Suppose you refuse to leave your vessel -- what can they do? Shoot you in
order to save you?


Of course they will not shoot you. They are up in
a helicopter usually, and the only one close to
your boat is the rescue diver.

However, if you are a US citizen, and you refuse
orders to abandon boat, two things will likely
happen.

1) If conditions get worse and you actually
need to abandon ship you will be on your own.

2) When you get back to the US you may be
facing an administrative hearing and a fine for
disobeying a Coast Guard regulation about
continuing an unsafe voyage.

If you are not a US citizen, and don't land in the
USA, then I'd think you'd probably be okay as long
as Neptune didn't get you.

YMMV,

Don W.