Hit by the Custom & Border Control Boat...

[Syserenity]

Originally Posted by Group9

If that happens again, ask for a federal tort claim form (SF-95). All federal agents should carry that form with them. Ask them for their names, and then submit the form to their agency. Most of the time, unless it looked like outright fraud, my agency would just write a check.

If you think you had damage, it's still not too late (there is a six year statute of limitations on most claims against the United States).

Thanks for all the answers no matter what it was. I will use my fenders in the future, I will ask them to use fenders and I will insist if I feel no safety to aboard, although I would expect from them a better boating training.

But specially to this response I thank very much. You ARE REALLY answering my question and being helpfull, so again many thanks....

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

They are the ones who are highly skilled at this and do it all the time -- not me.

Most CG are just kids, enlistments are short as well. I have been on the water far longer than most Coasties, wouldn't count on them being highly skilled or experienced. My brother was a Coastie, and I wouldn't let him pilot my dinghy. Obviously there are many exceptions to that rule, plenty of career Coasties, but not anywhere near as many as there are recruits.

Once I came into Port Townsend on a busy summer day and as I entered the marina a CG go fast inflatable came drifting out, with an MG on the bow. I snagged the painter with a boat hook and towed it in. The crew were standing on the dock red faced with about a hundred boaters watching and laughing, they had failed to tie up properly and the boat drifted off the dock while they were getting a soda. The guy who was supposed to be watching the boat got quite a dressing down, and then the crew of four nineteen year old kids got the hell out of there before a superior officer heard about it! Typical kids...

[Eumelia]

MG Midget or GT?

[Syserenity]

Well, lets correct this as I stated at the berginning. I was aboarded by the United States Custom & Border Control aquatic unit, not by the US Coast Guard.

Coast Guard is a unit that does not impress me since they control waterways, watersafety and water transportation units. My boat was US Coast Guard certified until January this year, it is now inspected by the US Coast Guard and I do have all certification a vessel requieres in the US Waters.

I was aboarded by the US Custom & Border Control, who controls the waters close to Mexico as of obvious reasons of drug traffic and smuggling, as also ilegal entrance into the country.
They came from Port Mansfield, past very slowly and then turned and approached me from the stern. Once close they asked if they could come aboard. Of course I will not deny to a Custom & Border Control Officer. I happened to see how they treated at Mile 99 an American kid who wanted to be a smart ass.
The water was getting rougher but safe enough´to aboard. Unfortunately I guess he did not knew how to handle his 600 horsepower unit and hit my boat at the line of the helm and it cracked pretty bad. I did not know what to do since they then checked my documents, went in the galley and searched all the boat. After about 20 minutes the guy came up and said everything was ok, the other one said my documents were ok and wished me a nice trip.
I will let check the hull while I am in PA and wait for the Northern to pass....

Thanks for all your Informations, you´ve been very helpfull....

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Eumelia

MG Midget or GT?

???



Tiger Sunbeam.

[foggysail]

The laws regarding boarding are so government favored my guess is you cannot refuse to be boarded. Here in Massachusetts their Environmental Police and all harbor masters have legal rights to board your boat whether you like it or not. And then we have those who believe there is no such thing as "too much government!"

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Syserenity

Well, lets correct this as I stated at the berginning. I was aboarded by the United States Custom & Border Control aquatic unit, not by the US Coast Guard.

Coast Guard is a unit that does not impress me since they control waterways, watersafety and water transportation units. My boat was US Coast Guard certified until January this year, it is now inspected by the US Coast Guard and I do have all certification a vessel requieres in the US Waters.

I was aboarded by the US Custom & Border Control, who controls the waters close to Mexico as of obvious reasons of drug traffic and smuggling, as also ilegal entrance into the country.
They came from Port Mansfield, past very slowly and then turned and approached me from the stern. Once close they asked if they could come aboard. Of course I will not deny to a Custom & Border Control Officer. I happened to see how they treated at Mile 99 an American kid who wanted to be a smart ass.
The water was getting rougher but safe enough´to aboard. Unfortunately I guess he did not knew how to handle his 600 horsepower unit and hit my boat at the line of the helm and it cracked pretty bad. I did not know what to do since they then checked my documents, went in the galley and searched all the boat. After about 20 minutes the guy came up and said everything was ok, the other one said my documents were ok and wished me a nice trip.
I will let check the hull while I am in PA and wait for the Northern to pass....

Thanks for all your Informations, you´ve been very helpfull....

Just to clarify a couple things; the United States Custom & Border Protection and the USCG are both working under the Homeland Security.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Border Security

US Coast Guard Home

And BTW the word "aboarded" is incorrect. Leave off the first "a". = boarded.

[Dulcesuenos]

Try wearing less clothes. Always keeps em a bit standoffish!

[MarkSF]

Look at it from their point of view, the paperwork for a damage claim must be a nightmare. So they are not going to volunteer the information that you can claim - but if you asked, that would be a different matter.

[seandepagnier]

If you cannot refuse them, why would they ask?

Maybe you could tell them they may board but only if they swim the last boat length in the water to avoid any chance of damage, or else deploy an inflatable boat or something which is less massive than your vessel.

Another reason to get a submarine...

[daddle]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

You are the captain of your vessel and responsible for its safety and the safety of the crew. If the weather was rough then its permission denied. you can always follow them to a safe harbor and if they insist on boarding they do so at their risk and responsibility.

This is correct and I have heard that it is effective. You can be more to the point by declaring that a boarding is unsafe for your boat and crew. Make no kind of invitation to the authorities. Good rarely ever comes to the innocent by way of contact with the authorities. Invite them to meet you at your destination. Make up any reasonable reason to object to some other destination.

They very often leave to bother someone else.

That, and once they are on board put your boat parallel to the seas to encourage them to leave as soon as possible.

Boarding by the stern in seas is the dumbest possible way.

[David_Old_Jersey]

I would also formally record the visit in the ships log - with names / ranks of those who boarded (and ship?).....if done in their presence a reason to ask who they are / are representing in a non-confrontational manner and for a reason (ships log) they can understand.......officialdom tends to be wary of paperwork - especially when own names go into stuff they can't control..........of course don't mean they won't waterboard ya if ya look at 'em funny!

[GrowleyMonster]

CLAlM FOR DAMAGE,

INJURY, OR DEATH

http://www.justice.gov/marshals/foia/Forms/SF%2095.pdf

There ya go. Print up a few for the next time.

Yeah those guys probably had only a couple years experience handling small boats, if that. Always direct them to approach from astern and come up along one side or the other. A lot of damaging collisions occur when a boat comes right up to the stern of another.

[captain58sailin]

Other than parroting the first advice that was given. If you feel the conditions are not safe for a boarding, then by all means propose an alternative, if there happens to be a sheltered area near by, also when they hit you, as before log all of the details, and tell them you wish to make an accident report, there are protocols in place for these things, and if you tell them you wish to address the issue, they will. As far as fenders go, they are the ones that want aboard, they should provide the protection. If you are calm and stick to the facts there should be no problem.

[jeremiason]

I am just curious why you didn't deploy fenders... I have been boarded several times over the years and no one ever objected to me placing fenders out before they pulled along side?