Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

yes

========
"jaybird" wrote in message
ups.com...
Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

"jaybird" wrote in message
ups.com...
Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?

Yes. I believe there's a time restriction involved... 90 days if my memory
serves. I don't believe you have to flag it elsewhere.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Depends on the state....

There are LOTS of closings in Bimini due to Florida taxes... Only
problem, once you bring it back for more than a few months you owe USE
tax (6%...same as sales tax) The boat has to stay out of the US and
out of FL for most of the year. If you plan to use the boat mostly
out of the states then it may work for you if not, it's more expense
than it is worth.

There are also other tax loopholes for domestic use. For Florida, if
you are a resident and own and use a boat in another US state for 6
months and you paid tax in that state (if applicable) then no state use
tax is due when you bring it to Florida.

Most state's web sites explain it.





Capt. JG wrote:

"jaybird" wrote in message
ups.com...

Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?


Yes. I believe there's a time restriction involved... 90 days if my memory
serves. I don't believe you have to flag it elsewhere.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

"jaybird" wrote in news:1155482028.960299.312280@
75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?



Sure. The incredibly rich have all their monster yachts flagged in the BVI
that come to Charleston. They don't leave them in one place long enough to
attract the tax bureaucrats' attentions....plus, of course, the
billionaires have batteries of lawyers and accountants they'd have to fight
for years to get a dime......making it unprofitable to persecute them.

Isn't that what the lawyer class lives for?

I'd bet Jimmy Dean or Gene Reed's law firms could bankrupt most any
county....

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

In Larry writes:

"jaybird" wrote in news:1155482028.960299.312280@
75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?



Sure. The incredibly rich have all their monster yachts flagged in the BVI
that come to Charleston. They don't leave them in one place long enough to
attract the tax bureaucrats' attentions....plus, of course, the
billionaires have batteries of lawyers and accountants they'd have to fight
for years to get a dime......making it unprofitable to persecute them.

Of course they have paid crew to move the boat from place to place so
that they can avoid taxes. Perhaps the crew will avoid income taxes as
well.

Isn't that what the lawyer class lives for?

Of course it is good busines to pay a lawyer 10 dollars to avoid paying
Oncle Sam one dollar.

I'd bet Jimmy Dean or Gene Reed's law firms could bankrupt most any
county....

Why should they do that?

- Lauri Tarkkonen

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

jaybird wrote:
Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?

It depends on the state. The excise tax in MA is owed regardless of
where the vessel is flagged. However, for a new 60+ foot boat the
bill is only $500, and for a more typical boat its under $200. In MA
you can avoid the sales tax by keeping the boat in Rhode Island for 6
months. However, there are some states that will collect the sales
tax (they call it a use tax) if you can't show that you paid it elsewhere.

On the other hand, foreign flagging must be an open invitation to the
CG to "Board Me!"

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

In Larry writes:

(Lauri Tarkkonen) wrote in news:ebnr1r$lnk$1
:

I'd bet Jimmy Dean or Gene Reed's law firms could bankrupt most any
county....

Why should they do that?



The point was that the POSSIBLITY of any action against someone BIG would
be the action might FAR exceed and revenues gained from the
action....making the action "less attractive" to the bureaucrats involved
than going after small people without the huge law firms.

What do income, real estate, sales, VAT and boat taxes look like in
Finland?....

I guess we pay higher taxes than what you do in the U.S., but we know
that there is nothing called free lunch. We have one of the better
educational systems and our medical care is on a high level we spend a
reasonable amount in army and because the expenditure is sanctioned by
the parliament choosen by the people.

We do not have a special boat tax, but boats are property like any other
property and there is a property tax, but that is not very high. Most
people do not even know what it is, as it is so neglible.

How much does gasoline cost? What part of that is taxes?

Gasoline costs at the moment some 1.3 Euros per litre and there is tax
some 54% of that.

Just interested as our fuel triples in price in just a few years....

The more mess you are making in the middle east, the more the oil price
will go up. But anyway, every fellow making tricks to avoid taxes due to
him makes the rest of us pay even his share.

- Lauri Tarkkonen

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

jaybird wrote:
Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?



Some folks do their best to escape their democratic elected tax laws.

In Oregon both WA and CA residents do their covert best to register
their boats/cars in Oregon. I have a 39' boat and up to a couple years
ago my state boat registration was $35. I think it is up to over $150
for two years now. Cant remember I just close my eyes and write the
check.

Contrary to ordinary, I know that the owner of a popular west coast
sailing magazine who lives in CA and operates his business there for
some strange reason had his boat registered in Oregon?!? Go figure?

I suggest searching the state boat registration sites and become a
resident of that state most beneficial to your needs. Heck, Bush the
First did that. Lived in DC and the NE while claiming to be a TX
resident. I guess if you have enough houses you can be a resident most
any place.

Bob

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 17:36:42 -0400, Jeff wrote:

On the other hand, foreign flagging must be an open invitation to the
CG to "Board Me!"

Not really, they are used to seeing it on larger yachts, and those
boats do not cut corners with safety equipment or other regulatory
issues.


Earlier in the summer I was moored in a quiet cove in Salem Bay (MA)
when a CG boat did a "routine safety inspection" of 45 foot powerboat
at 10PM. Lights flashing, bumping into other boats in the anchorage -
it was really rather surreal. The next morning I asked one of the
local boats that was near the action what was going on, and he said
that every new power boat that is "drug running capable" gets boarded
until the local CG gets to know them.

And another friend with a large powerboat that happens to have a
southern city as the hailing port gets boarded, even though he's a
assistant harbormaster and the head of a local SWAT Team and sniper
group.

Somehow, I don't think the CG would look at a foreign flagged boat and
say, "Oh, they're Algerian - they must be cool!"

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Jeff wrote in
:

Somehow, I don't think the CG would look at a foreign flagged boat and
say, "Oh, they're Algerian - they must be cool!"


No, but they DO say, "Oh, he's Bill Gates - We don't want that trouble."

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Larry wrote:
Jeff wrote in
:

Somehow, I don't think the CG would look at a foreign flagged boat and
say, "Oh, they're Algerian - they must be cool!"


No, but they DO say, "Oh, he's Bill Gates - We don't want that trouble."

True, but I don't think the OP was Bill Gates. And anyone remotely
close to that level is not asking for legal advice in this forum.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 21:06:39 -0400, Jeff wrote:

Earlier in the summer I was moored in a quiet cove in Salem Bay (MA)
when a CG boat did a "routine safety inspection" of 45 foot powerboat
at 10PM. Lights flashing, bumping into other boats in the anchorage -
it was really rather surreal. The next morning I asked one of the
local boats that was near the action what was going on, and he said
that every new power boat that is "drug running capable" gets boarded
until the local CG gets to know them.

If that happened to me with no probable cause, I'd be writing letters
and making phone calls the next day. If enough people complain about
that kind of nonsense it can make a difference. Sounds like your
local CG is on a power trip.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Larry ,,,, wow. You are really getting close to the edge.

The Middle East is a mess because: IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MESS, THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE THERE HATE EACH OTHER, THEY WANT TO KILL THE GUY ACROSS THE STREET
AND CUT OFF HIS HEAD. NOTHING ANYBODY DOES IS GOING TO CHANGE THIS. ALL
WE, THE WEST, CAN DO IS KEEP THE NUTS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER.

If George Bush is a member of the "Illuminati" then the entrance exam must
have been waved. He was not at the top of his class at Yale. As for John
Kerry, he had worse grades than Bush. In fact, he couldn't get into Law
School until Cong. Father Drinin of Boston stepped in and helped.

The Vietnam war started in the 1940's. First against the French and then
the Japanese and then the French again and then US, THE USA.

The demonstators you talk about didn't show up until the late 60's .......
why? Because it wasn't until the sons of the "Illuminati" got blown up in
Nam that it mattered to them. You don't think they gave a crap about some
poor black or white kid.

Was R Nixon a member of the "Illuminati"? Nixon?

Before you jump to the conspiracy theories I recommend you read "1776" by
McCullough. The men and their wives who founded our county put it on the
line. Washington, Franklin, ... they could have just sat back and lived
rich lives. They were successfull me. Franklin was a publishing magnet by
the time of the Revolution.

Yet, they put it on the line. They stood up for freedom.

You are letting frustration get in the way of reason. Sure, the American
Government is full of corruption but it isn't being run by "Illuminati".


===========
"Larry" wrote in message
...
(Lauri Tarkkonen) wrote in news:ebo8m0$pk0$1
@oravannahka.helsinki.fi:

The more mess you are making in the middle east,

Let me correct a misconception, here. Americans aren't making a mess in
the Middle East. The American Government, which is controlled by the
Illuminati and Tel Aviv (international bankers and the elite), is making
a mess in the Middle East. The American military is simply the war
instrument populated by the propaganda machine.

Remember those huge demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the States?
Those represented the thoughts of the Americans....but not the
government.

That's out of control. I believe you Finns have more control. Don't you
have a vote of no confidence where you can throw out the trash from the
pile in the parlament and cause a new election? We can't, unfortunately.
We get to vote for the Illuminati's candidates of choice. They're ALL
members of secret societies...Freemasons, Skull and Bones at Yale
University, Bohemian Grove. The government is fully infiltrated, as
planned over 100 years ago, so the Illuminati can take over the world,
the "New World Order" you hear Bush talking about....

I doubt anyone can stop them, now. Illuminati bankers control everything
pulling the strings on all the puppets on stage. Check Google for the
details.

There's an excellent documentary film posted to alt.binaries.movies.divx
and possibly alt.binaries.multimedia.documentaries in the past 12 days.
It's filename title is:
The Lightbringers - The Emissaries of Jahbulon (Juri Lina surveys the
history of freemasonry)
It follows their history with full documentation from France and England
and Germany right up to the present. It's an avi movie to watch on the
computer.

Burying our heads in the sand only makes it worse......

Millions will die over it....

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in
news:Cf_Dg.1483$df.1449@trndny06:

You are letting frustration get in the way of reason. Sure, the
American Government is full of corruption but it isn't being run by
"Illuminati".



Nope...not at all. Go watch the video quoted, and see their pictures.
Look on the back of your one dollar bill. The evidence is right there in
front of you. That was a present to the freemasons from FDR, a 32nd
degree freemason, himself. The video is NOT an undocumented conspiracy
theory. Every fact the reader states is shown on the screen. It's very
well done. There's lots of more evidence available across the net, all
highly documented. All one has to do is open their brainwashed little
heads.

It mattered not who won the last Presidential election. Both major
candidates were members of all the quoted organizations. No matter who
won, "they" one, same as usual. You can vote for this one of our
candidates or that one of our candidates, it matters not which to "us".

Zebulon is watching over you, us. The nation's capital, their new
headquarters, was laid out by them from its conception. The Washington
monument to a 33 degree freemason, our first President, George
Washington, is their monument to freemasonry.

Open your eyes, man. The people of the country aren't the reason for the
constant wars that make the freemason bankers filthy rich and kill
millions!

(The inscription under the pyramid and Zebulon's eye on the dollar means,
"New World Order", by the way.)




--
There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Larry wrote:
"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in
news:Cf_Dg.1483$df.1449@trndny06:


You are letting frustration get in the way of reason. Sure, the
American Government is full of corruption but it isn't being run by
"Illuminati".




Nope...not at all. Go watch the video quoted, and see their pictures.
Look on the back of your one dollar bill. The evidence is right there in
front of you. That was a present to the freemasons from FDR, a 32nd
degree freemason, himself. The video is NOT an undocumented conspiracy
theory. Every fact the reader states is shown on the screen. It's very
well done. There's lots of more evidence available across the net, all
highly documented. All one has to do is open their brainwashed little
heads.

It mattered not who won the last Presidential election. Both major
candidates were members of all the quoted organizations. No matter who
won, "they" one, same as usual. You can vote for this one of our
candidates or that one of our candidates, it matters not which to "us".

Zebulon is watching over you, us. The nation's capital, their new
headquarters, was laid out by them from its conception. The Washington
monument to a 33 degree freemason, our first President, George
Washington, is their monument to freemasonry.

Open your eyes, man. The people of the country aren't the reason for the
constant wars that make the freemason bankers filthy rich and kill
millions!

(The inscription under the pyramid and Zebulon's eye on the dollar means,
"New World Order", by the way.)




Yes. Open your eyes, man.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Larry wrote:
"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in
news:Cf_Dg.1483$df.1449@trndny06:


You are letting frustration get in the way of reason. Sure, the
American Government is full of corruption but it isn't being run by
"Illuminati".




Nope...not at all. Go watch the video quoted, and see their pictures.
Look on the back of your one dollar bill. The evidence is right there in
front of you. That was a present to the freemasons from FDR, a 32nd
degree freemason, himself. The video is NOT an undocumented conspiracy
theory. Every fact the reader states is shown on the screen. It's very
well done. There's lots of more evidence available across the net, all
highly documented. All one has to do is open their brainwashed little
heads.

It mattered not who won the last Presidential election. Both major
candidates were members of all the quoted organizations. No matter who
won, "they" one, same as usual. You can vote for this one of our
candidates or that one of our candidates, it matters not which to "us".

Zebulon is watching over you, us. The nation's capital, their new
headquarters, was laid out by them from its conception. The Washington
monument to a 33 degree freemason, our first President, George
Washington, is their monument to freemasonry.

Open your eyes, man. The people of the country aren't the reason for the
constant wars that make the freemason bankers filthy rich and kill
millions!

(The inscription under the pyramid and Zebulon's eye on the dollar means,
"New World Order", by the way.)




It does seem suspicious seeing that pyramid and 'all seeing eye' on your
money. That Patrick guy who acted in the original Brit TV series 'The
Avengers' had a documentary on a cable station here in the spring about
those secret orders.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

You may want to check out this site.

http://mydakotaaddress.com/

Paul

jaybird wrote:
Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Dave wrote:

If that happened to me with no probable cause, I'd be writing letters
and making phone calls the next day.

More sea lawyer talk. The CG doesn't need probable cause to board your
vessel and inspect it.

Got that right............. ANY place, ANY time, No reason needed. And
forget that "international waters" BS........... If you are on the
water within the US EEZ or any place on world's highseas your ass
belongs to the US GOVERNMENT. The .mil guys have very long arms.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

"Bob" wrote in news:1155578624.425200.299360
@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com:

Got that right............. ANY place, ANY time, No reason needed. And
forget that "international waters" BS........... If you are on the
water within the US EEZ or any place on world's highseas your ass
belongs to the US GOVERNMENT. The .mil guys have very long arms.



The mil guys aren't the only ones....

On Charleston Harbor, you may be boarded and harassed by, count them, SEVEN
different bureaucracies, some dressed up in flak jackets and driving OD
Green bassboats, carrying M-16's....FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES!....I call them "Bubbas In Drag"...(c;

The Constitution seems to take a bath as you walk off the beach and into
the water. Of course, it's part of the Illuminati's plans, documented over
a hundred years ago....

--
There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Larry wrote:

dressed up in flak jackets and driving OD
Green bassboats, carrying M-16's....FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES!....

Gezzz, youre kidding me I hope?!?
DNR gone Rubby Ridge- Wako?

What ever happend to the ole Game Warden types????

Bob

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Dave wrote:
On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 15:16:18 -0400, Larry said:


Of course, it's part of the Illuminati's plans


Look up, Larry. The black helicopters are coming for your.
For your what?

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Paul wrote:
You may want to check out this site.

http://mydakotaaddress.com/

Paul

jaybird wrote:
Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?

How about owning your boat in a Delaware Corporation?

Mike

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Dave wrote:
On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 08:19:57 -0400, Wayne.B
said:


If that happened to me with no probable cause, I'd be writing letters
and making phone calls the next day.


More sea lawyer talk. The CG doesn't need probable cause to board your
vessel and inspect it.
In American waters only if you are not American, and anywhere if you are
American

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On 14 Aug 2006 15:27:43 -0700, "Mike" wrote:

How about owning your boat in a Delaware Corporation?

For the last 20 or 30 years that has been like naming your boat "Tax
Dodger". It will get attention.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On 14 Aug 2006 10:32:01 -0500, Dave wrote:

More sea lawyer talk. The CG doesn't need probable cause to board your
vessel and inspect it.

Very true, but when they do it in the middle of the night with "SWAT
team" tactics they should be made to justify it, and it can be done if
you know which strings to pull.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

"Bob" wrote in news:1155590668.324714.31530
@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

What ever happend to the ole Game Warden types????


They all got OD green boats and flak jackets for Christmas....

It scares me to see Bubbas with that much fire power....



--
There's amazing intelligence in the Universe.
You can tell because none of them ever called Earth.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On 14 Aug 2006 19:11:01 -0500, Dave wrote:

I'm all ears. Which strings?

Make phone calls and write letters - to the right people.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Don White wrote:
That Patrick guy who acted in the original Brit TV series 'The Avengers'...

Wasn't that Patrick McKnee ?

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Sailaway wrote:
Don White wrote:
That Patrick guy who acted in the original Brit TV series 'The Avengers'...

Wasn't that Patrick McKnee ?


Yes, I believe that's right. (alias Jonathan Steed)

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

I should think the word "reasonable" would apply here. If the Coast Guard
is waking you up at 3am, doing an inspection of your boat and you are the
"only" boat that is getting treated this way; then I think you would have a
reasonable complaint.

Let's get more extreme; say you are Black, and you own a big White yacht.
At 3am, the Coast Guard comes knocking.

Yet, the big Black yacht next to yours which is owned by the White guy is
never bothered ................

Then, I would say that you have every right in the world to file a lawsuit.

My guess is that the Coast Guard is inspecting boats on a regular basis.
They know what reasonable means. They are not going around messing with
boaters for the fun of it.


Let's use another example: say you are in a bar watching the baseball game.
The guy next to you, who happens to be in the Coast Guard is a Red Sox fan
and you are a Yankee fan. You two get into it. The Coast Guard guy says
"I'll see you on the water some time". At 3am his buddies and he come
knocking. You prove in court that he said what he said. You bring in the
bartender who swears he said "I'll see you on the water some time"..

Law suit ,,, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$



Reasonable ...



"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 19:41:01 -0400, Wayne.B
said:

when they do it in the middle of the night with "SWAT
team" tactics they should be made to justify it, and it can be done if
you know which strings to pull.

I'm all ears. Which strings? Seems they didn't teach us that in law
school.
But maybe you got admitted to the bar with your detailed knowledge of such
matters.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On 13 Aug 2006 18:29:15 GMT, (Lauri Tarkkonen)
wrote:

In Larry writes:

"jaybird" wrote in news:1155482028.960299.312280@
75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

Can you avoid sales tax and intangible taxes by purchasing and flagging
a boat say in the Carribean vs the US?



Sure. The incredibly rich have all their monster yachts flagged in the BVI
that come to Charleston. They don't leave them in one place long enough to
attract the tax bureaucrats' attentions....plus, of course, the
billionaires have batteries of lawyers and accountants they'd have to fight
for years to get a dime......making it unprofitable to persecute them.

Of course they have paid crew to move the boat from place to place so
that they can avoid taxes. Perhaps the crew will avoid income taxes as
well.

Isn't that what the lawyer class lives for?

Of course it is good busines to pay a lawyer 10 dollars to avoid paying
Oncle Sam one dollar.

In this case, it's the other way around.



I'd bet Jimmy Dean or Gene Reed's law firms could bankrupt most any
county....

Why should they do that?

- Lauri Tarkkonen

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 17:36:42 -0400, Jeff wrote:

jaybird wrote:

On the other hand, foreign flagging must be an open invitation to the
CG to "Board Me!"

Not in the least.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On 15 Aug 2006 20:12:04 -0500, Dave wrote:

Apparently you attended the lecture where they teach you that if you can't
answer the question asked, answer the question you wish they had asked.

And you attended the one where they teach you to always have the last
word?

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Throughout my life, the least liked people I have met have been those who
"can't suffer a fool". Why? Because it shows a lack of understanding.
Attorneys didnt become the most despised profession in the USA without some
effort. Oh no. They go about their day telling everyone they have all the
answers but then can't answer a straight question. Example: Bill Clinton,
disbarred/allowed back lawyer, ..." it all depends what the meaning of is
is".

I know many folks who aren't very smart. They didn't go to the best
schools, don't have degrees, get along as best they can.

BUT THEY KNOW WHAT THE MEANING OF "IS,IS".


==============================================

What I don't suffer easily is a knowitall. And you are an example of one.


My guess, and this is an educated one ..............

You are one lousy lawyer.


============================
"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 22:04:23 -0400, Wayne.B
said:

Apparently you attended the lecture where they teach you that if you
can't
answer the question asked, answer the question you wish they had asked.

And you attended the one where they teach you to always have the last
word?

Some people have a talent for suffering fools gladly. I lack that talent.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

In article ,
Dave wrote:

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 22:04:23 -0400, Wayne.B
said:

Apparently you attended the lecture where they teach you that if you can't
answer the question asked, answer the question you wish they had asked.

And you attended the one where they teach you to always have the last
word?

Some people have a talent for suffering fools gladly. I lack that talent.

Try explaining that to the Coastie with his Sidearm and FlakVest, just
after he boards your vessel......can you say "not impressed".......

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

On 16 Aug 2006 10:00:02 -0500, Dave wrote:

And you attended the one where they teach you to always have the last
word?

Some people have a talent for suffering fools gladly. I lack that talent.

=========

I rest my case.

Flagging a boat in a foreign country
 

Jeff wrote:



Earlier in the summer I was moored in a quiet cove in Salem Bay (MA)
when a CG boat did a "routine safety inspection" of 45 foot powerboat
at 10PM. Lights flashing, bumping into other boats in the anchorage -
it was really rather surreal. The next morning I asked one of the
local boats that was near the action what was going on, and he said
that every new power boat that is "drug running capable" gets boarded
until the local CG gets to know them.

And another friend with a large powerboat that happens to have a
southern city as the hailing port gets boarded, even though he's a
assistant harbormaster and the head of a local SWAT Team and sniper
group.

Coast Guard surveillance isn't all bad. My daughter's brother-in-law
Joe decided that he'd like to go to the Bahamas (from Miami) on
Thursday night after he'd had dinner with his dad. He and his half
brother Eric took off in the boat that he co-owned with my daughter
and SIL - at night, and this boat has two 250 hp engines on it - about
a 30 foot power boat.

The CG stopped them and asked them what they were doing. After they
were allowed to go on their way, the CG kept them on their radar.
This was a GOOD thing, because the boat ran into an uncharted rock
which ripped up through the cabin sole and trashed one of the engines.
Eric was at the wheel and went through the dodger/windscreen, but Joe
was pitched down into the cabin, and broke his wrist and severed his
Achilles tendon. He was able to put out a Mayday, and the CG knew
right where they were and came right away.

They evacuated both men - they tied the boat to the rock - the report
said that they would have left someone there, but the deck was so
slippery from blood etc that it wasn't really safe. Eric had some
stitches in his face, and Joe was taken to the hospital for his broken
wrist.

Now Joe is a personal injury lawyer, and the hospital people said
they'd have him operated on the next day, but Joe didn't recognize any
of the names of the doctors who would be doing the work. So he called
his dad, and checked out of the hospital - hopping on one foot and
went to another hospital. When he checked into the second hospital,
they x-rayed him and found that he had also broken a vertebra in his
neck.

He's OK now.

And the boat was taken by a Bahamian who was prosecuted (not by Joe I
don't think, but by Bahamian authorities) for theft, and the boat was
recovered - of course there wasn't much that could be salvaged of it,
but the insurance company wanted to see it.