Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

[tlynch99]

I am new to boating, and just finished fixing up a 1978 Starcraft 16" SuperSport. I was down at the boat launch into the Connecticut River in Old Saybrook CT. This is a ramp on a river about 1 mile from the ocean. I was down there on my day off just watching some boats launch in preparation for launching there myself.

I was waiting around when I noticed a very nice dual outboard 29ft cruiser type boat arriving by trailer. It pulled off to the side and took off most of it's straps etc... it then puled towards the ramp and lined up to back in. At this point in time a 20ft + little coast guard boat came towards the ramp on the water a much higher than the no wake speed. It then proceeded to unload 4 guys who stood around while one of them went and got their rig to pick the boat out of the water.

I was surprised to watch the coast guard boat power load their boat onto the trailer and then proceed to put all their strapping on etc... while blocking the ramp for the big cruiser and two other people trying to launch their boats....

I know they are the coast guard, but still, they could have moved over to the side once the boat was on the trailer.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Do you know if the boat was "regular" Coast Guard or CG Auxilliary?

 

[tlynch99]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

I think it may have been the regular coast guard.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

DId anyone say anything to them?

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Sometimes with people that have power and authority will do what they want to do. Such as police and fire/rescue can run their lights/sirens just to get thru traffic without a call.

To my knowledge there are no laws regarding how much time someone takes at the ramp. To most and many it is common courtesy to move out of the way to allow the next to use the ramp. I personnally wouldn't complain as they maybe stopping me numerous times for safety checks ...........SS

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Sometimes that happens - you can't see what's going on up on the ramp when you're coming in - big deal. If it was me with the cruiser, I would have been happy to stand aside and wait for them to do whatever they needed to do, for however long it took. There's been a little to much USCG bashing going on around here lately. I think we all need to think about how many of them risk/lose their lives saving seafarers every year. If you guys ever find yourselves in the unfortunate position of needing to see that helo, or a cutter, once they show up you'll change your tunes...

It might be different for all you guys catching crappie in lakes, but for those of us on the oceans, the USCG is our lifeline and well worthy of the highest regard...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

USCG is our lifeline and well worthy of the highest regard.. amen.. who knows, there may have been a problem somewhere else, that it was faster to get there by land. if it was a white boat with a red stripe, it was official coast guard, it not it was auxillary. all official CG boats are marked like this.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

U.S. Coast Guard boats have many different color schemes including solid black with white stripe, solid red with white stripe, solid grey or orange with no stripe. They all will say U S COAST GUARD on them though and boats under 65' will have a 5 or 6 digit number. Boats 65' and greater are named.

Auxilliary boats usually have no markings at all, although they are authorized to display a blue stripe.

 

[eeboater]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

USCG is our lifeline and well worthy of the highest regard.. amen.. who knows, there may have been a problem somewhere else, that it was faster to get there by land. if it was a white boat with a red stripe, it was official coast guard, it not it was auxillary. all official CG boats are marked like this.

Not entirely true. I was an auxiliarist in Green Bay, WI and we operated a fully "tricked out" 23' Coast Guard boat with the red stripe. It was a regular coast guard station with (on average) two Full Time Coasties at the station. That may be the reason we used a "real" Coast Guard boat. Yet, 95% of the time it was Auxiliarists running the boat not the Coasties. They'd rather hang back and chill in the air conditioned station.

However, I do think that all Coasties deserve the highest level of respect for what they do for us boaters. In a way, I wish they patrolled our local lake because not only would I feel like I have a bit of a safety net, but it would also force some boaters to cool their jets so to speak.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Jack booted thugs......

 

[tlynch99]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Just wanted to clarify that I was wasn't basing the coast guard, but just pointing out something interesting that I saw, I was just surprised. It wasn't a very large boat, it was grey with the white strip, and one guy had a gun

 

[bhammer]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

The local police and sherriff will often come to the ramp and cut in line to put in / take out their boat. Even when there is no emergency. I have often seen them tripple park their truck trailer combo making other's have to park in the the field.

Not that I condone it in any way or even think about it, but the local police had every tire on their truck and trailer slashed on the sidewall. The reason I know is becasue they were at the ramp interviewing everyone. This may have proved a point to them, but it only costs us. I am sure boat ramp fees will go up now.

I guess if you have an issue, you should file a complaint. I did about an Aux CG boat that whipped right through a no wake zone headed toward the ramp. Got pictures of it and filled with it.

The other thing that has gotten real popular is for them to sit just outside of the ramp park and pull people over for DWI. They generally have a plain closed officer sitting in the ramp area wathcing people and radio details out. The speed limit is 10 and no one honors this so it gives them casue.

 

[Mike_G]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Its all about courtesy,
Ive been to that ramp and seen alot. People sitting on the upper part of the ramp kicking tires... others waiting to splash next to the dock so they can tie off. People who dont pull away from the ramp to finish up and secure their gear. Sad thing is, theres enough ramp to splash 6 rigs but everyones waiting to back down next to the dock. Leaves the center wide open for me
They may have been frazzled from a case they were involved with.
Coasties are only human, Im not saying they werent wrong.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

I do believe that law enforcement is always right.After all they know the rules so well that they actually enforce them.
Whatever a law enforcement officer does is therefor the legal thing to do.Just take a picture and do the exact same thing right next to the law enforcement officer in question.If he tries to fine you,insist to have your day in court with witnesses that will support your claim that you sincerely believe in the police being right and therefor doing as they do.Most officers get real uncomfortable when they end up having to defend their (mis)behavior in a court of law.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Messing around trying to tick off law enforcement people is just plain stupid. If you have a complaint, make it at the station. Back it up with video, I guess, if you can.

But getting in any sort of cop's face in the field is just plain stupid. You may well be in the right, but you may well find yourself cuffed and sitting in the back of a patrol car, right or wrong.

There's a system for reporting cops who are breaking the law. If you have a problem with law enforcement, use the system.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

Messing around trying to tick off law enforcement people is just plain stupid. If you have a complaint, make it at the station. Back it up with video, I guess, if you can.

But getting in any sort of cop's face in the field is just plain stupid. You may well be in the right, but you may well find yourself cuffed and sitting in the back of a patrol car, right or wrong.

There's a system for reporting cops who are breaking the law. If you have a problem with law enforcement, use the system.

And that,my dear fellow,very much depends on where you work in Town Hall...

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

The difficulty with this sort of a situation is that you have no way of knowing if the crew involved was enroute to another call, had been told by the ops folks at your CG Sector office to RTB (return to base) asap, etc.

Since the boat was "regular CG," however, you can contact the appropriate CG Sector office, which I believe is "Sector Long Island Sound," located in New Haven. I think it only fair, however, that you consider how important it is to do so. My personal feeling it probably isn't something to get overly upset about unless it is a constant problem, but you have to make that decision.

 

[airframer]

Re: Dockside Manners - The US Coast Gaurd

its important to remember that these guys prob just got done with a 12 hour watch this minimual breaks patrolling those waters. their tired, hot(from those dark colored uniforms), and prob really want a beer
if you so much as **** them off the chances are they're going to recognize your vessel and do board and search drills every time your out there because they can. would you want to upset a cop? sometimes its truly worth just sitting back.