cheapest place/way to get boat operators licence?

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Smokey

however I hope it stops punks from renting watercraft I hope.

How is going to stop that? They don't need a boaters card to rent boats or PWC's. The rental shop just asks you a bunch of silly questions, checks them off and gets you to sign the bottom. Done Deal. They're now legal operate anything from a jetski to a cigarette boat!

[waterninja]

the fact that someone can rent you a boat if you don't have a license makes absoulutly no sense. if you get checked for your license just say you rented it from your buddy and he asked you some questions first.

thanks for the tip 4x4. think i'll get my daughter to do it for me as the price sounds right.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by waterninja

the fact that someone can rent you a boat if you don't have a license makes absoulutly no sense. if you get checked for your license just say you rented it from your buddy and he asked you some questions first.

No, you have to have the actual questionnaire on you, from a legitimate rental company.

[muzzy]

Calgary dave when you took the Boaters Exam you must have missed the page on wearing life jackets based on your picture

Gord

Originally Posted by Calgary Dave

Troller and Yéil...respectfully, I still don't think you understand what our complaint is about regading the whole boater safety thing. You keep saying "tough, deal with it....if you want to boat you should have one.." etc, etc.

What most are complaining about (including myself) is that it's NOT STRINGENT ENOUGH!! It's not really teaching anyone to be safe, responsible boaters.
When a kid can just sit there and answer 20 questions in under 3 minutes, and be then "certified" to blast around a huge lake with a 240 HP 20 foot ski boat...HOW is that system promoting safe boating?? He doesn't even need to take or pass the test. Just answer the questions from the rental shop. He's now a "certified boater"!
When I can walk into Bass Pro and just keep writing it until I pass...how does that teach me to be a responsible boater?! That is supposed to now enable me to buy some huge 60 foot yacht and I can run around Sylvan Lake on a long weekend and I will somehow know what I'm doing?!!

If the gov't really wants to promote safe boating...make it mandatory to have a boating license exactly like a vehicle. Age 16 and up. Pass a written test. Then you still can't be a sole driver until you pass a practical test! I would be all for that kind of system.
But when the gov't just wants $50 from every person on a inflatable dinghy with a $99 trolling motor, and the only requirement is a joke of a test...Then that, my friend, is an example of just a "tax grab".

Also....do we really need to have a boating license for THIS?:

[fish&fry04]

I agree with Calgary Dave. I couldn't believe we could go to any recreational lake like Osoyoos, Shuswap etc and rent a ski boat with a 10 min lesson; especially with how busy those lakes are.

Deaths continue to happen on those busy lakes due to careless operators.

It's like throwing 50 cars with unlicensed drivers into a giant parking lot and say "now, go fast but don't hit each other, have fun".

I have my operator's license, from boaterexam.com. I like having the info, but most of the info was around ocean harbour lanes etc; and commercial areas. that will not help much on those busy recreational lakes. IMO, recreational lakes will only benefit if there is much more policing, and maybe some new rules developed for recreational boating waters.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by muzzy

Calgary dave when you took the Boaters Exam you must have missed the page on wearing life jackets based on your picture

Gord

And you must have missed the regulation that states it's only required to HAVE a life jacket for every person on board, which I do. The life jackets are all new, and accounted for in the boat. That's not because of any law...I just carry life jackets and always have because I believe in them.

But here's the irony; I don't have my card yet. I don't need one without the electric motor on the back. But with it, I need one?! Seems silly, but ok. Until then, yeah I'm a monster on Wedge pond.

Even more absurd is the fact that I could be out sailing around Horseshoe Bay in this boat and not be required to have any boaters card at all. Where I`d be right in the middle of commercial MV shipping lanes, high powered pleasure crafts, commercial fishing boats.....yet me on Wedge pond will face a $250 fine without my card:

[Yéil]

Originally Posted by Calgary Dave

And you must have missed the regulation that states it's only required to HAVE a life jacket for every person on board, which I do. The life jackets are all new, and accounted for in the boat. That's not because of any law...I just carry life jackets and always have because I believe in them.

But here's the irony; I don't have my card yet. I don't need one without the electric motor on the back. But with it, I need one?! Seems silly, but ok. Until then, yeah I'm a monster on Wedge pond.

Even more absurd is the fact that I could be out sailing around Horseshoe Bay in this boat and not be required to have any boaters card at all. Where I`d be right in the middle of commercial MV shipping lanes, high powered pleasure crafts, commercial fishing boats.....yet me on Wedge pond will face a $250 fine without my card:

The Bolero does not have any engines or power assists and therefore does not require the operator's card. (the fact it's an American vessel is besides the point). Sailing in shipping lanes will require you to obey all navigational and CSA regs. If you are sailing in the middle of a shipping lane you are creating a hazard... everyone knows that vessel under 20m or manual/sail powered you are not supposed to be in a shipping lane. If you have to cross it you either cross it at 90 degees or stay clear of them. As a vessel that has no engine, you'd be given the right of way regardless of where you were sailing. You are also required to stay clear of commercial fishing vessel that have lines or nets out. But if you had your card, you'd know that...

On the PFD point, if you are boating with young children onboard, you owe it to yourself and them to wear a PFD. You can't help them if you can't stay alive because you are struggling to put yours on. Did you read how long it took to recover the body of the man who drowned because he wasn't wearing a jacket or PFD in Wabumun Lake.. two weeks.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Uhhh....your whole post is completely redundant and only reiterates my point.
-that engineless sailboat operator requires no boaters card (hence why I chose that particular boat to emphasize my point)
-therefore he could be completely clueless as to any marine regulations and still sailing around Horseshoe Bay creating havoc yet be completely "legal".
-my picture is of me and my 17 year old son floating around in 5 foot water, 10 feet from shore but since I obviously know nothing about boating safety, I'll be sure to keep your advice in mind and wear my PFD at all times from now on. (my dad worked 30 years on BC Ferries steering/operating those vessels and I spent countless days at his side. I just took the online pop quiz and got one wrong. I'm probably more boat savy than half the people who have their card. I've personally witnesses the card-carrying idiots who constantly cut in front of the ferries thinking they can stop on a dime, and no clue what the little red and green lights mean)

[bikerman]

Originally Posted by Tsimms

It is a big joke .. But none the less we have to do it .. Go to boaterexam.com and use the following coupon codes .. 15% off ENG85EK. Or 10% off EMSP8 try em out .. You can use the code before you actually pay to see if it works .. If they dont work let me know I can get you more codes to try. Now if only we could pay more taxes life would be even better

Yay! more taxes, right on! I think we need a licence for fly fishers so they don't snag anyone on the back cast.
Thx for the codes, I'll try them.

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

It's not a baloney or otherwise license. It is a license that enables you to drive a watercraft and know the safety rules that apply.

Did you try and pay least possible for your drivers license, or PAL if you have one?

Me thinks not. you can get the manual for free at any license issuer and take the test on line or at bass pro they always have someone set up there.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




calgary dave is making the most sense in this thread by a wide margin.





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[CeeZee]

I did mine yesterday and yeah it can be a cash grab but I learned an aweful lot i didnt know about all the signals and stuff, the safety part is fairly simple. All in all I did learn something, and seeing as i had more than one try, I did the exam without refering once back to the study guide and got 96%, i know it must teach something if I can score that well on a test!!
Here is a discount promo code to Boat Smart: CSB256

I did mine thru Boaterexam.com tho, got the promo code from Boat Smart with a reply email i sent to them, they replied to my email probably within 20 minutes or so.