Displeasure over boat licensing...

Adrian Saunders writes:
Shame on the Marine Board and Victorian Government for forcing on us on us yet another new grab for cash in the form of an unfair boat operators licence.
      To register your displeasure please take a look at http://boatlicense.wwwau.com where you will find links to other state licensing policies, message board, various letters and templates along with a partition.
      The partition is aimed at trailer sailer owners but we all belong in the same recreational boating community.
      Keep up the good work, Adrian.
(22 October 2001)

M. Smith replies:
It amazes me in this day and age that people who own boats (myself included) think they're being hard done by by having to pay for a licencing fee. Boat owners pay the lowest registration for their boats and trailers (a grand total of around $70 or so) and cars are $455+ - why are they complaining?
      Owning a boat is a privilege. People SHOULD be have to be licensed to drive one. Most other states already have this rule. Stop complaining, fork out the money and make our bays safer by hopefully weeding out the morons.
(28 November 2001)

Peter Jolly replies:
Reply to M.Smith on Licences.

While I agree with your comments in part about licensing, I do not agree that it will make the waters of Victoria any safer.

Licensing of car drivers do not make the roads any safer, you just have to look at the amount of people that get killed on the roads each year, and when obtaining a car licence we have to do a practical test on the road.

All that is needed to get your boat drivers licence is to read a book and sit a very basic test, no practical training at all on boat handling and navigation.

Most people do not have a problem with boat rego costs, the problem that most people have is this looks to be an easy way out for the government to make some easy money, if they were fair dinkum there would be a proper course such as the ones commercial operators need, perhaps a mini coxwains with a prac exam on the water to show that you actually know what the different markers and bouys mean in real life and you really do know what the red and green lights on your boat mean.

Education is what is needed, not revenue raising.
(30 November 2001)

Charles Baker replies:

I am amazed that people feel that it is inappropriate or too expensive. It is in fact appropriate to make sure people have a reasonable level of knowledge of the rules, but nonetheless too expensive. Why isn't it a once off fee to sit the test, after which it can be simply an endorsement of your driver's licence? Sadly, it is needed, however it is still a crass rip off to increase State revenue. Cheers.
(2 April 2002)

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