Really, the most important thing to me is a mandatory training/permit. I re-read the coast guard regs every year. It's one of the most boring things you can do. It reads like a lawyer wrote it. Most do not know that you are suppose to signal one short blast to over take starboard or two to overtake port. If people know, they don't do it. I would venture to guess that most don't even know which is starbord and which is port!! I've signaled and had people give me a pissed look because they thought I was being rude. Mainly, THEY DON'T KNOW. They do not know that NO ONE actually has the right of way on the water. They don't know that certain boats have the cause to continue in certain conditions. They don't know that different boats have the cause to continue in the same conditions. It's confusing and it basically comes down to there aren't any right of way rules, and larger boats or boats that can't maneuverer as easy have the cause to continue because they can't maneuverer as easily. It's quite stupid, really, and needs to be changed. There are simply too many boats on the water to operate with "common sense" rules these days when common sense is so lacking.
I got no beef with tournament guys. Some do act with little caution sometimes. It's the same with some skiers/tubers and most jet skis. Even causal fishermen have their moments. I can certainly say there are times I could have done things safer out there. I stay off the water sometimes because it's so unsafe out there. As I see it, that isn't all that fair to me either, when things could be and should be different. Requiring a permit would probably keep a lot of pure trash off the water and that, alone, would make things safer.
