[Public-List] This may be a problem for long distance cruising

[Jim Davis]

This comes from postings on other boards, including Boat/US.  It in not that I object to boating education, my problem is with the implementation process.  If it is to be mandatory it should be to a common standard and recognized by all jurisdictions equally.   Just as a drivers license, or boat registration from one state is recognized by all states for transients.  

Read the attached link.  New Jersey is trying lead the way and become either: transient unfriendly, super safe or looking for a new cash source.   There are other states with education requirements, but they only require transients to comply with their home state's law.  This most likely will just be another hoop to jump through and another piece of paper to have on board.  To see how they intend to play it, we will probably have to wait until the Snowbird fleet begins its northern migration.  "Out of State" boats are too easy to spot.  The stickers and hailing ports give them away.  Sort of like in the good old days when GI's stationed in Dixie were warned to get rid of their "Yankee Plates" as they were "Cop Magnets".

My personal answer is that I'm going to take a Maryland course and put the card with the ship's papers.  It will probably become more important as other states will follow NJ's lead.

New Jersey State Police site  Look at Q2,
 http://www.njsp.org/maritime/faq.html

Jim Davis
S/V Isa Lei
CT 35

My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference. 
Harry S. Truman
 1233168697.0