Boater exam a joke...

[tb4me]

http://news.sympatico.cbc.ca/Local/ON/ContentPosting?feedname=CBC_LOCALNEWS&date=true&newsitemid=to-boat-operators-card

 

 

This summer marks the first full boating season that all Canadian motorboat drivers must have a proof of competency card, but a CBC investigation has found widespread cheating and fraud around the testing.

 

Are they suprised?

[TC1OZ]

[limeyangler]

DITTO

[DRIFTER_016]

Dang!!!!

You mean I could have gotten my card by cheating?

And I went and did it the hard way by spending 5 minutes flipping through the book!!!!

[bassfighter]

I spoke to quite a few people that took the test at bass pro shop or at other more costly way of taking the test on the spot, it seemed the questionares offered by these site were way easier than what was offered on line.

 

I studied and prepared for my on line test, paid roughly $25 or $29 with some promotion offered last year taking the on-line test. It was not as easy as I thought and have to fill in some blanks at 2-3 questionares, while those who paid more (even as high as $65) who took the test on the spot, said it was so easy, only multiple choice questionares.

 

I knew someone whose grown up son became a moderator and took the test twice ,one on his father's behalf, but I am not a Rat!

 

I do believe some cheated for sure, like our Auto Emmision testing program, the program has gouge so many unhappy customer from making uncessesary $400 repair, where a vehicle can be made to pass or made to fail. Of course , there are always good honest garage and mechanics out there, just have to find them.

[Lunatic]

what about people who are renting boats? do they need to have the license?

i remember talks about it in the past but not sure if renters need one or not.

[wankerjohn123]

what about people who are renting boats? do they need to have the license?

i remember talks about it in the past but not sure if renters need one or not.

 

YES YOU DO!

 

 

 

[Lunatic]

YES YOU DO!

ok NOW im pissed.

[cheaptackle]

what about people who are renting boats? do they need to have the license?

i remember talks about it in the past but not sure if renters need one or not.

 

Nope - they don't! There is a checklist they must go through and they have to carry the rental agreement with them. No rental agreement means they aren't checked out, so the gov is raking in all the "cash" rentals now by forcing the paperwork to be done.

 

I took mine at bass pro 2 weeks ago, $85.00 for the course and the test. 6.5 minutes to answer 36 multiple choice questions (I got 35 right!). Don't feel any smarter but I'm now carrying a card that certifies I can do what I've been doing since about age 6 (that would be 44 years of experience!). Bought a 2 pack of rodholders while I was there (16.99) then got the heck out (restraint!)

Don't know about the online personally but someone was telling me that only one applicant can be done per computer, they track the ISP. Can't see that being true myself.

 

Michael

[tb4me]

Just ot be clear..I didnt cheat.. i actually failed the first time..Thought I could just slide thru it..I passed the 2nd time and its harder than most would think. Its no wonder folks cheat.

[hogman3006]

Just ot be clear..I didnt cheat.. i actually failed the first time..Thought I could just slide thru it..I passed the 2nd time and its harder than most would think. Its no wonder folks cheat.

 

I personally think that it is nothing more than a cash grab. If they were really serious about safety on the water, they would require some type of license that actually meant something. Perhaps a two day course on how to read charts, recognize markers, dock a boat without smashing into the dock. Maybe some etiquette for some of the PWC riders out there in regards to safe and respectable distance from recreational pontoon boats, kids swimming and fishermen. I would have no issue paying for a course that might teach me something, instead of dealing with unskilled and reckless boaters that have no clue they are such. And maybe, just maybe, they should add a small blurb about boat launch protocol, so everyone could get out there asap.

[TC1OZ]

Don't know about the online personally but someone was telling me that only one applicant can be done per computer, they track the ISP. Can't see that being true myself.

 

I'm not whistling because I cheated, the test is common sense... or at least I thought it was. Its just a big joke as the article states.

 

As for multiple tests being done on one computer... definitely you can. I mean what if one person was the witness for several peoples tests and they all did it at his house/computer...

 

But honestly some of the online tests are such a joke, one of the more popular websites gave me and my wifes licenses for free because of their own carelessness.

 

I love when people who have no idea about the internet open an internet business!

 

 

As for my in laws, they got the test done at the boat show... and the guy administering the test gave out answers.... not only that... but if you fail you can keep trying with no waiting period... what kind of licensing system is that? make it match a drivers license at least, you can't just keep trying for those!

[lew]

I took my test at the Sportsman Show when they were 1st introduced about 10 years ago. I didn't need it but figured what the heck, it was only $20 so let's giterdone.

 

As I've always understood it though, with the fact that there's no central registry system to keep track of things, if the company that gave me the test no longer exists and I happen to lose my license, there's no proof anywhere that I ever had it and I'd be forced to take the test over again and pay whatever the current fee is.

 

Over the course of a lifetime I'm sure I'd lose it somewhere so I had a bunch of color photocopies printed up, then had them all laminated. I carry one in a waterproof bag in the boat with the rest of my required documents (which never leaves the boat) one in my wallet and another copy in each of my tackle boxes.

 

I personally think this entire thing is nothing but a sham and a waste of $$$$ and does very little to ensure boat operators know anymore about boating saftey than they did before writing the test.

[TC1OZ]

As I've always understood it though, with the fact that there's no central registry system to keep track of things, if the company that gave me the test no longer exists and I happen to lose my license, there's no proof anywhere that I ever had it and I'd be forced to take the test over again and pay whatever the current fee is.

 

I personally think this entire thing is nothing but a sham and a waste of $$$$ and does very little to ensure boat operators know anymore about boating saftey than they did before writing the test.

 

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

[bare foot wader]

.As I've always understood it though, with the fact that there's no central registry system to keep track of things, if the company that gave me the test no longer exists and I happen to lose my license, there's no proof anywhere that I ever had it and I'd be forced to take the test over again and pay whatever the current fee is.

 

 

while I have also heard there is no central registry system it's quick and easy to get a replacement card, you can do it online at their website...but it will cost 20 bucks...def a cash grab

[irishfield]

Hell.. it's free to register your boat to an Ontario number/ company name and give anyone using it a rental agreement..

[Tdel]

I took the exam and found it fairly easy too. People should be careful about what they wish for because you never will get exactly what you want. The government has a track history of going from one extreme to another.

 

How many people from here will start squealing like a stuffed pig if they have to spend $500 or more for the training and then do a test which 85% of the public fails all because it was too easy before.

 

Tom

[Billy Bob]

I took the exam and found it fairly easy too. People should be careful about what they wish for because you never will get exactly what you want. The government has a track history of going from one extreme to another.

 

How many people from here will start squealing like a stuffed pig if they have to spend $500 or more for the training and then do a test which 85% of the public fails all because it was too easy before.

 

Tom

 

Eh, I don't think so....your government and mine lately only have on thing in mind...MONEY ! ! !

 

A editorial from a columnist I really don't care for from the Buffalo News finally made some sense the other day.....He said and I'm par a phrasing this..."If the University of Buffalo and other NYS colleges spend over 1 million dollars lobbing Albany to get them to listen to them what chance do we have of Albany listening to us"... That paragraph really hit home here...........:<(

[Handlebarz]

I also did mine in 2000 or 2001 when it first came out the girls at the coast guard booth talked me into it she said it was free to write and $20 if I passed I went in and only had 1 or 2 things wrong and I think they were about sail boats. the wife did hers online and had to have a friend come over to witness it and she also passed no cheating she is very boat smart and every summer some one is shocked when we are camping and they wonder where the wife is and I tell them she took the boat to go fishing on her own.

[Weeds]

I cheated. Can't say I'm proud of it but niether am I particularly ashamed; which is kind of funny because I despise cheating and never do it. Did it last year because I thought you had to have it back then.

 

Neat. I could get use to this cheating thing. Just moved myself from 300 to 500 posts....

Edited May 22, 2010 by Weeds

[Lunatic]

I cheated. Can't say I'm proud of it but niether am I particularly ashamed; which is kind of funny because I despise cheating and never do it. Did it last year because I thought you had to have it back then.

 

Neat. I could get use to this cheating thing. Just moved myself from 300 to 500 posts....

i wouldnt feel too bad cheating the goverment, i know they dont feel bad when they cheat you over and over and over again.

[fish_fishburn]

I wrote mine about 10 years ago after I could not get an answer from anyone suppose to be in the know, if you need a boaters card even if you have a capt's licence. Lets just say I'm glad they don't hand out cap't licences like they do these boaters cards. I had to have a medical, eye exam, and pay a guy to come from Montreal to administer the exam and do a on water practical exam as well aboard the 55 foot boat I would be running at the time.

[oldphart]

~~~~like some of you guys I also took mine when they first started this, and it so happens, I lost my wallet, tried to get a replacement, and found the Co. that ran the testing at the Sportsman show was based in Vancover, Cost me $20 to take the test, and they want $35 to replace it, Somebody making money.

[Billy Bob]

It's just like the 1996 "Jerry Maguire" movie...SHOW ME THE MONEY

[lew]

~~~~like some of you guys I also took mine when they first started this, and it so happens, I lost my wallet, tried to get a replacement, and found the Co. that ran the testing at the Sportsman show was based in Vancover, Cost me $20 to take the test, and they want $35 to replace it, Somebody making money.

 

The exact reason I mentioned earlier in this post that I made a bunch of photocopies and had them laminated.

 

Just another government mess we've been forced into