How to Pass a Coast Guard Inspection

Boating Laws in America! Florida boating laws, Texas boating laws, California boating laws...If you are sailing anywhere in U.S. waters this series is just for you!
This episode goes into all the specific things you need to have on your vessel in order to pass a Coast Guard inspection.
Please email these 'boating law' videos to your sailing friends!

Future episodes will cover DUI boating laws, liability issues for the captain, and others that boaters need to know.

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Stock Media footage provided by RetroKLIPS/Pond 5 'sailors scambling..used by Pond5 agreement and authorized-

music: 'Cool Blast- Disco Ultralounge' by Kevin McLeod licensed under a creative commons attribution license

[howardwhite]

thank you for the disclaimer at the beginning that establishes credentials (law license) and the purpose of general education. Did not see that on the first one (and it may have been there). Good work.

[enerzise]

My first boat was actually boarded and searched years ago. While searching, one of the officers asked me, "Why do you think we decided to board your vessel?" Let me explain the situation. My truck was painted camo and my boat was painted camo.

I mean camouflage, as in I used palm fronds, cat tails, oak tree branches and pampas grass to stencil patterns on to the boat and truck. First I sprayed on light green, dark green and tan and a little white and then used the stencils up to it and sprayed flat black along the bottom half of the hull and sky blue along the top half of the hull. Our gear was as much Olive Drab as possible. I painted the boat like this so fish would gather under it (and boy did they) so fishing would be more productive when bottom or anchored fishing. So you get the idea of what the officer seen first.

I responded to his question, "I figure it is your job to board anyone looking suspicious, or if you are out and have not boarded anyone because there are not a lot of boaters out, you would board someone because their may be an unofficial quota you are expected to search. He replied, "What you say is true but we boarded your boat because you do not have ID numbers on one side of your boat. By Law you have to have numbers on both the starboard and port side of your boat."

He was pulling out what looked like a ticket book as he said that. I responded, "Sir, can I show you something in my tackle box?" I asked and did not just lung for the box as those guys have guns and my experience is that when dealing with anyone who has a gun, you ask permission and move very slow around them. He stopped writing and nodded yes. I got my paper that came with my decal from the state office and showed him that the picture on it only showed the number on the port side of the boat.

I told him that I was only following what the picture showed. He and the other officer read the paper together and it was not until the last paragraph that it stated, "Make sure you put the vessels ID numbers on both sides of the boat." They let me off on a technicality. They said that they were going to give me a citation but because the paper from the state clearly did not show numbers on both sides and it was not stated until near the bottom, it is the state that was not clear enough in their opinion.

They also asked me if I thought a camo boat with missing numbers on one side was suspicious. I replied, "In my opinion, a camo boat like this is suspicious with numbers or not. Then I explained that the idea was to encourage fish to come to the boat. They complimented me on the idea and then left. My boat was never boarded and searched again. The next year when I renewed the sticker, the paper from the state office was updated to show two images of each side of the boat with numbers and it stated several times that numbers are requires on both sides of the boat. I like to think it was not me, but it was the little 14 foot camo boat with one set of numbers that effected change.

[bigwooly]

love your videos, might try hanging (from a safe distance obviously ) a light colored pillow case or shirt in front of your lights to help diffuse for more even lighting.

[BodyGuardOfLies]

Good stuff great video.
I am in the process of selling my apartment in fact the buyers surveyor was here today. After your review of the Freedom yacht I was really impressed and have found one I like in the States so if it is still available at the end of the month I will be flying over to buy her if she is as good as she looks. I will then pay the yard fees till next summer when I will sail her back to the UK. All this because I was impressed by your Freedom review. Keep up the good work.

[captainandthelady]

Good video and I can't wait for the next installment.

[JonDavidCroel]

Awesome awesome awesome video! What a great and valuable series!

[ThatCasualZach]

Liking where this is going! I think this is fairly unique from things I've seen on youtube

[SailingNervous]

VESSEL BOARDINGS AND COAST GUARD AUTHORITY
Written by CDR Mark Hammond
We’ve all watched enough episodes of “COPS” or “Law and Order” to be familiar with the concept that an agent of law enforcement needs “probable cause” to arrest a person for the commission of a crime. Agents of law enforcement need a “reasonable suspicion” that a crime has been or will be committed to stop/detain a person for questioning. So, does the Coast Guard need either a reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe that a law or regulation has been violated to stop your boat and board your vessel? The answer is, “No.”
The Hearing Office often receives responses from charged parties demanding that their cases be dismissed because the Coast Guard “lacked probable cause” to stop and board their vessel. Moreover, they argue that any violation discovered during the boarding cannot be processed because the boarding was improper and in violation of their rights under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which prohibits unlawful searches and seizures.
The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution guards against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause. The courts have long held however, that it is not unreasonable for the Coast Guard to exercise plenary authority under Title 14 United States Code (USC) section 89 to stop and board vessels on the navigable waters of the United States to conduct safety and documentation inspections, even in the absence of a reasonable suspicion that some criminal activity is occurring.
The Coast Guard exercises its broad authority to conduct vessel boarding's for the purpose of enforcing U.S. laws and regulations to promote marine safety, security and environmental protection. This authority extends to any vessel over which the United States has jurisdiction. This essentially means U.S. vessels anywhere outside the territorial waters of another country, and foreign vessels in U.S. waters. Title 14 USC § 89 states in part:
“(a) The Coast Guard may make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures, and arrests upon the high seas and waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of laws of the United States. For such purposes, commissioned, warrant, and petty officers may at any time go on board of any vessel subject to the jurisdiction, or to the operation of any law, of the United States, address inquiries to those on board, examine the ship’s documents and papers, and examine, inspect, and search the vessel and use all necessary force to compel compliance…”

[giantdad]

Okay, but what I'm in international water?

[billinorlando]

Will they fine you for using a hand held device without hands free? 😆 I dont have a boat but have wondered about phone laws in boats. I guess i could look it up real quick.
Cheers

[kaiwarneke]

can you tell me where you get your information i would like to know more about boating laws

[WakeforMe]

I think you guys have it a niche! I wonder if there is anything like this for cruisers outside US water?

[tigersharkzh]

Some States have legal medical cannabis and the first states have allowed recreational use. Federal law does not allow any use of cannabis. What would the coast guard in a state with legal cannabis do when legit cannabis is on board a vessel?