So we just bought a boat and i don't have any expierence operating one. Arent there some kind of boaters safety courses that you can take to learn the laws and all that whatnot? Any other help would be greatly appreciated.

3/7/2009 4:56:46 PM

Obligatory:

Quote :

"Safty"

3/7/2009 5:02:02 PM

Boater's Safety Coarses

http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/courses.htm

3/7/2009 5:27:57 PM

http://www.ncwildlife.org/fs_index_05_boating.htm

Thats the link to the NC Wildlife Commission site. I HIGHLY recommend you take one of the courses if you have no boating experience. If you are going to use the boat in saltwater at all, make sure you know what you are doing first. The big drink can turn nasty in a hurry and will kick your ass if you dont have any experience. I own a boat and have been around boats for a long time. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

3/7/2009 5:30:56 PM

raleigh power squadron puts on a boaters safety course. my mom and I did one some years ago and its really easy but very informative.

3/7/2009 5:43:33 PM

you also get a discount on your boat insurance if you take the course.

3/7/2009 5:47:50 PM

definitely take a boaters safety course. also, find someone who has a lot of experience and have them go with you to practice handling and docking in different weather scenarios (lots of wind, rain, etc)

3/7/2009 6:45:58 PM

Quote :

"Safty"

Quote :

"Coarses"

3/7/2009 7:15:24 PM

take the NCWC courses. then find a friend who has experience and invite him.

please don't be an ignorant land-locked redneck who thinks they know how to operate a boat even though they've never touched one.

sure, most of it's easy, but you need to know laws, safety, and helmsmanship.

3/7/2009 7:55:06 PM

Just a quick note of personal interest here....PLEASE memorize these two flags, of which the red/white one will be the more common of the two, followed by the blue/white:

Dive flag:


"Alpha flag": (international flag for diving operations)



If you see this in your immediate area, PLEASE slow down, steer clear, and watch for bubbles (especially if you are in a river, which tend to be shallow). I really don't feel like being run over... I've heard waaaay too many stories of people on boats and jet-skis turning dive flags into slalom courses.


http://www.dive-flag.com/North-Carolina.html
Part 3 is the part you should be concerned with...

Quote :

"§ 75A-13.1. Skin and scuba divers. (a) No person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving in the waters of this State which are open to boating, or assist in such diving, without displaying a diver's flag from a mast, buoy, or other structure at the place of diving; and no person shall display such flag except when diving operations are under way or in preparation. (b) The diver's flag shall be square, not less than 12 inches on a side, and shall be of red background with a diagonal white stripe, of a width equal to one fifth of the flag's height, running from the upper corner adjacent to the mast downward to the opposite outside corner. (c) No operator of a vessel under way in the waters of this State shall permit such vessel to approach closer than 50 feet to any structure from which a diver's flag is then being displayed, except where such flag is so positioned as to constitute an unreasonable obstruction to navigation; and no person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving or display a diver's flag in any locality at which the same will unreasonably obstruct vessels from making legitimate navigational use of the water. (1969, c. 97, s. 1.) "

Us divers thank you in advance...

[Edited on March 7, 2009 at 9:41 PM. Reason : ]

3/7/2009 9:40:38 PM

thanks for all the advice. yea, my uncle has been boating for yearrrrs....but i havent been able to get into contact with him.

3/7/2009 9:57:25 PM

Quote :

"If you see this in your immediate area, PLEASE slow down, steer clear, and watch for bubbles (especially if you are in a river, which tend to be shallow). I really don't feel like being run over... I've heard waaaay too many stories of people on boats and jet-skis turning dive flags into slalom courses."

No one knows what that flag means, even among regular or long-time boaters. Any effort on your part to get mass recognition of that flag will fail.

For your own sake, make a giant flag that says something to the effect of, "DIVER IN THE WATER. STAY AWAY YOU STUPID MOTHERFUCKERS."

Everybody knows what that means. Maritime tradition or going by the book is stupid if it doesn't get the point across. Just bein realistic here.

[Edited on March 7, 2009 at 10:17 PM. Reason : a]

3/7/2009 10:16:10 PM

Memorize the 3R's for navigating channels

Red Right Return-The red markers light should be on the right when you are returning from the sea.

3/7/2009 11:13:37 PM

uscg auxiliary teaches the courses, look it up

3/7/2009 11:46:26 PM

^^ green going, red returning is another popular one

3/8/2009 9:46:54 AM

What kind of boat did you buy?

3/8/2009 10:20:58 PM

website for the USCG auxilary in New Bern:

http://a0542004.uscgaux.info/

They are probably the closest to goldsboro, unless you want to go to raleigh, the Cary Flotilla is really good and they meet near NCSU

3/8/2009 11:59:57 PM

Quote :

"No one knows what that flag means, even among regular or long-time boaters."

I'm calling bull, and basing it on highly reputable sources: my own personal experience

I'm not a boater, and have known what those flags mean for as long as I can remember. Nor am I a diver, or friends with any, so it's not like I have any unusual exposure.

[Edited on March 9, 2009 at 12:08 AM. Reason : xgcvf]

3/9/2009 12:05:42 AM

a good number don't, but i think more do. but it only takes one idiot to kill a diver.

one of the first things i remember learning from my dad on the boat was to stay away from those flags.

3/9/2009 12:09:38 AM

You'd be surprised how loud a jet-ski or boat can be when it goes overhead...and you are 25ft below it. Diving in low vis (3ft or less sometimes) and you hear the faint screeching pitch of a prop coming towards you.....)
Even that far away it can be creepy sometimes to hear it coming 'straight at you', even though you know it can't hit you.

Quote :

"No one knows what that flag means, even among regular or long-time boaters. Any effort on your part to get mass recognition of that flag will fail. For your own sake, make a giant flag that says something to the effect of, "DIVER IN THE WATER. STAY AWAY YOU STUPID MOTHERFUCKERS." Everybody knows what that means. Maritime tradition or going by the book is stupid if it doesn't get the point across. Just bein realistic here."

My dive flag is really a 'float' with the flag + "DIVER BELOW" written on it. Even so, it is still a good flag to know. On the other hand, sometimes the flag creates more trouble than it's worth...for lots of people, the only reason they use it is because it's the law. If it weren't the law, they wouldn't use it -- half the time people come straight up to the flag just to grab it or see what it is.

I don't have much desire to get chopped up by a propeller while I'm fossil hunting. For everyone who says they stay away from dive flags, I thank you!

[Edited on March 9, 2009 at 12:19 AM. Reason : ]

3/9/2009 12:17:04 AM

Quote :

"What kind of boat did you buy?"

3/10/2009 1:41:00 PM

sorry, its an older larson citation. needs a bit of interior work but the motor and everything else is great

3/10/2009 1:59:58 PM

where you taking it?

3/10/2009 2:05:50 PM

took the course when i was 11. scored higher than my dad on the test. he's still mad about that

3/10/2009 2:36:07 PM