek area until a little after dark. I had seen one of the guide boats back in behind us in another cove. I was running about 30-35 mph--just keeping the boat on plane as I do when its dark. I always keep my gps screen on, but dimmed way down so as not to affect my night vision. As I rounded R2, here comes the guide boat running inside me, I'm maybe 30 yards to the left of R2) and he's around 50-55mph--has his big depthfinder screen on totally lit up and looking down at that screen. We could see the map plainly as he went by us. I'm not real sure he even saw me. Running up that lake with that 12 inch screen lit up there is no way on earth that he could see much out in front of his boat. He had to have this safety course and more to become a guide. Didn't seem to help at all that night.
You can't fix STUPID, safety course or not.
Just saying, I'm off my soapbox now.
Cheers,
John
|
|
|
|
Post by CorneliaGale on Jan 30, 2014 12:10:30 GMT -5
John you are so right there are a lot of people on SML that don't obey the rules of the road or have any idea of them. The class will only help the ones that want to learn and obey the rules. Just like on the highway some people obey the law some don't. with a 20,000 acre lake law enforcement can only cover a small part of it so they most likely get caught and they know it. Coast Guard has said it would take some thing like 10 boats to give the lake any coverage at all.
|
|
|
|
Post by jrv on Feb 1, 2014 13:27:40 GMT -5
Relieving the edu requirement for 45+ with 5 or more years boating experience make a lot more sense than allowing a renter to drive any boat after receiving a 20 minute course from a temporary summer helper at a rental facility.
But I'll take the 45+ with 5+ years experience any day over some who merely passed a course. You must also consider the 45+ exemption only involves a small window because those under 45 already have to take the test.
|
|
BentRod
Global Moderator
Posts: 2,252
|
Post by BentRod on Feb 1, 2014 16:02:17 GMT -5
The safety course is pretty much a joke anyways. Its better than nothing, but it can't fix stupid. I'm not sure where they came up with age 45 as the cutoff between needing a course and not needing it, but might as well leave it alone at this point. Just makes the state look stupid to do it now after spending all that time to get it put into law and before it even goes into effect they are changing it.
|
|
|
|
Post by bass63 on Feb 2, 2014 14:04:07 GMT -5
probally doing this for they won't have to set thru. the course thats richmond
|
|
|
|
Post by CorneliaGale on Feb 2, 2014 21:24:41 GMT -5
Age is 45 come July this year it goes to 50 next year and by 2016 everybody has to have it to operate a boat
|
|
bigt
New Member
Posts: 55 
|
Post by bigt on Feb 8, 2014 7:11:08 GMT -5
How does that go for out of state fisherman/boaters? Will we have to have the class?
|
|
|
|
Post by CorneliaGale on Feb 8, 2014 10:24:28 GMT -5
From DGIF website.
If you have previously taken a NASBLA approved boating safety course and still have a card/certificate. Most state boating courses, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary courses, and United States Power Squadrons courses are NASBLA approved state.
Most state courses are NASBLA, as long as they have taken a class somewhere and can show the ID card they are good to go.
|
|
|
|
Post by striperaddict on Feb 17, 2014 16:34:33 GMT -5
I took the online Boat US Foundation safety course this week and it had a lot of interesting material with at my age a lot of offshore material I figure I won't use,,,,who knows....I passed all courses and the final exam,,,downloaded and printed onto picture paper the certificate by 2 ,,one for the future and all about me wall ,,one to cut the card out of for my wallet which is holding my VA.fishing licence;;;;;guess I'm ready come 2016.......all free,,,,you all should do it while being snowed in.
|
|
|
|
Post by Red Bear on Apr 30, 2014 15:21:49 GMT -5
i just took and passed in my spare time over the course of two weeks a Virginia approved online course, the free one. i wouldnt call it a joke, as i actually learned a few things. I'm going to frame one copy of the certificate and hang on the wall and mail another to VA with $10 and get the plastic card to keep in my wallet. Now if i only owned a boat lol...actually, here lately the last couple years my uncle has offered to let me use his boat a few times without him present, i never asked him, the whole idea of it just floored me. he has let me drive a few times while we were out and i guess he trusts me enough. but i feel better about it having taken the course and passing it, as now im in compliance with the law...
|
|
|
|
Post by remmi597 on May 1, 2014 10:41:59 GMT -5
Ya know, to me was'nt a biggie, I got a licence for 11 differant states just to do it, even took one for fla. and they sent me a permanat boating licence. Did'nt cost me a dime, just alittle bit of time and I think I learned more useful imformation for doing it so much, it stuck with me more. Hey, and I'm 58 years old.  |
|
|
|
Post by striperaddict on May 4, 2014 9:03:58 GMT -5
Ya know, to me was'nt a biggie, I got a licence for 11 differant states just to do it, even took one for fla. and they sent me a permanat boating licence. Did'nt cost me a dime, just alittle bit of time and I think I learned more useful imformation for doing it so much, it stuck with me more. Hey, and I'm 58 years old. after the 3rd state test ,,bet you didn,t have to study for all the others |
|
|
|
Post by prodigal on May 4, 2014 14:18:11 GMT -5
Mine is registered in wv, so I don't have to have it for va. I am trying to get my wife to relocate to the lake, so I took the test last week. got the free certificate, printed on photo paper and will laminate the wallet size cert. overall pretty easy, I did not know that skiing and towing floatables etc.. is only allowed 30mins prior to and after sunrise and set in va.
|
|
