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Old 18-02-2021, 15:19   #1
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USCG bust illegal charters

https://www.yahoo.com/news/coast-gua...142834555.html
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Old 18-02-2021, 16:11   #2
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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Old 18-02-2021, 16:29   #3
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

Lol
Play stupid games and win stupid prizes smh
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Old 18-02-2021, 17:09   #4
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

"Not having a valid certificate of inspection, failure to have a drug and alcohol program and failure to comply with a captain of the port order."

What certificate of inspection do you need? I have a 40-foot sailboat and I get the "optional" USCG Aux inspection sticker, but that's about it. I just have my regular boat registration from New Jersey.

Drug and alcohol program? What's that? What kind of program do I need to have?

Captain of the port order? What's that? I have my Captain's License (USCG 6-pack OUPV) and that's about it.

The only thing I read that was illegal was that they had 8 passengers, which is not allowed. Hence, it's called a 6-pack (6 pax)
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Old 18-02-2021, 18:24   #5
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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"Not having a valid certificate of inspection, failure to have a drug and alcohol program and failure to comply with a captain of the port order."

What certificate of inspection do you need? I have a 40-foot sailboat and I get the "optional" USCG Aux inspection sticker, but that's about it. I just have my regular boat registration from New Jersey.

Drug and alcohol program? What's that? What kind of program do I need to have?

Captain of the port order? What's that? I have my Captain's License (USCG 6-pack OUPV) and that's about it.

The only thing I read that was illegal was that they had 8 passengers, which is not allowed. Hence, it's called a 6-pack (6 pax)
If you are taking paying customers out on your boat, in addition to your license you need to be in a regular drug testing program. If you don't know that, you need to do some research.

The "Certificate of Inspection" is needed for any boat taking more than 6 passengers. One of the boats stopped had 8 paying passengers. Hence, the need to be an inspected vessel.

What you seemed to have missed is tht none of the "Captains" actually had licenses.

It sounds like you need to do quite a bit more learning before you take paying passengers out on your boat. If you have your Captains license, you should know this stuff.

These "Captains" quite rightly had the book thrown at them. The Coasties wrote up every violation they could think of, and the local federal prosecutor will sort it out what he actually wants to pursue.
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Old 18-02-2021, 18:43   #6
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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If you are taking paying customers out on your boat, in addition to your license you need to be in a regular drug testing program. If you don't know that, you need to do some research.

The "Certificate of Inspection" is needed for any boat taking more than 6 passengers. One of the boats stopped had 8 paying passengers. Hence, the need to be an inspected vessel.

What you seemed to have missed is tht none of the "Captains" actually had licenses.

It sounds like you need to do quite a bit more learning before you take paying passengers out on your boat. If you have your Captains license, you should know this stuff.

These "Captains" quite rightly had the book thrown at them. The Coasties wrote up every violation they could think of, and the local federal prosecutor will sort it out what he actually wants to pursue.
Thanks for the info!! I guess it's just a misunderstanding of terms...

When I earned my USCG OUPV License, I had to sign up for the drug and alcohol program... I am a part of it and the USCG can call me up any day and force me to undergo testing via a sample of urine, I believe. That I do know... I guess I thought that the USCG wants them to have some sort of a DRUG AND ALCOHOL pamphlet or program for the passengers. Hence, my confusion...

The Certificate of Inspection is not required for 6 pax... hence, that's why I was confused. Their boats were NOT inspected and hence should have never had more than 6 pax. If they did have 6 pax, then they wouldn't need the certificate. Again, my confusion... it's not that the boat needed the inspection for normal operation, it's the fact that it needed it for more than 6 pax which it never should've had in the first place... Which makes sense

If the "captains" didn't have licenses, then I wouldn't call them 'captains' and more like SKIPPERS. I guess I browsed through the article too quickly and didn't see where they wrote about the lack of licenses. Again... my quick browsing got me in trouble here.

I do have a license and I've taken many, many groups out... each one was 6 pax or less... all were safe and successful. Never broke a law and never will when on my sailboat. So, I don't think it's the learning that I need... it's the "slow down when reading articles" and also not misunderstanding the terms. I worked my ass off to get the license and I earned it and I deserve it.

All in all... thank you for taking the time to explain my questions
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Old 18-02-2021, 19:39   #7
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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Captain of the port order? What's that?
Folloe the link in the posted article:

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/D...2_Fall2018.pdf
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Old 18-02-2021, 19:44   #8
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

Good for the Coasties! Its not hard to comply w the regs for a 6 pak charter, so they deserve to be busted.
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Old 18-02-2021, 21:13   #9
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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Good for the Coasties! Its not hard to comply w the regs for a 6 pak charter, so they deserve to be busted.
Couldn't agree more! I have lost many charters because someone called me up and asked if I could take 7 people... I naturally said no... then they said that someone else was willing to take 7 people for a higher price, but if I would take 7 people then they would go with me and my lower price... again, I said no.

I lost many charters to illegal scumbags even though I was the cheaper, better charter. But, because they took on 7 or 8 people illegally... I missed out on a legitimate 6 passenger charter.

Sucks
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Old 18-02-2021, 21:37   #10
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USCG bust illegal charters

As I recall if you are using your masters license you need to be enrolled in a random drug testing program. The uscg won’t call you in. Your program, that you are required to enroll in, will.
These programs are typically part of a normal employment as a merchant mariner. If you are self employed it’s your responsibility to be enrolled in a program.
If you have a license and are not using it commercially you do not need to be enrolled.
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Old 19-02-2021, 05:57   #11
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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The only thing I read that was illegal was that they had 8 passengers, which is not allowed.
And that's the point. You carry 8 passengers and you no longer qualify for "un-inspected passenger vessel" status. Now you require all those other things that the CG cited.
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Old 19-02-2021, 09:35   #12
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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Couldn't agree more! I have lost many charters because someone called me up and asked if I could take 7 people... I naturally said no... then they said that someone else was willing to take 7 people for a higher price, but if I would take 7 people then they would go with me and my lower price... again, I said no.



I lost many charters to illegal scumbags even though I was the cheaper, better charter. But, because they took on 7 or 8 people illegally... I missed out on a legitimate 6 passenger charter.



Sucks
Yes, Ive worked in the charter biz in several venues and illegal operators are an annoyance. Glad to see them get busted...and in the USA the penalties can be quite harsh...even better. [emoji16]
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Old 19-02-2021, 09:39   #13
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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And that's the point. You carry 8 passengers and you no longer qualify for "un-inspected passenger vessel" status. Now you require all those other things that the CG cited.
...including annual inspections and drills. Ive been captian/crew on a couple of inspected vessels. Each season the Coasties conducted an inspection which included MOB and fire fighting drills. No pass = No ticket for the season (though you do get a chance to remedy any deficiencies).
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Old 19-02-2021, 10:01   #14
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

On one of our trips last year, the USCG was out and about checking the large fishing charter boats and offshore tour boats as they exited the inlet. Not a nice spot to stop a boat though. Don't know why they did not stop out past the safe water buoy or let the boats go a few hundred yards west of the inlet where the wave action was so much better.

Glad they were checking but it would have been safer for everyone if they had waited a bit before boarding.

I wonder about some of the other charters I have seen, like the Tiki Hut Bar boat going down the ICW. Can't remember how many people he had on board but it was quite a few and gave us the willeys. Can't imagine it was fun when that thing got waked...

Later,
Dan
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Old 19-02-2021, 12:15   #15
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Re: USCG bust illegal charters

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On one of our trips last year, the USCG was out and about checking the large fishing charter boats and offshore tour boats as they exited the inlet. Not a nice spot to stop a boat though. Don't know why they did not stop out past the safe water buoy or let the boats go a few hundred yards west of the inlet where the wave action was so much better.

Glad they were checking but it would have been safer for everyone if they had waited a bit before boarding.

I wonder about some of the other charters I have seen, like the Tiki Hut Bar boat going down the ICW. Can't remember how many people he had on board but it was quite a few and gave us the willeys. Can't imagine it was fun when that thing got waked...

Later,
Dan
The Coasties do less than ideal things like that sometimes. I think its because most of their recruits have no small boat exeprience. Every young Coastie Ive met is from somewhere like Idaho and never been on the sea before.

I wonder if it is a deliberate recruiting strategy?
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