"swatcop" wrote in message news:INMCb.12534

Thanks for the tip on the narrow areas, although I
would have thought that to be common sense. Maybe it's different in your
area.

It's different here. We have a patch of river 8 miles long and 200 - 300
feet wide. And often the Marine Patroll doods troll right up the middle,
particularly the newer younger guys. I mean, it is "instinct" to drive up
the middle, but if you see a skiier coming it's *nice* to pull aside, as
opposed to watching to see if he'll slow down for you.

And as a question on the safety checks, other than the marinas in my
town, most people use a public boat ramp area. Would you be offended if
the
cops did a safety inspection on your vessel while you were waiting in line
to launch at a boat ramp? It seems to me like it would save time that way.

*I* wouldn't be offended at the ramp, no. I tend to be be a comedian about
it and show him the life-preservers, throwables, ski-vests, fire
extinguisher, flares, whistle, horn, anchor, sunscreen, sunglasses, TCW-3,
12 soda, 6 beer, 1 energy drink, 1 milk, 1 orange juice, 1 orange, 2 apple
pies, 1 canned ravioli, 1 Spaghetti-O's Etc etc...

(yanno - we might think it's funny - until the day the Marine Patroll finds
a subject in hypoglycemic shock and comes screaming after my boat to get my
goodies - *then* he'll be glad I showed him the Hostess Apple Pies!)

But anyway, a lot of people tend to view a "safety check" like an "MV
stop" - they wanna know what they did to draw your attention in the first
place. shrug

Speaking of the ramp, I don't know how enforcable it is (perhaps via
loitering laws hehe) but some of the idiots that tie up / slow down the
ramps need a ticket for *something* LOL.

-W

PS: Look at bright side - it's *got* to be a lot more fun than S.W.A.T. work
is!!
Just still be carefull out there. Binoculars are your friend. If you run
into drug runners on a boat, it's way too easy to just shoot the cop and
sink the evidence. Remember *they* already know what's up as your
approaching them.