Quote:
Originally Posted by Descant
If they can see your tax sticker and your name and home port on the transom, wouldn't they need some probable cause to board? Boarding, I think, is a lot more serious than drifting alongside and issuing a summons for not having enough PFD's on board. (If I were MP, I wouldn't board until I had cause and back up. Pretty embarrassing to get bumped overboard and have the bad guy drive off while I swim around trying to reach my patrol boat. Not exactly like "Would you open the trunk, sir?" And since we're talking documented vessel on a lake, we're talking 5 tons, 26+ feet. Not a boat that is quickly trailered or hidden.
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I didn't think we were discussing whether the MP had cause to stop you in this thread.
I was only addressing the notion that people seem to think that without bow numbers the MP will stop you because they might believe that you are operating an unregistered boat. I give them a LOT more credit than that, they are very professional people that know their job.
As I mentioned, having your valid state registration decal on the bow lets them know that your registration is current. The lack of bow numbers on a documented boat doesn't attract any more or less attention than one with bow numbers IMHO (well it might attract a quick glance to check for the current registration decal).
Now if you drive around without a (or an expired) state registration sticker, yes, they can and should stop you, even if you have a documented boat.