On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 02:20:57 GMT, Don W
wrote:

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.

Or "disobeying a lawful order" or "obstruction of governmental
administration" or some such. I would assume that the USCG rescue
jumpers have had some training in how to deal with the uncooperative.

I once asked a stewardess on a plane (pre 9/11) what would happen if I
refused to give up my ticketed and confirmed seat that I was being
bumped from. She was very quick to quote the list of potential
offences that I could be charged with.

Truth is that most people being asked to abandon ship by a rescue team
have already been through hell and back, and are more than eager to
comply even if the boat is in no immediate danger of going down.
Typically the boat has already been dismasted and lost power.