Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/10/09

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Subject: [Leica] BOATING PAD #14 - Why Sailors Hate Power Boaters #3
From: photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Thu Oct 9 23:56:42 2008
References: <25F85E88-34CC-46B8-86E5-EE51236C8D63@comcast.net> <48ECEF86.2050103@tele2.fr> <49E38C23-222C-4BE1-88CA-6CC6511498D3@comcast.net> <32895136-CE8C-4845-BA3F-9E1427AE2448@frozenlight.eu> <0EE1CDDC-AD8E-4B59-A260-D3420D769177@comcast.net>

The Swiss rule do provide for what you describe. If the boat is less  
than a certain length and has an engine with less than a certain  
number of HP (the exact limits escape me now), you do not need a  
license.

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu
http://www.nathanfoto.com

Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog



On Oct 10, 2008, at 2:06 AM, Richard S. Taylor wrote:

> The thought of licensing boat drivers comes up here every few years  
> but never goes anywhere.
>
> A German colleague at work once explained to me what he had to do to  
> get his offshore sailing license.  It was lengthy and tough!  Sounds  
> like Switzerland is the same way.
>
> Personally, I'd like to see licensing put into place but for me it  
> would have to allow an exemption for kids to use small boats.   
> There's a great tradition of fathers (and now mothers, too) passing  
> on nautical lore, boat handling, and boating safety to their kids  
> and I wouldn't want to lose it.  It was true of my father to my  
> brothers and me, and for me to my son (though the love of the water  
> never really grabbed him, I think) and I see it in practice  
> regularly on the Cape.  It would be a real shame to lose it.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Dick
> off-list comments to r.s.taylor at comcast dot net please.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 9, 2008, at 12:58 AM, Nathan Wajsman wrote:
>
>> Dick, all these pictures are excellent. I cannot mail you off-list  
>> because my nathanfoto account is down at the moment and your ISP  
>> will reject any mail sent from from frozenlight.
>>
>> Anyway, the powerboaters behave like assholes (yes, I saw your  
>> comments about the 300mm lens etc. but still) for the same reason  
>> that many people who have big cars or fast sportcars will pass you  
>> with screeching tires, only to meet again at the next stoplight. It  
>> has to do with psychological insecurity and possible an undersized  
>> penis, which is being compensated for in this way.
>>
>> I actually have a LICENSE to drive a motorboat--in Switzerland, you  
>> need a license for everything, and when we lived there, we were  
>> thinking of buying a small boat to putter around on Lake Zurich. We  
>> never got the boat, but I did get the license (on the 2nd attempt).  
>> Many of the behaviors exhibited by the powerboaters in your  
>> pictures would incur a fine and possibly loss of license there.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Nathan
>>
>> Nathan Wajsman
>> Alicante, Spain
>> http://www.frozenlight.eu
>> http://www.greatpix.eu
>> http://www.nathanfoto.com
>>
>> Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
>> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
>> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog
>>
>>
>>
>> On Oct 9, 2008, at 3:37 AM, Richard S. Taylor wrote:
>>
>>> Lluis, Philippe, Adam - The interesting thing is that all these  
>>> shots, and I have a few more in the same vein, were  
>>> serendipitous.  We just cruised along at 5 knots or so and these  
>>> photos all came my way.
>>>
>>> It's not a dangerous as it might look, though.  For one thing,  
>>> they were all taken with a 300 mm equivalent lens and some are  
>>> further cropped.  For another we are all used to dealing with this  
>>> and, at least when I'm steering, always have an escape route  
>>> planned in case things get too close.  Collisions are very rare.   
>>> It's more the absolutely thoughtless behavior that gets me.
>>>
>>> And for Philip, I know that boorish behavior exists everywhere.  I  
>>> don't know if it's still true, but at least for a while, racing  
>>> sailors were notorious for running through competitive fishing  
>>> fleets and otherwise ignoring the Rules of the Road when it suited  
>>> their tactical needs.  But, in my experience, the degree to which  
>>> it exists among power boaters far exceeds anything I've seen  
>>> elsewhere.  Maybe it's just because there are so many of them and  
>>> I travel among folks who consider 5 knots really moving along.
>>>
>>> There are obviously some good guys among power boaters, too.  As I  
>>> said in my post of this image, this guy did slow way down as he  
>>> passed us, so he was one of them.
>>>
>>> I'm pleased you liked the shot.  Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Dick
>>> off-list comments to r.s.taylor at comcast dot net please.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Oct 8, 2008, at 1:36 PM, Philippe AMARD wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Richard S. Taylor wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Apropos of a couple of comments I received from kayakers, how  
>>>>> would  you like to have this guy bearing down on you?
>>>>
>>>> With the weight of their bank accounts and insurance policies ;-)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Really impressive Dick, but please don't take risks.
>>>> phx
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rtaylor/PICKS/2008_PAD/300_1148.jpg.html
>>>>>
>>>>> or
>>>>>
>>>>> http://tinyurl.com/3fqakr
>>>>>
>>>>> In fairness, this boat did slow down radically as he went by us  
>>>>> about  50 feet to port, sparing us his four-foot wake, but why  
>>>>> get up so much  speed in a channel when there are smaller boats  
>>>>> around?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> Dick
>>>>> off-list comments to r.s.taylor at comcast dot net please.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Leica Users Group.
>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more  
>>>>> information
>>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
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>
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In reply to: Message from r.s.taylor_post at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] BOATING PAD #14 - Why Sailors Hate Power Boaters #3)
Message from philippe.amard at tele2.fr (Philippe AMARD) ([Leica] BOATING PAD #14 - Why Sailors Hate Power Boaters #3)
Message from r.s.taylor_post at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] BOATING PAD #14 - Why Sailors Hate Power Boaters #3)
Message from photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] BOATING PAD #14 - Why Sailors Hate Power Boaters #3)
Message from r.s.taylor_post at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] BOATING PAD #14 - Why Sailors Hate Power Boaters #3)