[Paddle] Another Perspective on Safety

Thu Mar 3 13:00:17 EST 2005

Wow.....and I've never heard of that even though we've been stopped for
safety checks while riding on a bass boat with a friend. All the man wanted
to see were our life vests. Guess it shows the state of education and
enforcement around here.

I would support mandatory education and testing for anyone operating any
type of watercraft more than say 50ft (an arbitrary limit that is open for
discussion) from land and not under the direct supervision of someone with
an instructor/trip leader endorsement (see below for my ideas on
endorsements); this would exempt water toys and people who paddle and fish
only in small creeks where most accidents are recovered from by standing up
or pushing your boat the short distance to shore and dumping the water out.
Various endorsements could cover different types of boats and conditions so
that someone who hates internal combustion won't have to learn about fuel
tank ventilation requirements and inland paddlers won't need to learn about
tides etc, but certain modules would be required for all. There would be no
slack for out-of-state people, although they would be free to take the tests
before or after coming here.

Such a curriculum for non-motorized operators could cover at least the
basics in such topics as customs and laws, required and suggested equipment,
trip-planning, group safety, foul weather, canoe and kayak safety, various
emergencies medical and otherwise, navigation, meteorology, survival, skin
safety (one of the leading reasons boaters go to the hospital), and
communications. I'm sure more can be thought of if needed. You would only
test for the modules required for the type of license you are applying for
and upgrading (say from non-motorized to motorized) would require only the
missing modules.

To keep costs down and accessibility/standardization up, the classes
wouldn't be specified, but you would get your card itself by taking a
closed-book test online under the physical supervision of an accredited
agency employee or volunteer (or perhaps even a notary) with provisions for
special cases (handicaps, reading/language problems etc) made on a
case-by-case basis. You could print a temporary card and the permanent one
would be mailed to you, the same way hunting and fishing licenses are now.
Payment to the testing official would be limited or prohibited in order to
discourage cheating. 

Programming and maintaining such a web-based database would be child's play
with today's technology as only enough personally-identifiable information
would be kept to verify the authenticity of a card if it were ever
questioned by authority or to replace lost/destroyed cards.

While this may sound like it would limit who could participate in our
pastime, it could turn out to be a recruiting tool as volunteer
organizations and outfitters publicize and conduct classes and seminars on
boating safety to help folks pass the test (and in the case of outfitters,
become customers). Taking such classes and passing the tests could actually
draw more in to our world by giving beginners the confidence they need to
explore it.

If someone wasn't willing to learn enough to pass such a test, they would
still be free to enjoy the many fine small waterways in our state as long as
they met the current minimal laws.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Elligett, Margaret [mailto:Margaret.Elligett at dep.state.fl.us]
> Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 11:45 AM
> To: Floyd.Gene at mail.dc.state.fl.us
> Cc: paddle at paddletally.org
> Subject: RE: [Paddle] Another Perspective on Safety
> 
> http://www.boat-ed.com/fl/course/p4-3_whomayoperate.htm
> 
> The current boating safety course requirements are very limited in scope
> and
> do not include (non-motorized boats).  Hummm .... I wonder why!
> 
> I know I'm going to get some objections from some in the group, but here
> is
> my two cents worth ......
> 
> We can't have it both ways.  We either get on the list for mandatory
> safety
> training (paddlers and trip leaders) or we should not be surprised when
> tragedy happens when it's left up to chance.  Like I said earlier - even
> mandatory training, provides no guarantee, but just the fact of having
> requirements will send a message to the public to take the dangers at sea
> more seriously.
> 
> Sorry if it sounds a little harsh.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: paddle-bounces at paddletally.org [mailto:paddle-
> bounces at paddletally.org]
> On Behalf Of Floyd.Gene at mail.dc.state.fl.us
> Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2005 9:54 AM
> To: paddle at paddletally.org
> Subject: RE: [Paddle] appreciate all the articles
> 
> I agree. Perhaps a basic course could be required of all over a certain
> age,
> with at least one person in the group required to have an advanced class,
> and an expert rating (like a captain's license)be required for paid
> leaders.
> 
> 
> After almost being run down while being passed on the wrong side of the St
> Marks River channel (a large powerboat passed head-on on my right at high
> speed a few feet off my bow while I was under sail and near the extreme
> right side of the channel), I for one would love to see powerboaters
> required to have at least a basic minimum education of the laws and safety
> rules. By applying this basic minimum course to EVERYONE on the water,
> nobody could claim it was unfair, and more lives might be saved. The CGA
> boater's safety course could serve as the minimum curriculum with some
> more
> info on paddling and survival thrown in as needed.
> 
> An alternative might be very simple to require this of anyone venturing
> past
> the COLREGS line (USCG would have to deal with that I think) or leading a
> group anywhere.
> 
> It's worked for hunters. Perhaps some of the same framework and
> organization
> used for hunter's education courses could be used here and the whole thing
> handled by FWCC, which seems rather proper since they seem to be the ones
> dealing with the aftermath. Let one of the officers who was on-scene teach
> the instructor's class; I bet he'd be highly-motivated after what he saw.
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Elligett, Margaret [mailto:Margaret.Elligett at dep.state.fl.us]
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2005 9:35 AM
> > To: Floyd.Gene at mail.dc.state.fl.us
> > Cc: paddle at paddletally.org
> > Subject: RE: [Paddle] appreciate all the articles
> >
> > Here are some initial, "unrefined" ideas .....
> >
> > It's no guarantee but I think that mandatory boating safety courses for
> > "all
> > boaters" might help some.  We have to take a drivers course and pass a
> > test
> > to be legal on the road.  With a standardized water safety course
> program,
> > a
> > trip participant or parent could ask for the leader's credentials. This
> > would
> > (in theory) provide a certain "standard" level of information about the
> > trip
> > leaders "knowledge" and how many trips they have made.  Of course the
> wild
> > card is always the question of the leaders ability and or willingness to
> > "implement good judgment" in all circumstances (irregardless of
> financial
> > or
> > other pressures) - for embarking on a trip.
> >
> > I think that many in the boating community are generally unaware of the
> > hazards on the water.  Some guides (trip leaders) think of themselves as
> > expert or experienced because they have been on several trips without
> > encountering problems/accidents.  I'm willing to bet that most trip
> > leaders
> > have never had any "expert" training or testing at all.  They have just
> > been
> > damn lucky that nothing has happened on their watch -"yet"-.  I think of
> > it
> > as an accident looking for a place to happen.  This recent tragedy is an
> > example of how this can happen.
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