"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote
wrote

Really? Which clause of whose constitution, precisely?

"Section 2 of Article III of the United States Constitution gives
original jurisdiction in admiralty matters to the federal courts.
The federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction over most admiralty
and maritime claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1333. Under this
statute, federal district courts are granted original jurisdiction
over admiralty actions "saving to suitors," a right to file suit for
most of these actions in state court."

I don't see sailboats or motors mentioned there.

Too ****ing bad!!!



But it isn't. Interior waters have always been left to the states. And if
there is a bridge, it usually spans over state waters. Intercoastal, bays,
harbors, lakes, rivers, streams, rills. All state waters.

So the states can decide the laws that are beneficial to protect property
and lives. Now, I suspect one can sail under the Golden Gate, I don't see
why not, but most of the intracoastal would be limited as there are safety
issues if all other boats have to give way to some a*hole tacking under sail
in a narrow waterway. The intracoastal is 72' wide. You get turned
sideways in there and you could run aground, or cause a barge to run aground
causing millions of dollars in damages. Or more likely it'll just run you
slap over, especially in the costal waters of LA (that'd be Lous'ana to you
yankees).

So you can pretend it's "all sail, all the time" if you like. The stark
realities are that for safety reasons, for convenience, out of sheer respect
for your fellow boaters, then there will be certain times that a motor is
going to have to be used.