SVOP Course - What are we learning??

I have been talking to as many people as possible about the SVOP course and the Transport Canada regulations. It is becoming quite obvious that while no one wants to 'get into trouble' with ANY government department none of us are really quite sure what we will gain (in useful knowledge) from doing the SVOP course.
 
Also who can AFFORD the course costs and the TIME right now??

We need some feedback from everyone. If we don't band together we are going to get bulldozed by the Government and that is going to COST US MONEY!!!

 Here is Georgian Colleges 'blurb' about the course from their website;

"The SVOP course has been tailored to meet the training needs of the small vessel master and is accepted in lieu of a master’s certificate. Topics include stability, collision regulations, chartwork and pilotage, shipboard safety, pollution prevention, meteorology, Canadian buoyage system, radar, and the use of marine charts to execute a voyage."

Out of all these topics they want us to learn and pay for, what will we ever use in our 'Sheltered Waters' scenario??

- Chartwork and pilotage - NO
- Meteorology - NO
- Radar - NO, don't even know a contractor with radar on the boat!
- Use of marine charts to execute a voyage - NO
- Canadian buoyage system - YES, but we know what we need already! 
- Stability - YES, but do we need a course in how to load a boat??
- Collision regulations - YES, but we already know that we don't EVER want to hit anyone or anything!
- Pollution prevention - YES, but we know not to do that already!

There isn't much here that is relevant!

TALK TO ME GUYS! Armin (from Honey Harbour) and I are going to the Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC) meeting on March 28th. Transport Canada will have a lot of their staff there giving briefings. I think we need to tell them loud and clear that the SVOP course standard is NOT PRACTICAL and we need something that is. Also that no one can afford to do this course right now...we need till next spring to get it done!!

We need some feedback from you guys! If we don't band together we are going to get bulldozed by the Government and that is going to COST US MONEY!!!