California boater safety law approved
By Parimal M. Rohit, The Log
A recently approved law in California aims to finally address the state’s loose governance of recreational boaters navigating its many waterways. Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a boater safety bill requiring all boaters in California to be in possession of a vessel operator card and pass a safety course.
While the new law will help shore up safety concerns on California’s waterways, there are many common sense and basic steps recreational boaters and other aquatic users can take to ensure a safe coexistence.
Co-authored by state senators Bill Monning, D-Carmel, and Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, Senate Bill 941 specifically requires recreational boaters to pass a sanctioned boating education course and obtain a vessel operator card in order to operate a motorized boat.
Both Monning and DeSaulnier pushed the bill as promoting boater safety and helping prevent common accidents.
More intrusion into you life under the guise of safety but really meant to collect revenue and increase budgets for State departments.
Safety is a bad investment?
Advocate’s right. It’s ALL about revenue and control.
Every aspect of your life is now regulated by the state. And the more they control, the more they want. Americans are no longer a free people.
asinine comments. This has been needed for years!
Slapshot,
Safety of actions is your personal responsibility. Safety of something the State constructs for use by the public is their action and they should take responsibility for what they do.
It isn’t their responsibility to control your and my actions.
though it is their responsibility to make sure your actions dont hurt others.
I used to live in South Lake Tahoe and boated on the water often. A lot of people who are in control of their PWC or vessels do not know the Harbor and Navigation laws. Some boaters are very rude and do not show courtesy while boating. They tend to cut in front of others, jump your wake, tie up the boat ramps, do not know proper ways of trailering their vessel, etc. Many people who own PWC don’t know it’s illegal to jump a boat’s wake when you are near that boat. I have often experienced people on PWC doing this to me. This is not just in Tahoe, I now live in Folsom and you will find the same behavior here on Folsom Lake. This new law will make it safer for all, even if it’s just educating one on the laws and rules. You can’t expect change in behavior if you don’t know the laws. This will require you to know the laws. One can really relate if you are a boater.
I feel strongly about one having a boating license
That’s all well and good if all people weare actually taking responsibility for their actions. They don’t. Is getting a drivers license or pilots license any different. Using your logic we should do away with both.
I wonder if either one of those Demorats even own a boat. I’m all for safety of course as a boat owner, but for the Government to ONCE AGAIN step in, especially when Moonbutt has anything to do with it is not good for the people. They should pay US to take the now mandated courses they dreamed up. I bet THAT would slow them down.
Should be interesting to see how all of the rental agencies are going to handle this! There goes their business because they should have to have a copy of the vessel operator card attached to each rental agreement – like that is ever going to happen…
ABOUT TIME. !!
I work on Lake Tahoe most days and see all kinds of reckless “driving” of boats .
I often say that it’s comparable to driving down the freeway when you are the only driver that knows and understands the rules.
Safey should be consideration number 1.lives will be saved ! And perhaps boat owners will see a savings on their insurance policy that will offset the cost of a boating safety course ?
See u on the lake Cpt Kiwi Steve.
I’d suggest that these legislatures propose a license to walk as well.
Calif. Boater safety Law. I’m swayin’ from port to starboard on this one. In one way I don’t want govt. ordered tests, fees and all the rest of “the system” pushed into what is the fun experience of boating.
On the other hand I’ve seen some crazy stuff out there. Lord knows I’m not perfect, as I’ve made mistakes to.
So I’ll just put it in neutrel and drift for awhile and think about it. OLS
Most boaters like myself that own boats and are on the lake almost everyday are responsible boaters that know and follow the rules. The problem that I see every summer up here is the rental businesses that will rent to anyone with a credit card. They give their 1 minute lesson to someone who doesn’t understand English and off they go. I’ve always thought there should be some kind of test for boater safety in order to rent and get on the water for the first time. This might address that problem… but. I am swayn’ too since a much larger percentage of boaters on the lake are already safe responsible boaters. To mandate everyone get a license seems a little overkill and probably aimed at revenue. I’m bobbin on this one.
Licensing doesn’t fix stupid. We see it on the roads, and we’ll continue to see it on the water. Charter boat captains have to have special coast guard licenses, and I’m sure many of you remember the time the fast boat pulled a parasailer into the mast of a sailboat. Everybody was licensed. Except the poor guy whose body got wrapped around the mast.
More money to government coffers will not prevent idiots from doing stupid stuff.
Couldn’t be more correct Dogula.
I don’t know what the USCG charges for boating safety classes, if anything, but US Power & Sail Squadrons charge only for cost of materials (booklet) per person. Members volunteer their time to teach safety to erstwhile boaters. All it costs the beginning boaters is their time and appreciation of the knowledge that will hopefully save their and others’ lives while on the water. USPS has members and ‘Squadrons’ all over California, the US and Canada who every year set up boating classes for the public. No charge. Just seek and ye shall find. For those wanting advanced boating knowledge, there are classes in trailering, radio use, GPS, and other skills.
I suppose that it is safe to say that any activity that isn’t somewhat regulated is not automatically “safe” either.
Should drivers and pilots be unregulated as well?
And, who needs regulations for doctors, dentists, surgeons and hospitals?
How about regulating bad behavior? Or is that just too expensive? What a bunch of commies!
Licensing may not guarantee proper actions by licensees, but it does guarantee that at one time they knew the rules well enough to be licensed and cannot use ignorance as an excuse.
It would be my hope that alcohol and insurance requirements similar to operating a motor vehicle would also be adopted.
Another DMV can’t wait to get in line and write the check. If you have owned a boat 5 years and no accidents should be grandfathered.
Long overdue.
Steve the rules regarding alcohol use/consumption already exist for boat operators, they are the same as motor vehicle drivers.
The propellor turns !
Rules for alcohol in boats are nowhere near the same as cars.