House boating/boating liscence

[Akumaz]

is a "pleasure craft operator card" required for house boating?

from reading this
http://www.bchighway.com/regulations/boating-test.html
it seems like it is required

"As of Last Year - all boaters are required to have the Pleasure Craft Operator Card in order to operate a powered watercraft. There is no grandfather clause or age exemption – this law applies to all boaters. Powered watercraft includes watercraft fitted with any size motor — even an electric trolling motor."

but on the house boating site, it only ask for a driver liscense, and says this PCOC is recommended

input anyone?
thanks

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Akumaz
is a "pleasure craft operator card" required for house boating?

from reading this
http://www.bchighway.com/regulations/boating-test.html
it seems like it is required

"As of Last Year - all boaters are required to have the Pleasure Craft Operator Card in order to operate a powered watercraft. There is no grandfather clause or age exemption – this law applies to all boaters. Powered watercraft includes watercraft fitted with any size motor — even an electric trolling motor."

but on the house boating site, it only ask for a driver liscense, and says this PCOC is recommended

input anyone?
thanks

It is not required to rent.

[Cos]

.

[Akumaz]

the 2 response is kind of contradicting, it is renting, but we will still have to drive it

this is what it said on the houseboating site

Do we need experience to drive a houseboat?

We do require you to have a valid drivers license and our knowledgeable dock staff will instruct you on all aspects of your houseboat operation. We highly recommend that you obtain a Pleasure Craft Operator Card prior to your arrival. This is an easy course available online at:

Get Your Pleasure Craft Operating Card

[C_Dave45]

When you rent, the company goes over a questionnaire with you. You keep it with you and that qualifies as an operators card. Takes not even 5 minutes to go through the questions.

It's complete bullshit. I can get a $250 fine for riding in my inflatable boat with an electric motor without a boaters license, yet a kid can rent a $50,000 houseboat or power boat and cruise around a crowded lake with no boating experience at all, other than the "5 minute" renters questionnaire.

[JordanAndrew]

I've gone houseboating several times and not once did they ever ask us of any operator cards. I've been assigned captain and co-captain of the ships several times and it wasn't an issue.

My advice is to call the houseboating rental place and find out if this has ever changed.

[C_Dave45]

Some rental companies have it right on their site:

All rentals include Qualified Operational Instructions and a Temporary Boaters License valid for the duration of your rental.

Like I said...complete BS.

[Akumaz]

thanks guys, much appreciated
now just gotta wish for good weather over the long weekend =)

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Cos
yes, required to drive it.

Wrong.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Akumaz
thanks guys, much appreciated
now just gotta wish for good weather over the long weekend =)

Where you going boating?

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by GTS4tw


Wrong.

He's actually not "wrong". The driver is required "to have proof of competency on board at all times."

It just doesn't necessarily have to be the "Pleasure
Craft Operator Card ".


Proof of operator competency can take one of three forms:

- A Pleasure Craft Operator Card;
- Proof of having successfully completed a boating safety course in Canada prior to April 1, 1999; or,
- A completed rental-boat safety checklist.

[Akumaz]

i am going to Shuswap
i think it may rain on sunday n monday =S

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Akumaz
i am going to Shuswap
i think it may rain on sunday n monday =S

Its been raining here (peachland) on and off for the last few days but the rain is super light and warm. I was up in Barriere last week and it hit 35 on thursday. Even if it rains, the weather is insane right now. Shorts weather for the last 2 weeks.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by C_Dave45


He's actually not "wrong". The driver is required "to have proof of competency on board at all times."

It just doesn't necessarily have to be the "Pleasure
Craft Operator Card ".



WHich unfortunately takes all of 30 seconds at most of the rental places because they know how lax the rules regarding rentals are.

[Cooked Rice]

If you take a boat out you should really know the rules of the water. Too many tools out there not knowing what they are doing.

[adamc]

Go as fast as you can at all times (even in dead slow areas and no wake zones), throw your trash directly in the lake, drink heavily and horse around while the boat is in motion (push people in the water, etc).

Eat shit and die a painful death

Sincerely,
Disgruntled Okanagan resident

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by adamc
Go as fast as you can at all times (even in dead slow areas and no wake zones), throw your trash directly in the lake, drink heavily and horse around while the boat is in motion (push people in the water, etc).

Eat shit and die a painful death

Sincerely,
Disgruntled Okanagan resident

Don't forget to cut as close as possible to fishing boats and children swimming! Those "swim only" zones are just a suggestion.

[Cos]

.

[ExtraSlow]

Bump from the dead. Anyone have suggestions for the easiest and fastest way to get your pleasure craft operators card?

lots of websites. Seems like boaterexam is the biggest one. You have to spend 3 hours. if you are fast, they make you review the stuff for extra time until the three hours have elapsed apparently.

I'll be driving a boat maybe one day a year.

[mr2mike]

Not sure what site my buddies do theirs with but nothing says you can't have the learner's manual open while doing the exam.
There's a lot you won't ever need unless you get hard into sailing.
That being said, you run my leg over with the prop... :whipped:

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Bump from the dead. Anyone have suggestions for the easiest and fastest way to get your pleasure craft operators card?

lots of websites. Seems like boaterexam is the biggest one. You have to spend 3 hours. if you are fast, they make you review the stuff for extra time until the three hours have elapsed apparently.

I'll be driving a boat maybe one day a year.

Cdn tire parking lots here have them set up in tents all the time, seems to be the quickest way.

[Cos]

.

[ExtraSlow]

Just in case anyone is searching, I did a couple nights of studying, and then walked into the tent at crossiron and passed with no issues.
Got a handful of $10 off coupons too. PM me if you want the code.

[C_Dave45]

I defiantly refuse to get my boaters license. My old man worked 30 years for the BC Ferries. He navigated a 400 foot, 4500 ton vessel with over 1100 passengers in his care across the Straight of Georgia on a daily basis, and still technically does not "qualify" to operate an 8 foot rubber dinghy with a $75 dollar electric motor on Wedge pond. Yet some 19 year old can rent a 300 horsepower jet boat and scream around the Shuswap with nothing more than a 5 minute questionaire, and he's a "qualified" and "legal" boat operator??? Fuck that....nothing more than a stupid federal tax grab that contributes nothing whatsoever towards safe boating.

I'll continue to run my rubber dinghy without a boaters license and tell any CO what I think of this stupid boaters license scam.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by C_Dave45
I defiantly refuse to get my boaters license. My old man worked 30 years for the BC Ferries. He navigated a 400 foot, 4500 ton vessel with over 1100 passengers in his care across the Straight of Georgia on a daily basis, and still technically does not "qualify" to operate an 8 foot rubber dinghy with a $75 dollar electric motor on Wedge pond. Yet some 19 year old can rent a 300 horsepower jet boat and scream around the Shuswap with nothing more than a 5 minute questionaire, and he's a "qualified" and "legal" boat operator??? Fuck that....nothing more than a stupid federal tax grab that contributes nothing whatsoever towards safe boating.

I'll continue to run my rubber dinghy without a boaters license and tell any CO what I think of this stupid boaters license scam.

:werd: . Lived on Okanagan lake forever, now they tell me I need a license for my 8' with a 4hp, meanwhile tourists try to run me over daily with their rentals.

Cops don't give two shits about that argument though, and are out in force this year.

[ExtraSlow]

I partly agree with you. However, it's not five minutes, it's 50 questions, so even if you are fast, that's about 20 minutes, and I'm betting for a lot of people, probably closer to 40.

Anyway, for me, it's a moot point, the boats I want to drive are all borrowed from friends and family, and a condition of borrowing is the license, so I got it.

[Boat]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Just in case anyone is searching, I did a couple nights of studying, and then walked into the tent at crossiron and passed with no issues.
Got a handful of $10 off coupons too. PM me if you want the code.

This. So you can walk in, pay for the test, I believe you get a book, and you can challenge the test right there. It's the easiest way.

I used boater exam online. The required modules are mandatory and you can't skip them. It took me a good 2.5 hrs.


I'll also mention that the booth was in basspro. Not sure of that's changed.

[ExtraSlow]

Yeah, it's right at the front doors to basspro.
My Brother did it online and he said it took him three hours, going as fast as he could. Much easier and faster to drive to Balzac.

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
I partly agree with you. However, it's not five minutes, it's 50 questions, so even if you are fast, that's about 20 minutes, and I'm betting for a lot of people, probably closer to 40.

Anyway, for me, it's a moot point, the boats I want to drive are all borrowed from friends and family, and a condition of borrowing is the license, so I got it. I'm talking about the 5 minutes it takes when you RENT a boat. Whether it's a 12 Lund or a 19' Glasstron with a 350 inboard....they just go over about 10 different "questions", check them off for you, you sign it....and you're "good to go". You are now a "qualified" boat operator. It's ridiculous.

I would get one if I was doing any actual boating on a larger body of water. But for my 11' inflatable with an electric motor mounted on the back...I refuse to get a license.

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by Boat


This. So you can walk in, pay for the test, I believe you get a book, and you can challenge the test right there. It's the easiest way.

I used boater exam online. The required modules are mandatory and you can't skip them. It took me a good 2.5 hrs.


I'll also mention that the booth was in basspro. Not sure of that's changed.



Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Yeah, it's right at the front doors to basspro.
My Brother did it online and he said it took him three hours, going as fast as he could. Much easier and faster to drive to Balzac.

I did mine online through boater exam. Totally correct. You can not skip through the modules. Each page must be present for, I think, 2 mins before you can hit next.

What I did was just start the course with laptop on my coffee table, turn on TV, just clicked "next" whenever it enabled as I got a few episodes of Seinfeld in.

Test was easy. Nice thing about boater exam - they keep a username and password. So if you ever lose your card, you can just order a replacement. I lost my original. Getting it replaced was very quick and painless.