Avoid a ticket

[Beave]

This came up this weekend at the St. Joe get-together. The USCG was giving "45 minute courtesy inspections" out on the water to boats fishing too close to the Nuke plant.

The marker buoys weren't out yet so quite a few boats were getting boarded, including a few MS.com members. They weren't writing tickets if you had all your stuff in order, but no one wants to end up with a ticket. With how strict marine laws are if they really want to get you for something they can (Like a dirty air filter for example), but for the most part the Coast Guard and sheriff's deputies are looking for just a few things if they stop you:

1) Sobriety of the driver
2) Registration - Make sure your new one is in the boat. You need the paper registration too; the sticker alone doesn't cut it.
3) Life preservers - This is a no-brainer. 1 per person and they have to fit.
4) Fishing licenses - Only if you're fishing of course.
5) Fire Extinguisher - Make sure it's pressurized.
6) Flares - This is the one that can get a lot of people who are normally conscientious about following the law. Make sure your flares aren't expired. Some people don't even realize that flares have a 3-4 year life before they expire.

Knowing a few Marine sheriff's deputies over the years, for the most part if you've got those things in order and you're not being a jerk or flagrantly breaking the law, they'll let you off with a warning. There are enough drunken idiots out there on the weekends with all sorts of ticketable violations and no clue about boating laws that they're not usually looking to ding the guy who is obviously making an attempt to follow all the laws and just forgot or missed something.

edit:

Here's a link to the Michigan Boating Laws handbook btw:
http://www.boat-ed.com/mi/handbook/

[Brian S]

Good post.

Question on flares. I'll bet mine are expired, I'll check them when I get home. If they are, what is (if there is any) the proper or recommended method of disposal?

[live2fishdjs]

Brian S.

As far as disposal goes, unless you are sure they are bad I would not dispose of them, rather get new ones so your legal, but use the old ones if you ever need to use a flare(s)...just because they are expired does not mean they are bad. I am not sure how they are to be disposed of, maybe contact a sheriff??

Tight Lines.

[bluedevil]

Good post Beave.;)

Just an idea for use on expired flares. I save my expired ones for the Fourth of July. They really get the kids excited.:D

It just accured to me while wrighting this, but is that legal?
I quess I just never thought about it.:eek:

[adjusted3]

couple of things---

They will be giving out tickets if you are stopped 2x for the safety zone violation or after the stakes are out.

In addition, you must have a throwable at ARM's reach. And I did. Having to dig out the PFD's or throwable from storage is not going to cut it. I saw several boats stopped for safety zone violations that morning including my own boat. They get your attention when the guy on the bow is holding an M16 at the ready.

there is a Camera on top of the Nuke plant that is pipped right into the station in St. Joe. If they see a zone violation, a boat is dispatched right then.... actually the gaurds on the boat that stopped us said they were summoned from there beds to check out the boats that morning. That will be the last time I head for the plant till the stakes are out. They check everthing but your fishing lic. they are not the CO. You must have 3 non-expired flares in your possision. I keep the expired ones as well as backups...

Don't mess with the safety zones...It is not worth the few fish that are there!

Mark

[miruss]

thanks didn't know needed flares for my 16 fter do now saved me a ticket

[Sixshooter]

The safety zone is 1000yards from shore and the width of the Cook property...

[RSGS]

Aside from keeping a few expired flares on board as extras (in addition to the current ones), I throw a bunch in the truck in case of mechanical problems on the freeway. As stated above, just because they are expired does not mean the will not work. I have used many over the years on the freeway, both for myself and others that were broke down at night and didn't even think to put on there 4-way flashers. Very dangerous!

[Jimbos]

Ah RSGS I think your thinking about two different items....The boat item is a flare which shoots up into the air, you don't use those on a freeway. Those are fuse's and please don't light one of those in your boat.:)

[Beave]

Boat flares don't all shoot.

The "hand torch" type that burn for 3 minutes or something are acceptable in the boat. I actually believe they prefer you have both types.

[Jimbos]

Get out of here, your pulling my leg Beave.:D

And what purpose would a burning item, dripping off sparks on a broken down water vessel serve?

[RSGS]

I think you need to brush up on your terminology. There are 'HAND HELD (or SIGNAL) FLARES' and 'AREIAL FLARES'.

"SOLAS Hand Held Flares (http://www.landfallnavigation.com/solashand.html)

The SOLAS red flare is designed to show location and allow homing, with one-minute burn and 15,000 candela. The SOLAS white flare for distress is designed to avoid collision in poor visibility, with a burn time of 40 seconds and 10,000 candela. Each weighs 10 ounces, measures 9 5/8" x 1 3/8" and will not drip molten slag down your arm "

"STAR-TRACER™ RED AERIAL FLARES feature a custom contoured launch tube for a more secure grip. Easy grip pull-disk ignition. Average candlepower is 12,000 at 450 feet, with a burn time of approximately 7.5 seconds. Waterproof and floats. USCG approved for day and night use."

AERIAL FLARES are NOT recognized by the Coast Guard as a primary signaling device (This means you cannot have these in place of HAND HELD FLARES). This is one reason the CG writes so many tickets for this. People don't know the difference in the two types of devices. But thanx for the shot Jimbos...

[Ed Michrina]

The old flares make a great addition to your ice fishing equipment.

[SalmonSlayer]

so what type / types of flares DO we NEED to be legal? I'm following the two types of flares, but I don't know which ones we need to have on board.

Any CO's out there to answer this or Coast Guard guys?

THanks...and great topic!

[RSGS]

Coast Guard / Federal requirements (http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/fed_reqs/equ_vds.htm)