I missed being grandfathered in by a matter of days when they passed this nonsense. I drove to Montgomery and took an in-person test in order to get the certification so that I wouldn't be illegal on a trip I had planned. The test back then was hard and I remember that I had to study in order to pass it. I didn't know what some of those buoys in the gulf were about, as I had never operated a boat in salt water.

I have heard that they watered the test down since then, but I don't know if taking it in person and getting immediate certification is still an option, but you might check on it. I will say that I have never once had it checked in the 23 years since they required it.