Politicians are getting crazy

[flkiter]

https://mynorthwest.com/2481117/kayak-paddleboard-bill-petition/amp/

Apparently some politician wants everyone on the water to go through a captains course.

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

What do you mean “getting“

[TallDude]

They tried a similar thing here in CA. Of course in was started by 'Boaters' aka 'Yachters ' who were pissed about them 'Human-powered low-life Paddlers' being in their way while motoring in the harbor. "They don't pay attention to the rules!"  

[clay]

What do you mean “getting“

That was my first thought as well.

Stuff like this feels scary, and here in CA it usually doesn't get very far as the back lash squashes it before becoming a law.

One of my buddies was playing on the beach with his wife and young kids on a 20ft day (no wetsuits or boards with them).  Another married couple came to the beach looking for mussells, they weren't paying attention and got swept into the surf, my buddy rescued the husband and the wife was to far out and already unconscious and drowned.  My buddy had his hands full with his kids and the husband was very lucky that he could get to him and be rescued.

It's been pumping here for the past month and I have heard several stories like this.  I suspect licensing would be pointless and useless.  I'd like to see more local efforts from surfers and waterpeople to welcome newbs and "kooks" into the water and show them how to be safe. 

[OkiWild]

I watched/read the public discussion on this. A lot of equipment manufacturers showed up, and very professionally explained why it was a really dumb idea. There were only two speakers in favor of it, and they were both representing the companies that would be making the money from the course.

Of interest in the talking points was that the course is really for powered vessels with more than 15hp, and they tried to add paddle craft to it, so if you throw a trolling motor in your kayak, no course required...

A link to one commenter: https://davidhablewitz.com/2021/01/20/testimony-opposing-hb-1018-on-boater-education/?fbclid=IwAR1z9nPz2P2wN44liyN7JWqvimnuGUsVfyIEiqfrRD6w8N79N5IH_oRZEEY

[Tom]

I don't think you need a licence or training certificate to operate any non-commercial boat in California. Only recently they required you can't be drinlking.

[Old School 213]

Let me start by saying I do not like politicians. The rest of what I was going to say sounded too much like an anti government rant. I'll just go back to cleaning my guns like to the voices said to.

[PonoBill]

If a politician isn't coming up with random unresearched, pointless, unenforcable, stupid laws then what are they there for? Cobblers cobble, surgeons surge, politicians dream up noisy stuff that gets them noticed.

[SUP Leave]

Pay no attention to the vaccine that can't get doled out efficiently, the tents and trash covering every piece of empty ground with less than a 10 degree slope, opiate addicts with no where to go, the kids falling through the cracks, and the hospitality sector withering away.

"My constituents (testing company buddies) want boating courses for paddlers, without boating courses there is anarchy!"