boat licenses

I'm curious - do boaters from out of state need licenses to operate on the lake? How about those rent-for-a-day PWC?
For anyone who takes the course, or even those who have been operating long enough to understand the "rules of the road" and appreciate common courtesy, it is clear how to safely and legally proceed when boat traffic is high, as in the crowded Weirs area or after a fireworks display. Within 150 ft. of another boat or the shoreline, the no-wake rule applies. Approaching another boat, each passes on the right. Overtaking another boat, pass on the left. The rules don't work if only some of us understand and practice them.
We never go near the Weirs end of the lake on a summer weekend.
Once while on a Burger King run to Paugus in our classic wooden boat, we were caught in a huge cross wake made from several large boats who never slowed down near our tiny craft. Mom and Dad in the front, 3 small kids in the back. The waves loomed towards us like giant pyramids. Our choice was to slow down and have those behemoths completely wash over us, or speed up and hope to ride out over their tops. We sped up and our 17ft mahogany went airborne. We crashed down so hard that the wooden seat my husband and I were in broke. Our children were frightened and crying in the back.
Those big boats just kept right on going.

While it is nice that you are able to recite many of the "rules of the road" for safe boating it is also apparent that knowing the rules does not mean that you have common sense.

From my perspective you were not so much a victim of the lack of courtesy (or even the violations displayed by other boats) as you were a victim of your own foolishness. Anyone who would head through the Weirs area in a full 17 foot wooden boat probably should re-think their perception of boating safely. The person operating that boat put their family as well as your small children needlessly at risk as well as inflicting the trauma of the experience on them. At least one of the adults on the boat should have realized it was not a wise decision.

When you are operating a small boat on Winnipesaukee you need to pick and choose the days and locations you choose to do your boating. You can read the rule book all day long but it doesn't teach common sense.

That's right, blame the victim.

Duuuude, I've re-read your posting several times and still can't believe that a person with ANY boating intelligence could make such a comment. Why do you figure they shouldn't have been out in such a "small" boat?? And that BEACUSE they were out in a small boat (evidently smaller than yours) it is their fault for what happened?? Is YOUR boat the benchmark for what people should be out in?? One has to wonder "Captain" if YOU have passed the boater certification.

To answer your question - yes. However there is a timeline involved in the original ruling. The MP website should provide the proper answer to your question.

Food for thought...

Do you and your family venture into the Broads when the wind is NW @ 25 in your "tiny craft", your classic wooden, 17 ft boat?

The reason I ask is quite simple, Paugus Bay is home to many cruisers, large boats, as you referenced. To venture there is to expose your boat and family to the potential encounter of what you referenced as large waves, "behemoths", that make the water conditions similar to being on the Broads when the wind is NW @ 25.

Just a little food for thought...

Wow, spoken like someone in one of those 'big' boats looking down their nose at those in their 'small' boats.

The whole incident occurred about 10 years ago. We put in near Long Island Bridge, and had never been all the way down to Weirs. We were "newbies" and had no idea small boats weren't safe at that end of the lake. Nor, I take it, welcome.

Lesson learned.

Captain, it is your attitude that is a prime examlpe of many of our boating problems.

If the "victim" is guilty of poor judgement...he could have been ....as the old advertisement said "right, dead right"!
Would you take a canoe to the broads in a gale?? No? and why not?

Cowgirl...

If the larger boats passed more than 150' away from you, they are not required to slow to headway speed. Crosswakes are apain in any boat smaller than the boats that created them. Unfortunately, Paugus bay is home to quite a few of the larger party barges. Most are heavy underpowered craft that cannot fully get on plane. The result is huge wakes, that make venturing out in a small boat on Winni extremely difficult.

Sorry to hear your old mahogany was damaged. I love those old boats!

To answeryour question, I think a cursory exam is required to be given out by those who rent boats & PWC's, but lets face it, thats pretty much useless.

Donzi

The fact is that a person operating a boat is responsible for the wake of that boat & any damage that it (the wake) may do to the shoreline, property on the shore or another boat. The problem is getting Moe, Larry & Curly from the Marine Patrol to do anything to stop the boats that are responsible for the excessive wake.

I just slow down & wait for them to pass, sometimes they wave (if they take the time to put down their cocktail).

I'm curious - do boaters from out of state need licenses to operate on the lake? How about those rent-for-a-day PWC?

YES. It's not a license, it's a boater education certificate. NH does accept certificates from most other states, Coast Guard (Aux) administered test certificates and Power Squadron administered tests. Questions? Check with NH Marine Patrol to be sure if your certificate is accepted.

There is a TEMPORARY once in a lifetime 2 week certificate in NH for the rent-for-a-day places. A quick search of the archives provided the message with link (below).

As for the big waves. I appreciate your predicament and hope it never happens to you again. Although some boaters do not observe the 150' safe passage laws, that is not usually the majority of the wave problem. On a busy weekend the boat chop and cross chops carry far more than 150'.

It seems to get progressively worse year after year. More boats. Bigger boats. On a busy summer weekend you can sit off the Weirs with no boat passing within 500 feet of you and you will still have those monster waves to deal with. Our lake (and the use of our lake) is evolving. It is not the way it was 40 years ago.

Safe boating
The Commodore




Temp Cert info and link

Ok, lets put it this way; I am 13 and got my Mass. boatingCert. last November. If a 12 year-old can get certified, anyone can

Treerider,

They were neither in a canoe nor on the broads. Apples to Oranges!

Everyone has the right to enjoy the lake responsibly. If you are in a boat (any size) in a congested area or within 150' of land or another boat, slow down, bottom line!

Nowhere does it say that they were near shore, a congested area or within 150' of land, all it says is that there was a boat "near" along with big wakes.... so my analogy still stands and I repeat you may be right....but swimming (OK I changed it) I agree that there are fools out there that won't take pity on a small boat....wake be damned, but the reality is that this will continue, no matter HOW MANY lake patrols are out there, so if you are in a tiny boat, you best watch out for yourself AND others....by the way MY boat is not a 41footer but a 14' aluminum and I would avoid the lake and certainly the Weirs area at all costs. In fact I wouldn't boat on the lake after the Salmon bite stops....too much boat traffic!!!

"Approaching another boat, each passes on the right. Overtaking another boat, pass on the left. ... snip ...we were caught in a huge cross wake made from several large boats who never slowed down near our tiny craft. The waves loomed towards us like giant pyramids. "

Passing port to port, and it's cousin, staying to the right in a "channel" is a lost sensibility I fear. I do wonder about the boats that day though. Often I see Capt B slow down, just not to headway speed. Now the boat is at mushing speed, and generating a larger wake than it would have if Capt B had left it on plane. Good intentions perhaps, just defeated by low IQ. You have to laugh if only to keep from raiding the mailman's arsenal and handing out some street justice.

ps - We all remember Capt B from last year. As this season progresses we'll all have to post an updated Capt B sighting journal ....

Two boats are crossing each other's path...

you have the right of way... you know the rules...

but he is not yielding ...

do you:

a) continue forward and force him to stop because you have the right of way

or

b) slow down and let the fool go and live to boat another day?

when you are on the lake you have to use your brain and be the one that keeps yourself safe. Avoid the dangerous situations in the first place

Canoes seem to be getting short shrift on The Broads, here on Winnipesaukee.

A Californian sailed across the Pacific (E to W) in a 19-foot Grumman aluminum canoe in the 50's. It had tandem masts with two gunter-rigged sails. No GPS in those days -- he used the sextant to "shoot" the sun when the skies were clear. He is quoted as saying that his major challenge was, after weeks at sea, night-time hallucinations.

(Hallucinations are cited today by skippers just one day departed from shore. Perhaps that's a by-product of this chemical-laced Boomer generation).

You're right about that cocktail. Those oversized apartment boats fly the "Martini Burgee" all day (that's the pennant with the tilted martini glass on it).

The solution is:

EVERYBODY! -- GO BUY A BIGGER BOAT!

I believe you are stil responsible for your wake even if you are more than 150' away. The 150' only means that as long as you do not damage or endanger someone or something you are not required to reduce your speed.

Why would Moe, Larry & Curly enforce rules they themselves are guilty of breaking. I have encountered Marine Patrol several times breaking the 150' rule. I also encountered Fish & Game breaking rules. Last year I was approaching Fish & Game towing someone as I headed to Weirs along govenors Island shore, we were operating in opposite directions, seeing this I slowed down to 6mph about about 50 yards away & as he passed at 20mph leaving good wake he motions to me to slow down. I also witnessed Fish & Game operating on the no wake side of the Pavilion in Alton Bay at 3/4 throttle & a waterfront resident yelled at them. They did slow down.

Cowgirl the answer to your question and concerns are quite easily answered. Just buy a NEWER BIGGER boat! lol

In NH you have to be 16 years old to get boater certification. If you are driving a boat under this age you must be with a person over age 18 that has completed the course or it is considered illegal. The law changed a couple of years ago. After the age of 16 you can not drive the boat without certification, even with an adult who has been certified.

I stand by what I said.

The same people would do 55 MPH in the left lane and then wonder why they got rear ended.

You have to be aware of the hazards around you and remember that you generally cannot control them. The "I'm playing by the rules so I must be safe" attitude is nice but naive and generally dangerous. Those types of people will pass through life seeing themselves as victims when in fact they just lacked common sense.

You are right, Commodore, the lake is evolving. On weekends the best boating is early morning or evening. For small boats, there are many dangerous places to avoid, like the Broads on windy days, or narrow, busy channels like the Weirs.

To me, the issue isn't big boat vs. little boat. I've been in both and have had some great times. The issue is safety, and obeying boating laws. The lake should be for everyone, from kayakers to cruisers. There's not much that small boats can do about the wind, but on a calm sunny day, it's too bad a young family in a small boat can't risk going to Burger King.

As the traffic on the lake increases the size of the boat needs to increase as well. That is a sad scenario as boating should be fun for all. I used to go to the weirs in an 11' boat and never had to think about it. I have since taken a pontoon boat to the weirs at night and I felt less comfortable then when I took the 11'.

With a lake I think that the bigger the boat the more water pollution there is. Yes the two strokes cause a lot of pollution, but lets go back a few years when the lake seemed to be pure, say in the 60's, no such thing as a four stroke outboard, but count the outboards that were on the lake. I think with the evolution of the big boats on the lake the pollution has gotten much worse.

Uh.... well I got it. Its a MA certificate and the MP has stopped us several times and approved it

556ZP, If that was two summers ago(2002) , I saw and yelled too. What clueless morons.

Maybe there is a separate set of rules for out of staters. Just kidding.
Was there an adult with you when you were stopped and what did they stop you for?
We have never been stopped by the MP before. Just how by the book are they?
Good job of getting certified Sachems Cove Dude. Very conscientious of you.
RSG

What are you doing on the Lake that has required the Marine Patrol to stop you "several times"?

The MP has stopped you several times?? This is why I stay on the island on the weekends!!

.
"I stand by what I said".

It's OK to rear-end any slower car in the left lane? I hadn't heard of this new roadway entitlement.

Sure, you're entitled (for now) to own the biggest, baddest boat on the lake. According to at least one edition of the NH Boat Owners' Guide, it is you who is responsible for damages produced by your wakes -- and one's wakes can extend for miles.

It certainly works to your advantage that I can't recall a single incident when Larry, Moe, and Curly have risen to the occasion of damages caused by wakes -- even "pyramid-sized" wakes.

One can't deflect wake responsibility off onto lessers -- though appearing to "stand by your word" to do so.

Here's a new definition for Common Sense: "Viva YO!"

"Watch out for ME !"

I never said any violations were O.K. Sorry you misunderstood me. I said that people should be aware that others will not always follow the rules and with that in mind conduct themselves accordingly.

Even if all boats observed the 150 foot rule, the numerous wakes from the high volume of weekend boat traffic in the Weirs area would make it foolish to venture there with a fully loaded 17 foot boat. Knowing that others do not always follow the rules makes it even more dangerous.

While I will agree that those people feel they are a victim of other's failure to follow the rules in these situations(and they are)they are more a victim of their own lack of common sense.

Unfortunately, they will probably never see it that way.

Ya I know! They stop me because I am young. I wa never doing anything wrong. I just feel like saying "hey MP dude, I am younger, cooler :-P and eat less doughnuts than you. Now unless I'm doing something wrong, leave us alone."

He's 13.nuff said. ss

Am I the only one that wonders about this 13 yr old that, according to earlier posts, is out boat shopping and has supposedly signed papers for a new boat at Channel Marine? Somethings gettin' yanked here. So much for credibility.

No, your not the only one. He certainly should have addressed the questions asked of him. He is losing credibility.

I wouldn't respond. SS

while it is possible that this is a hoax, suppose a parent or grandparent left the kid some money and said here go buy yourself a boat. Perhaps that is not the way it goes, but its a possiblty. Never the less, I hope what ever this young man does he stays within the law and enjoys boating.

[wheels75]

what other state's "safe boating certificates" are accepted on the lake?

[Commodore]

Everyone born on or after 1-1-1973 needs a recognized boater education certificate to boat in NH this season. You also need one even if you were born before that if you supervise kids driving your boat. Next summer you'll need one if born on or after 1-1-1967.

This is not a license but a certificate. The State of NH accepts or recognizes certificates from many other states and from Power Squadron and Coast Guard Auxiliary. The state exams must be NASBLA certified and the PS and CGA exams must be administered by PS and CGA personnel. Not all NASBLA certified or other certificates are recognized by the State of NH (Like the Boat US course). Check with Marine Patrol about your particular certificate to see if NH accepts it (and get the NAME of the MP that cleared it). I'm expanding on the answers in the post from newcomer "The Commodore". Interesting name you have. Now I'll have to find a unique avatar so readers can distinguish between us. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, thank you

And it's already mentioned that there is a once in a lifetime temporary 14 day certificate for the tourist rent-a-thing (boat/jet ski)places. A short safety review. Rental places can help you get the temp certificate (and many can issue them on the spot).

You can find the NH On-Line boating safety course by clicking here:
Official NH Boating Course

Even in a 26 footer the multi-wake chop out between Eagle Island and the Weirs can be quite an experience on a busy weekend. Worse today than 10 years ago. It's also the reason I do not have an open bow boat. I expect waves to crash over my bow and sometimes splash the boat. I rarely get that between 8:00 and 10 AM and if I want a calm cruise on a weekend I go out then. It would make me nervous to have a boat that could not handle the water or waves or weather I expect to encounter while boating.