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posted to rec.boats
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Boarded by the Coast Guard yesterday
wrote:
Enroute from Seattle to Poulsbo, (to do a little "holiday" shopping),
we got hauled down by the Coast Guard in Port Madison.
... snipped for brevity ...
We have been frequrent visitoris's to the Florida Keys the past number
of years. Usually we are there during lobster season, including the mini
two-day season. We had had days when we had been boarded & inspected at
least 3 times per day. The past two years, I've not even seen a Marine
Patrol boat in our area.
I completely understand the need to perform the checks, but in the
normal course of a boating day, what rights does a boat owner have to
say 'no, you can not board my vessel'? The times we got stopped multiple
times per day, it was a different agency each time. I understand and
agree to a point what they are doing during that time of the year. Heck,
I think they have more work to do than most realize, but that is topic
for another thread.
I had thought that similar to a search of private property, such as a
vehicle or a house, law enforcement can not simply search because they
are in the neighborhood, or in this case, passing you in the channel.
I have never yet denied the request to check, heck I ain't hiding
anything, but where does one's rights apply? A link or official website
would be greaty appreciated.
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