Email: Teaching boating

Having read Peter Ponting's article on this subject I felt that a response was justified but do not want to be antagonistic.

That said, I do question the idea that hire companies set aside a separate day/time for prospective hirers to attend a 'seminar'. The cost to a hire company and the prospective hirers for this 'mandatory' requirement would add to what is already a high cost holiday, especially if the hirers were from overseas (as more and more are)!

Many companies that I know of include The Boaters Handbook with the receipt for the hire booking to enable the hirers to read and digest in their own time.

I do not feel that the 'statistics' mentioned by Peter would vary too much no matter what amount of training was made mandatory as negligence and stupidity can never be fully legislated against.

I do concur that the attitude of the private boater has appeared to have deteriorated over recent years, and the sensible boaters can do little more than set a good example and offer good advice in a friendly manner.

Orph Mable, Oxley Marine