Boarded by the Coast Guard

Status
Not open for further replies.
The link above has been around some time--it was apprently "updated" with new audio and some additional video. It appears to be a combination of a number of various clips. There is some question if all of it is from one single vessel or incident--and certainly the boat involved in the collision was not a Coast Guard vessel. If you look at the video frame by frame, the occupants of the stand on vessel were all looking to starboard and not standing a proper watch. So even though they were the privilged vessel, they bear some blame.

I had the pleasure of working with Coast Guard Group Pensacola for several years--about 6 years ago--the biggest problem was retention--many of the more experienced members were leaving the service. Our interactions have been professional.

I have to throw in one instance where we were "boarded" after inquiring about the statuse of one of the Oregon bars we were to cross. During the inspection the very young female officer was going down the list, and came to a sound producing device. I had an air horn mounted on the radar arch (larger vessel than the C Dory), but I had one of the canister air horns handy in the pilot house. The young officer instructed me to "demonistrate"--the older boswan's mate quickly grabbed the canister, and said that no demonistration was necessary! Of course I would have refused to blow it inside of the pilot house anyway.
 
You can blow in the wind all you want about that video. BOLTH OF THOES CAPTAINS DON'T CLUE AS TO WHAT THE .... THEY ARE DOING !
 
It sure looks like it was completely avoidable. All the CG captain had to do is back off the throttle for a second or two and they would have missed each other. Did they really think that by yelling something over a PA that it would get their attention? What a crazy wreck......
 
Yea, it's just about that simple TR.
Kinda scary ain't it!
John
 
T.R. Bauer":39x5d3r8 said:
It sure looks like it was completely avoidable. All the CG captain had to do is back off the throttle for a second or two and they would have missed each other. Did they really think that by yelling something over a PA that it would get their attention? What a crazy wreck......
Click to expand...

And that is the straight, non political, non horse-crap scoop.

Now here's the straight scoop on how to avoid what you just saw from a guy who has operated everything from cropdusters to DC-10's, C-Dory's and everything else:

Put your finger on the approaching target: if the target does not move (ie: if it does not go above, below, ahead, or behind your finger) then you will collide unless you: advance throttle, or retard throttle (your options in a boat given a steady course) and the target moves beyond the point of your finger-point. It is a very simple and basic check.
 
A friend of mine once referred to "Work Boat Rules". :smile When I asked him what he meant he said,"Big-us goes First-us." :smileo One I might add to that is, "Your right of passage extends up to, but not through the other vessel." :wink
:smiled Jack
 
flagold,, nice trick , have any more quick tips ? in that situation i might have used my middle finger :lol:

A quick trick i use around new york harbor at night , but works anywhere is squeeze your fist to look like a momocoular and look through it to block out backgroud lights , works good to seperate the fuzz around the lights if say i'm trying to figure out 1-2 or3 masthead lights on say a tug , it helps for me anyway . You have to make the hole small enough to single out the lights from the glare around them .

Appreciate the trick especially from someone with the experiance you have (didn't know that ) -bet you got a million of em. any time you want to share more we would like to hear -em. thanks :thup

john
 
flagold":3dolse8a said:
T.R. Bauer":3dolse8a said:
It sure looks like it was completely avoidable. All the CG captain had to do is back off the throttle for a second or two and they would have missed each other. Did they really think that by yelling something over a PA that it would get their attention? What a crazy wreck......
Click to expand...


Put your finger on the approaching target: if the target does not move (ie: if it does not go above, below, ahead, or behind your finger) then you will collide unless you: advance throttle, or retard throttle (your options in a boat given a steady course) and the target moves beyond the point of your finger-point. It is a very simple and basic check.
Click to expand...

And as we all know, in the boating world you are REQUIRED to take whatever action is necessary to avoid a collision.
 
Each of those clowns had cranial rectal inversion. But the small boat had the right of way IMO. If the Coastie would have throttled back this would be just a "close one".

............Stupid is as stupid does...........



Chris Bulovsky
 
I have been on both sides of the boarding thing, having conducted over a hundred myself, although NOT in the continental US.

The reason the USCG asks about weapons first has very little to do with law and EVERYTHING to do with their personal safety. It should always be the first question they ask. If you say, "yes," and tell them where it is and what condition it's in, they should return your courtesy. Don't ever offer to retrieve it, clear it, or anything else, I can assure you they'll say "no." They don't want you anywhere near it. Go out of your way to let them know their saftey is YOUR concern, too.

Any Law Enforcement Officer is concerned first and foremost about their safety. It's hard to understand until you've been in those shoes, but they are defensive by nature because they don't know WHO YOU ARE. There are a lot of people out there who would cause them harm just because of their job, so they have to be defensive. They should also maintain a professional demeanor at all times, and the vast majority will return courtesy and understanding that you afford to them.

What little experience I have with the CD community tells me the overwhelming majority of boaters here are mature, honest people who just happen to get the random check every now and again. :thup If you are having a problem with an individual on a boarding who is being rude, obnoxious, or otherwise unprofessional :amgry I recommend noting the individual's name and the date, time, and location of the boarding. When you get home, call the command and ask to speak the the Senior Enlisted Advisor. This person isn't so far up the food chain to be distant, nor is he or she so close as to be a friend. Moreover, he or she will know if the officer you're having an issue with has received complaints before. In any case, it's a good way to ensure proportional action is taken. It may have just been a bad day, in which case the offender probably won't get in much trouble. If, however, he's a repeat offender it may be time for him (or her!) to be removed from the boarding team. As many have pointed out, it's not the CG that's the issue, it's the individual.

Wow, that's a lot more that $.02. Sorry about that. :embarrased
 
Yesterday on the local news a reporter interviewed one of the Coast Guard helicopter crew that rescued several crew members from a fishing boat sinking. Apparently, after several basket rescues, they could not get the last fisherman into the Stokes basket. The copter was short of fuel and had to leave him. The strain on that young man's face, and the slow, thoughtful responses he gave to the reporter's questions showed a caring and a maturity far beyond his age. These young men and women perform the highest level of public service and deserve our thanks and support.
 
During the Alaska Ranger rescue in Alaska recently, one of the Coastie rescue swimmers gave up his seat in the copter so another rescued crewman could have it while the chopper flew 100 miles to drop off rescued crewman and refuel.

He stayed in the frigid water with the others waiting rescue...that gets my thumbs up any day.
 
Good advice mc mike ,
my boat is a boarding magnet, and have always been treated good by the uscg, but bad day or not, being professional is always wise . I have a few friends who have graduated from the marine corp to lets say other three letter branches of the federal gov. who would gaurentee (you have a real bad day! ) if your conduct wasn't right . when they are on my boat they are not to quick to identify who the are at first . you never know who is who ? safty first of course , but keep it professional , and thats what i've always found & I am glad there out there if help is needed .
john
 
Those who serve in the USCG do deserve our full respect for the service they provide and safety checks are proven to create a far safer universe of boating practices.
Still, the CG asking anyone other than the skipper for ID when the boat is being operated in US waters is out of line unless a crime has been committed or the vessel is returning from another country.
Faced with such a request, I would have some questions for the officer involved. As a citizen of this great country, which I love, I would be very interested in the justification for such a request.
Use of every contact as a chance to card every citizen, for instance, is not acceptable. And, if this reason were given and the request was pressed, cards would be shown but the names of those involved would be recorded and a formal letter would be written.
To be clear, I have never had a person on any of my boats who had anything to hide. I could quote the founding fathers but I think you get where I am coming from.
 
I think messing with the constitution is bull too , seems like they are messing with our right more & more every day , never a good thing .
legally everyone is supposed to have id , asking for it is justified , why would that piss you off ? I'm just trying to figure out what the big deal is, i mean i could see if they were asking for a unjustified saerch of a person or something like that , checking for illegals-or persons with maby warrants is all right isn't it . I agree with you , and don't like it either but you have to understand they are lookin out for us too, as they shoul be.
not tryin to argue just tryin to figure it out thats all ... john
 
I know of no law that requires that we have ID with us at all times. This is the US of A after all. One of the things that keeps this nation strong are the rights each of us cannot have taken away so long as we are lawful.
Here in Washington State, the feds are boarding commuter ferries not in the name of homeland security or with dogs to sniff for drugs or explosives but to exploit peoples isolation while away from land. Several people have just vanished on their way too or from the islands in the last 60 days. These actions were not even shared with state or local authorities. Members of congress and the US Senate are looking into these recent developments.
All I am saying is if a request goes beyond the norm you should respectfully ask good questions and gain an understanding of just what justification is being used to go beyond the basic boat inspection.
 
McMike":2gagwybr said:
I
Any Law Enforcement Officer is concerned first and foremost about their safety. It's hard to understand until you've been in those shoes, but they are defensive by nature because they don't know WHO YOU ARE. There are a lot of people out there who would cause them harm just because of their job, so they have to be defensive. They should also maintain a professional demeanor at all times, and the vast majority will return courtesy and understanding that you afford to them.
Click to expand...

Exactly! 100% correct.

Often I'll use what I call the "mirror rule". I always conduct myself in a professional/respectful manner. However, truth be told, not everyone in the world returns the same. Some of the "citizens" I deal with you would not want to meet; they are pure evil. When it is required I return or mirror their demeanor.

I would have no problem being boarded, inspected or having anyone onboard "run", but then anyone I associate w/ is not one of the aforementioned "citizens".
 
With you on that one , no id is a BS excuse without probable cause . perhaps a person who knows for sure will chime in bud , seems to me they can easily make up some bull to justify almost anything , hope i;m wrong on that one , but it's like I said before if they should pull crap like that with the wrong person the UCMJ can be very bad for them. in general i have to give it to the CG , and will say again i'm glad they are out there.
The other post above has me confused why when the fuel on the chopper was getting low why they didn;t have another on the way . In the CORP i'ts never leave a man behind no matter what .
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top