www.iFourWinns.com

Anyone else sick of the way the police on the water can stop you for no other reason than just because they want to? Gets annoying always having to worry about being stopped in our area. Coming through the river off Lake Winnebago this past weekend they had not 1 but 3 freakin police boats stopping almost everyone to check for drunk drivers. On one hand I guess this is good, but I mean come on almost everyone has a few drinks while out boating and that is all it takes is a few and your screwed. Not only that, but they tie you up in the middle of your day for about a half hour checking your boat over. I didn't get stopped, but a lot of people did and I think its unfair they can stop you with no probable cause. A guy at work had two friends on jet skis get stopped for following his boat to close after the police followed them for a while from the time they pulled up anchor. They were probably to close, but for good reason. Both jet ski's were having mechanical problems and they were staying close in case they had a problem on the way in so that he could tow them.They each got $170.00 ticket even after explaining the situation. Lake Winnebago isn't the type of lake you want to be broke down on if your out a ways. You might be out there a long time. Lake is 28 miles long and 11 miles wide. OK I'll stop ranting.

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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)

So drinking and driving is ok...if you get caught now it is their fault and you are screwed? I am not a "no alcohol" boater by any means. But if I am the captain on my boat. Drinks are only had by me after we are back home in the slip for the evening. My friends are more than welcome to have some during the day. But too many bad things can happen too fast while in a boat.

I have a friend that gets pulled over quite often here in Grand Haven. That is because he normally has 4 - 6 kids with him. CC or Sheriff just wants to make sure they are all wearing life jackets. Go get the CC Auxiliary inspection at the beginning of each season. They will issue paperwork and a sticker. After that the most I ever had was they pull up beside me and ask, "can I see your vests?", we show them and the second is, "Captain, what are you drinking?". I show him water and we are all good. 30 seconds and never even actually stop.

With all the nut jobs out there...the more patrol the better for me.

Dogg, I couldn't agree more. In fact, we are under-patrolled here on Lake Norman.

Yes, it can be a pain if you are a respectful, responsible and courteous boater. But most of us are not and the old cliche of it "takes one bad apple...."......

While I will admit I'm a responsbile drinker while anchored or putting around, most are not. I usually drink a beer and then a can of "bubble water" aka Club Soda/Seltzer to continue to hydrate myself.

One weekend doesn't go by where I wish there were more cops to pull over the idiots on PWC's, muscle boats and ignorant boaters causing 2+ ft wakes in a popular anchorage area. I fell over on my boat once this weekend due to an idiot not being cognizant of his wake.

I've been stopped twice in 3 months. I treated the officer with respect and courtesy, he asked a couple questions and that was it. He saw that I wasn't an idiot or a drunk.

To help I stay away from the "nutty" places on the Lake and seclude myself with other respectful boaters and the sherriff only putts by once per day.

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Vic
"Byte Me"
1989 Vista 245
Lake Norman, NC

I will admint I tend to drink my fair share of beer while on the lake, but never to the point I am drunk by any means. I bet 99% of the people out on ours lakes are drinking. I mean this is Wisconsin.

_________________
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 agree with the general premise of the OP, but I think the alcohol comment came off wrong. Stopping every boat that passes by is a violation of my 4th amendment rights. There are a few exceptions to the right but me simply being out on my boat isn't what I would consider "probable cause to believe they can find evidence that I've committed a crime"

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" Benjamin Franklin

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-Tom
2003 298 Vista

A-men to that! That is what I am getting at really. They stop every boat they have time to stop it seems just looking for a DUI. They even had a segment on the local news about it.

_________________
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've always liked that Ben Franklin quote.
But for whatever reason, I don't think they need probable cause on the water.( I don't agree, but I think that's how it works )
We have no shortage of patrols around here on the border with Canada.
Border Patrol, State Police, Park Police, 2 different county Sheriffs , DEC, local police agencies,
and the occasional Canadian patrol boat.
Not that I'm doing anything wrong, but I try to stay away from them.

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2002 Horizon 190 5.0gl

I do avoid them at all cost if I can. Like Sat. on the 4th coming back in the three police boats sitting there were all busy harrassing other people so I got a free pass this time luckily as I didn't have any kids in the boat this weekend we might have had a few beers. Not that we had to many, but I am sure enough to get in trouble.

_________________
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)

The Homeland Security department is responsible for most of that I'm sure. Completely random stops are illegal on both the road and water. However, sobriety checks where every car/boat is stopped or even stopping every 5th car/boat is legal as these aren't "random"

Law enforcement has a lot of leeway in stops on the water in interest of preserving public safety. I think it's a crock, but not a battle I want to fight so I'm stay sober, have all my safety gear inline, and have the safety inspection paper work handy.

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-Tom
2003 298 Vista

Sting Ray.... love the quote and you are right.

But on the water, probable cause is such a gray area and any marine enforcement authority (USCG, Dept of Nat'l Resources, State Police, Local, etc,) has the right to pull you over (but not board your vessel) without probable cause to inspect for safety components such as adequate life jackets, fire suppression, etc.

It's at that point they can assess the situation and determine if they have probable cause to board your vessel or initiate interrogation. Slurred speach, foggy eyes, irate or disrespectful behavior, empty visible beer cans or possible drug paraphernalia, drunk passengers, etc.

I've had my share of cervesas on the water but still have enough common sense to safely and courteously navigate home without putting myself or others at risk and still being able to back into my 9.5-foot wide slip even in the most challenging weather conditions.

Give these guys a break; they're trying to make sure your 12 yr old son on your WaveRunner doesn't get t-boned on the water by a drunk idiot in a jet boat.

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Vic
"Byte Me"
1989 Vista 245
Lake Norman, NC

If I have to stay 100% sober on my boat then I mind as well leave it at home. Its kinda what we do around here to relax. Go out to the local swim spot, drink some beers, have a good time, head some where for lunch or dinner, have a few beers there with food and then head home. We do this almost every weekend and I have never seen anyone have any trouble. I usually here of about 1 accident a year caused by drinking. Is this enough to stop every boat you see? NO!!!

_________________
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 drink while boating, but after about 2:00 p.m. we anchor down in a cove next to our marina so at the end of the day all I have to do is go a few hundred yards and I am back in our slip. If we do go out to eat or something later in the day, I make my wife drive.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

Yeah I should teach the wife to drive. Nervous though that she would never watch the depth gauge or temp gauge which on our lakes both can be a problem if you go the wrong way.

_________________
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 am personally not opposed to Water Patrol stopping EVERY boat to check for drunks. I boat on a relatively small lake by the standards the rest of you have. A few years ago we had 10 fatalities in one summer on that lake. I could be mistaken, but I believe all of them were related to drunk boating. If me being stopped EVERY time I go out means I don't have to see Life Flight landing at the boat ramp with another bloodied wave-runner covered by a tarp, I am not bothered by it.

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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.

I would leave mine at home too!! We don't have a problem with the water cops where we go. I saw one 3 years ago and actually flagged him down to ask him to inspect the boat so he had no reason to bother me later in the day. I see very few people on the water just relaxing while drinking soda water and I don't see people acting crazy or being disrespectful to others. If I was getting pulled over by the water cops all the time I would go somewhere else or park the boat. Having to worry about being boarded all the time must be frustrating.

I bet if they just sat back and looked around they would see the trouble makers in short order and then go after them. Instead of boarding boats just to find someone with an open container or red eyes.