In article ,
Larry W4CSC wrote:

"Bob La Londe" wrote in
:

Does the US Coast Guard have the authority to stop, search or do a
"routine" safety check on a vessel of US registry or US state
registration fully within US waters and obviously not suited for long
offshore travel without cause?


Absolutely....ad nauseum! On my little jetboat, it wasn't unusual to have
my fire extinguisher "inspected" 3, 4 or 5 times on a Saturday...even with
the USCG Auxiliary's seal-of-approval prominently displayed on the side!
It meant nothing to the CG crews, Dept of Natural Resources swat teams in
the camo boats in their flak jackets and Army greens, City cops guarding
the no wake zones, County cops guarding nothing in particular.

I used to tell people I drove and "inspected vessel" because my boat was
inspected far more often than that silly little cruise ship at Union
Pier...(c;

They can't haul your ass over in your car on I-26 without justifiable cause
or there's big trouble. But, they can haul your ass over and tear apart
your boat any ol' time they get a hankerin' to! Nothing on the water is
"illegal search and seizure" any more...even before 9/11/01.

You can sue them for damages, and it actually has been done. Usually if
they were very destructive, and nothing was found, they settle "Out of
Court" because the US Attorney doesn't want his forth coming "Political
Career" tarnished by some "Way Overboard Coastie" screwing the pouch.
Also the District Admiral doesn't want to smear his "Command" with
incidents of BAD PR, from such public outcries, of some "Overzellious
Junior Officer". Every group has it's Rambo's...but in the Military
they get stomped on fast if the don't make the case..... Just remeber
that this all takes place After the Fact... and after a whole lot of BAD
Press....

Me