Boat owners say they were fearful during Coast Guard search

The Monterey Herald ^ | September 18, 2005 | VIRGINIA HENNESSEY

[Ramius]

GodBlessUSA said: "They have been doing it since prohibition"

It goes back way before prohibition.

[GodBlessUSA]

It only explains how long they have had the Authority to do so.

The Coast Guard are Brave Courageous Heroes, some who do more in one day, than some here will ever do in their entire lives.

The history of the Coast Guard speaks for itself. The recent history in NO is proof. God Bless them!

[Ramius]

Eject! Eject! Eject! Bump.

Roger that. And how. Time to REACH FOR THE LOUD HANDLE. :-)

[Travis McGee]

It's not just the border and 12 miles out, who told you that? The USCG can board you half way up the Mississippi, or in the middle of the ocean, no matter what flag you are flying.


I know they can do it, and will do it. I just ask that they not act like Nazi storm troopers on Kristallnacht while they are doing it, to ordinary average American taxpaying Joe Schmoes. Usually, they are respectful and polite, but sometimes they do come off as JBTs with a 'tude. Not often, but they do.

Is it too much to ask that they be polite and courteous to law-abiding American boat owners, when rousting them from sleep in the middle of the night for an uninvited "safety inspection?"

[SaltyJoe]

It's an interesting article, but I think many Americans forget the nature of piracy, drug running, and the adverse work environment that our US Coast Guard has to deal with.

I know of a Coastie who was shot by a kid when he inspected a boat. Apparently the father of the kid ramped up the little fellow with "defend thy honor" type of rhetoric. Luckily for the Coastie, the flak jacket stopped the bullet and he didn't return fire.

I also know of another law enforcement officer who was blown to bits from a drug runner's RPG.

I've met Coasties that had the displeasure of searching homosexual cruises and told me what they witnessed.

If Coasties board your boat, and depending on where you are, chances are they're more ready to take a hit than we ever would (considering that Freepers reading this are definately law abiding and lovers of our nation's defenders). The Coasties I know are ready for a fight and they plan on winning. If they act like a cop who's just been shot at, then maybe it's because they've had the unpleasant experience. The War on Drugs hasn't ended and it's a very real war with real causalities.

So, if Coasties board your boat, be nice and offer them a cup a coffee. I don't know too many salty seafarers that don't like coffee. They aren't after law abiding citizens, so establish that relationship of trust and confidence and try to understand their job and all its associated hardships.

[SaltyJoe]

It's an interesting article, but I think many Americans forget the nature of piracy, drug running, and the adverse work environment that our US Coast Guard has to deal with.

I know of a Coastie who was shot by a kid when he inspected a boat. Apparently the father of the kid ramped up the little fellow with "defend thy honor" type of rhetoric. Luckily for the Coastie, the flak jacket stopped the bullet and he didn't return fire.

I also know of another law enforcement officer who was blown to bits from a drug runner's RPG.

I've met Coasties that had the displeasure of searching homosexual cruises and told me what they witnessed.

If Coasties board your boat, and depending on where you are, chances are they're more ready to take a hit than we ever would (considering that Freepers reading this are definitely law abiding and lovers of our nation's defenders). The Coasties I know are ready for a fight and they plan on winning. If they act like a cop who's just been shot at, then maybe it's because they've had the unpleasant experience. The War on Drugs hasn't ended and it's a very real war with real causalities.

So, if Coasties board your boat, be nice and offer them a cup a coffee. I don't know too many salty seafarers that don't like coffee. They aren't after law abiding citizens, so establish that relationship of trust and confidence and try to understand their job and all its associated hardships.

[HairOfTheDog]

You can say that again ;~D

[Chuckster]

It's not the authority that bothers me, it's the way some of them use (Or abuse) it. I'm a law a abiding guy, mostly; certainly no threat to society Once I'm standing there in my bare feet, surrounded by armed public servants and it has been established that I'm not going to go berserk with a submachine gun, they should treat me with the respect I deserve, search the boat if they must, and let me get on with my business.

[GodBlessUSA]

Jones said "I wouldn't question their professionalism, but I do question their motive and their authority," he said. "To me, it sounds like something that an ACLU lawyer would just tear apart."

Even the man who is complaining couldn't question their professionalism. Which means they weren't treated in any harsh way.

[Chuckster]

Oh, absolutely. Respect flows both ways once someone offers it. Although I have to admit, at my age, I sometimes have a hard time saying "Sir" to someone young enough to be my grandson d;^)

[Ramius]

Travis, I have great respect for your opinion, having read much of your good stuff over the years here.

Of course, CG boarding parties should not be seen to come across as Jackbooted thugs. I don't think that there are, or ever have been in any sort of institutional way. I happen to really honestly believe, that out of the thousands of boardings they do every DAY, that they conduct themselves in the most professional way possible, given whatever circumstances they are in.

I think there's a bad rap happening on this thread for the USCG, and I'll defend them. That is simply where I am.

[Oztrich Boy]

I don't think the guns were drawn

Yes I'm sure those M-16s were securely holstered.

[chris1]

These were not smugglers they were regular people. This seems to be over the line in my book.

[Ramius]

It's not just the border and 12 miles out, who told you that? The USCG can board you half way up the Mississippi, or in the middle of the ocean, no matter what flag you are flying.

Not exactly. True... the 12 mile limit extends into any navigable water. Authority to board and inspect insde that line is absolute. That's just the way it is. The CG also can board any U.S. flagged vessel anywhere in the world, in international waters. Or... can board any vessel flagged in a country for whom we have a treaty granting authority to the USCG to conduct boardings. Treaties to this effect are in place with regard to most countries of So. America.

[MilspecRob]

When Jones showed them the bilge, the officers repeatedly, and with increasing forcefulness, demanded to know if there were other accesses to the bilge. What they were looking for is drugs. If they find them, they just take your boat.

So this was not about the (tee hee) "Patriot act" but about revenue production.

[Yakima]

Smugglers come with signs identifying them as such???

[higgmeister]

Mike, tell him about "The Alien and Sedition Acts".

I believe John Adams was a founding father too.

[Travis McGee]

I've been boarded about a dozen times, and in almost every case the Coasties have been terrific. Polite, professional. Don't get an attitude with them, and no problem.

My bottom line is they are the guys who will pluck me from my raft, in the event of a calamity aboard the SV Escape Pod II.

I just hope that COs will go over some sort of "courtesy standards" to ensure no JBT treatment of American citizens, ever. Even if it is already rare. A few bad search cases get spread all over the waterfront and the internet, and it harms the USCG's interface with their "clients."

[Travis McGee]

Any vessel in the Pacific or Atlantic between Cape Horn and Canada can be searched, regardless of flag. Period. It is done. And I'm not sorry about it: we're not patsies.

[Travis McGee]

Usually, they call me sir! That's because I have a blue hull, Norfolk as a hailing port, a "military" length haircut etc. On the radio I answer in military "alpha tango" speak. By the time they board, we're already pals, usually.