I Got An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

[halfmoa]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

The courts have already spoken on this matter.

Yes, the courts are very clear on their position of chipping away at civil rights little by little...

 

[NYBo]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Yes, the courts are very clear on their position of chipping away at civil rights little by little...

The legal concept of "probable cause" hasn't applied on the water for quite a long time.

 

[Philster]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Yes, the courts are very clear on their position of chipping away at civil rights little by little...

I'm sorry, but did you confuse my statements with me defending their practices? Because, if you did, you are creating a straw man argument.

When you pull over cars, boats, people, whatever, you may do so to all, or to every five, ten, twenty. Or, there needs to be some other 'probable cause' which permits you to pull someone over and search.

if you feel this violates your civil rights, the courts disagree, but we need more info about circumstances.

If you disagree with the courts, leave me out of it. But inasmuch as we can tell about the practice of pulling over converted outboards, it seems there is some rhyme or reason. I am not here to opine as to whether all our civil rights are at risk, but none of this is glaringly unlawful based on what we know about other practices when it comes to pulling people over... but what I would like to know about the practice is whether people are using their right to refuse searches, because it's one thing to just have them come along side, and it is quite another if boaters just let them search, because it would seem that boaters are doing so voluntarily.

.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

I'm sorry, but did you confuse my statements with me defending their practices? Because, if you did, you are creating a straw man argument.

When you pull over cars, boats, people, whatever, you may do so to all, or to every five, ten, twenty. Or, there needs to be some other 'probable cause' which permits you to pull someone over.

if you feel this violates your civil rights, the courts disagree.

If you disagree with the courts, leave me out of it. But inasmuch as we can tell about the practice of pulling over converted outboards, it seems there is some rhyme or reason. I am not here to opine as to whether all our civil rights are at risk, but none of this is glaringly unlawful based on what we know about other practices when it comes to searches.

.

I'm not arguing with you, it's just astonishing to see civil liberties chipped away little by little.

And for what it's worth, I've been in law enforcement for 6 years. There's "caveats" the court has provided, in my state anyway, that gives the conservation officers rights with a boater that'd NEVER stand with the general public if they applied to a motor vehicle. If one of my patrol officers pulled a vehicle over for safety reasons (which they can do) and just jumped in the vehicle's passenger seat (which they cannot do without probable cause or a search warrant but a CPO can board your vessel) I'd be in the administrative office by the end of the day.

Little by little...

[/RANT]

 

[Philster]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Fair enough... so what I would like to know more about is refusing anyone from boarding my vessel.

If an agency came along side, I cannot refuse them boarding my vessel?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

back to the topic: perhaps there is no real reason smugglers prefer converted OB's, but it is the stated reason the LEO stopped you. They would like to stop any boat, or every boat, and this is added to the list of "reasons" even if a pretext.

I say this notwithstanding the discussion that on the water, the boats are subject to search that vehicles wouldn't be. If they get a big drug haul, they will want to have many reasons under their belt for the stop, as they will be facing a much tougher legal battle than a traffic stop finding an open can of beer.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

...

 

[halfmoa]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Sorry I've taken this off topic (sorta) but as you can tell hearing that a modification to your boat puts a bullseye on you for law enforcement is just a little unsettling to me.

 

[zopperman]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

It's inconvenient, but you know what, search my boat, I have nothing to hide.. I hope they do find the drugs out there..

 

[oops!]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

hey capt.....

i got a real problem with this.
if you are running open water at top speed.....bow towards cuba...that is one thing
.but if you are putting at idle with 6 lines hanging off the back and a fish net in your hand.....why should it make a difference.?

is this just hearsay "barber shop talk" so to speak?

i like to have a sody pop on the boat....but if they are looking for dope....once you get stopped once or twice and find nothing.....they will leave you alone.


but none the less.......has it made you second guess the conversion?

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Not rethinking the conversion at all. I have nothing to hide. I started the thread because it seemed like an interesting topic. I can see it was. Someone asked why I didn?t just get an OB boat to begin with. While that is explained on my thread, in brief, because I?m a cruiser, not a fisherman, but I want OBs. Keeping stern drives in the water 100% of the time is a nightmare). You just don?t find cruising boats with OBs. And I want all the amenities (generator, lots of water capacity, etc.) I was used but in a ?not so big? boat. Lastly, the conversion seemed to be an interesting and fun project.

The guy that related the story did say the stops were when the boats were coming back into an inlet after being way offshore fishing. Of course the cops didn?t see them fishing, only coming back from sea.

I admit I just repeated what the guy told me, but I did have an experience over the summer. I was anchored all day on a Monday in Lake Boca (part of the ICW with the Boca inlet in the corner). We watched all day as the police stopped every boat coming in the inlet that looked like it had been fishing. Every cruising boat was allowed to pass. I assumed they were checking fishing licenses and catch limits that day.

Regarding multiple stops, that is a bit confusing since I know the cops really get to know the boats that cruise in their area, especially the ones they have stopped before. Also, the cops I have talked to really seem to know boat models, so I?m aware they will know I modified my 26? cruising bridge boat.

BTW, I have been enjoying reading all the posts on this topic.

 

[oops!]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

lol.....there is one manufacture that still insists on using a hand held dremmel to add the hull id number to the boat....(i cant remember the maker at this point....it will come to me)

the cops go crazy every time they look for the id.....i sopke to the manufacturers and they said that they get several calls a day about it......lol....each time a bot is stopped, the cops call in and check.....
it would drive me buggy

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Re: I Gon An I/O to OB Conversion Warning Today

Back about 10 years ago I had long hair down almost to my butt---full beard- 6'2" 300+. People would not get on the elevator if I was on it- People would step back if we came face to face- yet I'm probaly the most decent-friendly person you have ever met--and EVERY time on the boat LEOs would check me out- never got a citation- was in full compliance & sober. Since I cut my hair & shave regularly I have not been stopped once.-just my experiance.View attachment 124000