coast guard performing inspections on the OH

Got word that the coast guard is stopping boats and performing thorough inspections on the Ohio River - Markland Pool.

What I found news worthy is they are sending people home who don't pass inspection but in order to pass you have to have equipment above and beyond what is required by law.

These guys are checking bilge pumps, running lights (even though it's day-time), fist aid kits, flares, marine radios, battery terminals - yes, they want you to pull every battery you have in your boat out to see the the positive terminal is covered, along with all the standard stuff - life jackets etc.

Seems a little over-kill to me. I don't keep flares, don't have a radio, and I'll be damned if I'm going to pull all 5 batteries out of my boat which by the way don't all have terminal covers.

I don't keep flares or a marine radio either...sending people home for not having equipment the law doesn't require sounds a little crazy to me.

There's a fine line between them (or any authority figure) "doing their job" and "harassing people" under the guise of protecting our safety.

Group Ohio Valley which covers the Ohio from Pittsburg to Hickman, Ky. has jurisdiction. Fed. Requirements USCG Legal equipment minimum. Numbering, Registration,Nav. lights,Sound producing device,Personal flotation device,Visual distress signals,Anchor,Dewatering device,Electrical system(batt. secure,terminals covered,well organized wiring. The radio I believe is required on boats running radar only. I guess with the conditions of the river they are being a little over zealous, but better safe than sorry!

The Ohio is considered and inter-coastal water way so the regulations are much more strict than on the intra-coastal waters like our lakes. You can double check the regulations here:

[url]http://www.uscgboating.org/regulations/federal_regulations.aspx[/url]

The regulations are designed more for ocean vessels, but the coast guard can, and will on occasion, enforce all the regulations on the Ohio River.

I didn't read them all, but I am sure they still require a manual propulsion device as well (Paddle)

The Coast Guard has jurisdiction on any navigable waterway, whether it's lakes, streams, or rivers.

They are just like a federal game warden - they can go and do whatever they want, whenever they want.

I thought I saw a different looking law enforcement boat on the river yesterday - had a rather large boom on the back - I guess that was them.

[QUOTE=artcarney_agr;414159]..they can go and do whatever they want, whenever they want...
[/QUOTE]

No they cant. Like all officers of teh law they can enforce written law and uphold teh constitution of teh united states...

They CANNOT violate my rights which includes enforcing laws that they make up or do not apply to me. Being an avid Gun Rights advocate I have serous issue with law enforcement overstepping its authority and ignoring my rights when i am 100% inside the letter of teh law.

Them over-enforcing on a navigable waterway is the same as them confiscating firearms from law abiding citizens after Katrina... all under the veil of your protection...

Dont just roll over, stand up for yourselves and others...

The Coast Guard does have jurisdiction everywhere, but I believe the Federal Maritime regulations only apply to inter-coastal waters. I believe the Coast Guard reports to various departments based on current conditions as it isn both a military and police type unit. Probably to the Sec of defence during war time and to Sec of State during peace time. Something like that, anyway. Their powers adjust based on whether its war time or peace time as well.

If I remember right, the definition of a Federal Maritime waterway has something to do with whether you can navigate from one coast to another, and the Ohio River fits that definition. Most lakes does not. Not sure if they consider a dam that you can't pass through as a continuing waterway or not.

Regardless, I do think it's sorta crappy for them to actually enforce the full set of regulations on river recreational fishermen..

the coast gaurd can and will enforce the law as they see it. if they are doing what they used to do then at the end of their inspection they actually will give you a sticker of some sort that shows you have sucsessfully passed inspection. they are no different than the police or wildlife officers. the Ohio is used for more industry uses and they put that at the top of he list and consider it kind of like the highway patrol but on the water. also the barges have the right of way and will not move for you and that you can count on. it does'nt matter what you think is right if they stop you and you do not have the propper saftey equipment the will send you home or give you a ticket and thats for sure.

Eh, they can have it. Like I need another reason not to fish the Ohio River.

And I hear they dont like old people and dogs either.

I guess based on the original post, it answers my question of if they use common sense when performing an inspection. I've always wondered about the "dewatering device" (aka, something to bail water with) on our pontoon.

I don't keep one, other than the cup/can/bottle of whatever it is I'm drinking. I figured that if I was trying to bail out water from it, I had much bigger issues to worry about.

[QUOTE=Fntsyfbgod;414210]Eh, they can have it. Like I need another reason not to fish the Ohio River.

And I hear they dont like old people and dogs either.[/QUOTE]

I agree! They can have it. I only fish the Ohio River if I have to. Like in the KBFN Qualifiers. I'll usually only fish the river once a year. and I really don't like doing that. There's always better places to fish than the Ohio River. Again, they can have it!

I thought it was silly to continue to speculate so I called the KFWD. They said that the Coast Guard has the primary Jurisdiction on the Ohio River as it is a commercial waterway first and foremost. The KFWD does patrol there on occasion. The KFWD has primary jurisdiction on Ky lakes, but lakes like Cumberland, Kentucky and Barkley are considered commercial waterways, so the Coast Guard can patrol there. On those lakes, they would only apply full Coast Guard regulations to commercial crafts and larger sea going type vessels. I would think that this would also apply to fishing guides as well.

The key term in my conversation with the nice and helpful gentleman was commercial waterway. In the recreational boating manual, it only mentions the Ohio as being fully Coast Guard regulated. So the bottom line is, if you enter the Ohio and get pulled over, you best be fully Coast Guard prepared.