Pleasure Craft Operators License

[grainfedprairieboy]

A few years ago the Liberals decided to help some of their better party supporters by creating a national boaters license so these former fund raisers could form authorised distribution and testing centres and of course, suddenly criminalise all those folks who had been fishing in their little 14 foot dingies for the past half century.

These new "companies" then charged you 50 dollars to write a multiple choice test (as many times as it took to pass no extra charge) and you were issued with a paper license that had no ID number, picture, no registration with any government or cross referencing system and if you lose the so called license you must write the test again.

However, because the system was such a joke and obvious patronage reward, the Conservatives have promised to change the system sometime this fall doing away with the online testing and making the questions harder so if you have been neglecting getting your operator's permit, time is running out from when it is 50 bucks and a few clicks of the mouse to a 2 day hands on course and exam by certified tester costing hundreds.

[eyeball]

If you think Transport Canada is being tough on you sporties, compare the cost of your small vessel operator's certificate to the tens of thousands of dollars that is required of me to operate commercial vessels. Don't get me started on how lax the government is on non-commercial fishermen. In addition to all the official catch logs and forms and tags and what have you, they also have to fish with a camera and 'black box' recording everything they do. This auditing and verification costs fishermen many additional thousands of dollars which comes right off the top.

As far as I know sporties can still grab as many fishing licences and tags off the Internet just like their safe operating certificates. Accounting for what's actually caught or discarded is meaningless without verification.

As for the state of affairs you describe being the fault of the Liberals, I can attest to over thirty-five years or so of mismanagement at the hands of both Tories and Liberals when it comes to both operating boats and fishing. The politicians never really have had a clue what's going on as near as I can tell.

[scribblet]

Thanks for the info. I've been putting it off for 5 years, wish I hadn't, will have to get on it, but it's just another Ontario tax grab. I can seeing needing a license and training for larger boats, say 35 HP and over.

[guyser]

A few years ago the Liberals decided to help some of their better party supporters by creating a national boaters license so these former fund raisers could form authorised distribution and testing centres and of course, suddenly criminalise all those folks who had been fishing in their little 14 foot dingies for the past half century.

April 1 1999....not a few years ago. Most drivers were grandfathered thus not sure where the graft comes into play.

and if you lose the so called license you must write the test again.

Nope, just call the place where you took the test, they will send you a new one.

...online testing and making the questions harder so if you have been neglecting getting your operator's permit, time is running out from when it is 50 bucks and a few clicks of the mouse to a 2 day hands on course and exam by certified tester costing hundreds.

Supposed to go to 290 points of reference from the current 145 points to know.

Yes it has been a silly requirement. I can't operate my boat without one, but I could go rent one and/or a personal watercraft without one right now. All legal.

Simple cash grab.

[eyeball]

Simple cash grab.

It's a little more complex than that but I do think there is some truth to what you say. There seems to be nice little industrial-complex that's developed amongst the community of examiners, instructors and regulators etc that are associated with boating safety. I dread the day should Work Safe BC ever decide to force their requirements into the matrix of regulations that surround commercial boats.

That said...paddling around a lake is one thing but I've seen plenty of resources time and effort wasted on rescuing inexperienced people who throw their ill-equipped boats into the North Pacific Ocean hereabouts. Given the risk to rescuer's lives and the cost associated with search and rescue I think it's reasonable to expect people can prove they are capable of navigating safely and meeting their own basic emergency needs before they head out to sea. My above-mentioned comments regarding the safety industrial-complex notwithstanding, I do think every single vessel operator, even the grandfathers, should have to pass not just a written test but also an oral exam given by a Transport Canada certified examiner.

In my case my certificates are limited to the area I operate in. If I work somewhere else I have to be re-certified for that area. I wouldn't expect every pleasure boater to be re-certified every time they go on a vacation to a new area but at minimum there should be some basic yet meaningful proof of competency before they go anywhere and especially out on the ocean. The importance of local knowledge and an awareness of conditions and how quickly they can often change really is an under-appreciated factor. A shift in the tide and a ten knot wind can turn a flat calm ocean into a maelstrom relative to a little 14' car-top with a 20 horse outboard.

There still seems to be a real lack of awareness of the Collision Regulations. In particular is the persistent notion some people seem to have that because they're fishing they automatically have the right the way. This is particularly aggravating in situations covered in Part B. Section 1. Rule's 9c and 9d of the Collision Regulations.

c. A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway.

d. A vessel shall not cross a narrow channel or fairway if such crossing impedes the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within such channel or fairway. The latter vessel may use the sound signal prescribed in Rule 34(d) if in doubt as to the intention of the crossing vessel.

Thankfully I have a REALLY loud horn.

[bill_barilko]

As far as I know sporties can still grab as many fishing licences and tags off the Internet just like their safe operating certificates. Accounting for what's actually caught or discarded is meaningless without verification.

That is in no way the truth-try it and see.

Since I have Power Squadron I don't need the boating certificate since all that's required is proof of competency.

Also-anyone who paid $50 is a sucker-prices much better than that can be found in many places.

[eyeball]

That is in no way the truth-try it and see.

Take your BOATsmart! Exam online - Free Retries included

Online Boating Course included

Print a Temporary Boating License immediately

Your Boating License is good for life

BOATsmart! Customer Care open 9AM - Midnight EST

http://www.boatsmartexam.com/en/?gclid=COfzztu43aQCFQYHbAodTVM7Lg

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is pleased to offer the Recreational Licensing System, an online application for the B.C. tidal waters sport fishing licence service. This licensing service meets stringent Government of Canada privacy legislation requirements.

This online licence service is user friendly: fill out the secured online form, pay the required fee, print your licence, and you are ready to go fishing. Click on the link below to get started:

Recreational Fishing Licence System

This sure seems loosey goosey compared to what commercial fishermen have to go through. You guys have it way to easy to be crying as hard as you do. Given the number of folks I see heading out to sea in camo gear I suspect this whining naturally carries on through into hunting season. It's easy to see why the gun registry is perceived to be such an enormous burden.

Cry me a river.

[eyeball]

Print a Temporary Boating License immediately

This should come with a Darwin Award Committee stamp of approval.

[dre]

Transportation at see was just inevitably the next place for the government to crack down on freedom of movement.

We are one terrorist attack by a small vessel on a cruise ship, from having the file the same sort trip plan that aircraft have to file (flight plans).

I mean... An average person could launch his boat for a picnic on the lake!!! Clearly the government just couldnt stand it...

And of course... the incredibly ironic thing is that the "law and order" folks are screaming for more police to crack down on whatever crimes theyre emotionalizing over this week... but 80% of the cops we already have are pulling over people to make sure they havent had ONE GLASS of wine with dinner, or parked by the boatlaunch to make sure people have their Pleasure Craft Operators license. Its a bizzaro world.