What happens if you're boarded by the Coast Guard?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by The Mons

any guns on board. When they responded affirmatively, the boarding party said not to get them, but to show them where they were.

Didnt someone once say: "Don't have a gun unless you intend to use it?"

They should have shot up the Coast Guard

[GordMay]

USCG Auxiliary Boarding Policy:
Public Affairs | USCG Auxiliary | General Information

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by GordMay

USCG Auxiliary Boarding Policy:
Public Affairs | USCG Auxiliary | General Information

Thanks for posting the link, Gord. Very informative.

Did you notice the (unintended, I'm sure) little error in the body of the material on that page? It says:

"The Coast Guard Auxiliary has no law enforcement powers. The goal of the Auxiliary is to educate the public on boat safety and render service to disable boaters - including Search and Rescue - by working closely with the Coast Guard."

I'm sure they meant to say "render service to disabled boaters," but it's funny how one dropped letter can completely change the meaning.

TaoJones

[superA]

So what are the regulations concerning firearms and pot on board? Is it illegal to own any amounts of either?

[GordMay]

Good catch TJ !
It certainly does make a difference to the meaning.
I'm certain there's those few that might suspect that they wrote exactly what they intended.

[captain58sailin]

The basic rule is hide your pot and show them your guns. Just remember that the boarding officers are people too and they are coming into an unknown situation and unknown circumstances, they don't know ahead of time if you are the friendly law abider or the sneaky drug smuggler waiting to do them in. They have a hard job and I think they do it with a great amount of professionalism and courtesy, and their overall mission is to help. So put on a smile and get out the Bundt cake and off them some coffee. Being boarded by the authorities in Nigeria can be likened to a full scale military assault, with accompanying, shouting and wild brandishing of M-16s. So I for one enjoy being accorded the respect and courtesy I have been shown by our own USCG

[roger.waite]

Originally Posted by Therapy

I do whatever they tell me to do.

And do it with a smile. Partcularly when you are in their country ...

The bureaucracy has access to:
[1] A bigger stack of weapons than the average yankee clipper carries; and
[2] Stacks of regulations most of us have scarcely heard of, yet alone remembered and applied.

[superA]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

The basic rule is hide your pot and show them your guns. Just remember that the boarding officers are people too and they are coming into an unknown situation and unknown circumstances, they don't know ahead of time if you are the friendly law abider or the sneaky drug smuggler waiting to do them in. They have a hard job and I think they do it with a great amount of professionalism and courtesy, and their overall mission is to help. So put on a smile and get out the Bundt cake and off them some coffee. Being boarded by the authorities in Nigeria can be likened to a full scale military assault, with accompanying, shouting and wild brandishing of M-16s. So I for one enjoy being accorded the respect and courtesy I have been shown by our own USCG

Thank you sir.

[captain58sailin]

You bet, anytime, you folks have a difficult job in the best of times. I am glad you are out there for us.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by roger.waite

And do it with a smile. Partcularly when you are in their country ...

The bureaucracy has access to:
[1] A bigger stack of weapons than the average yankee clipper carries; and
.

Kind of a corollory (colorry corollary.. whatever) to that is that when in another country (like Australia or NZ) remember we have very different gun laws.
In Austrlaia if you did have a gun it would be a much smaller one than someone from the USA is used to.
Ours are only alowed to be single shot, or bolt action weapons... no lever action, no semi auto, no pump action, no military style, etc.

So the "average yankee clipper" may carry an arsenal far beyond the experience of the local Aussie police officer. A simple military type semi auto weapon may freak him right out!

Mark