New York

Hi Dave,

The short answer is no. If you are required to have a boating safety certificate in New York, the only way you can get the certification is by completing an 8-hour classroom based course and proctored exam. However, if you fall outside of the requirement, there are online options available but these courses won't get you a boating safety certificate.

That being said, there is a possibility that online courses will be accepted as certification courses in the near future. Right now there's a bill on the Governor's desk, which would require all motorized boat operators to have a boating safety certificate to operate on state waters. If the bill (A3550/S6633) is signed, the requirement would begin in 2014 and implement a multiyear phase-in starting with those 18 years of age. (See the article below for more on the bill).

http://www.legislativegazette.com/A...e-boater-safety-course-for-all-operators.html

Hope this helps!

Brent
 
Hi Brent,

I took my boating course through the Power Squadron in Huntington, Long Island in the late 60's. Any idea of how to get in contact and if they have records to get a duplicate. Also as I remember it was a certificate. It now needs to be carried. Is there any thoughts on getting something smaller and waterproof.

Thanks,

Billy K.
 
Billy
I too took that course over 30 years ago and have no idea what happen to the certificate I have since taken several additional classes and I recomend you might consider this as well, I found it to be a good refresher.
 
Hi Dave,

I agree it wouldn't hurt to refresh, just busy.

Thanks,

Billy K.
 
I doubt the power squadron keeps its records that long. I know I can reliably go back about 10 years for my CG Aux Flotilla's records. After that the records are hit or miss... and mostly miss. We only have so much storage space and we don't own our meeting place.
 
Hi Billy,

Unfortunately the US Power Squadrons only verify records as far back as 1989. When the headquarters can't find proof of documentation that you have completed the course, they will refer you back to the squadron which taught the course. I'm assuming you don't have any written proof/documentation of completing the course? If you did you could send it in and they might be able to issue a replacement.

If you want to give it a try, you can contact USPS headquarters with where you took the course and the squadron which taught the course and see if they can help in any way.

USPS Headquarters (888) 367-8777 ext 0

Another option would be to take an online course. It's great for busy people because it doesn't have to be completed in one sitting, you can log in and out at any time to complete it at your own pace. It takes about 3 hours to complete and costs 29.95 in most states. The card you receive is plastic and waterproof.
 
Hi Brent,

I figured it would be finding a needle in a haystack type situation.

You had earlied posted online cources were not accepted. If they are do you have a link. If not do you have the age breakdown for when a person was born in 1957 would need to be compliant.

Thanks for your time,

Billy K.
 
Billy K.,

Right now in New York the boating education requirement is for boat operators who are at least 10 but less than 18 years old and ALL personal watercraft (PWC) operators. Anyone in this group must have a boating safety certificate to operate in New York, and the only way for them to get this is by taking an 8-hour classroom based course with NY State Parks, USCG Auxiliary or the US Power Squadron.

If you don't fall within these age groups and are not operating a PWC, you can take an online course, however online courses will not result in a certification and are not recognized by the state of New York or on-water enforcement officers. BOATERexam.com offers a free online animated and narrated study guide for New York at http://www.boaterexam.com/usa/newyork. Boat US also offers a course http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/NewYork.asp

If you don't need to be certified but still want to get your certification and the physical boater education card, you can also look into taking an approved online certification course for another state. As long as the course is NASBLA-approved, it will be accepted in other states you are boating in.

Note that there is a new requirement for Suffolk County residents. As of November 6, 2013, the Suffolk's Safer Waterways Act requires that residents of the county who operate a pleasure vessel on any waters of Suffolk County hold a boating safety certificate.

Clear as mud? LOL. Hope this helps!
 
Thanks, I was confusing the Suffolk law with the NY State law. Will Suffolk recognize the online certificate?

Thanks,

Billy K.
 
Yes, for Suffolk County, online certificates are accepted as long as the online course meets National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) standards.

Just to clarify, are you a resident of Suffolk County? If not, you are exempt from this new law and can operate a boat anywhere in NY including Suffolk County without a boating safety certificate.
 
I just read the attached article on the NY bill. One question, how would this bill have stopped the drowning of the young man? This was caused by stupidity or carelessness not lack of a law!

An irritated New York boater.
 
Thanks Brent,

Your link seems to be missing something. For anyone who wants to take advantage of it, it is http://www.boaterexam.com/usa/newyork/. After I take the course I will give you some feedback.

Thanks again for your help,

Billy K.
 
I have a boater saftey card and a certificate from the USPS (Great South Bay) 2003. Will this count ?
 
Radio Waves,

Certificates from the USPS are NASBLA-approved so you're good to go!

Happy Boating!
 
I had an 'issue' a few weeks ago with a nassau marine unit while I was bay testing my new to me jet ski. I had taken a young boater course back in the '80s given by the USCG Aux and then the USPS course back in '97 . The USPS certificate is 8.5 x11 - not really going to carry that around with me in my wallet and the USCG card which I do recall was similar size to a NYS registration card is long gone. The officer showed me his NYS Boater card which was like a credit card. After doing some investigation i found that neither the USCG Aux or the USPS kept very good records for these course. In fact based on the local unit of USCG who gave the course these records may not even exist as manyof the units get disbanded.

I was able to get intouch with the USPS and e-mailed them my certificate and she entered my infomration in their national database and for a $10 fee they issued me a business card size cert for carrying.

quite honestly our law makers need to think through the practical implementation aspects of the bills they sign into law. This law in NYS that requires a boating safety course to handle a PWC is ok(good to have but does project a false sense of certfication to operate a PWC) but they need to come up with a better way to administer the process.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Danno
[

quite honestly our law makers need to think through the practical implementation aspects of the bills they sign into law.

Click to expand...


The law makers do not think or care... they just make laws.

This mandate will achieve nothing in safety. The jerk with the gold chains around his tanned chest will still speed and ignore bouys.
 
Last year, BoatUS gave a free on-line course, which I took and passed. NY accepted it and issued me my anchor on my driver's license.
 
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