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The Law...


Lakenut

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We were out yesterday afternoon with a bunch of kids from our church youth group. One kid swore he could hold on to the tube no matter what. This was a challenge I gladly helped him out on :) I have to say he was a tough kid as I gave him one wild ride. When he finally fell off, I circle around to pick him up and noticed the local Barney Phieff headed twords me with lights blazing. Crap, what had I done? I figured he thought I was being reckless or dangerous.

He pulled up and aksed if I minded if he gave us a "quick safety check". What was I to do, say no? I really knew this was going to be good when he started off by asking if this was an "inboard boat or an outboard boat?" I do have to say he was very courtious and his partner did a good job keeping seperation between our boats in the afternoon chop. Anyway, we were one life jacket short some how. Still can't figure that one out. One of the kids probably forgot to leave it in the boat when we were switching kids at the beach. Next on his list was a horn check...at which ours worked and he proceded to suggest we had to have another type of noise device. On to the fire extigusher which is where the boys at Malibu mounted it (and the USCG certifies the boat with in this location) under the observers seat. I proceeded to pull of the seat and move the first aide kitthat was on top of the fire extigusher. He marked me down as a "no" for fire extingusher accessable. Thats what I get for trying to be prepared for an accident and have some basic first aide along. There were a few other things that suggested that this guy didn't really have much of a clue about boats and all I could think of is great, he is going to hit me for not enough life jackets (ligit-my fault) the fire extigusher, and the horn and he doesn't even know if this boat is an outboard or not.

When all was said and done, he said if we would head back in and either drop somene off or pick up another life jacket we were free to go with only a pretty yellow "Police Contact Form"--no fines. Clap.gif I don't mind them checking me as we are always, almost always this time, within the law. What hacked me off is there was an I/O a few hundred yards away with some guys that had been throwing the bud light down all afternoon and were doing so in plane view of us and the law. Did they bother to give them a saftey check????? Mad.gif Ok allows drinking by a boat operator, but I bet neither of the guys on the boat would have been legal.

Moral of the story...tubing is BAD in all situations. Yahoo.gif

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In my 20 plus years of boating on small lakes, rivers and mostly Lake Michigan. I

Have been stopped at least once a year for a safety inspection at 20 feet I must

be an easy target. I carry double of all safety equipment,12 PFDS and three fire extinguishers.

I have learned that being stopped is more about revenue than making you safer.

Wave runners are stopped first then small boats. I have never seen a 30+ foot

boat stopped. They will stop you wile pulling a skier and want to come along side

before picking them up . They have no regard for my boat in rough waters.

I always watch out for them and turn away its not worth the hassle.

I always feel safest when the water cops are not around.

IMO they are just glorified tax collectors

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Sorry to hear about your stop...One thing My dad always taught me about being on a lake is to always more than enough PFD's..

I always keep on the boat 4 extra Type II PFD's in the rear lockers at the very bottom of the locker just for this very reason.Ther like 8$ a piece and IMO are a no brainer to always have on the boat!!

Everyone in our family has a nice neoprene vest that is usually stored in the rear lockers as well but Im always taking out there friends and meeting more of my friends out at the lake that dont always bring a vest with them so this way I know if we do get stopped Ill throw them one of those vest all though there orange and ugly its technically a vest and the POPO cant say s*** about it!!

Know about your fire extinguisher ordeal Ive always keep mine in the side compartment on the drivers side so its easiy assceisble but Im very well contemplating on mounting it on a wall mount under the dash by my feet??? not sure if that is legal or not though???

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It never hurts to have more than enough life jackets. I carry 7 or 8 jackets 4 barefoot suits and 2 throwing devices at all times. I always do my own safety check before I go out. We are always careful enough to keep huggies on our beers so they will float and stay cold. Beer.gif

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MalibuNation
Sorry to hear about your stop...One thing My dad always taught me about being on a lake is to always more than enough PFD's..

I always keep on the boat 4 extra Type II PFD's in the rear lockers at the very bottom of the locker just for this very reason.Ther like 8$ a piece and IMO are a no brainer to always have on the boat!!

Everyone in our family has a nice neoprene vest that is usually stored in the rear lockers as well but Im always taking out there friends and meeting more of my friends out at the lake that dont always bring a vest with them so this way I know if we do get stopped Ill throw them one of those vest all though there orange and ugly its technically a vest and the POPO cant say s*** about it!!

Know about your fire extinguisher ordeal Ive always keep mine in the side compartment on the drivers side so its easiy assceisble but Im very well contemplating on mounting it on a wall mount under the dash by my feet??? not sure if that is legal or not though???

I got stopped last year and the cop told me that the life jackets had to out of the locker ... sheez.

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Still need to check your local laws though...State of Missouri changed their interpretation several years ago. Speaking from experience, now PFDs must be readily accessible...not stuffed in the bottom of a locker.

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the horn issue is interesting. I have been told several times on this boat, as well as one of my MCs that the horn is not loud enough (and it really isn't). Not sure why they just wouldn't spend a few more dollars at build time to put in a real horn. I have a whistle in one of the cup holders.

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We have been checked 3 times this year, and I welcome them everytime. I wouldnt care if they checked me everytime I went out as long as they are checking everyone else as often to help keep the crazy's in check.

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We have been checked 3 times this year, and I welcome them everytime. I wouldnt care if they checked me everytime I went out as long as they are checking everyone else as often to help keep the crazy's in check.

Plus1.gif

Strangely enough, I've never been safety-checked in 3 years. <knock on wood> I know I'm well within all the safety parameters, but if they're not checking me, who are they checking? No one would be my guess.

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I got stopped last year and the cop told me that the life jackets had to out of the locker ... sheez.
Still need to check your local laws though...State of Missouri changed their interpretation several years ago. Speaking from experience, now PFDs must be readily accessible...not stuffed in the bottom of a locker.

They started doing that here this year. Everyone in the boat has to have one out & within easy reach, & anyone under the age of 13 has to have one on (even 1 day under 13 as a friend of ours was told).

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I got stopped last year and the cop told me that the life jackets had to out of the locker ... sheez.
Still need to check your local laws though...State of Missouri changed their interpretation several years ago. Speaking from experience, now PFDs must be readily accessible...not stuffed in the bottom of a locker.

They started doing that here this year. Everyone in the boat has to have one out & within easy reach, & anyone under the age of 13 has to have one on (even 1 day under 13 as a friend of ours was told).

Thats nice, now you have to have a big'ol pile of life jackets in the middle of the boat.

Malibu just needs to make all the removable cushions USCG approved flotation devices and we could call it good.

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Well, with just us it's not so bad, plus the Illusion tower gives a nice place to put them (we connect 1 to each tower base). But yeah, with a boatload it gets pretty out of hand pretty quickly. No way around it though that I've thought of.

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MalibuNation
I got stopped last year and the cop told me that the life jackets had to out of the locker ... sheez.
Still need to check your local laws though...State of Missouri changed their interpretation several years ago. Speaking from experience, now PFDs must be readily accessible...not stuffed in the bottom of a locker.

They started doing that here this year. Everyone in the boat has to have one out & within easy reach, & anyone under the age of 13 has to have one on (even 1 day under 13 as a friend of ours was told).

Thats nice, now you have to have a big'ol pile of life jackets in the middle of the boat.

Malibu just needs to make all the removable cushions USCG approved flotation devices and we could call it good.

Having them out I'm now worried about someone tripping on them breaking their neck. Heck, why don't we go a step further and make people wear therm all the time. Yeah, I know there's some logic on having them out ... just wanted to rant and rant I did!

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Having them out I'm now worried about someone tripping on them breaking their neck. Heck, why don't we go a step further and make people wear therm all the time. Yeah, I know there's some logic on having them out ... just wanted to rant and rant I did!

I actually think that that is the next step, & I think that they may do it at some point in the near future. That's going to suck big time when it happens. What surprises me about this is that Oregon actually beat Cali to something like this. Maybe we should adopt the "Nanny State" slogan as well.

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MalibuNation
Having them out I'm now worried about someone tripping on them breaking their neck. Heck, why don't we go a step further and make people wear therm all the time. Yeah, I know there's some logic on having them out ... just wanted to rant and rant I did!

I actually think that that is the next step, & I think that they may do it at some point in the near future. That's going to suck big time when it happens. What surprises me about this is that Oregon actually beat Cali to something like this. Maybe we should adopt the "Nanny State" slogan as well.

Wasn't that proposed but defeated out west, CA, OR, WA? Thanks

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Maybe the Lone Star State ... it's west of Michigan :)

That would be a bit surprising. They don't have a flag law & let people sit up on the gunnels. You'd practically be put in cuffs out here for such negligent behavior. ;)

easy now! dont hate on us Thumbup.gif

Edited by txwakejunkie
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Maybe the Lone Star State ... it's west of Michigan :)

That would be a bit surprising. They don't have a flag law & let people sit up on the gunnels. You'd practically be put in cuffs out here for such negligent behavior. ;)

easy now! dont hate on us Thumbup.gif

Not hatin', just being sarcastic toward our own systems in place out here.

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Still need to check your local laws though...State of Missouri changed their interpretation several years ago. Speaking from experience, now PFDs must be readily accessible...not stuffed in the bottom of a locker.

It's been a couple of years since I had a safety inspection, but the water patrol also said that life jackets are supposed to be "accessible". I don't know if they ever clarified the legal term for what is accessible.

The water patrol also did not like my fire extinguisher under the spotter seat. They thought it should be under the dash on the driver side. I told them that there is a lot of electrical wiring under the dash on the driver side. In the event of an electrical fire under the dash you might not be able to get to it so the passenger side was a much better location. Missouri does not say where it has to be located, only that you must have one.

I'm OK with safety inspections. I think that if they are going to be done that ALL boats should be inspected.

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Maybe the Lone Star State ... it's west of Michigan :)

That would be a bit surprising. They don't have a flag law & let people sit up on the gunnels. You'd practically be put in cuffs out here for such negligent behavior. ;)

easy now! dont hate on us Thumbup.gif

Not hatin', just being sarcastic toward our own systems in place out here.

There was a boat last weekend using a flag down here, out of towners i guess. Whistling.gif I hope that we dont have to start having the jackets out all the time, that will be a mess. But i would rather find a place for them in the floor or seat then have to wear them all the time!

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There was a boat last weekend using a flag down here, out of towners i guess. Whistling.gif I hope that we dont have to start having the jackets out all the time, that will be a mess. But i would rather find a place for them in the floor or seat then have to wear them all the time!

Yeah, that's how I'm trying to look at it.

Bill,

I agree, if they're going to inspect 1 then they should be doing every boat out there.

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