Dave,
I'll second that, good advice. A power squadron class wouldn't hurt
either.
Paul

"DaveH" wrote in message
...


"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 10:28:42 -0400, Harry Krause

wrote:

some stuff cut out
Uh, before you attempt that sort of voyage, you probably ought to get a
few years of experience in boat handling in your local waters, and not
out of sight of land, at least not the first year.


I could not agree more. You really don't want to even start trying to
plan
a long trip till you and your crew know your boat inside and out, as well
as
the electronics, backup navigation methods, and how your boat handles
weather. Not to mention learning the rules of the road, and getting some
experience dealing with idiots who ignore them. Also, you will have a
better idea of how you and your crew enjoy spending the day on the water.
It's very easy to sit down and take your cruising speed, multiply by
however
many hours, and think you will really be able to maintain that. Probably
not realistic.

Dave

We have these ice fishermen on Lake Saint Clair that insist on going on the
ice when thin ice warnings are posted, invariable the Coast Guard has to
come out on rescue them when the ice they're fishing on breaks away from the
mainland and they're cast adrift. IMO they should be charged for the
expense for air lifting them out.
Paul

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Well, sometimes it's justified. In the case of hikers, I recall at least
two
news stories which mentioned that the searches had cost a couple of small
town police departments a few hundred grand for helicopter time, etc. In
both cases, the hikers were woefully unprepared and inexperienced, for the
terrain and weather they were trying to tackle. That's wrong.

"Keith" wrote in message
...
Yep. Your tax dollars are no longer enough... they'll charge you by the
hour
if they possibly can.

--


Keith
__
If you must pick between two evils, pick the one you've never tried
before.
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
I'm curious: The park service and other agencies say that if they have
to
rescue people incompetent backpackers who think their first practice
run
should be in January in North Dakota, they will charge them for the
expenses
incurred. Has anyone heard of the Coast Guard saying similar things?

Doug,
I'd have done it different, after the first time I'd have asked her not
to shine the light because it also blinded me. I'd have thanked her for her
effort and consideration for trying to help.
Paul

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
news
I believe it. I stayed at an Adirondacks resort this summer, and anytime I
came back to the dock after night fishing, one particular meat head would
come out to the dock to "help" me by shining one of those zillion
candlepower flashlights at my boat. Of course, by the time the beam goes
100', it's 10' wide AT LEAST, meaning it was shining right into my eyes.
After two nights of this, I politely yelled "turn off that f__king light,
please!" Would you believe she asked me why, after the boat was tied up?
And
this was a 65 year old woman with a boat of her own.

"DaveH" wrote in message
...
You should hear some of the incompotent nonsense that happens here on
the
Chesapeake. Recently I heard an exchange between a tow-boat operator,
and
some guy who'd piloted his boat up onto some rocks, about 2AM. The
tow-boat
guy told the boater to attach the tow-hook to the D-ring on his transom.
The boater asked for help locating his transom. Then the tow-dude told
Mr.
Stranded to shine his light where the tow-hook was attached to the boat.
Then, he said "Don't shine the light on me, shine it where the line is
attached to YOUR boat." I kid you not.

Getting some experience on local waters is a good idea. I live where
the Mohawk and Hudson rivers meet, so that won't be a problem. Plus I
can take the canal system right into NYC or Canada. Thanks for
the replay. I guess my next step is to contact the coast guard.



Harry Krause wrote in message ...
gmar wrote:

Hello all,

I was hoping that soneone could answer a question for me. In the near
future I will be in the market for a boat that I can take out onto the
ocean. my plan is to travel from NY to FL along the eastren us. I do
not have any experience driving a boat.

Uh, before you attempt that sort of voyage, you probably ought to get a
few years of experience in boat handling in your local waters, and not
out of sight of land, at least not the first year.

You also ought to take a USCG boating safety course and some more
advanced courses, too. For anything other than the initial course, I'd
look to the commercial schools.


That being said, I am looking for information on any license that may
be needed. I have been told that a open water pilot license is
required. Is this true ? If so how do I go about getting one. If
not is there someplace that offers training ?

No captain's license is necessary to drive your own pleasure boat down
the eastern seaboard, unless you are carrying passengers for hire. Some
states are now requiring you take and pass a simple boating course and
test, but that's not the same thing.


I would like to have a good idea of what I am doing before I make any
purchase.


You're not really going to learn how to pilot a boat safely in the ocean
if you don't have a boat to pilot. You can learn some in classes, but
without some years on the open ocean, you cannot learn to read it.

"Paul Schilter" paulschilter@comcast,dot,net wrote in message
...
Doug,
I'd have done it different, after the first time I'd have asked her
not
to shine the light because it also blinded me. I'd have thanked her for
her
effort and consideration for trying to help.
Paul

Not if you knew THIS lady. :-)

Now...for guys like you just described, could there be any reason in U.S.
law why it would be wrong to put them in pillories in a public place,
perhaps a mall entrance, and let children throw rotten tomatoes at them for
an afternoon? :-) For every time a kid under 12 hits them from a certain
distance, the dummies have to donate a buck to a worthwhile charity.

"Paul Schilter" paulschilter@comcast,dot,net wrote in message
news
We have these ice fishermen on Lake Saint Clair that insist on going on
the
ice when thin ice warnings are posted, invariable the Coast Guard has to
come out on rescue them when the ice they're fishing on breaks away from
the
mainland and they're cast adrift. IMO they should be charged for the
expense for air lifting them out.
Paul

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Well, sometimes it's justified. In the case of hikers, I recall at least
two
news stories which mentioned that the searches had cost a couple of
small
town police departments a few hundred grand for helicopter time, etc.
In
both cases, the hikers were woefully unprepared and inexperienced, for
the
terrain and weather they were trying to tackle. That's wrong.

"Keith" wrote in message
...
Yep. Your tax dollars are no longer enough... they'll charge you by
the
hour
if they possibly can.

--


Keith
__
If you must pick between two evils, pick the one you've never tried
before.
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
I'm curious: The park service and other agencies say that if they
have
to
rescue people incompetent backpackers who think their first practice
run
should be in January in North Dakota, they will charge them for the
expenses
incurred. Has anyone heard of the Coast Guard saying similar things?

When my family cruised up the Hudson from NY to (eventually) the Montreal
worlds fair in 1967, the river was full of "sticks", many the size of 50 yr
old Sycamores. I understand it hasn't changed much. You'll want to get the
family used to watching for them. They're the same color as the water and
they hide just beneath the surface. Big fun for propellors.

"gmar" wrote in message
om...
Getting some experience on local waters is a good idea. I live where
the Mohawk and Hudson rivers meet, so that won't be a problem. Plus I
can take the canal system right into NYC or Canada. Thanks for
the replay. I guess my next step is to contact the coast guard.

After two nights of this, I politely yelled "turn off that f__king light,
please!" Would you believe she asked me why, after the boat was tied up?
And
this was a 65 year old woman with a boat of her own.

#1 - Obviously the person was trying to help, but ignorant. No need to
swear.

#2 - Why wait for three nights, why not simply explain to her that the light
blinds you...on the first night. By not explaining you were
probably
leading her to believe it was helping.

#3 - The person is a woman and 65. Ok, maybe it shouldn't make a difference
but do you really need to yell obsenities at a 65 year old woman?

#4 - Yes, I can believe "she asked why." She was trying to help and was
unaware
that it wasn't helping. Stupid & uninformed, yes. But at least
she's asking
what the problem is so she can learn.

Sounds to me like you knew more but she had the right attitude AND was
willing to learn more.

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

After two nights of this, I politely yelled "turn off that f__king
light,
please!" Would you believe she asked me why, after the boat was tied up?
And
this was a 65 year old woman with a boat of her own.

#1 - Obviously the person was trying to help, but ignorant. No need to
swear.

She talks that way the moment she stumbled out of her cabin each morning!
When in Rome....


#2 - Why wait for three nights, why not simply explain to her that the
light
blinds you...on the first night. By not explaining you were
probably
leading her to believe it was helping.

I have limited patience for people doing obviously stupid things when they
should know better. I save ALL of that patience for my 14 yr old son,
because he's testosterone-crazed and doesn't know what's happening to him
and I love him. Everyone else gets the drill sergeant part of my
personality.


#3 - The person is a woman and 65. Ok, maybe it shouldn't make a
difference
but do you really need to yell obsenities at a 65 year old woman?

See #1. I'm not kidding. When we first went to this resort, we wouldn't let
my son near her until we talked to her about her language. Now, he's 14 and
it's hopeless anyway.

Subject: boat license question
From:

I have been told that a open water pilot license is
required. Is this true ?

No.

If so how do I go about getting one. If
not is there someplace that offers training ?

Start with the Coast Guard Aux. boating courses and then look into the Chapmans
School of Seamanship.
http://www.chapman.org/

Capt. Bill