certificate of boating safety education
 

What year was it that a boating license was required to operate a boat on the lake, seems to me back in the early 70's my dad had bought a boat and we had a camp on Cow and he would keep our 21 foot Lyman at Guilford marina, I don't remember him having a license.

There was a phase-in period depending on age, but everyone has been required to have a safe-boating certificate since 01-Jan-2008.

http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?...-education-law

I am going to guess that it was about 2003 that the program started. I don't know if that is the exact year but I think it is close to that.

This sounds "about" right, along with what "Bizer" states in his post. However during this initial period when they were first implementing the licensing program you could do it all on line and "skip-out" (for lack of a better term) having to take a proctored exam.

IMHO one of two very big mistakes regarding the boating / licensing program.

Age Mattered
 

We older geezers did not have to have our license until the end of 2008. We took our proctored exam at a class given at the fire station in February in our town in southern NewHampshire. My bride scored a point higher than I did. 🐻

2002
 

My family(5 of us) got ours issued August 26 2002. I'm pretty sure that was the first spring/summer they offered the boating course. While there was a progressive time frame based on age we needed our boys to have their licenses the first year so we made it a family thing. Never had to worry about it after that.

Not a license. It's a "Certificate of Boating Safety Education".

Well said, license implies you know how to drive, and many people on the lake have no clue how to drive

I was stopped a couple of years ago and couldn't find my certificate and was issued a citation. Later that day I searched the boat again and found it. Completed the requirements to prove I had it and did not have to pay.

However, as a result of that, my wife and I took pics of our boating certificates and keep them on our phones. I have also done that with several other important documents just in case a similar situation occurs.

I'm not sure of the legality of such a procedure but I am hoping most LEOs would rather see a pic of your document than nothing at all.

Me, too--I gotta think having something is better than nothing!

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Copy in the floater key holder for the boat key
 

You can also make a copy and put it in the boat key floating thingee. Registration and Boater Ed Certificate in one place.

Dave