No...It wasn't me !!!! But I still have a rant!!!
Anyways here's the article and my comment at the end....
CLEVELAND -- Arrested in June and charged with boating while intoxicated, a Cleveland resident pleaded guilty today in federal court to boating under the influence of alcohol.
U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach and Ninth Coast Guard District Commander Rear Adm. Michael N. Parks said the 49-year-old man was sentenced to two months of home detention and three years of supervised release and was fined $1,500.
"When mariners boat under the influence, it puts all those around them at significant risk," said Captain Stephen Torpey, chief of Incident Management for the Ninth District.
"We want mariners to enjoy our nation's waterways but to do it safely and responsibly. The Coast Guard will continue to work closely with federal, state and local partners to ensure the safety of those on the water."
Alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance and coordination, the Coast Guard said. These impairments increase the likelihood of accidents afloat for both passengers and boat operators.
U.S. Coast Guard data shows that, in boating deaths involving alcohol use, over half the victims capsized their boats and/or fell overboard.
Alcohol is even more hazardous on the water than on land. The marine environment -- motion, vibration, engine noise, sun, wind and spray -- accelerates a drinker's impairment. These stressors cause fatigue that makes a boat operator's coordination, judgment and reaction time decline even faster when using alcohol.
When the Coast Guard determines that an operator is impaired, the voyage may be terminated. The vessel will be brought to mooring by the Coast Guard or a competent and un-intoxicated person on board the recreational vessel.
Depending on the circumstances, the Coast Guard may arrest the operator, detain the operator until sober, or turn the operator over to state or local authorities.
My comments:
In Cleveland, the area where this guy was caught (Cuyahoga River), Is pretty much a bar river. There is no good reason to be there other than to tie up at Shooters and party. Pretty much a drunk fest. You actually have to go under a train lift bridge to enter the river. Then you are stuck...untill the train passes which could be 45 min.....to get back out.
As you could imagine there are boats valued from 1k to 1mil..floating in the area. I'm not shocked thier was a BWI there.
What I have noticed in the past few years, around the lakefront, is that the USCG has been boarding boats (including mine, without problems) for whatever reason they feel like.
There is a Huge militant attitude.
There really is nothing you can do.
I thought the USCG was out there to protect me, a citizen.
Sometimes, It's a Bikini, that prompts an impromptu "safety inspection",
This past Summer I've been stopped, a few times, in open water, and under sail. 5 miles offshore, and the issue was lighting.
Issues I'm required to have.
Quote the the law and your in trouble. Non-compliant.....Duh...
Most of you know I have the O'Day "Starlyte". 22ft.
I have no problem with anyone boarding my boat. I do have a problem when the kids (uscg) are not aware of specific requirements.
InFact - My vessel is over compensatied, in terms of the latest safety gear.
It's time that our governing bodies realize the working class are the paying taxes and are not terrorist. They searched my boat from top to bottom.
After about 2 hours, they felt I was no threat and let me go.
I'm still steaming about it....
Anyways here's the article and my comment at the end....
CLEVELAND -- Arrested in June and charged with boating while intoxicated, a Cleveland resident pleaded guilty today in federal court to boating under the influence of alcohol.
U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach and Ninth Coast Guard District Commander Rear Adm. Michael N. Parks said the 49-year-old man was sentenced to two months of home detention and three years of supervised release and was fined $1,500.
"When mariners boat under the influence, it puts all those around them at significant risk," said Captain Stephen Torpey, chief of Incident Management for the Ninth District.
"We want mariners to enjoy our nation's waterways but to do it safely and responsibly. The Coast Guard will continue to work closely with federal, state and local partners to ensure the safety of those on the water."
Alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance and coordination, the Coast Guard said. These impairments increase the likelihood of accidents afloat for both passengers and boat operators.
U.S. Coast Guard data shows that, in boating deaths involving alcohol use, over half the victims capsized their boats and/or fell overboard.
Alcohol is even more hazardous on the water than on land. The marine environment -- motion, vibration, engine noise, sun, wind and spray -- accelerates a drinker's impairment. These stressors cause fatigue that makes a boat operator's coordination, judgment and reaction time decline even faster when using alcohol.
When the Coast Guard determines that an operator is impaired, the voyage may be terminated. The vessel will be brought to mooring by the Coast Guard or a competent and un-intoxicated person on board the recreational vessel.
Depending on the circumstances, the Coast Guard may arrest the operator, detain the operator until sober, or turn the operator over to state or local authorities.
My comments:
In Cleveland, the area where this guy was caught (Cuyahoga River), Is pretty much a bar river. There is no good reason to be there other than to tie up at Shooters and party. Pretty much a drunk fest. You actually have to go under a train lift bridge to enter the river. Then you are stuck...untill the train passes which could be 45 min.....to get back out.
As you could imagine there are boats valued from 1k to 1mil..floating in the area. I'm not shocked thier was a BWI there.
What I have noticed in the past few years, around the lakefront, is that the USCG has been boarding boats (including mine, without problems) for whatever reason they feel like.
There is a Huge militant attitude.
There really is nothing you can do.
I thought the USCG was out there to protect me, a citizen.
Sometimes, It's a Bikini, that prompts an impromptu "safety inspection",
This past Summer I've been stopped, a few times, in open water, and under sail. 5 miles offshore, and the issue was lighting.
Issues I'm required to have.
Quote the the law and your in trouble. Non-compliant.....Duh...
Most of you know I have the O'Day "Starlyte". 22ft.
I have no problem with anyone boarding my boat. I do have a problem when the kids (uscg) are not aware of specific requirements.
InFact - My vessel is over compensatied, in terms of the latest safety gear.
It's time that our governing bodies realize the working class are the paying taxes and are not terrorist. They searched my boat from top to bottom.
After about 2 hours, they felt I was no threat and let me go.
I'm still steaming about it....
