Divers hit by speeding boat off Hollywood Beach

[MurkyRockDiver]

Here in Canada everyone has to have a Pleasure Craft Licence by Sept this year. Just makes sense but alot to late for some.

 

[NJ to FLA]

They are grandfathering in boating safety, if you were born after a certain date you have to go through a boating safety course, if you are under a certain age you have to go through a boating safety course. Those affected aren't a mojor voting force, so the legislature doesn't have to worry.


327.395 Boating safety identification cards.--

437 (1) A person born on or after January 1, 1988, 21 years of
438 age or younger may not operate a vessel powered by a motor of 10
439 horsepower or greater unless such person has in his or her
440 possession aboard the vessel photographic identification and a
441 boater safety identification card issued by the commission which
442 shows that he or she has:

That's me! I was born in April haha. I do have a New Jersey Boater's license but looks like I'll be taking the online Florida Boating Safety Course and Exam - Official Boating License and Boater Safety Course? I guess I'll take it now lol

I have a NJ Boater License and it says that NJ and Florida are both recognized by the US Coast Guard. Do you think the FWC would accept this or should I just take the online one and be done with it?

 

[DebbyDiver]

Divers hit by speeding boat off Hollywood Beach - Breaking News - MiamiHerald.com

Horrific. How many people ask YOU if you are scared of sharks? Nope...I'm afraid of the boats.

 

[djtimmy77]

He probably fled out into the ocean so his blood alcohol level reduces before he goes into shore.

 

[ctx120]

That is the one of the biggest frights we have when diving off a beach .Boaters just don't care.Saturday we had a few close encounters while swimming to the mooring balls in Pompano Bch boats were coming to close to a group of us we were eight with 3 dive flags .

 

[DandyDon]

Here in Canada everyone has to have a Pleasure Craft Licence by Sept this year. Just makes sense but alot to late for some.

Actually the current age for boating license is 21.

Do those licenses happen to require knowledge about the Diver Down flag?

What about out of state tourists?

And jet skis?

 

[Salmonboy97]

''At this point, all we want to do is talk to this guy and find out what happened,'' Pino said. Maybe he has an explanation for what happened.''

How can you explain this incident? Oh yeah he could use the doctor's excuse........."spun a prop".

Public execution would end these "accidents"! J/K

 

[Jeff Toorish]

First of all, I'm happy to learn the two snorkelers (not divers as I read this story) are okay.

Secondly, clearly the boater was at fault (again based on the written report) and hopefully his 'karma' is going to change very soon.

I know this next part may not be particularly popular in this thread, but I think divers should be very cautious in calling for some sort of boating license. I'm concerned with any mandatory requirements. We don't want states to start requiring licenses for diving, especially if some state legislator decided that could be a revenue source.

This is not far fetched, especially in places like Florida. If I were a lobbyist for the boating industry and some lawmaker started making noises about mandatory boating laws because of accidents involving scuba divers; I would call for mandatory licensing of divers, with yearly renewals.

As divers, we believe in continuing education. A call for educating boaters about divers and diver down flags makes more sense than calls for boating licenses. (I realize there was a diver flag awareness week shortly before this accident, but one week is not enough to educate boaters about dive flags.)

In at least one state there is a law requiring every diver in a group to display his or her own flag, so clearly there is a danger of legislation working against us. We want to avoid that happening any further.

One place to start would be to provide boat shops with a handout, post card size, to give to boaters explaining the diver down and alpha flags. This would not be a huge effort and many dive clubs could provide the cards, say a couple thousand each year.

My point is to always be careful around swords that can cut both ways.

Jeff

 

[Rick Murchison]

Why not just make it a law to not be stupid and injure or kill yourself?
- or -
perhaps we already have plenty of laws. Indeed, we need to junk about 80% of the ones already out there and enforce what's left.
Better yet, instill respect and kindness in society and junk 99% of 'em.
Rick (for freedom)

I was thinking more about the rental tourists than boat owners. Good boating safety regulations and requirements would decrease boat rentals and indirectly decrease tourism income in many related businesses. Sure it should be required, or boat and jet ski operators alike, but how likely...?

Glad this father and son were not seriously injured. Saw where a father and son went fishing in a canoe in Florida this weekend, overturned, dad drowned. You don't have any requirements for PFDs to be worn either do you? I don't think Texas is better in either regard. At least we have seat belt laws.

 

[DennisS]

They had the story on the news this morning, seems the driver apologised before he left.