Posted by Adam Quinan on June 01, 2003 at 02:09:48 from 66.185.85.76 user Adam.
In Reply to: Re: Operator Certification (was Boat Safety Certificate) posted by Jonathan Labaree on June 01, 2003 at -1:01:33:
I carry in my wallet two boat operator certificates (actually they are plastic and credit card sized). One is from the Federal appointed disaster called the Toronto Port Authority which seems to believe its mandate is to destroy all recreational and pleasure boating by sail or power in the Toronto area. It allows me to operate a motor powered vessel within the Toronto Port boundaries and I obtained it by passing a simple test, written and practical, in the days when it was adminstered not by the bureaucrats but by the Toronto Police Marine Division. It costs me $15 a year.
The other is issued by the Canadian Yachting Association under license from the Canadian Coastguard and is gradually becoming compulsory across Canada at least for Canadian residents, it is being phased in with older people exempt but that exempt age getting higher annually. It lasts for life as far as I can tell, or at least until everyone has one and they realise that the revenue stream has dropped off. I obtained that one not by passing the new test which is only written as far as I know, but because I had already passed the Toronto Port test.