getting pulled over?

[dingbat]

Re: getting pulled over?

PREDICTION !!!
I'm going crabbing Monday morning with my nephew.
Anybody care to lay odds about my being visited by DNR for a friendly check ?

I take it your in the vicinity of SP?

I got ?stopped? there last year while drift fishing with the wife and kids. They showed up about 20 yards off my port and just sat there. I ignored them and went about finishing up the beer I had in my hand when they arrived. They sat there for another couple of minutes before they tried striking up a conversation with me.

They asked what I was doing and I replied fishing (which was pretty obvious since both my daughters and I had fishing poles in our hands) and went back to baiting the girl?s hooks and taking fish off the line. They sat there not saying a word for another couple of minutes then just sped off to run down another boat off in the distance. The whole time my wife was laying out on the front of the boat in here bikini so we caulked the whole episode it up to a friendly ?closer look?.

 

[mthieme]

Re: getting pulled over?

Yep.
They have a boat stationed in Deep Creek and one at the other end of the Magothy where Cockey Creek splits off.
Of course I crab off Cape St. Claire - right at the mouth of Deep Creek.

 

[6MISFITZ]

Re: getting pulled over?

IIRC, we were never "pulled over" on the water when we had our boat.
The CDN or USA Coast Guard looked at our entire family wearing our life jackets and waved - all the while the kids are waiving back. We were asked to show the safety kit once - and was happy to oblige.

Don't forget to call in when landing on foreign soil and again when you get home or the consequences can be big!

Mike.

 

[Yachtzee]

Re: getting pulled over?

I used to have a 26 ft cruiser on Lake Erie and kept it docked in downtown Erie. We fished a lot with it and went over to Canada from time to time back in the early 90's I was never even looked at by any type of law enforcement.
Now we have a 16ft 1958 Mirrocraft aluminum runabout with an old merc 650.
It is fixed up pretty nice. We took it out on lake Chatauqua one night. The bow light blew out and not 5 minutes later, the blue lights came out of the darkness. I explained that it had just happend. The were looking over the boat and asked how old it was. I showed them that I had all the gear required then some, the complimented me on my boat and escorted me back to camp Chatauqua Marina in the dark, no tickie no fines. Two weeks ago I was towing the boat back from tubing on the river with my kid and his friend, I could see a cop following me for several miles. When I turned off the highway into my neigborhood, the lights came on. When he came up to the car he came up to me from the front, (not ususal) and said , "sir we need to look at your boat". He commented that my chains were not crossed on the trailer and then we talked for about 20 minutes about old boats and how he thought mine was cool. Only reason for the stop!

 

[mthieme]

Re: getting pulled over?

If it happened here you would have received a $50 ticket.
Seen it happen...neighbor blew a bulb, same day got the ticket coming in...1/1 mile from the pier.

 

[Yachtzee]

Re: getting pulled over?

I know I was lucky to not get tagged. I asked the officer what I should have done when it blew out he said head for nearest Dock, Which was what we were doing anyway. They were very reasonable but we were definitly in an unsafe situation.
I have also spent many days on the water south east of you over the last 40 years fishing with my brother. Choptank River, Hoopers island Bloodsworth Island, Holland Island Bar, Bishops head point. In all those years never once were we approached by law enforcement and we were in some ratty or too small boats. And even had a keg on board. (My brother was a cop from the eastern shore, don't know if that had anything to do with our luck!)

 

[mthieme]

Re: getting pulled over?

I can't believe it. I'm actually disappointed.
I was the only one on the river except for transients for 7 hours.
No DNR.
I figure it was because we got a late start.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: getting pulled over?

I keep colored chemical light sticks in my boat to avoid problems, in the event that I lose a navigation light. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at most large sporting goods stores.

On July Forth of this year, I was watching a fireworks presentation in a canal adjacent to the barges being used to shoot them. There were numerous marine patrol boats in the area, and I happened to be drifting right next to one when Murphey's Law kicked in - yup, you guessed it, the bow light decided to go south. I could have unscrewed the fixture to replace the bulb, but it was easier and faster to get red and green light sticks from my iluumination kit, snap them, and duct tape them to the respective bow cleats. I was back in business before the LADWLF guys could even react!

 

[Benny1963]

Re: getting pulled over?

get stopped down on the river here often 2 three times a summer
but they just want you to hold up life jackets ,there very serious here we had 4 fatalitys here couple of weeks ago.the achol doesnt fly to well on the amite

 

[mthieme]

Re: getting pulled over?

I keep colored chemical light sticks in my boat to avoid problems, in the event that I lose a navigation light. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at most large sporting goods stores.

Good tip
- even if not USCG approved.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: getting pulled over?

I keep colored chemical light sticks in my boat to avoid problems, in the event that I lose a navigation light. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at most large sporting goods stores.

Good tip
- even if not USCG approved.

Good idea!!! im sure they will work in a pinch. I will make sure I get a white,green and red glo-stick and put in the tool box, they shouldn't be hard to rig up if there is a electrical problem.
Denny

 

[Calhere]

Re: getting pulled over?

Ok I grew up out in GA on Lake Occonee and Lake Sinclair (still my favorite fishing spots ever!.) I have been out almost everyday of my adolescent life and still pretty frequently here in CA, I've only been stopped and boarded once and well it was my fault I took my grandpas boat when I was 14 and went joy riding nothing good there. Other then that just a friendly wave when they drive past me.

 

[ckone0814]

Re: getting pulled over?

We got stopped this past week by NC GW or DNR or whatever fishing off Hatteras in the sound. 2 young brutes dressed like the were ATF or FBI with sidearms and the whole bit. I'm new to this so it surprised me; guess I expected to see Park Ranger types in khakis . Anyway, they checked our coolers for fish and checked our licenses. Funny tho, i had accidentally destroyed my 10 day license having in my pocket when i threw my shorts into the wash the night before...uh oh ...I explained that to them and they said ok . All 4 of the guys (from PA) I was with had their 10 days with them so I guess they figured I was probably telling the truth - or I looked dumb enough to do something like that!

 

[ckone0814]

Re: getting pulled over?

We got stopped this past week by NC GW or DNR or whatever fishing off Hatteras in the sound. 2 young brutes dressed like the were ATF or FBI with sidearms and the whole bit. I'm new to this so it surprised me; guess I expected to see Park Ranger types in khakis . Anyway, they checked our coolers for fish and checked our licenses. Funny tho, i had accidentally destroyed my 10 day license having in my pocket when i threw my shorts into the wash the night before...uh oh ...I explained that to them and they said ok . All 4 of the guys (from PA) I was with had their 10 days with them so I guess they figured I was probably telling the truth - or I looked dumb enough to do something like that!

Oh, and to make a long story even longer... this past Monday after I get back from NC I pick up my favorite pair of jeans, put them on, reach into the pocket and...VIOLA! I pull out a perfectly fine NC 10 day fishing license!! I guess I'll never know what those little white shreds of paper that my wife found in the dryer lint trap were?! It's funny now but if I would've gotten fined?

 

[mthieme]

Re: getting pulled over?

DNR seems to have disappeared right after the Labor Day weekend around here. I figure since September kicks off hunting season, they have reallocated their resources.
I've been "checked" in the field while hunting by DNR before, much different experiences (for the better).
Go figure.

 

[jkust]

Re: getting pulled over?

My family and I were last stopped 3 seasons ago for expired tabs on my folk's boat. We got a written warning because they could tell in their system the tabs were at least purchased but not on the boat. My folks were on their way up with the stickers but hadn't arrived yet. They followed us back to the cabin so I could get my ID and I was suprised to see how serious they took it all. It was a little over the top to be treated like a mass murderer or something. Lots of questions and suspicions so I am guessing a slow day for them. Anyway, we only saw the DNR one time this year and they weren't interested in us and passed right by. We were only slowly cruising.

 

[alwood0422]

Re: getting pulled over?

Speaking as a recent ex Coastie I couldn't come close to counting the number of boardings I have conducted for any number of reasons. We usually go out on a standard patrol and if we see something that catches our eye, we take a closer look. There are other times when we focus on a particular problem, like BWI, or safety. I have even attempted to stop all traffic out of a particular harbor, just to chat with people and see if they get nervous or are hiding something. Also If I have boarded you before and found something I don't like, I might stop by again if I see you out and around to check if you have rectified the problem.

All this being said, I have been out of the guard for about 3 years, I have been on the water my whole life, if you play by the rules, are nice to your fellow man and boaters, even help out the occasional person in need, we respect that and can tell who you are.

I said earlier that I could not count the number of boardings I have conducted, I also could not count the number of rescues I have been on in some of the worst conditions imaginable.

Al

 

[Searay 150merc]

Re: getting pulled over?

We took the boat out to a lake called West branch 2 weeks ago about 15 or 20 boats on the lake. There we 3 sheriff boats out, anchored in swimmers cove and up comes the sheriff. Just checking life jackets. Seemed a little excessive for so late in the season but it was a beautiful day, figured the cops just wanted to get out before the snow. Been out 3 times there this year got safety checked twice

 

[cribber]

Re: getting pulled over?

I'm out on the lake every Sunday for a 50 to 60 mile run and have never been stoppped for a safety check. Not that I'd mind since I've got all of the required safety items for my state. I keep aware of my surroundings and always try look back behind me before changing course or direction.

 

[Mark42]

Re: getting pulled over?

Boating in the greater NJ/NY area, I have never been boarded or even stopped. Although a few years ago while fishing in my bil's flat bottom boat, we were asked for our fishing licence.