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Old 07-31-2021, 11:09 AM   #89
ITD
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XCR-700 View Post
It is all to apparent that we are way off topic, and making zero progress.

Clearly our perspectives are too different to resolve and in reality representative of the spectrum people boating.

You speak about recreational boaters as if they are (or should be) on par with commercial mariners in an industrial setting, where as my observation is that most recreational boaters cant tell port from starboard, can barely operate their boats, and have never seen a spark plug let alone changed one on their own boat or even understand how most of it works.

You seem to be promoting the notion that boaters must measure up to the standards you expect (backing into a u-shaped dock - not getting puckered up - etc) great ideas in a perfect world, but not even close to reality for a reasonable expectation. Sorry it just is not going to happen.

I except that I will be surrounded by constant problems from novice boaters and paddle board renters and people with kayaks who seem oblivious about the situations they sometime put themselves in, and that I must adjust and adapt to the errors of many others. As well as all the potential errors I make! (let he who is without sin cast the first stone!)

I believe you will not change the makeup of the recreational boaters nor their abilities, and there is no way to educate day visitor/vacationers who rent powerful fiberglass boats, bulky and challenging to operate around dock pontoon boats, and paddle boards where I have seen novices kneeling down on the boards and hugging dock hoping to build their skill but wanting the perceived safety of a lower position and close proximity to a dock, all the while placing themselves in harms way from the novice AND aggressive boaters.

As such I believe we must all adapt to the lowest common denominator(s) among us.

So again we will have to agree to disagree on all this and more.

I will accept you are entitled to your opinion and I will continue to practice what has served me well all my years of boating on Winnipesaukee and elsewhere, dating back to when the steering on our boats looked like clothesline rope.

ATB
Yeah, I'm not going to get through to you, that is unfortunate. There will always be things in your way while boating. If any legislation comes of this it should focus on those who choose not gain the skill to deal with those things rather than banning those things from certain areas.

I detest legislating more rules, but I'm starting to feel that it may be time for some type of boating test requirement where people are required to prove they can safely operate a boat, especially in close quarters.

I hope it doesn't come to that and that people are smart enough to understand that if they get "puckered" up with certain operations they need more training. But I fear we are only a few more accidents away from legislators deciding they need to do something and force boaters to competent.
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