kemper Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 So I lost my PCOC. That shouldn't be a problem, it's just like replacing a Driver's Licence right? Apparently not - I have to contact the organization who administered the course and test. Right - will do...except it was 9 or 10 years ago and I was 13 at the time. Finally find out who administered the test - they no longer exist. Am I an idiot, or is this the most disjointed system of all time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 No, it's not just you. It's a very messed up system and for just that reason it's a cash grab. as much as thay say it isn't, it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 That's why I have a scanned copy at home and another stored in my email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemper Posted July 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 I've had the card since I was 13, and I've been checked a grand total of... not one single time! Might as well just pay the $250 dollar fine once every 20 years for the rest of my life and save the hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 This is why I keep it in the boat and it never moves.. Such a pain in the ass to replace the stupid things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 As much as it is a cash grab, it was put in place to try to rid the waters of seadoos and other PWCs. I've said it all along, if you need to have the card anyhow, get it from a reliable provider. A Power and Sail Squadron in your area will give you the course but at least for the same money you'll learn something. You can belong to the squadron and keep learning and hey, you'll never have to worry about the business disappearing. But that's just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke V. Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Im with you Kemper. I have been stopped on large and small bodies on water. Both by MNR and OPP and havent been asked for my operators card . Wonder why we need it, if they dont ask for it, they only wanted to know if i had my Fishing License, and what I had on board the boat. Cash grab is all it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemper Posted July 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 As much as it is a cash grab, it was put in place to try to rid the waters of seadoos and other PWCs. I've said it all along, if you need to have the card anyhow, get it from a reliable provider. A Power and Sail Squadron in your area will give you the course but at least for the same money you'll learn something. You can belong to the squadron and keep learning and hey, you'll never have to worry about the business disappearing. But that's just my opinion. I took a course Roy - it was two days of instruction (3 or 4 hours per day if I remember correctly) and a test at the end of the second course. As a 13 year old with limited boating experience it was absolutely imperative. I went with my old man, and we both learned a thing or two. Wouldn't have been safe for me to be on the water without it. As for keeping idiots on Sea-doos to a minimum, I agree with that also - but its nothing more than a pipe dream. Any idiot with an internet connection can cheat their way to a test in a couple hours. The problem is that the people who are serious about learning the rules aren't the ones that are dangerous on the water, and the idiots who are a hazard are going to learn nothing from the test. I'll probably just write the test again, and take better care of my card next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenboater Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Your course took a couple of days ? I've been meaning to take it and I've had friends who did years ago and it was definitely more than two 3-4 hour days. It was quite intensive from what I remember them telling me. While I think it is somewhat of a cash grab and testing should be tightened up, if it keeps a few people off the water who have no business being on it, then I'm cool with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Your course took a couple of days ? I've been meaning to take it and I've had friends who did years ago and it was definitely more than two 3-4 hour days. It was quite intensive from what I remember them telling me. While I think it is somewhat of a cash grab and testing should be tightened up, if it keeps a few people off the water who have no business being on it, then I'm cool with that. Yeah well, I did mine online at home in roughly 20 minutes then printed out a temporary copy of the license when I was done. You're supposed to have someone else administer the test. Fortunately I have two email addresses so I administered the test to myself. Dumb system LOL! On a related note I lost my card as well a couple years back when my wallet was stolen. It was a huge pain trying to remember which online course I used. Finally tracked it down but it wasn't easy. The fact that the government has no database of their own with everyone on it is ridiculous. Edited July 31, 2012 by Mike Borger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenboater Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Yeah well, I did mine online at home in roughly 20 minutes then printed out a temporary copy of the license when I was done. You're supposed to have someone else administer the test. Fortunately I have two email addresses so I administered the test to myself. Dumb system LOL! On a related note I lost my card as well a couple years back when my wallet was stolen. It was a huge pain trying to remember which online course I used. Finally tracked it down but it wasn't easy. The fact that the government has no database of their own with everyone on it is ridiculous. The PCOC is a super quickie but the Power Squadron course is the one I was referring to which friends said was a detailed course. Their memories may be hazy and yeah, one would think a db of card owners would be a simple thing to maintain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 We took the coarse in one evening at a Muskies Canada meeting Just answer everything with a no for alcohol and your golden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bare foot wader Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 I think there's a need for some type of system to educate some of the morons on the water/new boaters...as for the effectiveness of the testing, whole other story there when the program was first implemented there was no central registry, to my understanding there now is...go to the boat smart website and email/call them i took the test the first year it was introduced and recently lost my card, it was painless to get a new one, 5 mins on the phone, $30 for 3 cards, at my door inside of 2 weeks...last time i replace my drivers licence it cost $15 for 1 card they will email you a temporary licence to print off, good for 60 days while fishing i've never been asked to show the card, only to look at any fish we kept and make sure there was no booze every time wake boarding or jet skiing they've asked to see it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemper Posted July 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Managed to get to someone who had a list - there was an "arm" of a larger org. that operated the course in Oshawa. The place in Oshawa is gone, but the mothership still exists. New card should be here within 2 weeks. I'm sure I'll never be asked for it, but better safe than sorry. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaspumper Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 That's why I have a scanned copy at home and another stored in my email. According to the law a scanned copy or photographed copy is no good.You must produce the original if asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UglyBug Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 (edited) Interesting, Maybe its just you.. I took my test 11 years ago and lost the card, the testing facility no longer existed but they were able to replace the card no problem. They looked me up in the other companies files. Soo I ordered 3 cards to be prepared, One in my wallet, One in the boat and one buried in the back yard.. :thumbsup_anim: So I lost my PCOC. That shouldn't be a problem, it's just like replacing a Driver's Licence right? Apparently not - I have to contact the organization who administered the course and test. Right - will do...except it was 9 or 10 years ago and I was 13 at the time. Finally find out who administered the test - they no longer exist. Am I an idiot, or is this the most disjointed system of all time? Edited August 1, 2012 by UglyBug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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