Fla. Council Weighs Requiring Kayak Safety Course

December 5, 2006

  • December 5, 2006 at 6:14 am
    SF says:
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    Of course there will be a fee; some portion of which will go to FWC for administering the process. What next, licensing the rubber ducky in your bath tub?

  • December 6, 2006 at 8:55 am
    Death Beast says:
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    They are trying to stop idiots who don\’t know how to properly kayak from getting killed.

    Yeah its an unwelcome foray into an area that may not really need the added intrusion, however they have to be seen taking action. Adding a safety course for all those that will get into a boat is an easy solution for them to take..one that will likely produce results.

    For these officials its either keep the status quo and the 20+ deaths a year or try to do something about it and try to reduce that number to 10 or less.

    Now if they were to make this optional for some and mandatory for others that would be helpful or optional for all then I think that it would not really be that much of an encumbrance. B/c not every person that gets into a boat knows what they are doing. This is the government\’s way of sending the message that they don\’t think that its in the best interests of the state residents to just carry on as they are. If the state is flexible on a solution to get the deaths down then I think something positive can happen. Simply forcing regulations down everyone\’s throat may not really be all that helpful.

  • December 7, 2006 at 2:26 am
    David Tagye says:
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    Improved safety, I\’m all for. Government giving in to power boaters financial influence, I\’m all against. A basic driver\’s license involves reading the manual, taking a driver\’s test with a qualified examiner, and passing a written test. Basic mean just that. The minimum information needed. I believe knowing the rules of the road, what markers mean, understanding tides, wind, and their effects on a boat powered only by the ability of the paddler is important. Each month Sea Kayaker magazine has an article about a boater or boaters that have gotten into trouble or died as a result of poor judgement or events that lead to disasterous events.
    If the \”government\” is going to mandate safety courses or testing for non-motorized vessels, then they should definately do it for the power boat operator. They\’re the ones that have a hard time seeing the small, slow kayaks. They can move out of our way, must easier and faster than we can move. We kayakers should caution to the power boats by staying close to shoreline when possible, and just like a motorcycle, always watch for the larger vehicle, for they may not be able to see us.

    Anytime a group is targeted for any restrictions, the dealers and manufacturers of that particular item will always be up in arms, for they believe it will effect sales. It seems to me if people truly want to partake in a certain event then they will do what\’s required. The result could only be increased knowledge. Experience and practice will dictate how they use that knowledge and perform accordingly.

  • December 9, 2006 at 11:26 am
    Leroy says:
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    What a LOAD of bureaucratic bull!!

    What\’s next? A bicycle license? A pedestrian license?

    It should be obvious that as a subset of the population, kayakers, canoists, and sailboaters are not your typical drunken thrill-seeking simpletons.

    They are individuals that enjoy communing with nature and getting some exercise at the same time. It should also be clear that anyone on a nonmotorized craft will INHERENTLY be much more aware and careful.

  • December 16, 2006 at 10:17 am
    Steve says:
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    The 81 deaths related to boats in 2005 were not related to Kayaks. Most of them if not all , involved boaters that were DUI . I personally own 2 Kayaks for my kids and me to use on local lakes and waterways in the state . We enjoy these kayaks to use for fishing and just plain pleasure. I feel that these laws should only be impossed on boaters of 10hp or more , you can\’t run over another boat or boater on a Kayak .



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