Interesting questions, Grant. I get your point re personal responsibility - with life jackets and boats etc - but it seems crazy to me that I was able to buy a boat and head out to sea with no 'driver's licence'. Given the weight and speed of most motorised boats, and the potential for injuring swimmers or people in other craft if you make a mistake or don't follow rules, I think it's odd that historically a licence system wasn't implemented by the powers that be. Whereas I presume road vehicle licencing has been around basically since cars hit the road?
I learned basics of boating while out in my dad's boat, and from reading a book with safety and rules of the sea in it. I also read the basic Coastguard info. I also got a lot of value out of Mike Rendle's book about boating - launching, dos and don'ts on the water etc.
'Driving' on the opposite of the road is probably the least understood seagoing rule, from what I've seen on the water.
I find myself constantly scanning left and right as I'm cruising along, and behind if I am say curving into a channel or slowing right down, to see if there's a vessel that could be a problem.
I have to say I'm often disappointed to see rules being flouted in boat company ads (5 knots within 50m of any other craft, and/or 5 kts within 200m of shore) when they take pics of several boats zooming alongside each other or line astern; and jetski fishos who film YouTube vids with mates doing the same thing - even a ludicrous Le Mans style jet ski fishing tournament start off a beach (breaching a couple of rules at the same time).
I'm sure in their own mind they're all safe skippers, with the skills to avoid a smash. Until something goes wrong...
Like the guys who ride those little fast cats in and out of the waves on Northland beaches over summer, no matter what swimmers or board riders might be around. "Take a chill pill, mate, we're just having fun".
I remember having a conversation with a woman at work who is right into water skiing. She openly admitted that her family and friends don't worry about the 5kts within 200m of shore rule if they need to find smooth water - because "it's a stupid rule, and we know how to do it safely". I walked away before I said something i'd regret.
Waiting for people like the above to take personal responsibility and respect rules that are there for a reason is like trying to hold back the tide.
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