SBONH stands behind change of age requirements for boating certificate

[AllAbourdon]

Originally Posted by OCDACTIVE

Rep. Christensen is seeking to close this loophole at the request of the NH Marine Patrol by ensuring that no one under 12 years old can operate any motorized vessel without a certified supervising adult on board. The bill also allows children 12 to 15 to obtain a Safe Boating Certificate in order to operate a boat limited to 25 horsepower or less.

I think that this makes sense - allows children 12 to 15 to obtain a Safe Boating Certificate in order to operate a boat limited to 25 horsepower or less.

But I can't see how this would work. - no one under 12 years old can operate any motorized vessel without a certified supervising adult on board

As a kid I was always running around the lake in a rowboat with a small motor on it. I knew I had to have the proper safety gear on board, whoever registers the vessel and gives permission for a kid to use the boat should be responsible for this part of the education in my opinion.

[hazelnut]

I'm so torn on this one. I do love the idea of kids that turn 12 having to take the boating certificate test though. I think it would give the kids a sense of accomplishment and it would start them off understanding that boating is something to be taken seriously. As a father of twin 7 year old boys I would look forward to the day when they would take and pass that test to be able to graduate to a larger hp boat (25HP).

To allow a 8 year old to captain a boat with a 25hp in some instances would be downright crazy!

Why couldn't a different classification be created? Like under 10hp could be completely removed from this discussion. Meaning 10.5HP-25HP you need to be certified. Under 10HP could be unregulated. I only say this because I had a 14 foot aluminum skiff with a 25hp that I was nervous to let some adults drive, never mind a 10 year old. I never in a million years would have let an uneducated child or adult pilot that boat. It was so fast for its relative size.

So why not an under 10hp exemption written into the language?

FYI - I am throwing out random HP numbers. My thought would be anything that couldn't get on plane could be unregulated. Not sure how the language of the bill would look but I'm just bringing up food for thought.

[AllAbourdon]

Originally Posted by hazelnut

I'm so torn on this one. I do love the idea of kids that turn 12 having to take the boating certificate test though. I think it would give the kids a sense of accomplishment and it would start them off understanding that boating is something to be taken seriously. As a father of twin 7 year old boys I would look forward to the day when they would take and pass that test to be able to graduate to a larger hp boat (25HP).

To allow a 8 year old to captain a boat with a 25hp in some instances would be downright crazy!

Why couldn't a different classification be created? Like under 10hp could be completely removed from this discussion. Meaning 10.5-25HP you need to be certified. Under 10 could be unregulated. I only say this because I had a 14 foot aluminum skiff with a 25hp that I was nervous to let some adults drive, never mind a 10 year old. I never in a million years would have let an uneducated child or adult pilot that boat. It was so fast for its relative size.

So why not an under 10hp exemption written into the language?

This is more accurate to what I would expect to see written in this law. At the same time, i wouldnt want an 8 year old kid to try taking his rowboat out into the broads on a busy saturday. Growing up on a very small lake and moving to a lake like Winni is night and day.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by AllAbourdon

i wouldnt want an 8 year old kid to try taking his rowboat out into the broads on a busy saturday.

Isn't that a parents responsibility to ensure that does not happen??...

I'm not so sure I like the idea of dumping the parents responsibilty on the State of NH...

Dan

[AllAbourdon]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Isn't that a parents responsibility to ensure that does not happen??...

I'm not so sure I like the idea of dumping the parents responsibilty on the State of NH...

Dan

I agree with you completely. Also, if the kids got a 5hp motor or is rowing it by hand does it make much of a difference? Either one can be unsafe without the right education.