Ever been boarded in open ocean?

[Trim50]

Yep...as soon as you buff LP, the gloss is waisted.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Trim50

Gord, picture yourself with new $10,000 paint job less than two days old having a boarding party of 18yo tell you to "Stand-off" as they approach your boat at 15 knots. Sorry man..you will not be able to appear compliant...

I can understand, and in similar circumstances might share, your natural frustration and anger.
However, prudent adults restrain their natural emotions, understanding that, as Shakespear’s Falstaff said (King henry IV) said, “The better part of valor is discretion ...”

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

What are the legal issues if your boat is damaged during a boarding.

Scenario: You have a new paintjob with non-repairable Awlgrip. Whilst boarding a 5ft scratch is made down the boarding side. Since both boats are underway, who is responsible for the damage?

My guess would be if this was done in Mexico, you won't have any recourse with Mexico...and if you're sailing without insurance in foreign waters, you're going to have to fix it yourself.

[Aquah0lic]

It seems as though most of you are missing the point here. The thread was about open ocean when your on the way from St Croix to Aruba, on a long course, on autopilot, etc. Boardings on inland and nearland waters are of course more common.

[rwhit323]

Aquaholic for what it is worth.... I spent 25 years in the USN and was a part of searches in the Caribbean for drug operations. If you are a US flagged vessel you must stop and consent to boarding and search. However, these boarding are being observed by a lot of people on the sea, and in the air, and I've yet to see one that was anything but professional. And BTW, If you are not a US flageed vessel, chances are the US has a reciprical agreement with your country that willalso require to consent to a search.

[slomotion]

Two observations and a question:

1. It so happens that we just returned 3 days ago from a western Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Victory. On our 2nd day out we picked up 10 Cuban refugees from a sinking boat. Last Saturday somewhere in the Windward Passage we were ordered to a full stop by the US Coast Guard, and they off-loaded our Cubans using the usual hard hull boats with inflatable gunnels. Obviously, a 900 foot multi-thousand ton cruise ship can stop (eventually) in most any reasonable conditions without being in danger of rolling over or otherwise endangering herself and the people on board. Despite very benign conditions (3-4' seas) and the ‘full stop’ order, our Captain continued to make some headway to hold the ship steady and the Coasties raced aft and then forward to match our speed before tying up for the transfer. On a small sailboat at sea this may not be possible, and I agree with the heave to and/or negotiate advice.

2. If you are in San Francisco, New London, Cape May, etc. where there is a major USCG base, you can expect to be boarded more frequently and probably just for practice. According to my son, a Coast Guard veteran, even a safety check boarding party is supposed to be headed by a petty officer who is presumably over 18 and has some skill and tact when dealing with yachties.

3. We were boarded by USCG twice while at anchor, but never while under way. Both times the Coasties were friendly and professional. On the first occasion all the Coasties were wearing boat shoes or sneakers. On the 2nd occasion the petty officer noticed that one of his seamen was wearing combat boots and proceeded to chew the kid out. He also apologized to us and offered to file a report for any damage to our sole - which we declined. On our boat we wore boat shoes or sneakers, but mostly we went barefoot - guests were required to do the same. What kind of foot gear have Coasties been wearing when you were boarded?

[GordMay]

Section 89 of Title 14 of the United States Code authorizes the Coast Guard to board vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S., anytime upon the high seas and upon waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, to make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures and arrests ...

Goto: 14 USC 89 - U.S. Code - Title 14: Coast Guard - 14 USC 89 - Sec. 89. Law enforcement - vLex