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Old 22-05-2020, 07:54   #1
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Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

Ok, ready to get yelled at by the peanut gallery, but:

Has anyone ever been stopped by local water cops and given a ticket for not having a WHISTLE in their dinghy?? What the heck is this world coming to?

I have multiple life jackets, a VHF radio, cell phone, outboard kill switch clipped to my belt, lights, you name it.

Got a ticket for this yesterday
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:16   #2
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

Oh for the love of ... . Another LEO make-work project.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:21   #3
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chotu View Post
Ok, ready to get yelled at by the peanut gallery, but:

Has anyone ever been stopped by local water cops and given a ticket for not having a WHISTLE in their dinghy?? What the heck is this world coming to?

I have multiple life jackets, a VHF radio, cell phone, outboard kill switch clipped to my belt, lights, you name it.

Got a ticket for this yesterday
Been there, done that, got the receipt. It's required, of course in the USCG regulations. In my case I was stopped for other reasons (not properly displaying registration numbers) but they decided to give me the cheapest ticket they could, and a warning on the other things.

Pretty easy to just hang a whistle on a lanyard on the outboard. In fact it's a lot easier and faster to do that than bitch about the rule.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:24   #4
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

Don't laugh too hard. My daughter ran out of gas in the dinghy once and the whistle did the trick when arm-waving did not. It's a simple thing.


[ I didn't actually hear the whistle. It started every dog within 1/2 mile barking, and I heard that.]


In fact, during one of many stops by MD DNR, I had everything in order, but my whistle was broken. They gave me a new whistle. Apparently they had stopped a few idiot PWC riders and found our encounter more pleasant. My daughter (about 12) was driving and was proud to show off her permit and answer questions. I just sat back. I guess they couldn't hate a polite little girl.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:26   #5
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chotu View Post
Ok, ready to get yelled at by the peanut gallery, but:

Has anyone ever been stopped by local water cops and given a ticket for not having a WHISTLE in their dinghy?? What the heck is this world coming to?

I have multiple life jackets, a VHF radio, cell phone, outboard kill switch clipped to my belt, lights, you name it.

Got a ticket for this yesterday
???

The whistle is attached to your life jacket

Just show the pfd you have onboard to the inspector
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:34   #6
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

I don't doubt the efficacy of the whistle. I carry one in my lifejacket, and the jacket goes with me everywhere I do while on the water.

It's just the ticket and enforcement thing that seems ridiculous.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:39   #7
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chotu View Post
Ok, ready to get yelled at by the peanut gallery, but:

Has anyone ever been stopped by local water cops and given a ticket for not having a WHISTLE in their dinghy?? What the heck is this world coming to?

I have multiple life jackets, a VHF radio, cell phone, outboard kill switch clipped to my belt, lights, you name it.

Got a ticket for this yesterday
Drag. Sad they couldn't just warn you. But, like speeding, this is a voluntary contribution to the government .

Our inflatable PFDs come with whistles. On my old-school flotation vest, I strung one, because I windsurf with it. You can also attach one to your dinghy bailer (..also mandatory up here), or to the outboard, etc etc.

But thanks for sharing. Maybe everyone who gets a whistle as a result of your cautionary tale, thereby avoiding a fine, should send you a little $$ towards your fine. How much was it?
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:44   #8
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

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Drag. Sad they couldn't just warn you. But, like speeding, this is a voluntary contribution to the government .

Our inflatable PFDs come with whistles. On my old-school flotation vest, I strung one, because I windsurf with it. You can also attach one to your dinghy bailer (..also mandatory up here), or to the outboard, etc etc.

But thanks for sharing. Maybe everyone who gets a whistle as a result of your cautionary tale, thereby avoiding a fine, should send you a little $$ towards your fine. How much was it?
Oh this is where it gets even better.

No fine amount on the violation. The only way to find out the fine is to mail in your guilty plea and get a bill sent. Otherwise, plead not guilty and travel back to the town and go stand trial.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:45   #9
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

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Originally Posted by thinwater View Post
Don't laugh too hard. My daughter ran out of gas in the dinghy once and the whistle did the trick when arm-waving did not. It's a simple thing.


[ I didn't actually hear the whistle. It started every dog within 1/2 mile barking, and I heard that.]


In fact, during one of many stops by MD DNR, I had everything in order, but my whistle was broken. They gave me a new whistle. Apparently they had stopped a few idiot PWC riders and found our encounter more pleasant. My daughter (about 12) was driving and was proud to show off her permit and answer questions. I just sat back. I guess they couldn't hate a polite little girl.

I don’t doubt the whistle is a useful device but I literally carry a vhf and a cell phone in the dinghy.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:45   #10
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

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???

The whistle is attached to your life jacket

Just show the pfd you have onboard to the inspector
I’m USA based. No whistles on the basic life jackets here unfortunately.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:47   #11
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

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Oh for the love of ... . Another LEO make-work project.
Definitely. Looking forever to getting as far away from civilization as possible. Ha ha
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:49   #12
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

What prompted the inspection and where did this occur?
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:51   #13
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

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I don’t doubt the whistle is a useful device but I literally carry a vhf and a cell phone in the dinghy.

When you fall overboard, the average cell-phone will be dead, and the VHF probably still in the dinghy ... after a lifejacket, a whistle is probably the most useful thing that a MOB can have. Spending 50c to attach one to the lifejacket is just common sense ... however I'm not a fan of rules that mandate common sense, I feel I have a right to be stupid ... so I'm sorry you got busted for something so trivial.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:54   #14
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

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Originally Posted by Mike OReilly View Post
I don't doubt the efficacy of the whistle. I carry one in my lifejacket, and the jacket goes with me everywhere I do while on the water.

It's just the ticket and enforcement thing that seems ridiculous.

Us American's love our stupid petty little rules. It's what adds charm to the gilded cages we build for ourselves.



But, yea, those water cops in Key West will do this one as well. Usually, only if your an anchor out.
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Old 22-05-2020, 08:57   #15
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Re: Ticket for no whistle in dinghy??

I have wondered where the rules for a dinghy stop. What about flares and a fire extinguisher? I have the whistle thing covered, ordered about a pack of ten of them on Amazon years ago for cheap. Put them on life jackets until I ran out.
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