boarded by the Coast Guard

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by RWilson2526

Good story, I almost got boarded by the Navy once but then some other idiot who got closer than me to their area drew there attention. I would have liked to fire their gun too!

Rob, I KNOW exactly where you were, and why you almost got stopped. Ever notice that they have no sense of humor AT ALL??? Two years ago we were going back to Leonardo, and I accidently missed the corner bouy on the turn towards shore. In less time than it takes to type this, there they were, coming up on me really fast in that twin engined boat of theirs.. one guy on the helm and one guy with his M16 at chest height .... not leveled at us, but you knew it wouldn't take much for him to swing it our way. Told me I was in restricted waters... I explained we were going in and I just missed the bouy...said I was sorry, etc.. They let me go with a stern warning that they had my boat's numbers and if I was stopped again I could explain why to the captain on the pier. Like I said, no sense of humor at all... lol

[steplift20]

did you at least tell them that we pay there salary

[macojoe]

I have been bordered before, guys were great till when thy asked me foe my Lic. and reg and they were in my truck. Then the guy said ok we will do it the hard way then, I got scared!! But all they did was take my name and ask me all kinds of questions and said have a great day! That was back in 2000 I think??

[SkunkBoat]

All over Manasquan river like flies. I'm all for safety checks and the like but ever notice they only stop little guys and never a 54' Viking.

Coasties aren't too bad, its the NJ state marine police that are jackasses.

[RidgeRunner]

Memorable stop by the FL Marine Patrol. My friend Wesley and I in his dad's 17' Chrysler Trihull/50 hp Johnson. Stopped in the rain with the sun setting fast. We had been shark fishing as evident by the 7' blacktip draped across the front deck. The boat would not get on plane with the extra weight of the shark so getting home was taking longer than expected. We started filling up with water and no bilge pump. Officer finally got the message when I started bailing water out of ours and putting it in his. Not before writing us a warning for a missing letter on the port side and no running lights. I was thinking to myself what a PITA, we wouldn't need running lights if we weren't stopped here getting the safety lecture. I was 13 yrs old. I complained to the owner of the marina about what happened. Don't know what good that did but the officer apologized a day or two later after following my mom and me to the house in his cruiser. We eventually became friends. Having friends in Law Enforcement paid off many years later.. Free towing and Glen would always stop us, mainly to talk, he rarely checked our catch. LOL! That was particularly convenient on more than one occasion. Good memories. He passed a few years back. I don't play the cat and mouse game with his replacements.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

Memorable stop by the FL Marine Patrol. My friend Wesley and I in his dad's 17' Chrysler Trihull/50 hp Johnson. Stopped in the rain with the sun setting fast. We had been shark fishing as evident by the 7' blacktip draped across the front deck. The boat would not get on plane with the extra weight of the shark so getting home was taking longer than expected. We started filling up with water and no bilge pump. Officer finally got the message when I started bailing water out of ours and putting it in his. Not before writing us a warning for a missing letter on the port side and no running lights. I was thinking to myself what a PITA, we wouldn't need running lights if we weren't stopped here getting the safety lecture. I was 13 yrs old. I complained to the owner of the marina about what happened. Don't know what good that did but the officer apologized a day or two later after following my mom and me to the house in his cruiser. We eventually became friends. Having friends in Law Enforcement paid off many years later.. Free towing and Glen would always stop us, mainly to talk, he rarely checked our catch. LOL! That was particularly convenient on more than one occasion. Good memories. He passed a few years back. I don't play the cat and mouse game with his replacements.

Ridge, that's a great story. Sorry for the loss of your friend. People like that are hard to find.. even more so if they are in Law Enforcement. I had a friend like that when I lived in South Toms River.. not maritime, just a land shark, but it was nice to be able to talk to him on a regular basis and not have to worry about getting the occasional speeding ticket. We lost touch after I moved and then he moved out of state. I hope he's doing well wherever he is.