Re: [Paddlewise] The risk of Cold water Immersion

From: <Hudpad_at_aol.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1999 20:03:09 EST
Okay, unpopular question of the day -- 

Why is requiring lincenses for various types of recreational boats in certain 
areas a bad idea?  

Maybe you wouldn't need paperwork to sit in your tube in a pool, but you 
would for the motor boat or kayak in which you're tooling around the New York 
Harbor.

For us paddle types, licenses could be pegged to BCU certification.  You 
needn't have a city bureaucrat test you; merely have a recognized, audited 
authority (New York Kayak Co., Manhattan Kayak Co., the Atlantic folks, etc.) 
vouch for you.

It's a pain, but it could sharply reduce this kind of problem.  I am among 
many moderately experienced frequent paddlers here who'd likely need to learn 
more to qualify -- not a horrible fate!

Remember, this would also reduce the number of spookily incompetent cigarette 
boaters and jetskiers we gamble our lives upon.

Feel free to knock this idea to hell.  I'm not attached to it, and I suspect 
it's nothing new.  But I wanted to understand the thinking around this issue.

Erik


***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************
Received on Wed Nov 03 1999 - 20:54:42 PST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:16 PDT