Boater Safety Class Required for ALL NY State Operators regardless of age. Class being offered.

[Morgan-E]

NY State requirements are that all boaters who do not hold a Captain's License regardless of age must hold a boater safety card beginning in 2025.  These classes can be found online and in person.  Out of state residents are not required to have the boater safety class in order to operate a vessel on NYS waters (another topic for discussion, but not the intent of this thread).  Winter is a good time to get this out of the way.  

For anyone interested in an in-person class:

There is a boating safety class being held at the Lake Forest Sportsmen’s Club on January 18^th.  The course is now required for every New York State resident to operate a vessel regardless of age.  It is going to be held from 8AM – 5PM and is $25 with a light lunch provided.  This is on a first come first serve basis and has limited class size.  Give Tom Lott a call at 315-657-3437 to reserve your spot.

There are others as well, and can be found with a little searching.  Just a friendly reminder for those who still need to get this done.

 

Phil

[sszoldra]

I live out of state, in Ga., which has a boater safety course for a LICENSE for people after a certain birth date, but I have  a Ct. Boater Safety card from when I lived there. It's been a requirement in Ct. for the last 30 years or better. So your comment about out of state residents irked me a bit. It seems NY is a bit late to join the party, and the intent is maybe non residents don't need a NYS safety card because most other states already require them.

[Morgan-E]

It was not meant to "irk" or bend the feelings of anyone,  just clarifying that those coming from out of state do not need to take it. so that they do not panic over the NYS law.   Some people who looked at the law and the discussions have noted in conversations that the state is not requiring out of state residents to have a safety course to protect tourism and $ for the state (again, not a debate that this thread was meant to start).

 

Phil

[thumbburn]

I live out of state then…😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Andre wallyandre]

It is require in Quebec also for many years and not required for the non-resident.

[UNREEL]

I was told that NYS residents renting a boat do not need the safety course. IMO that’s the boater who needs it the most being unfamiliar with boating rules. Maybe the tourism angle again

[rolmops]

9 hours ago, UNREEL said:

I was told that NYS residents renting a boat do not need the safety course. IMO that’s the boater who needs it the most being unfamiliar with boating rules. Maybe the tourism angle again

That is true and very true. 

[HB2]

So am I to believe if I don't have this card if I go boating in NYS waters tomorrow that I am not in compliance and subject to a ticket ? 

[rolmops]

Yes. It is like any other law.

On the other hand, there probably is not enough manpower to enforce this law. But if you get into some accident and you don't have the license it would be very easy to throw the book at you.

Still, I do not see how a NYS resident can be fined for braking this law because he is a boat owner while if he rented a boat he would not have broken the law and if an out of stater or renter is not held to the same standard then this law will stand a snowball's chance in hell in any court of law.

BUT... It is winter now and there is not much boating  going on. So why not sign up for an online course ( Boat USA has them) and spend some time thinking and studying boat safety, if only to confirm that everything you know already is really the right thing.

 

[lost a lure]

3 hours ago, HB2 said:

So am I to believe if I don't have this card if I go boating in NYS waters tomorrow that I am not in compliance and subject to a ticket ? 

Only if you get caught!

[HB2]

Yeah , really don't think the course would benefit me in any significant ways reason being as I've been an avid boat owner for almost 50 years.

 

But if I don't have the certificate and something happened , maybe insurance would be less likely to cover the loss as they would have a reason not to . And agreed Rolmops, why take a chance . 

[Sk8man]

1 hour ago, HB2 said:

Yeah , really don't think the course would benefit me in any significant ways reason being as I've been an avid boat owner for almost 50 years.

 

But if I don't have the certificate and something happened , maybe insurance would be less likely to cover the loss as they would have a reason not to . And agreed Rolmops, why take a chance . 

exactly it.

[Misty IV]

I'm from PA and have had the USCG safety course card for a long, long time. When my daughter came of age and wanted to drive the boat, I took her to take the class. I actually sat in on the 3-week class with her just to get refreshed on any updates to the course. I inquired if the PA license is recognized in NY and was told "no". The flotilla leader said the only one they offer which is recognized by NY is the NJ class. So, I signed both of us up for the NJ class, which was 2 evenings.

 

Along the shoreline at our house on Lake Ontario, we have some neighbors up the beach from us, also from out of state, that have Wave Runners and boats. It's quite apparent they have had NO training whatsoever. They speed by the shoreline within 50 yards of shore, showing off, and driving with no obvious knowledge of the rules of navigation. One WaveRunner almost hit a paddle boarder last year. Single seat Wave Runners pulling 3 kids on a tube. I just shake my head. Where is your spotter, where is the seating for all (3) kids? These people do the same thing when pulling kids on tubes from the boat. Just the driver of the boat, no spotter. Last year, same said boat, lost a kid while going over a wave and kept going, had no idea a kid got bounced off. Took a good 30 seconds for them to realize their kid was missing. They bring their boats in right along the shore, rather than staying offshore and then turning in once in front of their property. They've had the sheriff and Coast Guard called on them many times from multiple residents, but nobody comes out. 

 

I agree there isn't enough manpower to enforce the law, but something has to be done about the reckless and enforcing the new law. Maybe having the sheriff's sit at boat launches and checking for their boating class card. No card, no launching the vessel. 

 

I agree it's about time the course was required. Just hope it gets enforced before someone gets hurt, or worse.

[Sundaze]

Just completed the online Boat Us one yesterday.  Recouping from some surgery and figured it was a  good time to get it out of the way.  Been boating for 40 years but did learn a thing or two. Nice thing with the on line course  is you can start and stop when you want.

I was about to tell my brother in law he neeeded to take it but he lives in PA  so  looks like he is off the hook. 

[LazyRiver585]

I hold a boater safety card from when I was probably 12. Does anyone know if that grandfathers me in? Would this meet requirements? It held when they redid laws for personal watercraft years ago

[lost a lure]

I believe that is acceptable. I took the course before the pwc thing.

[lost a lure]

2 hours ago, HB2 said:

Yeah , really don't think the course would benefit me in any significant ways reason being as I've been an avid boat owner for almost 50 years.

 

But if I don't have the certificate and something happened , maybe insurance would be less likely to cover the loss as they would have a reason not to . And agreed Rolmops, why take a chance . 

Just because we have been doing something for a long time doesn't mean we do everything correct. We all do something wrong. Take it online and have fun

[UNREEL]

Once you complete the course you can have the anchor symbol put on your NYS drivers license to show you passed the course. A minimal fee I believe. One less document to misplace 

[rolmops]

1 hour ago, LazyRiver585 said:

I hold a boater safety card from when I was probably 12. Does anyone know if that grandfathers me in? Would this meet requirements? It held when they redid laws for personal watercraft years ago

I did mine in 2014 and I took the certificate to the DMV about 2 months ago. They accepted it and upon my request for $12 they added it to my drivers license. So now I have a boat anchor on my drivers license, which for me is great because a have a tendency to crumple things up or just plain loose them.

[LazyRiver585]

I got mine back in the early 90s in Livingston county. Might be tough finding the paperwork

[Jimmyi]

Maybe some people, including those that have boating for years will learn proper ramp etiquette.  Like untying their their boat straps and loading and all their equipment from their vehicle into the boat in the parking lot prior to launching. Don't you love it when people decide to sit on the ramp for fifteen minutes and load their equipment into their boats or when you are waiting in the water along with five other boats waiting to come in while someone is transferring their equipment back into their vehicle instead of pulling ahead and let other boaters pull in to the ramp.  Some people don't think or they just don't care.   

[greenboatluke]

13 hours ago, LazyRiver585 said:

I got mine back in the early 90s in Livingston county. Might be tough finding the paperwork

Depends on when you were born, I got mine when I was 12 too. I believe the cut off is 1978 (no idea why) and after. I was born in 79 and they sent me a new card. My brother was born in 76 and he had to retake. 

Edited Monday at 12:40 PM by greenboatluke

[LazyRiver585]

Born in 83 so 🤞🏼making phone calls today

[Pete Collin]

So I take it that the course is one-and-done, rather than like CPR classes that have to be re-upped every 3 years?  I took the course back in 2009 and damn if I can find the certificate.

[rolmops]

6 minutes ago, Pete Collin said:

So I take it that the course is one-and-done, rather than like CPR classes that have to be re-upped every 3 years?  I took the course back in 2009 and damn if I can find the certificate.

It would seem that way. But as water vehicles change and water traffic signs change, there may be refresher courses to get up to date on the latest changes. As an example I would say that personal water vehicles were unheard of 60 years ago and now there is a slew of rules because of them. Now there are new water vehicles like motorized surf boards that zoom along at high speed and before too long there will be rules about those as well.

As for having lost your certificate. If you remember through which organization you took the course they should have it on file and you can request a replica.