Behind the buoy.

The U.S. Coast Guard, which has been toying this past year with the idea of requiring recreational boaters to be licensed in the name of "national security," has apparently changed course.

Those attending the annual meeting of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in September report hearing Rear Admiral David Pekoske say in a speech that the Coast Guard was no longer advocating operator licensing. Pekoske is the Coast Guard's Assistant Commandant for Operations.

Since the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Thad Allen, first opened this "licensing" can of worms late last year, sparking a national debate that spread over the airwaves, the Internet and the pages of this magazine, we thought we should obtain written confirmation of the Coast Guard's position before letting our guard down, so to speak.

Specifically, we asked Adm. Pekoske if the Coast Guard was still pursuing a national boater's license or a separate boater's ID.

In an October 2 e-mail to BoatU.S. President Nancy Michelman, Adm. Pekoske said, "The Coast Guard proposal now includes:

 
    A form of government-issued photo identification--not a new 
    identification card--that verifies the identity of the boat 
    operator. This identification could be a photo identification card 
    issued by a state (such as a motor vehicle driver's license). We do 
    not propose issuing a federal boater identification card. 
 
    The Coast Guard is seeking legislative authority to enter into the 
    rulemaking process to establish minimum education standards and an 
    implementation timetable, among other items, necessary to bring boat 
    operator education into force nationally. 
 
    Satisfactory completion of a NASBLA-approved boat operator course or 
    written equivalency examination that meets certain minimum national 
    standards of boat operator education. 
 
    Fostering reciprocity between the States and Territories on 
    acceptance of course/exam completion." 

So, there you have the Coast Guard's plan. Our ...