How Does a Typical Coast Guard (CG) Boarding Go?

Pseudomind

Pseudomind

Active Member
Jul 1, 2008
2,122
Jacksonville, FL
Boat Info
2011 Hurricane with Magic Tilt Trailer
Engines
115 HP Yamaha Four Stroke
Normally it is just myself and my Lady friend or someone who is not familiar with boating.

Lets say for this question I am in the channel of the St. Johns River here in Jacksonville,, Florida.

I am cruising along and the CG comes up, and wants to board and make checks. I know at a minimum I will have to throttle back, but am I expected to move out of the main channel, and perhaps find an anchor spot? I mean they may want to check the bilge area or something else. The lady friend will not operate the boat, but I am working on that.

So just what is a typical scenario?

Thanks

:thumbsup:
 
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Typically they will come along side and tie up to your boat. They have asked me where I was headed and will idle in that direction while doing there checks. At that time you are to be in neutral. Depending on what they are checking, might take 5 minutes or might take longer. In this area, the cruisers don't get checked so much,mostly the fishing boats or anyone showing fishing rods coming in the inlet. Doesn't mean we never get checked but mostly the Fish and Wildlife areas are doing the checks at this inlet, but occasionally USCG does checks. Its the Sheriffs dept and Fish and Wildlife that are a#$holes when they pull you over, USCG guys are very nice.
 
Not sure how they do it on your waters, but the one time I was boarded in Pensacola, they tied off to my boat as the water was calm and they came aboard, checked paperwork and safety equipment. They used their boat to keep us in safe water. best suggestion is have all safety equipment and paperwork in 1 easily accesible place so anyone can find it and give it to CG. They did not check my bilge area.
 
I was stopped once in a sailboat in a fairly narrow section of the ICW while the tide was flooding. The CG rib was having a hard time keeping us out of the center channel and off the bank. I suggested and they agreed to follow me to our YC that was only a few hundred yards away. They completed the inspection quickly once I was backed into my slip. Caused quite a stir to be escorted back into the marina by the CG!
 
You can usually avoid the entire process by displaying a current inspection decal on your port window.
 
Agree with the last post.....Have the auxillary do an inspection every year on your boat....Takes a 1/2 hour and are generally great retired guys with good stories.....It is also a piece of mind for you...You get a sticker and 99% of the time, you will not be stopped.....I was stopped once and it was because they were doing a training exercise with new cadets in the early, early spring.......I did not care because i knew i was 100% complient.
 
ImpulseIII said:
The Coast Guard will tell you what they want you to do and will not put you or your boat in jeopardy.
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Frank is correct-

It works just like the Police Department. They blue light you, you pull over, they come alongside. Depending on sea conditions and location, they may tie alongside and take control of maneuvering or they may put an armed boarding party onboard while their vessel backs off to a safe distance.

I have all of my paperwork in a 3 ring binder, including documentation, all previous copies of USCG boarding reports and Auxiliary VSC inspections. When you hand them something like that, they always give you the "you have your S$%t together look and things go well from there. Most of the time they check PFDs and fire extinguishers, maybe flare expiration dates, and then go on their merry way.
 
When I was in Norfolk, they came up behind me with blue lights and instructed me to keep the boat underway, they motored up to my stern and 2 coasties stepped on board and the cg boat followed. Asked if any weapons were on board, looked in the engine room and inspected all cabins and salon. Filled out a yellow form which prevented any other boardings for 30 days. Quick chat and signature and away they went. I never left the helm nor stopped the boat, very exciting.
 
sbw1 said:
You can usually avoid the entire process by displaying a current inspection decal on your port window.
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Agreed!
First couple of weekends the Auxiliary usually walk our docks and ask if we want the inspection.
My hand is always the first one up on my dock.
Doing this ALMOST always assures me that I will not get stopped during the rest of the season.

Also is a good way to double check all of the current regs and things I need on board.

Times I have been stopped on the lake they come up to swim platform like Dave said and just walked on board and their boat backed off until inspection was over.

Always very polite.
And helps if all paperwork is in order.

Dan
 
I would agree if you were in your local waters, but when a coastie in VA sees a vessel from Ct he may have different protocols.
 
What is good about an Auxillary inpsection is it is free and if you don't pass they will tell you what needs to be done to become compliant. If the Coast Guard boards you they do an inspection and they find something wrong they right a ticket which you have to pay and you have still have to become compliant. I have a inspection by the auxillary every year and when I was stopped. I told them that and they said they they would do one anyway and they would not board me for another year. Of course I had no problems and of course I see they coasties all the time since I keep my boaat on the sub base.
 
Okay, one o fthose questions, who operates/watches the boat while I go below to obtain the documentation. Will one of them? I doubt if anything would happen in the less then a minute it would take.

I do not want to go below and come back to someone saying something about leaving the boat unattended.
 
I know a little about this subject.
1: follow their instructions
2: If you are uncomfortable about something, let then know
3: It' s fine to leave the helm if you need to, just let then know why.
4:If they run aground while rafted is embarrising
5: if they damage a boat while rafted it's alot of paperwork.
6: all parties involved are responsible for vessel safety
 
If they tie off to you, they're in charge of maintaining speed and headway. Ask permission to leave the helm, but, that should not be an issue if they are in control.

If they send a boarding party, then you are still in command of your vessel and obligated to follow all applicable rules and regulations. If conditions are safe, move out of the channel/fairway, stop the vessel and ask if they have a problem with you leaving the helm to obtain what they are asking for.

If conditions are unsafe for stopping the vessel (narrow channel, other traffic in the immediate area) then I believe you have the legal right to declare that their request is unreasonable (check the law to make sure!!) given the current conditions and ask that they wait until you have navigated the vessel to a safe place before they finish their inspection.
 
I hav been pulled over twice. One time they pulled along side and asked to see all paper work and saftey items. They never came aboard. I showed them everthing they asked for, and off we went. The second time my wife was sitting in the seat breastfeeding our infant. When the CG pulled along side, they again began to ask for information. He looked over at my wife(she was covered, nothing hanging out:wow:), realized what she was doing, turned bright red, apologized for stopping us and told us to have a good day.:thumbsup:
 
FSUDave said:
I hav been pulled over twice. The second time my wife was sitting in the seat breastfeeding our infant. When the CG pulled along side, they again began to ask for information. He looked over at my wife(she was covered, nothing hanging out:wow:), realized what she was doing, turned bright red, apologized for stopping us and told us to have a good day.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Did your infant have a life vest on? I bet your wife didn't, not that there's anything wrong with that, but that would be cumbersome, don't you think? Do they make a life vest for breastfeeding mothers? I digress. Why does this always happen when this sort of topic comes up? I'm such a boob.
 
Wow after reading all the boarding discriptions makes me wonder.....A strip search followed by anal probing isen,t standard procedure. Damn i know something wasen't right. O well live and learn... lol. But for real , just do what u r told to do and all will b fine. No two boardings r the same.... diffrent boats, locations, weather conditions, proxsimity to land , shallow water , bridges , other boat traffic....etc. etc....so the best and easy thing to do is "DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU TO DO". And all is well.(most of the time). well till nextime happy and safe boating to you capt.

capt. pete
 
Agree 1000% with what everybody highlighted. An up-to-date safety sticker will prevent most boardings, but if you are boarded, the USCG will tell you exactly what to do and what they want. Key is to have all paperwork/documentation handy. Just as importantly, you need to display ALL previous boarding paperwork, so ALWAYS save that.
 
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