Boater Courtesy and respectful... Where Did It Go?
I’m sure you’ve been over this in a training course, boating rules and regulations keep people safe while on the water. However, there are a lot of things that are not covered in such courses. I don’t mean how to respectfully pass someone, or how to dock safely. I mean the unwritten boating rules that dictate how to act at the dock, or how to behave behind the helm. Generally speaking, how to be courteous and respectful to everyone else on the water. Unfortunately, boating etiquette is not taught alongside coast guard programs or boater license exams. Yet new boaters are expected to behave correctly, without ever being told how to do so. A lot of these unwritten rules are passed down in boating communities, through family members, or, if you are unlucky, by witnessing a trespass first hand. It’s fairly safe to say that if you are new to the world of boating, it’s likely that no one has taken the time to teach proper etiquette, but they still expect you to know everything. That’s all