a friend on lake erie was out on his boat hosting 4 friends on a pleasant evening, minding his own business, not drinking or violating 'rules of the road.' his boat had current numbers and a current 'year' decal. he was -stop-and-boarded by the local boat police who demanded 'boat registration, and positive proof of identification.' 3 then came aboard the boat and tore through his stuff for an hour, checking ' equipment.' he was cited for ' short 1 life jacket.' he defended himself in court. the judges of pennsylvania superior court threw out the police stop-and-board, saying it was a violation of someone's constitutional rights to be stopped by police for an hour unless police have previous evidence of a crime being committed. (4th amendment US constitution.) the case name is commonwealth v. karash.) what's been your experience with your boat police ?
your experiences with boat police???
- Thread starter MitchM
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I was once stopped by a north Idaho local water cop for speeding through his boat park in my C25 with a Honda 10hp. He said that I needed to go through the park at idle and I had not reduced throttle at the "No Wake" sign. I replied that my max speed under power was 5 knots and that I had been at no wake speed for the last 2 hours to which I said that he really needed to "gun" his jet ski to catch up to me. My brother responded to that with "I think you might need a tune up!" I ended up getting by with a warning in spite of my brother.
I was sail kayaking on a fresh water lake with a friend and his young son. We were noodling about in a cove when a fast moving Fish and Wildlife boat came skidding in, just missing us. I motioned for the driver to dial it down and then the fun started. One clearly agitated fish cop asked to see my PFD and I told him that they were stowed behind me. He told me to return to the marina. We tacked back that direction along with a clearly impatient LEO. At one point he asked me why I was not headed directly to the marina. Had to remind him we were sailing. He took me under tow to the marina and at the dock told me I was in violation of state boating PFD laws. I responded that he was wrong, this being a small unmotorized boat. All the same he wrote me a summons and I met him in court. Same deal with the judge, who asked the fish cop to cite the relevant code. He thumbed his code book for a few long minutes until the judge grew impatient. I said "here you go judge" and handed hisoner a copy of the relevant code that stated anyone other than the child was not required to be wearing a PFD (the kid was wearing a PFD). The judge dismissed the charges, turned to the fish cop and said, "you need to learn the law". Apparently the guy did not, his office was next to my offices and a year or so later he was caught up in a scandal that cost him and a number of his fellow officers their badge.
I was stopped in a 19' Robollo Center console 8 times in one day in the Florida Keys during lobster mini season. Local Sheriff, Marine Patrol, Fish and Game, Coast Guard, some of those by multiple different patrols They checked our registration life preservers, safety gear, lobster permits etc. Then we got stopped once again at the ramp after hauling the boat out to inspect our catch. They measured each and every lobster.
No tickets or infractions, just a whole lot of wasted time on a great July diving day.
They can and will take your boat for a poaching violation.
"Fish violations are 2nd degree misdemeanors. Fines are up to 500$ and up to 60 days in jail. Equipment used in the commission of the crime can be seized and used as evidence."
No tickets or infractions, just a whole lot of wasted time on a great July diving day.
They can and will take your boat for a poaching violation.
"Fish violations are 2nd degree misdemeanors. Fines are up to 500$ and up to 60 days in jail. Equipment used in the commission of the crime can be seized and used as evidence."
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We have the DC Fire Patrol, Maryland State Police, the Fairfax County (VA) Police and the USCG, I wave to them all. 
My wife once mentioned to a Coastie who was a client that I had a sailboat and he remarked "We hate boarding sailboats, they are such a hassle." I especially make sure to wave to the Coast Guard since they have machine guns mounted fore & aft.
My wife once mentioned to a Coastie who was a client that I had a sailboat and he remarked "We hate boarding sailboats, they are such a hassle." I especially make sure to wave to the Coast Guard since they have machine guns mounted fore & aft.
I guess we're lucky here. We have USCG, State Marine Patrol (more like game wardens for fish), and City police with a couple boats all based around the area. I've never even heard of a sailboat that was boarded, although they're out most Saturdays ticketing for drunk boating or no-wake violations. Lots of respect for the Coasties however. They're the ones bouncing out the channel into the lake on some stormy evening when the rest of us are running for home.
I've had more than one experience with the local water police both here in CA and previously in FL. But, I'll relate only one. In the Tampa Bay area in the 1990's you could anchor just about anywhere you wished so we often did. We shipped our P-30 to Southern California in 1999 and after commissioning in Long Beach we started exploring local places to anchor around here. We eventually found a good spot in the LA river out of the main vessel channel right across from the Queen Mary. We were anchored there one evening having dinner in the cockpit with friends when the water police came over to tell us that we could not anchor there and had to move. I asked why could we not anchor there and I was told it was against City ordinance. I was dubious so I asked if he could cite me the ordinance. He could not but told me to call his HQ the next day and he would have it for me. Meanwhile, we were told we had to pull up and move, which I did. The next day I called and he did, in fact, give me the ordinance which I subsequently looked up and read, plus made a copy for myself to keep on the boat. I learned that the City governed subtidal land in Long Beach Harbor shoreward of a boundary described in the ordinance. Seaward of the boundary Long Beach Harbor is governed by the Port Authority. We had, in fact, been anchored in the section governed by the City. I called back a few days later to ask how is it that those boats anchored nearly every weekend behind one of our oil islands, inside of the municipal boundary, were so allowed. The answer, essentially--because we allow them to.
Humm..., I thought to myself--selective enforcement? If you can get permission from the water police, then you might be so allowed. Actually--it's all very reasonable. The ordinance is there to prevent abuses we see when boats are allowed to anchor, and then are abandoned by their owners. But, the ordinance can be selectively waived, etc.
Humm..., I thought to myself--selective enforcement? If you can get permission from the water police, then you might be so allowed. Actually--it's all very reasonable. The ordinance is there to prevent abuses we see when boats are allowed to anchor, and then are abandoned by their owners. But, the ordinance can be selectively waived, etc.
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On the flip side.... We had chartered an IP380 and were entering Boot Key late in the afternoon to get a mooring ball. The charter boat was having electrical problems and the chart plotter was intermittent. No problem since we had a paper chart and the channel is marked. The FWP had a derelict looking live aboard pulled over unfortunately he was blocking the mark we were looking for and I cut too sharp around him and softly ran aground in sea grass. The Cop yelled don't move and came over to our boat about 15 minutes later. He was very courteous and understood that he and the "derelict" boat were blocking the mark we were looking for. He let us off with a warning since we didn't tear up the seagrass and even called ahead and secured us a mooring.
Here, the Wildlife and Parks is the Enforcement group. They prefer to stop and frisk the power boaters. I think that they are confused as to how they go about stopping a sailboat. Generally, the only sailboat stops occur after they return to the dock and I can only recall one of those in 40 years.
I've always seen our LEO to be especially courteous to sailboats. I've even wondered why that was at times, but grateful non the less. the only sailboat I've ever seen boarded was one that had NO numbers or tags showing on the hull.
I'd assume that, in general, it's reverse profiling that explains why the LEO give sailboats respect. guessing that past experience has shown them that sailers in general are very safety consious and not trouble makers. though I can't imagine why they would believe that .
I'd assume that, in general, it's reverse profiling that explains why the LEO give sailboats respect. guessing that past experience has shown them that sailers in general are very safety consious and not trouble makers. though I can't imagine why they would believe that
.In RI we have "Environmental Police" and they actually carry weapons. Why? In case some clam digger resists arrest? All this started after 9/11 when huge amounts of money were available to rural localities to arm up and be ready to defend themselves against terrorists. No doubt they also have M-16s tucked away somewhere, all paid for by DHS funds. Those renegade clammers can be tough
The Hennepen County Water Patrol, responsible for Lake Minnetonka, is a police force unto itself. Like 140 officers and 20 watercraft. They are pretty pro, and do a good job of keeping the idiots under control. On day last summer I ran into an officer on a community dock in Wayzata. He asked it he could unofficially look around BlueJ, because he had never been on a sailboat. I asked him about their policing, and he said they never ever pick on sailboats. Ever. Because we know the rules of the road, show proper lights, and he said that anything this difficult must be impossible to do drunk. Ha!I've always seen our LEO to be especially courteous to sailboats. I've even wondered why that was at times, but grateful non the less. the only sailboat I've ever seen boarded was one that had NO numbers or tags showing on the hull.
I'd assume that, in general, it's reverse profiling that explains why the LEO give sailboats respect. guessing that past experience has shown them that sailers in general are very safety consious and not trouble makers. though I can't imagine why they would believe that
I have only been sailing for about 7 years, and we have a small USCG station based at my marina on Lake Michigan, along with a local Sheriff Marine unit....and so far, never been stopped for inspection. I probably jinxed myself....better make sure my flares are in date before I splash in 2018.
Greg
Greg
..... and the Royal Navy charted the world after
2 1/2 oz. of 150 proof rum at 11 A.M. every morning. Their sailboats were a bit more complicated then ours. Goes to show....... might explain some chart errors?
Here in southern New England (NY metro, NJ, CT, RI AND MA) we’ve never been stopped. Been sailing the area since 80. Based on radio chat they seem genuinely concerned with safety and enforcement. Enforcement of security zones near sensitive areas also a factor (e.g U.N., airport approaches, near bridges and power plants, Groton sub base etc.) Never seen or heard anything about an unreasonable stop, although some of the CG stops are evidently just for “drill”.
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Very early on a Saturday morning, I was boarded by the Coast Guard. My wife was at the helm at the time and asked why did we get boarded?
The reply? "Speeding" with a laugh. The CG had just started their shift on a busy section of waterway and we were the first vessel they came across.
The reply? "Speeding" with a laugh. The CG had just started their shift on a busy section of waterway and we were the first vessel they came across.
We arrived in Glen Cove NY to find the boat we were to deliver to the VI under 2 feet of snow! It took a couple of days to get this incredibly beautiful, brand new, SA built yacht provisioned and ready for the trip. We were underway down the East River with plans to be heading out the shipping channel at dawn.
As we powered under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at dawn I noticed a black motor vessel heading toward me on the port bow. It was dead on for a collision so I eased off to starboard, though I was the stand on vessel. It kept coming and things were getting a bit hairy when I realized it was a USCG work boat, not a patrol boat. It kept coming and I kept trying to avoid a collision. Finally it turned down my port side and rounded our stern, ordering us to stop to be boarded. I asked why and the officer had the gall to say our actions seemed odd, like we were avoiding him! Well, duh!
They asked why I was avoiding them and I was pretty much dumbfounded by the question. It's not like it was a white patrol boat or cutter, with lights flashing.
They wanted to board, but I insisted they take their black shoes off because they would mark up the boat. This they did grudgingly. They asked where we were going, The USVI via Bermuda, and why, a delivery. They asked if we had any contraband aboard and I nearly fell over laughing. I told the exceedingly unintelligent officer that we were LEAVING the US, so what contraband would he think we were taking to St Thomas, a duty free port. I don't think he got it, as evidenced by the blank look at that statement. They spent about an hour, really screwing up our schedule, not that they cared. Nothing to find, nothing illegal going on.
They finally scrambled back aboard their dirty work boat and went on their merry, but it was a really crappy abuse of authority, IMO.
Not the first, nor the last encounter with that organization that left a foul taste in my mouth.
As we powered under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at dawn I noticed a black motor vessel heading toward me on the port bow. It was dead on for a collision so I eased off to starboard, though I was the stand on vessel. It kept coming and things were getting a bit hairy when I realized it was a USCG work boat, not a patrol boat. It kept coming and I kept trying to avoid a collision. Finally it turned down my port side and rounded our stern, ordering us to stop to be boarded. I asked why and the officer had the gall to say our actions seemed odd, like we were avoiding him! Well, duh!
They asked why I was avoiding them and I was pretty much dumbfounded by the question. It's not like it was a white patrol boat or cutter, with lights flashing.
They wanted to board, but I insisted they take their black shoes off because they would mark up the boat. This they did grudgingly. They asked where we were going, The USVI via Bermuda, and why, a delivery. They asked if we had any contraband aboard and I nearly fell over laughing. I told the exceedingly unintelligent officer that we were LEAVING the US, so what contraband would he think we were taking to St Thomas, a duty free port. I don't think he got it, as evidenced by the blank look at that statement. They spent about an hour, really screwing up our schedule, not that they cared. Nothing to find, nothing illegal going on.
They finally scrambled back aboard their dirty work boat and went on their merry, but it was a really crappy abuse of authority, IMO.
Not the first, nor the last encounter with that organization that left a foul taste in my mouth.