Licensing kayakers

Maj. John Fetterman is a deputy chief with the Maine Marine Patrol and president of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. And he thinks that kayakers need to be required to take safety classes.

Search and rescue missions have become a huge drain on resources. So we need to qualify for kayaking licenses.

I agree that safety education is key to saving lives on the water. The only more effective measure is wearing a PFD. There' are a lot of risks on the water but they can be mitigated with knowledge and preparation.

But I'm going to pick apart Fetterman's argument very carefully. If I ever need help on the water, he's probably going to be one of the people there for me. So I have a great deal of respect for him. But I don't think the problem is as big as he makes it.

There aren't many stats to back him up. The U.S. Coast Guard says in 2006 there were 27 kayaking fatalities and 72 canoeing fatalities out of 710 total. Most were motorboat accidents involving speed. I wonder how many were also alcohol related. But no other stats were available.

If you have any numbers, pass them along. I'm willing to bet kayaking rescues and casualties are not frequent. Yes, I remember last year's fatality off Wood Island. And I agree that a little more education and preparation could have saved a life. But I suspect more people drown in inland waters while fishing and snowmobiling than kayaking anywhere. Again, let me know if this is wrong.

The USAToday story seems to focus on salt-water accidents. Which is why a member of Maine's Marine Patrol is involved. But concentrating on licensing sea kayakers is only addressing a small part of the problem. There are way more people putting themselves in danger.

And I have to wonder about enforcement. Marine patrol and Coast Guard resources are stretched thin now. Can they afford to conduct kayak license checks?

What about guided trips? If somebody wants to hire a guide to take a kayaking trip, do they need to get a license for a once in a lifetime trip? Or is there an exception for groups with a registered guide? Guides tend to give their clients safety training. Maybe they feel that's good enough for a day.

I understand people need to paddle smarter. They need to wear lifejackets. They need to understand how deadly the ocean temperatures can be. They need to have a method of calling for help that does not rhyme with cell phone. But making us get licenses is not going to make the rescue business much easier. There are more knuckleheads who need to get with the program.

Sate of Maine Boating Laws & Rules

No matter what kind of boat you use, you need to know the rules of the "road." DIFW has it's boating booklet online.