I'll tell you a really outrageous one.
In the mid 80s, My wife and I went to Crystal River, Fl in January with
my elderly parents to snorkel and look at the manatees. We all had wet
suits that would keep us warm for an hour or so. There are areas where
you are allowed to snorkel in Kings Bay and "manatee zones" that are
off limits.
While we were watching the manatees, we failed to notice that the fog
had closed in so thick that the vis was only about 25' and we didn not
the way to shore 1/4 mile away. We all drifted for 3 hours getting
colder and colder. Finally, we drifted near an orange buoy marked
"Manatee Zone" and held to the buoy and my parents managed to hang onto
its mooring line.
After about a half hour, the fog lifted a little and a boat approached
with a FL. marine Patrol Officer aboard. He helped us into his boat
and we were all really thankful about being rescued until I saw him
writing. I asked what he was doing and he told us he was writing us
all tickets for violating the manatee zone. We were all too shocked
and cold to argue much but THEN HE INSISTED WE GET BACK IN THE WATER
and he took off.
Fortunately, we are all damned good swimmers so we did all get back to
shore. The tickets were $100 so i talked to a lawyer who advised us to
just pay it instead of going to court. We did but I am convinced now
that we should have fought it.
To this day, I have never met anybody from the FL Marine Patrol who is
worth anything.

Another FL. Marine Patrol story. At Shell Pt. FL, there is an area
just off the shore with deep water with an oyster bar protecting it
where people anchor. Channels approach from the east and west of this
area but there are no markers in the area. Like most Sundays, there
were many people anchored there so we anchored about one boat length
further out than anyone else leaving 150' of deep water between us and
the oyster bar.
OK, here comes the Marine Patrol. he boards s and commences yelling
that we were "anchored too far out". I ask where we could anchor,
motioning toward all the other boats. He replied "In line with that
marker" pointing to a marker 1/4 mile away. Considering his state of
mind, I decided not to tell him that there were an infinite number of
lines going through that marker. We hauled anchor and went in.

Where is Lake Quinsigamond?
JIMinFL
"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
I was stopped by the "Safety Patrol" this morning on Lake
Quinsigamond. He officer couldn't find anything and he really tried.
I had the all the safety gear including throw bag, throwable flotation
device, paddle, lights (not needed, but there), signaling devices (two
each plus sound device), anchor and I was wearing my Mustang
inflatable PFD (which I do anyway when underway).

I was cited for "improper installation of fire extinguisher".

Apparently, the fire extinguisher was "too close to the gas tank" - a
distance of 28 inches.

I protested that (1) this boat didn't require a fire extinguisher by
law and (2) the fact that it was easily accessible an (3) it was an
open boat.

To place it any other position on the boat would create more problems
than it was worth.

Didn't matter. The officer cited me and told me to take it up with a
judge.

I went directly to the police department and asked to speak to the
Watch Commander. As it happened, I had the CT boating laws in my
safety bag and I presented the citation and the pertinent part of the
CT boating law governing open boats under 16 feet.

The officer told me that he was profoundly sorry about that, but once
the ticket was written, he couldn't do anything about it because it's
radioed in and entered into the system immediately and once in the
system, that's it.

I'll have to take it to a magistrate.

Which I am going to do. Then I'm going to sue the police department
in small claims court for my time, gas and effort in reporting to
traffic court to get this straightened out.

I'm that annoyed.

The only good thing was that the Commander radioed for the officer to
return because he did something he shouldn't have done.

Hopefully, the "safety" officer will get a new one.

One more Florida Marine Patrol (which I call the Florida Moron Patrol)
story.
Basically, the Sportsfishing Industry pushed an amendment onto Fl
voters that made it impossible for commercial fishermen to make a
living. The constitutional amendment was written so poorly that
neither the fishermen or the marine Patrol knew what was legal so the
marine Patrol simply harassed the poor fishermen and seized their boats
so they could be sold. This caused a lot of bad feelings between the
commercial fishermen and the marine patrol.
One january night, a small commercial net boat was 4 miles off
Alligator Point when it began taking on water in rough seas. They
radioed for help but supposedly were not heard by the FL. Marine Patrol
even though the marine Patrol at that time was only 12 miles away
issuing a net violation ticket off Carabelle. Finally, after an hour,
the Coast Guard Station in Yankeetown, FL, 90 miles away heard their
VHF distress call and since the coasties had no vessels in the area
told the FL. marine patrol. The Marine Patrol responded that tey had
no vessels capable of going out in those conditions. Of course, that
is nonsense since they were at that time issuing a ticket near
Carabelle and conditions were no so bad that it kept commercial
fishermen inshore. The FL. Marine Patrol also has a 60' vessel docked
at Carabelle that could have responded.
Since the marine Patrol refused to respond, finally, other local
fishermen went out but by the time they got there the boat had sunk
killing its crew of 3.

Ask the judge what he would do if a boat like that caught fire. Jump & swim,
or stand there like an idiot trying to put out a gasoline fire? Explain that
the extinguisher is there so you can help someone in another boat.

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 16:57:51 GMT, "JIMinFL"
wrote:

Where is Lake Quinsigamond?

Right outside of Worcester, MA .. too far north and WAY too cold to
worry about.... :-)

--

_ ___c
\ _| \_
__\_| oooo \_____
~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~
~~~ ~~~~~~
~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/
Homepage*
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

I'm trying to figger out how CT boating laws apply to operating in MA
waters.

I have a situation where I live for a similar regulation. An enquiry
got the reply that if an item was NOT required but WAS fitted then it
must comply with all regulations.

Fight it all the way and sue the b*stards. The county mounty marine
patrols are out of control everywhere trying to justify their dubious
existence. As a next step, try the legislative/political process to
eliminate their funding.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Fight it all the way and sue the b*stards. The county mounty marine
patrols are out of control everywhere trying to justify their dubious
existence. As a next step, try the legislative/political process to
eliminate their funding.


Meanwhile, they just sit there holding their dicks while 40' boats roar past
small, anchored boats full of fishermen, 500' away from the channel.

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 00:21:01 GMT, Shortwave Sportfishing
wrote:

Right before I left to go to UMASS for my chemo treatment, I received
a call from the Chief of Police of the town who patrols Lake
Quinsigamond.

Apparently, they had a change of heart and decided that what we had
was an over zealous safety officer who didn't quite understand the
rules pertaining to fire extinguishers in open boats.

They will be removing the citation from the system and sending me
confirmation by the end of the week.

Must have been that call I made to the Mayor - who, as it happens,
used to work for me. :)

Good story, good outcome.
--
John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."