Give your head a shake CO's

[nedarb2]

you do NOT need a power craft operator card unless you are OPERATING aka DRIVING the boat ON WATER.
Ticketed on land = un-edecuated CO = ticket not applicable = would not hold up to or by anyone (challenging would be a breeze to get thrown out)
. Now, if he saw you out boating and then stopped you can on the ramp and asked to see your license, different story.

Going to get a ticket for trailering a motorcycle with out a bike licence?
What about driivng around with your atv in the back of a truck - going to get ticketed for driving on the road with an atv not insured for on-road use? same logic applies

[rocksteady]

I love all the comments about just having your kit in there. You ever owned or hunted out of most punts? Basically a canoe with an outboard.

Id love to see some most guys who are all so high and mighty have every single little thing in the boat and even have room for it.

Not being high and mighty, you know the rules, but decided to not pack the items due to lack of space. Consciously decided, therefore the fine would be warranted. What does it matter if its the last day? Or the first? Irrelevant, imho.

[TPK]

...Id love to see some most guys who are all so high and mighty have every single little thing in the boat and even have room for it.

The kit I use is actually quite small, an orange pail looking thing with screw on lid, about the size of a large McDonalds drink. It's been used between a few boats and truthfully I haven't checked it in a while to see that everything is still in there .. changed the batteries on the flashlight at the beginning of the year and that's the last time I had it open.

While getting a ticket for no flashlight when it's daytime is painful, the point is to always have the stuff, if you get stuck, break down, what ever, it's not going to stay daylight forever. Is it chicken shit stuff? sure ... to a guy that doesn't need it at the time .. when you need to bail water, you'll be glad you had it, if (God forbid) you need to throw someone a lifeline with a float, two people will be glad you had that kit, etc. A very big part of safety is being prepared. This chicken shit stuff actually does and has saved lives.

Regarding getting a fine for no boaters card when not even on the water .. I have nothing .. that is absurd. My understanding was just the person driving the boat needs the card, the passengers don't.

[HCH]

Here's one for you. How many of you have A beer while fishing on shore, not in a boat. CO fined 3 of my buddies for having a beer around a fire fishing. $275 each. yet, we have drunk homeless people downtown all the time and the police throw thewm in the drunk tank until they sober up and then let them out, No fines, back in the same spot the next day. If the CO's want to help the RCMP out go right ahead.

[f350ps]

Not being high and mighty, you know the rules, but decided to not pack the items due to lack of space. Consciously decided, therefore the fine would be warranted. What does it matter if its the last day? Or the first? Irrelevant, imho.

Wow, tell us what it's like to be perfect, that must be something eh? K

[Big Lew]

Here's one for you. How many of you have A beer while fishing on shore, not in a boat. CO fined 3 of my buddies for having a beer around a fire fishing. $275 each. yet, we have drunk homeless people downtown all the time and the police throw thewm in the drunk tank until they sober up and then let them out, No fines, back in the same spot the next day. If the CO's want to help the RCMP out go right ahead.

Could there be more to the story then meets the eye? Here's an excerpt from the gov't liquor site....
'In B.C., you are not allowed to drink alcohol in a public place—such as a street or a park—unless it has been specially approved as a place where drinking may occur (during a community festival where there is a liquor licence in place, for example). You may drink alcohol outside at your home or at your campsite.'
Were they away from their established campsite? If they were by only a fire while fishing, then although I don't necessarily agree with it as it is a very fine line, they were technically breaking the law.

[Mikey Rafiki]

The CO's are being told to enforce these laws. They did not make them. If you think the laws need to change then write a letter to your elected officials.

I've been caught making a few different mistakes in my time, but I have never been fined even though they had full rights to do so. Sounds like you coasties got it rough...

[yamadirt 426]

Please tell us the name of the co. That way we know who to complain about with other unjust fines. You are probably not the only one.

there should be a mechanism in place for unjust fines. If successful in defeating the bs fine the defendant should be owed the full amount he was fined for by the crown. That would keep a clown like this in check. I've only had good interactions with co thus far. Was fined once when I was young fishing between the mission bridge with only a fresh water tag on my bday. Guilty.....

[russm]

Here's one for you. How many of you have A beer while fishing on shore, not in a boat. CO fined 3 of my buddies for having a beer around a fire fishing. $275 each. yet, we have drunk homeless people downtown all the time and the police throw thewm in the drunk tank until they sober up and then let them out, No fines, back in the same spot the next day. If the CO's want to help the RCMP out go right ahead.

Drinking in public? Seems reasonable, do you actually think a homeless person would pay a drinking in public ticket? Lol.

[Chopper]

Ya x2 ... Unless you had tents set up or a motor home ... technically they were breaking the law . Clear cut case of drinking in public. Although the wilderness is hardly public.

But here's the kicker ... How were they getting home if they didn't have a place to sleep ? Were they going to cab it from their favorite lake.

Unless there is more to the story I don't have a lot of sympathy. One beer and im not driving ... Just the way it is these day.

The days of being a red neck at your favorite lake with a 6 pack are long over