How To Drive A Pontoon Boat

If so, how old do you have to be to get a boating license? Thanks.
Sorry I forgot to put this in before but this is in NY.

yes

New York requires a Boater Education Card for boaters, and not a boating license. The regulatory authority for the card is New York State Parks.

Persons above the age of 14 are allowed to operate a personal watercraft if they possess the above mentioned certificate. Until the year 2009, boaters of the age 10-13 are allowed to operate personal watercrafts with some restrictions. Persons between 10-18 years of age are allowed to operate motorboats if they possess the safety certificate. Persons under the age of 10 are allowed to operate motorboats (excluding personal watercrafts) if they are under the supervision of someone above the age of 18 or someone between the age of 10-18 who has completed the Boaters Safety Education course and holds a certificate.

for more info go to this web site

http://www.dmv.com/ny/new-york/boating-l icense

2010-09-01 19:15:07 by Bu

www.destinvacationboatrentals. com demonstrates how to drive a pontoon boat.

I am a Pennslyvania resident who annually vacations in Maryland. I will be age sixteen as of Nov 2, 2008. Since I will be of driving age soon, my relatives would like to teach me how to drive a pontoon.

However I'm a bit skeptical about this, especially since its out-of state. I've heard rumors that you must be eighteen to legally drive a boat. What are the requirements? Is sixteen old enough to be driving a pontoon, and are there any special tests such as boating tests I would have to pass?

I can drive just fine in the main channel of the lake, however I can't dock without an assistant on the dock to slow the boat down (some seasoned vets can do it, but I'm just not that good). Are these skills sufficient?

If you were born after 1976, you need to take a boating safety course. This is offered through the US Power Squadrons or Coast Guard Auxiliary. If you have the certificate from another state it is fine.

2008-02-12 18:03:14 by Agent 007

Price: $149.99 $135.04

Key-FOB style remote controls left/right steering, speed up/down, and motor on/off from your fishing rod, wrist, or belt
For Power drive v2 motors manufactured after 2006 with a round grey foot pedal plug
Receiver with wireless remote control to adjust speed and direction

drive a pontoon boat? are there classes you can take?

This depends on the state you live in, NO one can give you an accurate answer without that information.

Each state has different requirements regarding age and boater education, so it would be pointless for someone to guess at the age.

Edit:

Obviously some people believe handing out unverified legal answers is safe and okay. Listen to unverified answers at your own risk, this is a legal matter.

I bet those that gave me a low rating have never read their own state boating laws details (fine print).

2009-07-10 17:54:18 by *Blair*

Price: $299.99

Full Function Wireless Remote Control - Anti-Skip Mechanism - 30 Station Memory (18FM/12AM) - 4 x 50 Watts Maximum Total Output - White Water Resistant Radio Shield
Program CD Tracks - 8x Oversampling - Minute, Second Track Display - Full Illumination Carrying Case - Mounting Depth: 2.5''
AM/FM MPX Electronic Tuning Receiver - 3-Beam Laser Tracking - USB & SD Card Function - Loudness Mute Button - Complete with Wires Mounting Hardware

I'm building a lightweight floatation platform, sort of like a pontoon boat, except the pontoons fold up really tight so the thing can be easily towed behind my Toyota Matrix. (trailer/pontoon has fold-up trailer wheels).

I've tested a 1/10 scale model and it works fine, so I'm building the full sized model now.

I want to tow it to boat launches in Florida, and then use it to go to the Bahamas, Cuba, and many other places, and then actually drive around these islands (towing my trailer) instead of just seeing the areas around the harbor.

But, If I do travel to Cuba or Bahamas, do I need any special licence plates or government paperwork to allow me to simply just drive around with the locals?

And in this economy, do you think that visiting this way would be safe? I just read a story of how tourists in Mexico are being beat up just for the money they are carrying with them. So with everyone getting laid off, is it still safe to be a tourist, or would I come face to face with a guy with a gun, asking for me to hand him the keys to my car?

It is safe for you even as an American to travel to Cuba. Cuba is not like Mexico. However, bringing your car to Cuba with a trailer won't work.

But you can travel to Cuba via sailing. These are the specfications for such travel:
If you are sailing to Cuba, be sure to contact port authorities before you reach jurisdictional waters (12 miles from the base line). Use these communication channels:

-HF (SSB) channel 2760 (national coastal network) and 2790 (tourism network); or
-VHF channel 68 (national coastal network) and 16 (tourism network).

Port authorities will ask you for the following information:

-name of yacht
-flag
-port of registry
-last port of call
-port of arrival
-estimated time of arrival (ETA)
-type of craft
-colour of craft
-number of persons on board.

You must follow the instructions given by the port authorities and remain on board until all legal formalities are concluded.
http://www.gocuba.ca/en/travelTips.asp#1

Ports of entry:

Cuba welcomes sailors from around the world. Some arrive on their own boats; some on chartered vessels; others on cruise ships. Cruise-ship facilities abound in Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, although vessels also dock at the Isle of Youth, Nuevitas Bay and the northern coast of Holguín province.

Ports of entry provide customs clearing as well as dockage, electricity, provisions, water, fuel and minor repairs. Authorized ports of entry for non-Cuban vessels are:

Habana
Marina Hemingway

Varadero
Marina Puerto Sol Darsena de Varadero
Marina Gaviota Varadero

Ciego de Avila (the “Cuban keys”)
Marina Gaviota Varadero

Holguin
Base Nautica Gaviota de Naranjo
Base Nautica Marlin Boca de Sama

Santiago de Cuba
Marina Marlin Punta Gorda

Cienfuegos
Marina Puertosol Jagua

Los Canarreos
Marina Puertosol, Cayo Largo

Pinar del Rio
Maria La Gorda Centro Internacional de Buceo Puertosol
http://www.gocuba.ca/en/sailing_cruising .asp

Charts and details:

Nautical charts and the official companion booklet, Yachtsman’s Guide, Cuba, can be ordered from
Cadena de Marinas Puertosol S.A.
Edificio Focsa, calle 17 esq. a M, Vedado
Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba

Tel: (537) 33 4705, Ext. 08
Fax: (537) 33 4703
Email: psolger@teleda.get.cma.net

2009-03-07 12:39:19 by honesty_counts

Oh boy. Trouble brewing already. I just purchased a new pontoon boat to be used by my son, my son-law, me (and other family). The marina's gas dock closes at 5pm daily, so there's no way we can have a "always fill it up when you finish" rule. No one likes the "use it or lose" option as it'll always be empty. My only solution is, since the marina will put all gas charges "on my tab" monthy is... each time someone takes the boat out, they write down what the engine hours are prior to going out and/or when finished. That way, I'll split the monthly gas costs based on engine hours used. Not perfect I know; but, how else can a family do it when it costs $20 to just drive across the dang lake??? (by law, we can't carry gas our own gas into the marina).
LOL... I'm already chuckling about these answers. Did I mention my son and I are anal about this type of stuff?? (not to mention "cheap"?)

You can't take gas into the marina but you could have a spare can filled by the user at the marina before they leave in the boat. Then the user has the fuel needed to top up the gas in the boat. The spare gas could be left in the boat with the owners name on or or taken out and used in the car (if its not fuel oil mix). This solves the problem of the gas pump being shut when they get back.
Another option, if the boat has a carry on gas tank, like used with outboards, is to allocate each user a gas tank with their name on it (they buy the tanks), it is then the users responsibility to have a full tank and to connect it to the engine before starting.
They can then all have their own gas account or pay cash or card at the pump.

2009-05-09 06:50:00 by gpurv