Oregon Fleet week and being "searched"

[bikemutt]

I get the need to defend our hardware and troops, and to establish a safe zone for said protection, makes total sense. The news story made it sound more like if we put in while this festivity is in progress we WILL be searched, that seemed a bit over the top, especially considering it's an 18' runabout with a couple of geezers on board

 

[P7M13]

Then you guys will all be happy to show deep respect when boarded.

 

[etrain16]

I get the need to defend our hardware and troops, and to establish a safe zone for said protection, makes total sense. The news story made it sound more like if we put in while this festivity is in progress we WILL be searched, that seemed a bit over the top, especially considering it's an 18' runabout with a couple of geezers on board

The Willamette is at or less than 100 yards wide in downtown PDX, and with a 100 yard protection zone around the ships, no matter where you try to pass them, you're inside that zone. That's probably the reason for the mandatory search for anyone passing through.

 

[Ura-Ki]

This is part of the reasons for keeping boaters out! You never know what Portlander enviro nazies, and other protest groups might try!

 

[toywin12]

I figured it must have something to do with maritime law, thanks team.

Wonder what they do when they find my gun?

I fished out of Sekiu all Memorial weekend and was boarded for inspection. They first asked if there were any weapons on board. I said yes and pointed to my backpack. They simply asked that I don't reach for it. They did their inspection and went on their way. Like everyone else, I'm not a fan of the process, but at least they weren't dicks about it.

WDFW states that it's legal to possess a loaded rifle or shotgun on a boat and RCW 9.41.060 states that it's legal to carry while engaging in 'lawful outdoor recreational activities'. YMMV

 

[P7M13]

This is part of the reasons for keeping boaters out! You never know what Portlander enviro nazies, and other protest groups might try!

That video irritates the crap out of me. Are these people are using digital cameras, cell phones, plastic boats, including driving their cars to the protest point.
If you're going to be vegan, protest oil companies, protest guns, only wear clothing made from wool or cotton, don't have any man-made materials in anything, your bicycle has to be made out of wood by you by hand. I was fairly far left when I was in college, and yet I thought these people were idiots.

 

[Ura-Ki]

That video irritates the crap out of me. Are these people are using digital cameras, cell phones, plastic boats, including driving their cars to the protest point.
If you're going to be vegan, protest oil companies, protest guns, only wear clothing made from wool or cotton, don't have any man-made materials in anything, your bicycle has to be made out of wood by you by hand. I was fairly far left when I was in college, and yet I thought these people were idiots.

Really wanna know how stupid those people are? That Ice Breaker Fenica dosnt belong to Shell Oil, it belongs to the Finnish Government, it is contracted by the U.S. gov. To assist Artic exploration and navigation, same as the 3 American Coast Guard Breakers that were in dry dock when this all took place! No one bothered to check! Same thing happend when one of the other Finnish Ice breakers OTSO assisted the Antarctic transit run for resupply of McMurdo Station the same year!
Can't fix stupid!

 

[P7M13]

Really wanna know how stupid those people are? That Ice Breaker Fenica dosnt belong to Shell Oil, it belongs to the Finnish Government, it is contracted by the U.S. gov. To assist Artic exploration and navigation, same as the 3 American Coast Guard Breakers that were in dry dock when this all took place! No one bothered to check! Same thing happend when one of the other Finnish Ice breakers OTSO assisted the Antarctic transit run for resupply of McMurdo Station the same year!
Can't fix stupid!

You can fix stupid. Put 'em in a kayak, park it in front of an icebreaker doing 15 knots.

 

[The Heretic]

When I was in the USCG (1977-1981) I was a boarding officer with full arrest authority under federal law.

Back then, we only boarded if we noticed something wrong or after a rescue/incident. It usually took about 30 minutes.

I am currently a member of several CG groups on Facebook and it is my impression that the USCG is much more gung ho on the idea and practice of law enforcement and will board whenever they get the time or opportunity. I don't like it, I went into the USCG with the idea of helping people not hassling them, but one reason I got out was because the USCG saw $$$ and power in getting more into law enforcement. The fact that they went from being under DOT to eventually under DHS was not an accident. Now they have all kinds of new expensive toys, they are armed more heavily and they engage in LE much more heavily.

That said, I really doubt that they have the manpower or time to board every boat on the river. Also, as far as I know, there are no laws against being armed while on a boat.

 

[DirectDrive]

My MO:
1) Stay away from large gray ships
2) Don't dress like a Somali pirate

 

[Kid@Heart]

It's gotta be the topless babes running around on deck that give them the idea....

That was @WAYNO

Coasties like moobs.

 

[osprey]

I have spent countless hours on the federally regulated waters both for work and pleasure. I have been boarded more times than I can count in the last 30 years with weapons on board. I have found that if you are respectful and have your ship in order it will go smoothly. Most times they will ask about weapons and they will usually secure it while they complete the inspection. If they don't ask I don't tell. I was stopped once in a smaller center console craft and evidently my float coat had ridden up over my carry holster a bit. The officer asked if I was armed and I said yes. He said he was glad I had acknowledged it because he could see the bottom of the holster showing when they rolled up. I asked if they wanted to secure it and he said no just don't reach for it. They asked some routine questions and had me show them a few required items. They said have a nice day and off they went. I would not sweat the prospect of being accosted on federally regulated waters while armed. You are well within your rights as long as you are not engaged in some nefarious activity.

 

[Mikej]

My son was in the Navy for 10 years as an ET (electronics tech) and during the 7 years he was on board ships he was also part of the 3 different ships security units. So when they were in Port he would stand guard with either a Shotgun or a M-14 (depended on which side of the ship)

My MO:
1) Stay away from large gray ships
2) Don't dress like a Somali pirate

Wifey and I were fishing for springers in the Portland Harbor one year. Been quite a few now. Wifey was at the helm and I was sitting turned watching the rods. We were in the vicinity of Swan Island and the dry dock. Out of the corner of my eye I see her waving so I ask "Watcha waving at?". She says "The guy up on the ship was waving at us". I turn to look up on the ship and the guy dressed in camo with the boonie hat and long gun on his chest was not waving, he was "Motioning" with his hands, to get back/away. Uhhh, Change course honey. Now! We still get a pretty good laugh when we fish down there and think of that day.

 

[P7M13]

That was @WAYNO

Coasties like moobs.

 

[mkwerx]

Wifey and I were fishing for springers in the Portland Harbor one year. Been quite a few now. Wifey was at the helm and I was sitting turned watching the rods. We were in the vicinity of Swan Island and the dry dock. Out of the corner of my eye I see her waving so I ask "Watcha waving at?". She says "The guy up on the ship was waving at us". I turn to look up on the ship and the guy dressed in camo with the boonie hat and long gun on his chest was not waving, he was "Motioning" with his hands, to get back/away. Uhhh, Change course honey. Now! We still get a pretty good laugh when we fish down there and think of that day.

Demote the wife and install a TR1 or adopt a smartypants son, name him Wesley, and give him the helm. Don't forget to snap "shut up, Wesley" whenever he starts yammering.

 

[Arlington2018]

A friend of mine was salmon fishing in the San Juans when he drifted into Canadian waters. He was boarded by Canadian authorities as part of a fishery compliance check when the officers discovered a rifle and handgun on board, which was legal under Washington law. The guns were confiscated and he was given a summons to appear in a BC court. He ended up having the guns destroyed and paid a hefty fine, in addition to retaining a Canadian criminal defense attorney. The attorney told him he was lucky not to have been jailed immediately, the boat impounded and given a jail sentence.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Back around 1994 while home on leave, my brothers and I were out on the lower Willamette doing some salmon fishing. This 80 footer came flying up the Columbia and into the Willie, he went about 1/2 mile up, passed the M/V America Tug close aboard and nearly swamped several smaller boats. He had two Multico Sheriff's boats hot on his tail hailing him to stop. He finally stops right in the middle of the channel ( right in line with where we are sitting) and the Deputies are yelling at him to prepaid to be boarded! He gets on the radio and tells them he will not comply, and that only the Coast Guard can board. We sat there for about 15 min and the Coasties had three boats show up and boarded fully armed. About 1/2 hour later, the America came back, made fast a tow line and took the boat up river after the occupants had been arrested and taken off by the C.G. and handed over to the Sheriff's deputies. We never found out what went down, but that big boat was hauled out at Fred's Marina and sat there for years after. Last time I went by there, they were scrapping Her! We always figured it was a drug runner or something, but we never found out any thing! Don't know why they wouldn't stop for the Sheriff's and demanded the Coast Guard presence before heaving too!

 

[AlphaFreeze]

I can be among dozens, or even hundreds of fishing boats, and they just seem to make a beeline to me.

Stop taking your floating garbage boat out on the water and it won't draw undue attention.

 

[The Heretic]

Back around 1994 while home on leave, my brothers and I were out on the lower Willamette doing some salmon fishing. This 80 footer came flying up the Columbia and into the Willie, he went about 1/2 mile up, passed the M/V America Tug close aboard and nearly swamped several smaller boats. He had two Multico Sheriff's boats hot on his tail hailing him to stop. He finally stops right in the middle of the channel ( right in line with where we are sitting) and the Deputies are yelling at him to prepaid to be boarded! He gets on the radio and tells them he will not comply, and that only the Coast Guard can board. We sat there for about 15 min and the Coasties had three boats show up and boarded fully armed. About 1/2 hour later, the America came back, made fast a tow line and took the boat up river after the occupants had been arrested and taken off by the C.G. and handed over to the Sheriff's deputies. We never found out what went down, but that big boat was hauled out at Fred's Marina and sat there for years after. Last time I went by there, they were scrapping Her! We always figured it was a drug runner or something, but we never found out any thing! Don't know why they wouldn't stop for the Sheriff's and demanded the Coast Guard presence before heaving too!

Even back in the 70s county sheriffs could board any boat in their county. Hell, city police can board a boat if it is within their jurisdiction. The two counties on either side of the Columbia in the Tri-Cities had a team - one deputy from each county and they had a real nice jet boat with a V8 that was envied by us - they would go out together and if there was any question about jurisdiction they had it covered. Often our slow ATN boats could not catch a boat so if they were nearby we would call on them to go after it. They often kept their boat at our docks.

 

[Heyjoe]

Just be a good citizen and submit to their unreasonable searches, it's in the name of the "war on terror" dontchaknow?