NASBLA: Operation Dry Water

[Magic Medicine]

I know what you mean.

But if there was a sticker/pass program. It would give them the opportunity to inspect all instead of the same ones over and over by different patrol boats...

I hear ya there. Another thing the REALLY HONKS me off is that normally in my area the Coast Guards use there orange inflatable to pull over boats, which the side as not really inflatable not forgiving at all. They want to pull next to you in there boat without putting out fenders or at least giving you the opportunity to put your fenders out. They don't give a rat if they scratch your boat, then they want to board your boat with black combat boots on.

Solution: ask to put my fenders out, if they scratch my boat I call my lawyer. If they want to get on my boat with boots I will put a towel down on my seat and ask them politely if they wear those boots in the living room in there house!

Bottom line is the guys are freakin jags! I know they save lifes but there is a right way and wrong way to do things. I am sure if I was a cop and pull them over on the highway they would be pretty upset if I rub up against there car and scratched them. Note to self I might mention this if and when I get stopped and checked!

[Magic Medicine]

Years ago, it seemed that they only wanted to make sure that people went out in a coast guard "ready" vessel... for everyone's protection. If they felt that you had done your homework, so to speak... they were satisfied.

Now... it seems that they target boats that may provide revenue.

I have been around cruiser boaters, and offshore boaters. I can tell you that the cruiser boaters, who feel quite safe in their floating living room are way more likely to be drinking and boating than offshore boaters. I have been on cruisers where the primary goal was keeping the skipper's drink topped off. I have seen fridges near the helm. I have never seen an offshore boat with a beer on deck while underway. I know that it happens, but compared to the rest of the skippers, I think that offshore boaters are much more concerned with the safety of their passengers and vessel. Things happen fast at 70mph+. And the folks that I have been around take that very seriously. Not casual and careless. Deadly serious and focused.
I was on a run yesterday, and I can tell you.... the "party" didn't start until boats were docked for the day.

Oh... and dam straight we were wearing jackets. Some the best that you can buy. None of the cruiser passengers that I saw were wearing pfds, including small children with the cruiser crowd on the dock before we left.

Not to be agruementative but I think that is a pretty broad generalization. And for the record my 3 year old always has a PFD on, I have 2 for him on to get wet and another to wear on the boat while we are underway.

[fund razor]

Not to be agruementative but I think that is a pretty broad generalization. And for the record my 3 year old always has a PFD on, I have 2 for him on to get wet and another to wear on the boat while we are underway.

No argument at all. It is a huge, broad, and massive sweeping generalization. (But it was easier than boarding every boat in the great lakes to check my theory.) That was why I used words like "more likely."

I am willing to add "In my opinion."

I would also say in all fairness that I grew up on cruisers, have been on and around cruisers much more than offshore boats, and the people that I saw with their small child were NOT magic medicine.

Oh, and the second quote was not a generalization. It was a report of my personal observations yesterday.

[MacGyver]

I am of the opinion that once you are stopped and inspected, if you pass for all safety equipment, you should get a pair of stickers to display on your boat which give you a pass for the rest of the year if there is no probable cause.

I get a USCG Vessel Safety Check the start of every season from the local Coast Guard Aux. You then get an inspection sticker that I place on my port side window. Might be something to look into.

http://www.uscgboating.org/SAFETY/vsc.htm

[Trim'd Up]

There was a time when I thought the water patrol/coast guard were truly just interested in the safety of everyone on the water. It seems to be about revenue and quotas nowdays just like the police on land. I was talking to a state patrol friend of mine the other day about their new "not quotas". They are supposed to have 5 contacts per hour and if they don't write tickets for them they better have a damn good excuse.

[cigdaze]

They were out in force this weekend. I've never seen so many water cops and CG on any one given weekend.

[Euro Scott]

They were out in force this weekend. I've never seen so many water cops and CG on any one given weekend.

just wait till this weekend around Sarasota, their gonna pull every boat,if like years past will put every ass in a seat to collect revenue as well, you'll see coasties, county, city, longboat key, FWC,marine patrol, and every Jr. Chipmonk they can find to put in a boat.. Should be a great revenue provider for their business.. some of these azzclowns dont even know how to operate a boat

[cigdaze]

Agree. You see plenty of azzclowns on big holiday weekends.