It’s good to see that sexism is alive and well here.And why do you specify females as potential recipients for expired flares? Current ones only for men?
your experiences with boat police???
- Thread starter MitchM
- Start date
Must be the latest trend in de-icing before takeoff.
I interrupt this discussion of signal flares to note that another titan of American automobile racing has passed, Dan Gurney. The American Eagle. He designed race cars, he raced them and he won at home and abroad. That GT40 Ford sweep at LeMans...
Capta, you might be interested to know that boaters all over the country are challenging the USCG right to stop-and-board boats when they have no reasonable suspicion or probable cause to think you are violating any law. thy have a system called EPIC where they keep track of known drug smugglers and convicted criminals. (if you or your boat are in that computer system your boating life is ruined... ) your action of safely proceeding to the nearest port would likely be viewed with great favor by any court if the coasts tried to prosecute you for 'resisting arrest or inspection.' unfortunately here on lake erie, 4th of july coincides with new coasts coming in to C G stations at erie cleveland and toledo so they are very anxious to have they assorted trainees hovering all over our clean white decks. a group of lawyers in erie are up in arms and ready to do battle over these stop-and-boards in court.. on grounds of the 4th amendment...
Mitch:
Based on the multi-page responses from members on this site, I tend to believe that most of us have little concern over your implied concern of overly aggressive, jack booted CG abusing our community. Without question, while there are instances where poor judgement has been exercised, I am more than happy to experience an occasional inconvenience in return for knowing there are dedicated folks out there who risk their lives on a daily basis to respond when some really stupid people do really stupid things that prompt that Mayday call. For those who wish to denigrate the dedicated CG folks out there and rush to the courts for protection, I would suggest that you put your local courthouse number on your speeddial and use that number next time you find yourself sinking or experiencing a medical emergency while on the water. Then, push the timer on your watch and see how quickly your favorite ACLU attorney drops from a helicopter into 15' waves in icy waters to save you.
Based on the multi-page responses from members on this site, I tend to believe that most of us have little concern over your implied concern of overly aggressive, jack booted CG abusing our community. Without question, while there are instances where poor judgement has been exercised, I am more than happy to experience an occasional inconvenience in return for knowing there are dedicated folks out there who risk their lives on a daily basis to respond when some really stupid people do really stupid things that prompt that Mayday call. For those who wish to denigrate the dedicated CG folks out there and rush to the courts for protection, I would suggest that you put your local courthouse number on your speeddial and use that number next time you find yourself sinking or experiencing a medical emergency while on the water. Then, push the timer on your watch and see how quickly your favorite ACLU attorney drops from a helicopter into 15' waves in icy waters to save you.
I once spent the New Year on Tortola. Right across the channel was Jost Van Dyke. We were heading over there because Foxy's Beach Bar is listed by some sources as one of the top 10 places to spend New Years Eve. While researching this I came across the story of how Jost Van Dyke got its name.I'll bet you could fit 6 wimmen in there.
Once, around the time of the pirates of the Caribbean, a famous Dutch pirate and his crew had just succeeded in taking a huge galleon filled with gold and they were tired and looking for a place for a little r&r where they could spend some of their booty on some booty. They came across this island and sent their toughest sailor over in a row boat to check it out.
The crew waited and waited and waited. The captain was about to order an armed search party to go ashore and look for the missing sailor when they spotted the lone sailor slowly making his way back to the ship. He looked awful. His clothes were torn, he was missing hair and even a couple of teeth, his face was swollen and both eyes were blackened.
The captain, when the sailor got close enough, leaned over the side and shouted, "Are thar any wimmen on tha island?"
The sailor looked up at his captain, lips swollen, teeth missing, barely able to keep rowing and answered, "jost van dyke!"
- Will (Dragonfly)
coin flip. In my house the police do not come by and "practice" entering my house on a training mission. There is no association between their ability to enter my house at random, and yet protect my house if a threat occurs against my family. Making the association between practice boarding and inspection, and serving the public on the water is completely erroneous.
You are comparing apples and oranges. These are two distinctly different branches of the same service. Just like SWAT and a street patrolman.And in both cases the abuses seem to rest with the group that deal with the public daily and more directly.
The boats that pull you over on the water and harass you are mostly manned by younger, non-professional personnel. Many take advantage of their new found power and abuse it. The rescue service, on the other hand, is staffed by professionals who spend their whole life in the service.
I don't think a single member of this site is denigrating the rescue personnel. However, if you've spent any time on the water on small craft, and have not had at least one unpleasant encounter with what we are calling "coasties" on here, then you are indeed a very fortunate person.
I've been out on the water almost daily for the last 5 decades, mostly professionally, and if you bought the beer at the pub, I could probably empty your wallet before I ran out of stories on this subject. And yet my, jacket as a USCG Licensed Master (well over 30 years) is spotless.
I think this will apply to this topic...
In Hamburg Cove, on the CT River, there is an issue for residents who keep their boats there. The weekends are a zoo just as many popular places in the east. Great swimming, etc.
The Harbormaster indicates in the permit renewals there is a limit of 4 boat raft ups on moorings. The problem is enforcement... it is common to see as many as eleven boats on a mooring spending the night / weekend partying and playing loud music which puts local boats in harms way as boats swing. Boats passing through at excessive speed are going to kill someone in the water.
There is no enforcement..! Another police department on weekends drives through (from Essex) without any enforcement action taken. This is the town of Lyme... Do they have jurisdiction to do something? Do they just ignore it?
This incredibly beautiful place is ruined by an overcrowded zoo! When will the Lyme Harbormaster take action and enforce their own rules..?
In Hamburg Cove, on the CT River, there is an issue for residents who keep their boats there. The weekends are a zoo just as many popular places in the east. Great swimming, etc.
The Harbormaster indicates in the permit renewals there is a limit of 4 boat raft ups on moorings. The problem is enforcement... it is common to see as many as eleven boats on a mooring spending the night / weekend partying and playing loud music which puts local boats in harms way as boats swing. Boats passing through at excessive speed are going to kill someone in the water.
There is no enforcement..! Another police department on weekends drives through (from Essex) without any enforcement action taken. This is the town of Lyme... Do they have jurisdiction to do something? Do they just ignore it?
This incredibly beautiful place is ruined by an overcrowded zoo! When will the Lyme Harbormaster take action and enforce their own rules..?
Most police forces respond to complaints. Have you tried that?
This was the most crowded anchorage we were in last summer. (5 month cruise)There were a couple of boats on the other side of us as well. It's why I love the west coast but I guess it will be as crowded as the east coast in a couple of hundred years.Errr, not likely. There's that weather problem out there. I notice nobody swimming.......
Yea! I only swim in pools but Bev went swimming a few times. She said it was nice and warm. Not like the Caribbean though!
So true. We've had about 1" of snow this year. The water in Desolation Sound only gets up to the low 80's in the summer. We suffer so!!!!!