USCGA Courtesy Inspection
Took my newly built 20' Tolman Skiff out today to test new instruments.
Hauled her from N. Tallahassee down to St. Marks River where there
were already about 30 other boat trailers parked.
As soon as I got out of my truck, this older guy walks up in a sorta
blue uniform that said U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and asked if I
wanted a free "courtesy safety inspection". Being proud of my boat and
knowing she is in excellent shape and sorta wanting to show her off I
said "OK". He did say he was not empowered to issue any tickets for
anything. It turns out that he goes to the same church my wife attends
so he sorta knows us. However, during the short "inspection", I
started to feel kinda put-off by it. It was all very friendly and he
did give some good advice on problems with the launch area but I really
began to feel odd about the whole thing.
My boat was still on the trailer so I wonder about his authority and in
reality NOBODY would refuse to get such an inspection. After all, if I
refused he coulda radioed to someone on the water to give me a ticket
for something. Mostly the inspection was insignificant and didnt tell
me anything at all but he made a big deal about paperwork. He wanted
to see my title and since I dont think anybody has such a right except
for law enforcement types and he had no cause to ask I was sorta
put-off. Even worse, he was confused by the lack of a vessel ID number
on a home-built boat and fact that the title did not look like a
standard one.
He gave me a sticker that he insisted on putting on my new paint saying
I had been inspected and said something about this preventing me from
getting stopped by the CG (Really?) What really got me was he
paperwork he filled out with my name, vessell ID stuff and other
things; what the hell is all that for?
It was all very friendly and it was not till I got home later that it
began to gnaw at me that it seemed very weird to be forced to do this. |
Frogwatch
Jan 20
|
| Not paranoid, but I have been inspected by a real asshole. I am in my 14'
aluminum boat and I have more than the required equipment. GPS, fire
extinguisher, throwable cushion. He first complains that there is not a
complete 3" between the CF and the first number of the registration numbers.
There is only 2". Then makes other nasty remarks and askes where the extra
lifejackets are after he stepped in the boat. Informed him I am the only
one aboard and I am wearing my PFD. He stated he was aboard. I informed
him to get his ass out of my boat and never get near it again. I should
have called over his co workers and blasted him again for being a dickhead. |
Calif
Jan 21
|
| Harry! You are such a neat guy! You call names better than almost anyone I
know. Aren't you glad JimH is back to give you the support you need? You and JimH have both had bad experiences with the USCGA. Wow! Quite
coincidental, don't you think? Must be your karma!
--
***** Have a super day! ***** John H |
JohnH
Jan 21
|
| This is a story about the USCGA? I've never seen them inspecting boats on
the water. It has always been at the ramp or in the marina. I've never been
boarded by them. Anytime I've been boarded, the individual was already
wearing a vest, both Coasties, DNR, and local police. I've seen many USCGA
courtesy patrol boats on the water, but the crew has always been wearing
vests. Maybe your experience was a San Francisco thing?
--
***** Have a super day! ***** John H |
JohnH
Jan 21
|
| the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:
As I read it.... issue #1 is that the OP was unfamiliar with the USCGA..... and their
role in concert with the USCG and, #2 he probably had no glass on which to affix the decal.... since he
described his boat as a "20' Tolman Skiff," which likely has no cuddy.
Thus, the issue with *where* to put the sticker....
|
Gene
Jan 21
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| >>If someone wants a free inspection, w/o a sticker, I can't imagine any |
JimH
Jan 21
|
| I (the original poster) have no problem with the CG or CGA. My concern
was that suddenly I see him filling out all this paperwork about me.
In all these years of sailing, I have rarely had any experiences with
the CG or CGA but when I get a powerboat suddenly I do. It just seemed
weird. |
Frogwatch
Jan 21
|
| I (the original poster) have no problem with the CG or CGA. My concern
was that suddenly I see him filling out all this paperwork about me.
In all these years of sailing, I have rarely had any experiences with
the CG or CGA but when I get a powerboat suddenly I do. It just seemed
weird. |
Frogwatch
Jan 21
|
| Those powerboaters just require more policing. |
Don
Jan 21
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| I was tied up to the dock by the ramp. |
Calif
Jan 22
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| LOL. Sounds like a Monty Python skit, but you weren't playing along.
When he said he was aboard probably you were supposed to say "No,
you're not." Then he could say "Yes, I am." And so forth. --Vic |
Vic
Jan 21
|
| I'm sure these USCGA and USPS guys do some good, but I've never seen
them doing it, and I've been boating for 50+ years. Typically, I see a pack of them out on boats on nice sunny days,
cruising around, club-like. In fact, I suspect that's mostly what they
do: engage in club-like activities. Nothing wrong with that. There's
always a certain element who is attracted by quasi-military trappings. |
Harry
Jan 21
|
| the aux doesn't have authority to board a vessel. even the CG can't
board a vessel unless there is a 'boarding officer'...someone trained
in the use of force...aboard the CG vessel. of course, since the CG is
also military, it CAN board a vessel under 'rules of engagement', but
that's a military issue, not a law enforcement one. if they board your vessel under the rules of engagement you better do
pretty much what they say. |
wf3h
Jan 21
|
| well, harry, i guess you weren't in NY harbor after 9/11. because we were. |
wf3h
Jan 21
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| The CG is a uniformed service, they do not serve subject to the UCMJ. > if they board your vessel under the rules of engagement you better do
> pretty much what they say. The CG is a law enforcement agency. |
Bert
Jan 21
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| Lots of CG boarding on the San Francisco area. Maybe it is just training,
but they will board while you are out salmon fishing. They will wait if you
have a fish on. They are always courteous. |
Calif
Jan 22
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| No, I was in downtown Washington, D.C., on 9-11, working. Did you guys
stop additional hijacked airliners from crashing into the harbor? |
Harry
Jan 21
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| Does that include cap'n hats?
I've never had dealings with them because.....I don't have a boat.
But I'm not so cynical, and figure I'll be talking to them when I get
my CS, at minimum to take the safety course.
But who knows, I might just join up myself - if I can carry a piece. --Vic |
Vic
Jan 21
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| The USCG follows under the Dept. of the Treasury, doesn't it? |
Tim
Jan 21
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| Just so you know, whatever my banter with Harry and others, I thank
you for your service. And I'm looking forward to getting some good
education and advice from you guys when I get my boat. --Vic |
Vic
Jan 21
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| You're under no obligation to deal with these people. The few times I
have been "encountered" by USCGA types wanting to inspect, I have told
them no. I think they get brownie points in their clubs for turning in
completed inspection forms. |
Harry
Jan 20
|
| no, we can't force anyone to get an inspection. the reason the
paperwork is filled out is because we have to turn this in to the USCG
base that conrrols our flotillas. they keep track of how many
inspections we do so they know how effective the program is. the USCG
wants to ensure boaters have the opportunity to get an inspection. the CG does not track anyone's boat nor make the records available to
anyone as a result of this inspection. however, if the active duty CG
inspects your boat they DO keep records and they WILL track this info,
especially if they find violations. since the CG and not the aux has
enforcement authority, there is no way the aux can 'tell' the CG to
issue a citation. the mechanism doesn't exist for this to happen. and
local authorities cooperate with the aux, but since the aux has no
enforcement power, if the aux DOES call law enforcement, it's the same
as any other citizen doing so. as to getting stopped by the CG with the inspection sticker, the CG, as
a law enforcement agency will stop you if they see you doing something
unsafe, and yes, the sticker will probably reduce your chances of
getting boarded since they know your boat has already been inspected.
they have better things to do than randomly stop boats to do
inspections. |
wf3h
Jan 20
|
| That's good to know. Have to say this reminded me of "Hand of God"
which I saw last night and the thought of the USCGA having the same
effect as pedophile Catholic priests agave me second thoughts about
buying a boat. Thanks Harry, I'm no longer afraid.
Frogwatch, can you point to some pics of your Tolman?
Sounds like a fun project. --Vic |
Vic
Jan 20
|
| Frankly, I find this sort of behavior officious. I've actually seen a
couple of USCGA'ers inspecting a boat at a pier while in plain sight an
obviously overloaded boat, too small for the conditions it was going to
face as soon as it got out of the lee of the land, zipped by, headed for
disaster. Hey, it's a club, right? Uniforms, secret handshakes, "burgees,"
whatever floats your boat. But not my boats. The last time I actually agreed to an "inspection" was in Florida, on a
center console fishing boat. The inspector wanted to paste his sticker
on the windshield. I said no. He said it had to go there. I said no. I
thought he was going to assault me. Finally, I told him that I was no
longer interested in his "inspection." |
Harry
Jan 20
|
| I appreciate the CG and CGA, but something just doesnt seem right about
this but I am not sure what it is. Being a very long time sailor, I
have only been stopped by law enforcement types 3 times over 20 years
so I am not used to it happening. Maybe they stop powerboats more. There are pics of my Tolman on the Fishy Fish site. I am David OHara
and the pics are under my name there. It is a 20' Standard Tolman with
a 90 hp Yamaha and 9.9 hp kicker. I built it as a center console.
This is my first foray into power boating and even though I have been
boating all my life I had never piloted a power boat until December
2006 when I launched my Tolman. |
Frogwatch
Jan 20
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| That's the best place to put it (other than up his as*). That way you can
get it off with ease... no damage to the gel or paint! --Mike |
Mike
Jan 21
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| >Vic Smith wrote: |
Vic
Jan 20
|
| There's no problem removing stickers from gel coat without damaging the
gel. I've only been stopped once on the Bay by the water federales for an
"inspection." It was by a very pretty young Maryland watercop. The guy I
was with worked very hard to get her phone number for a date. In Florida, the DNR types would station themselves at boat ramps and
insist upon looking in your fish cooler. I approved of that: they were
looking for catch violators and poachers. |
Harry
Jan 20
|
| well, not exactly. we patrol the areas around nuclear power plants,
chemical plants, etc.. after 9/11 when the active duty side was
carrying guns, the CG aux was the only search and rescue resource in NY
harbor... auxiliarists, such as myself, have secret security clearances and
handle communications at CG radio stations... we do more than shake hands. |
wf3h
Jan 20
|
| Yeah, ok. A little finesse, and it's not a problem. It's just a LOT easier
(and faster) to use a straight blade razor to take a sticker off glass.
Kinda my point, and mostly a joke... that you didn't get. --Mike |
Mike
Jan 21
|
| > Hauled her from N. Tallahassee down to St. Marks River where there |
Short
Jan 21
|
| All kidding aside, that is a very nice boat - well done and
congratulations. With respect to your other concerns, power boating is a little
different than sailing for any number of reasons. I sailed as a kid
and into my early to mid-twenties and found it fun on occasion, but
overall boring. I grew up with the children of Ted Hood and the
Marblehead Graves family and raced with them and their mentors -
sailing just never really got into my blood even after crewing an
America's Cup trial boat. My first avocation is fishing - salt/fresh.
Sailing doesn't really accommodate that so I drifted away from it over
the years. If you try this for a while, it just maybe that power boating isn't
your thing and that's fine - your not a power boater. Sailing isn't
mine even through I own a sailboat. Enjoy it for what it is - a good way to get to out of the way places.
Try your hand at fishing and see how that goes - you never know. If
you do decide to give fishing a shot, and if you are a first timer
hire a good local guide for the day and just learn - you'd be amazed
at what a difference that can make on your first solo fishing trip. Good luck with that Tolman - enjoy. Nice job. |
Short
Jan 21
|
| The courtesy inspection is just that - something being done for you. I've
had several. They don't hurt, no one's out to get you or your boat. Some folks are a little paranoid. Deservedly so.
--
***** Have a super day! ***** John H |
JohnH
Jan 21
|
| LOL
--
***** Have a super day! ***** John H |
JohnH
Jan 21
|
| no, no, no! give it to me! I'll take care of it... |
wf3h
Jan 21
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| <...> > we do more than shake hands. That's the only thing of mine you're going to get to shake. You are,
however, free to inspect my boat. And, I do thank you for it. --
Stan |
Stan
Jan 21
|
| I refused once and the guy asked me if I still wanted an inspection sticker.
Perhaps their *effectiveness* is rated by the number of inspection stickers
they hand out. Needless to say I called the local USCG office and reported this guy.
Hopefully he is no longer a USCGA member. |
JimH
Jan 21
|
| It probably was Reggie, the reigning officious a*sshole of this
newsgroup. If it is information or an opinion you don't need, Reggie has
it first. |
Harry
Jan 21
|
| On 20 Jan 2007 18:33:23 -0800, Frogwatch penned the following well |
Gene
Jan 21
|
| I can't figure out what the big deal is. The USCGAux has a specific
area they want the sticker attached to. On my boat it is on the port
side windshield. I normally would get pulled over once a year, normally
in the early spring, just to do a safety inspection of the boat. Since
I have the sticker I have never been pulled over. I would assume some
of the inspectors can be pricks, especially if the person they offered
the free service to is being a prick, but all USCGAux. I have been
involved with have been very pleasant. If someone wants a free inspection, w/o a sticker, I can't imagine any
inspector saying no. You just would not get one of the main benefits,
which is the USCD or DNR will not pull you over for a random safety
inspection. |
Reginald
Jan 21
|
