www.iFourWinns.com

So I got stopeed again today for the normal lets see what we can find wrong routine which I am so freaking sick of I could puke! So they have me lift the engine compartment to poke around and say "O theres a problem" and I am like "what"? No cover over the battery terminals! You have to be kidding me I am thinking cuz I just through in an extra battery two days ago and guess I over looked that. WEll that will cost me $162.70!!! which is freakin insane and then they followed me to the nearest marina about 300 yards away to make me buy some and put them on or go home!! F***&& hate cops!!! So while I am installing with the cop watching he says by the way where is your fire extinquisher? I show him and tell him its an automatic system. He looks at me like I am making it up and says " really, never say one of those before". Which is just nuts because I bet about every third boat on or lake has one. So then he asks where the gauge is that tells me its full? I tell him there is an LED light on the dash indicating the system is working fine and says "thats not good enough and you should get that looked at"! Again I f**&&&%%ing hate dumb ass cops!!! He is out writing tickets and doesn't have the faintes clue what he is even looking at!

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

I would have to agree with those to issues. No battery cover and automatic Fire Suppression. Big deal on the battery cover just let you know you need to get it fixed and then the cop should know about the auto fire system, Wish my boat had that!!! Sounds like the cops just like you! LOL.
Better safe than sorry in my book. I can deal with a couple of inconveniences to get the drunks off the water. IMO

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

Forgot to mention first words out of his mouth. "Do you know why I stopped you?" I said no. " we are out here teaching safety" well writing me a $162.00 ticket for not have a $3.00 part didn't teach me anything other than hate cops even more now. A cool cop would have if anything given me a warning. Or hell follow me to the marina and watch me install them and send me on my way. Its just total BS they can stop no damn reason and then to write you a big ass ticket for nothing at all. Damn I guess I am still pissed off about it!

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

Seems like revenue generation to me. My thought was that if the battery is enclosed in an engine, or other compartment that it was considered covered...I have rubber covers over the terminals, but also attempted to use a cover that wouldn't fit under my jump seat.

From WI DNR:


I'm willing to bet if you show up in court with proof you've only owned the boat a short period of time, photos that you've remedied the situation, and an open mind to the situation you stand a good chance of having it dismissed.

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

I'm all for enforcement on the water, but $160 for battery post covers is absolute horse#%$. I'm the most law-respecting guy on the lake, and I wouldn't have been able to keep myself from saying something very critical to him. Like, "Is this what you call 'educating?' Because I don't feel any smarter, I just feel like you should've given me a reacharound."

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

THis is why I am so pissed. I think I got a reach around and missed it. I did fix the problem right in front of the officer as he stopped me about 100 feet from a marina I went over and got some while he wrote my ticket and I had them on before he even had the ticket done. Besides being enclosed in the engine compartment isn't good enough? I mean they are in battery trays with straps to hold them in place. Like some little $3.00 rubber cover is really gonna help anything should something happen? On and then this guy has the nerve to ask if I think he treated me fairly? I told him flat out hell no which I think shocked my wife, but I was fuming. He asked me why I thought that and I asked why he couldn't at least just give me a warning. "Oh we don't give out warnings because this is a DNR citation" nice horse crap line there buddy. I just feel like its a total abuse of power that they can do this to people and get away with it. I am so anti police right now its not funny. Never one there when you need one anyway so what damn good are they.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

I got the same line on my "Riding on the seatback" experience, when I was kneeling on the seat. Long story short, I went to court and explained the situation to the judge and was offered to pass a safety certification (I had planned to do anyway) in exchange for dismissal and I saved about $200.

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

I actually got stopped on the lake for a inspection. After the cops boarded my boat and started poking around I just pointed to my 3hr old Coast Guard inspection sticker. I asked if they knew more than the Coast Guard. Then they asked where I got the sticker. My answer was "walk up to the boat prep area dummy. They are offering free inspection" I couldnt believe they didnt know what was going on that weekend on a small lake.

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97 205 Sundowner

The covers actually are USCG mandated and the lack of them could be a safety issue - but jeez, they ought to explain that, explain how it could be a safety issue, tell you to be sure and get them, and then get the hell off your boat.

There are some really excellent cops in the world, it's too bad you don't have any around there.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Sorry you had such aggravation. I have a distaste for police as well. They are full of double standards. In VA as I guess in most states, it is illegal to NOT use your directional signal for lane changes or turns. As a matter of fact, it is considered wreckless driving, yet they rarely stop people for this infraction and I see cops not use their directional signals plenty of times. But they will set up a speed trap and nail you for going 32 in a 25.

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2008 Four Winns V358 (T 6.2L Merc Bravo III's with DTS and SeaCore)
2006 Sea Ray 340DA
2006 Sea Ray 320DA
2005 Maxum 3100 SE

Just FYI you have to have a fire extinquisher, and a fire suppression system is not a fire extinquisher.

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Really. He didn't say anything about that. I will look into it though.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

Sorry to hear what happened to you. .....I would go to court and bring the attention to judge. If it is your 1st offence then you should not have any issue to get out. Explain the how you were treated and were abused by authority…..

As far as fire suppression system goes Txjole2 is correct. It is more like a sprinkler system in your office and you still have to have a fire extinguisher as well.

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

Good to know. I will have to add another fire extinguisher. Funny the cop didn't know that.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

My own personal experience.... I have been in just a few situations of small fires on boats... Not one of them was related to or in the engine comp. Hence a small fire extinguisher is mandatory on any boat I have.

Sorry about your experience... I hope it gets resolved with as little pain as possible.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.