Sea Sport Thoughts

From JamesTXSD,
I have no doubt that the factory(s) has no idea how many people inquire about our boats when we're out and about.
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Truer words have seldom been spoken from my perspective. There is no team of sales people any where more near the front lines than those of us traveling about with our boats.

I wish I had cards that could get us back on the road again with a minimum of lost time. When y'all get it figured out, please post it. We'll help. It's great that at least there is a working phone # now.

The best of luck to Sea Sport. Hopefully they will figure out a way to gently harness all of us into helping secure the success of C-dory boats in the future. Everyone including the boating public comes out winners if that happens.

My $0.02.

Dan
 
Adeline":3gdh3h8g said:
Simple business cards get lost but a picture on their refrigerator reminds them of the guy who wants to go out and play. The magnetic sheets can be picked up at Walmart cheap! Made by Avery.

Now that Dave's brought it up I'll be modifying the boat version to include the C-Brat website.
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If you go to the Avery web page they have a downloadable free program that is called Design Pro. it is easy to design your card or lable or whatever avery sells. I use it all the time.
 
Regarding the Coast Guard: I posted something on our cruising thread last week about being boarded once again by the Coast Guard. When I pulled out my paperwork, I found 5 previous "good as gold" sheets. Not sure why I kept them, but this shows that we have been boarded 6 times now in 3 1/2 years with this boat. I have no doubt that it has to do with the fact that our boat stands out around here. And for those who have followed along, we are gone more than we're here.

Unlike at the ramp, you don't have the option of giving them a card with the boat info, smiling, and continuing along your way. :wink:

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Just out of curiousity Jim, do you have a Vessel Safety sticker from either the Auxiliary or Power Squadron on your boat. Unless there is some really serious reason to board, most Coasties look elsewhere when they see the currant sticker displayed.
 
We got boarded last November...we had the cockpit cover on and the Wallas going. The young guy that checked us out said that it was way warmer in our boat than his and then proceeded to ask a ton of questions (gee whiz type) about the boat. There weren't many boats out that day and I think they were bored.
 
Hi David,

I used to get the vessel inspection done from a local aux person on our sailboats. I think she must have moved away, 'cause I don't see her around anymore. So, no, I don't have the sticker on Wild Blue... not a big fan of stickers, anyway. Even when we had the inspection sticker on previous sailboats, we were still boarded from time to time.

Keep in mind where we are and the fact that I am out on the water almost everyday when we're home. Early morning before sunrise, fog, rain, windy... I'm out when a lot of other boaters around here (with their flat, low, open bay boats) aren't. You probably don't have a lot of illegal border activity in your area. It's not unusual for them to ask me "how much weight can you carry and how fast will this go?" I understand. I also appreciate what they deal with on a daily basis and greatly appreciate the fact that they are out there. It's never been an issue with me.

As far as being suspicious-looking? No, I don't think so. "Oh, it's just that crazy-ass C-Dory guy with his cat. Neat boat, though." :wink:
 
I've had the Coast Guard pull alongside, point out the Vessel Safety sticker and told to have a nice day. The only time I've been boarded was during a dive outing aboard my 12 1/2' Achilles inflatable.
 
A sticker aint going to help you Tom, they have your number.

Stickers are nice, it's good to have the boat inspected by an additional set of eyes to ensure all is code, but, that sticker and $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee. The kids friend was stationed in Astoria and they would go out and board boats out of boredom some days, if they in the boarding mood, they don't care about stickers...I had to help the last guy to inspect me read the form, got a sticker and still was boarded several times.

The boat I run in the summer has a special, high zoot, 5 star UPV sticker installed by the same person that does all of the cruise ship inspections in Ak....still got boarded. I was just starting to let the anchor down in Mud Bay and lo & behold here comes a zodiac full of coasties that wished to board. I showed them the sticker and still they asked to come aboard. Naturally I told them they where welcome as soon as I got the anchor set. Once aboard we had a great time with them, myself and the deckhand proceeded to set out some halibut gear while they went through all the papers and gear....what they didn't know is that I had "uncle" Jimmey as a guest. He is a not stop, loud, story telling machine form Georgia (remember Jerry Clower)and he was filling those young coasties full of tall tales. I offered the coastie in charge $20 to cuff and stuff Jimmey but he was having no part of it. About the time folks started reeling in fish, they finished up, said all was good, I couldn't get them to cite me for having inadequate rod holders...poo heads. Told the boss about our fun adventure and he went ballistic, got on the phone and did some coastie arse chewing....come to think of it, it seems kind of odd that the coastie that does all the inspections and accident investigations in SW AK did a short tour of duty as my deckhand a few weeks later :)
 
I don't know why I've never been boarded. On Lake Washington, the Whaler stands out from the "lake boats." I think that might help. And making sure that the boat isn't overloaded, nobody is drinking, etc...

Up in the San Juans I rarely see any law enforcement. I've seen the customs Midnight Express a few times, and a number of Safe Boats, but they've never caused me any trouble. I am out a fair bit at night, but have never seen any law enforcement at night. I imagine they're out there, though, since apparently a lot of BC bud is smuggled through the San Juans.
 
I and probably David McKibben (Anna Leigh) will be doing Coast Guard Vessel Safety Checks at the Friday Harbor CBGT. You are right, the sticker is not a guarantee that you won't be boarded. It does show that since you went to the trouble of having the safety check done you are more likely to have the required safety equipment and be a safe boater than someone without the sticker. You are probably less likely to be boarded than someone without the sticker. If you go on WWW.safetyseal.net you can find a list of all the required equipment and a link to the "I want a vessel safety check" website. On that website you can find out how to locate a USCG Auxiliary vessel safety checker near you.

And for the more paranoid among us, if you have a safety check done and do not have a sticker issued because of some problem with the boat/equipment. we do not notify the Coast Guard, sheriff, FBI, Super secret black helicopter fliers or any body else. We simply give you a copy of the safety check form and record that we did a safety check and a sticker was not issued. Neither your name nor your boat information is passed on.
 
I don't mind the Coasties as much as I do the Skagit County Sheriff wannabes. I've been boarded by them -- talk about clueless and officious!

Warren
 
colobear":1d9dt93q said:
You are right, the sticker is no t a guarantee that you won't be boarded. It does show that since you went to the trouble of having the safety check done you are more likely to have the required safety equipment and be a safe boater than someone without the sticker. You are probably less likely to be boarded than someone without the sticker.
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I've never been boarded but after Barry inspected our boat in FH last year I put the sticker on the starboard side window. Twice I had Everett PD approach us at the 10th St launch and both times they didn't bother inspecting the boat because they saw the sticker. In fact, one of the officers specifically told Meredith that he was "confident" we had all the proper equipment and "knew what we were doing" by watching us interact and launch 'Au Kai. Seems he's seen enouh "launch ramp DV's" (domestics) between husband and wives to know and the sticker merely re-affirmed his instinct/opinion of us. So, what can it hurt? It's a sticker and 15 minutes with a friend on your boat! 8)
 
Man has this thread been hyjacked. :thdown

How do Coast Guard boardings and safety inspection stickers in any way relate to "Sea Sport Thoughts".
 
David no doubt knows more about that than I do, as a CG Aux, but I can well imagine right here on the US - Canadian border there could actually be a fair bit of illegal border activity. A couple of years ago, DHS discovered a tunnel crossing the border in Blaine or Sumas that was sort of a drug superhighway. And remember the names of some of the local spots - Smuggler's Cove, etc.! But I would imagine the main area of interest here is potential terrorists rather than drugs or illegal immigration...

JamesTXSD":3jywojny said:
Hi David,

You probably don't have a lot of illegal border activity in your area.
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Pat Anderson":1wbyyayr said:
And the problem would be??? :wink:

Fishhawk":1wbyyayr said:
Man has this thread been hyjacked. :thdown

How do Coast Guard boardings and safety inspection stickers in any way relate to "Sea Sport Thoughts".
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After all, might not Coast Guard boardings be related to hyjackings? :wink:
 
it seems the thread started out discussing cards and folks looking at our boats & now it's about stickers and folks looking at our boats....stay tune and eventuallly this thread will lead to Kevin Bacon :)
 
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