Ever been boarded and inspected?

[Administrator]

The flame arrestor thread got me thinking. I've never been boarded, but it surely seems lots of other Forum members have.

What's your experience?

Bill

[luvmyi36]

Bill,
I was boarded about 3 months after I bought my boat. It was a good experience, although a little nerve racking at first because I did not know they could do that... They were very helpful and professional young men. This experience is one of the first things that started leading my number 1 son, almost 17 now, to join the Coasties after high school. He saw a small slice of what they got to do, and has been excited about it ever since. I will be interested to see what others have experienced.

[Mark S]

Bill,

We haven't had the boat long enough for me to participate meaningfully in the poll. When I was a kid, I got picked on a lot in my E. M. White runabout, but that doesn't count now. I know from what I hear people say here in Marblehead that the possiblity of being boarded is taken very seriously, but I'm not aware of any sailor being boarded recently while sailing in these waters. I have no statistical or other basis to think what follows, but it does seem to me that being boarded is something that happens when you are away from home. I'd be curious to know if others' experiences bear this out or not.

Mark S

[Kelly]

I was boarded once, many years ago (1992), while sailing between Anacapa Island and Santa Barbara Island in the Channel Islands chain off of Santa Barbara, CA.

While impressive- the boarding was accomplished by heavily armed Coasties (automatic weapons at the ready) with a high speed Zodiac coming from a cruiser pulled along side my sailboat- the boarding party was nothing but professional and polite. They were only interested in searching for drugs and verifying our basic safety equipment (life vests etc.) Thank goodness we had the life vests and fire extinguisher because the boat itself was far from a model of security (no life lines, no winches, one giant cleat aft to which we tied all our lines, painter and sheets...).

The sailboat was powered by a small Vetus diesel but I don't remember them taking a look at that. I believe they were mostly interested in any drugs, and my girlfriend and I certainly fit the "stereotypical" look at the time, but we came away clean.

I for one am very grateful for their presence and don't mind the boardings at all.

Cheers,
Kelly

[Kurt]

I had a similar experience to Kelly about a month ago, well, ok, somewhat different. I was approximately 15 miles offshore motoring back from Catalina Island at 11:00 at night. I was the only one on watch and see this white light coming towards me at a high rate of speed. No sirens, nothing. So, thinking someone might have been considering messing around with me, I went down below and got my flare gun (they can make a great weapon if someone wants to take your boat). This zodiac with heavily armed guys in full wet suit style gear (could only see their eyes and mouths) starts circling me - they didn't even identify themselves, but I kept the flare gun in my pocket once I saw US Coast Guard printed on the side of the zodiac (kinda freaky actually). After circling me once, they drifted beind me a hundred yards or so and then just stopped. That's when my fishing pole caught something BIG. I cut the line upon realizing that it had tangled in their props. It took them like 20 minutes to get the line off their props and I wasn't going to wait around for these guys who had not yet said a word to me yet so I just kept going - I wanted to get home after this 12 hour cruise. Once they got things sorted out, they pulled up alongside me, asked where I was going, where I was coming from, if I had followed another sailboat (obviously of some suspicion) from Catalina and asked everyone from down below to come up and show their faces. They asked for my documentation, but it was expired as I just got the new doc, but hadn't put it on the boat yet. The head guy just told me to make sure to get my renewed documentation paperwork on the boat and to have a good night, after shining a light in my eyes and making sure I wasn't a drunken sailor (lucky I wasn't at the time). He said nothing about the fishing line until I asked if their props got wrapped in my line. Guy then just says I should not be trolling at night! I think they were embarrassed by it, but, hey, can't troll at night, what? Then, one hour later and now pulling into the entrance of San Diego Harbor, a Harbor Patrol boat turns on his siren lights and pulls up on me. I was so exasperated at this point that I simply informed him the Coast Guard just got through pulling up alongside me and I just wanted to get home. He then just let me go on my way - didn't even raft up with me.

Longwinded, I know, but I had to tell the story because It was very strange and I haven't talked to any other sailors who have been pulled up on by the Coast Guard that far offshore. Something must have been going on that night, but it just goes to show that you always need to be prepared and they aren't always out just to do a safety equipment check.

[High Hopes]

Well. . . I fell overboard on November 17th last year. Got back on board with the help of my friend. Let me tell you, the water was cold and you don't keep much strength in your hands for more than a minute or two. I was OK but very nauseous afterwards. We were in high seas and my friend didn't know how to man the boat. Oh yeah, there was a fire too. Not bad for the maiden voyage.

I took the Coast Guard over an hour to find us. We eventually had to send up a flare. The Coasties were young and professional. They were kind, helpful, did an inspection, and motored us back to port. It was great to have these fellows around when I needed them.

[Mark S]

I always like to read Steve Markowski's posts, so when I logged on tonight at around 11:00 and saw he had posted something on this thread tonight at 9:07, I went right to it and . . . couldn't find it. The thread ends on something he posted a few days ago about falling overboard. I've experienced this before -- a new post on an appealing thread is indicated on the general page but it doesn't appear at the end of the thread, or anywhere else, for that matter. What's up with that? Sometimes I get the feeling something's going on and everyone knows about it but me . . . .

Mark

[Administrator]

Mark:

Can you view this posting, but not Steve's above it? What about your own (between this and Steve's)?

Bill

[Mark S]

Bill:

I can view your posting from this morning; mine from last night to which you responded; and the next previous is Steve's from 11-16 about falling overboard. I don't see Steve's from last night.

Mark

[sastanley]

Maybe Steve deleted it? I cannot see it either.

[High Hopes]

I don't remember posting anything more to this thread, but maybe I did and I deleted it? I have not had any problems. I did post something to another thread on the evening in question and that showed up fine.

Sometimes I update pictures and maybe that generates an email?

I have on at least one occassion deleted an email, but that was several weeks ago.

[Mark S]

Bill, Steve, Shawn,

As there is no other reasonable explanation, I have to assume it was operator error on my part. Sorry for the confusion. Everybody keep up the good work.

Mark

[Mark S]

Bill,

I think I've got the problem. Tonight, Sunday 11-23, I logged on at 10:00 or so and saw on the "Community" page that I had posted a reply "Today" to this thread. I had not logged on since Friday 11-21. When I went to see what the website thought I had posted today, I saw my last post from Friday. So what must have happened before is what happened now: the "Community" page said something was posted "Today" when it was not -- the "Today" isn't changing with the clock as it should.

Mark

[Administrator]

What browser are you using, Mark? I think there may be a setting you have to tweak to avoid using cached pages.

Bill

[Mark S]

IE 7.0 at home and at the office.

Mark