your experiences with boat police???

[CaptKimble]

Coming back into LA harbor one day I was at the helm of my friends 49 Hunter when the Coasties pulled along side and 3 of them stepped on board after saying "maintain your course"...one of the boarders looked suspiciously young and nervous...you betcha....I asked the older 1st class that stayed with me in the cockpit "is this a training day?" and he answered with a smile, " yup...qualification day for a newbie" They asked the standard questions about the documentation papers and lifejackets..flares etc and then left with a 'have a nice day'. Another time a friend and I were cruising up the LA river main channel right after 9-11. As we passed by the Coast Guard station at the mouth of the channel a CG inflatable zoomed up and warned us rather loudly that we needed to be at least 500 ft away from their pier. My friend pointed at the HUGE tanker coming down the channel and suggested that we might have a problem. They took a look at our 30ft sailboat and with a smile mentioned in a normal tone of voice that "The Chief" was watching and perhaps we could move a bit further away from the pier and still stay safe. They stayed between us and the pier until we were clear of the tanker and then as we headed further out into the channel they turned around and followed the tanker out into the harbor.

 

[NotCook]

When we were on Lake Erie, there were a few days when the USCG and the local Marine Patrol were stopping and inspecting every single vessel in vicinity, yet they never showed any interest in approaching us.

However, on one occasion we were anchored outside of the harbor and the Marine Patrol approached. They slowly motored up just forward of us and I came up on deck to say “hello”. As they reached over over their bow, about to pick up a small orange bouy, they asked, “do you know what this is?”, to which I replied, “our anchor bouy.”. They waved and left.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

Not Boat police but I had City cops “follow” my boats progress as we racked up the Columbia in my C22. For some reason they thought I was going to get blown over and sink. My buddy and I were having a grand Time with a reefed main small jib - wind was 50+ and most of the time the spreaders were 1-2 feet off the water, did occasional drag the spreaders. The only time I worried about breaking something was one gibe the boom flew up and grabbed the backstay.

Cops met us at the dock and asked if we had a death wish. Go figure

Mahalo

 

[capta]

I wasn't going to post this tale, as it might give others an idea to try it, but I think the USCG would just blow you out of the water today, so I suggest you don't.
I was crossing the Gulfstream at night in a norther of around 15 knots with perhaps 15 foot seas, on a 55' black steel schooner, registered in Panama (Italian owner), from Nassau to Lauderdale, when a hundred odd foot USCG cutter approached us, demanding we heave to for boarding. It was pretty much the height of the cocaine cowboy drug years, and I could understand how this black, steel schooner might be of interest to them, but there was no way on earth that my boss's boat would survive having that cutter lay alongside in those conditions! At the very least we would be dismasted.
I spoke courteously to the commander on the radio, explaining my misgivings of his intended actions, but he just blew them off, once again demanding that we strike sail and heave to, to be boarded. Again I pleaded that he launch an inflatable instead of laying alongside, but he replied that it was much too rough to launch his inflatable.
I politely refused his order and told him he could accompany us to Lauderdale if he pleased, but as master of this sailing vessel, I would not heave to nor allow him to lay his cutter alongside my vessel, citing safety concerns. He became incensed and began threatening us and I saw little recourse but to get on channel 16 and begin broadcasting a mayday. "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is schooner Maere on channel 16. I am being boarded by pirates on a big white vessel with an orange stripe, with the numbers XX on the bow." This further infuriated this idiot, and he ordered me to return to channel 22 and prepare to be boarded. I ignored him and continued broadcasting the mayday until we tied up at Pier 66 in Lauderdale. He followed closely behind, but made no move to board us until we were tied up, boat undamaged, when he sent his squad of jackbooted thugs with M-16's to handcuff us and thoroughly search the boat. Funnily enough, after the trip from St. Thomas to Nassau, and the trip across the stream, we didn't even have so much as a cigarette or beer on board, and he left with nothing more than a very tired crew and a very bored sniffer dog, after about 4 hours of searching every nook and cranny of that boat. We cleared into the states and never heard word one from the USCG, though we were the talk of the yachting community for a few minutes, at least.

 

[Gene S]

“Gay Head”??

It might refer to an Indian tribe that lived up there once per Herman Melville.

 

[Doug4bass]

Oh.

 

[Will Gilmore]

It might refer to an Indian tribe that lived up there once per Herman Melville.

Or the Flintstones. That word use to mean something entirely more innocent, once upon a time.
But, probably the Herman Melville thing.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Kermit]

I want to put my vote in for Mexicans as the best mechanics in the world. You know how many pre80s VW bugs and micro buses are driving around south of the border? Most look new too. I feel like it is proof the after life does exist, and for old VWs, eternal life is in Mexico.

- Will (Dragonfly)

Oh no! Racial profiling!
-or-
“That man swam a river just to mow your grass.”

 

[hewebb]

I sail on four different lakes in the area. One of them I have not seen the locals out and about. Another one the locals are strict about registration, but are friendly and polite. On another one, I watched a city rescue boat being launched and it was a comedy in real time. I was thinking I hope that I never need rescuing on that lake. I doubt if any of them knew what they were doing. The other one the locals are cowboys. One day they ran across my bow about 20 feet away doing about 50MPH. They typically come into the marina ignoring the no wake requirement.
When I was on the Great Lakes the Cost Guard were great folks, always ready to lend a hand and very polite.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Oh no! Racial profiling!
-or-

I wasn't aware that Mexican were a race, I'll have to watch myself.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[nat55]

This thread has some great stories, unfortunately I can't add anything of interest. I did recall this post on Sailfeed from a few years ago. The comments are very interesting with some replies from USCG boarding officers....and others.....break out the popcorn https://www.sailfeed.com/2012/10/coast-guard-boardings-and-your-fourth-amendment-rights-part-1/

 

[Jackdaw]

Every time I've been boarded on a sailboat it has been with sails down. In Bayfield we know now to sail PAST USCG Station Bayfield before dropping sails. Under policy they have to inspect both but really don't want/like to stop sailboats under sail. So they wait. The USCG RB-Ms have soft sides so it makes the process mostly safe for your hull. But if you get some Buckaroo from a state agency in a hard hulled boat, all bets are off.

Of course props to Sean.
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/4c12de3b-c59a-4fe9-9c0f-20c7bc1310dd#SksZlryHBf.copy

 

[Gene S]

I've owned my boat now for 2 years. I have not sailed a lot as I have only retired recently. Never even seen the CG. I sometimes see strange gray boats doing high speed runs around Comencement Bay. On Labour day I went to Gig harbor. It was like spring break and the harbor patrol was all over the place. The public dock was rafted 3 deep so I anchored out and took the dinghy to shore. They left the anchored boats alone.

 

[dehler25]

I personally have not been bothered even once on fresh or salt, knock on wood (rapping on head) but people are people and a slip mate at the marina did have an incident. He was out fishing on Tampa Bay in his Center console, bright sunny day and similar to the collision making the rounds boat approached from behind and crashed. He awoke three days later in the hospital. Curiously the driver of the boat was not interviewed for 4 and a half hours after the accident and it was determined that given the time lapse a sobriety test of any sort was pointless. Obviously he knew somebody that could cover even when a serious accident with injury resulted. Normally I would accept such a story with skepticism, but as a known person to me that gives credibility. Be safe and be aware.

 

[Roland5048]

“Gay Head”??

The name of the cliffs on the southwest side of Martha's Vineyard, MA. We always had a laugh over that as kids.

 

[jssailem]

At the start of last summer, while preparing my boat for the season, the marina docks were busy with 6 Coast Guard PO's and a patrol boat backing down the ways between the various docks. As the crew walked down the dock and out on the slips between oats they were swinging a gadget back and forth. I asked the Lead PO what was happening. Turned out it was a drill. They were looking for radioactive material. Evidently some one had planted a sample on the docks and they were tasked to find and control it. Just our luck it was located about 7 slips down the dock of my boat.

 

[Will Gilmore]

As a kid, my brother and I hung out with the coasties three slips down from us. They were great guys. We played hide and seek all over the 82 footer, the Point Swift. Many hours spent playing cards in their galley and even testing their mounted night vision scope on the residence of Clearwater Bay.
One of them bought himself a sunfish and taught himself to sail. The rest were from all over the country and had no idea about sailboats. They were definitely not there for a "power trip".
Some of the best times ever.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Stu Jackson]

it was located about 7 slips down the dock of my boat.

Heck, they could have put it ON your boat! Lucky you, Lucky 7!!!

Brookings, OR - August 2016

We had read that the Coast Guard used to regularly board boats when they arrived in Brookings. Just as we entered the harbor and before we tied up for fuel, the silver CG boat came roaring out, but passed us going up the river. We thought they were coming out for us. When they returned, I hailed them verbally from our cockpit and asked if we could have a safety inspection. My son was mortified! So, it seemed, was the CG skipper. He asked where we had come from, where we were going, and how long we were staying. When we said we were leaving early the next morning for Port Orford, he shook his head as if to say “Why would these guys actually want us to board them?” He thought about it some more, and it looked like he’d say: “Forget it !” But he finally asked us if it would be OK if they returned in about 15 minutes and we said, “Sure.”

They returned to their dock across the river, and soon enough they came back across in their big boat, tied up behind us, and a fellow and a young lady came over, hopped on board, and began the inspection. It actually took less time than previous inspections we’ve had from the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The Coast Guard also has a slightly different form than the Auxiliary, but essentially covers all the same items: registration, safety, securing the head overboard discharge and dates of flares. We passed with flying colors and got a copy of the “Passed” form that is good for a year. It took all of maybe fifteen minutes. It appears that only the Auxiliary distributes stickers that can be placed on the base of your mast. Maybe I’ll get a Sharpie and change our 2012 sticker to 2016.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

@Stu Jackson why didn’t you get inspected while at Roche last year??? I think the auxiliary is there for all the Catalina gathering. I actually got a sticker for the boat and RIB last year. Painless.

Wonder if the will inspect for recalled fire extinguishers ?? Never got my on replacement.

Mahalo

 

[Stu Jackson]

why didn’t you get inspected while at Roche last year?

@LeslieTroyer because I was within one year and am turning into a pale ale Canadian boat.