Sheriff is Protesting--So Are Our Renters

[Cooper]

The Sheriff has always been decent and reasonable to us with our rental boats. They check them, but they have never pulled our customers over just to check if they have everything--because our customers, despite being told, don't always know where they are at.

There was a new law in my state that the Sheriff cannot pull over any boats without due cause. The Sheriff is protesting this law, by pulling over every boat, because they are arguing that being a boat + people = due cause. So he's pulling over everyone.

Four of our renters have gotten pulled over.

2 were fine.

1 couldn't find the Fire Extinguisher. They came back to get it pointed out to them. They asked for a partial refund. I would have said no, but one of the owners said yes. (This is pretty rare, as the owners are not afraid to tell customers that they don't need their patronage at the cost of being abused.)

1 was pulled over before they even left the dock.

I'd be upset, but I kinda find this hilarious. It's a problem, sure, but at the same time... it's so over-the-top.

[pitmonkey]

Go to the local news about the sheriff being an a** about the new law. Lets see how he likes it.

[Gizmo]

I know you probably don't need/want advice but is it possible to put a 'boat plan' somewhere which marks all the things they should know?

Doesn't solve the awkward sheriff problem really though.

[Cooper]

We're actually working on it, with pictures. Problem is, the person who knows enough to do it is very slow and busy, and the person who can get it done quickly (me!) doesn't know all the tricks and tips to every boat.

We've practically standardized it. The registration is in a box by the captain's chair, the throw-able is with the life jackets, and the fire extinguisher is in the helm. We just gotta stress to the renters that they do need to know this stuff and pay attention to us when we explain it to them.

The one that couldn't find the fire extinguisher was on a waverunner though. To be honest, I had no idea the waverunners even had a fire extinguisher, much less were required to have one. The more you know. XD

[Luna Baby]

We were "pulled over" on the water once, our boat, and 3 of us on jet skis. The officer ended up only checking the one jet ski, but put ol' Sam through the wringer on all his paperwork and all safety equipment. Fortunately for us, Sam knew where every piece of safety equipment was and all paperwork was in order. Ruined the last 1/2 hour of our mini vacation, though. We ended up trailering everything early and waiting on land for our houseboat to finish the long trek back into the dock.

Hubby and I were checked once, on another lake, in our pontoon. We were missing one piece of safety equipment-the throwable. Fortunately for us, we had everything else in order, no alcohol on board, our boys in life jackets, and current fishing license(s) for us. The water patrol officer let us off with just a verbal warning. We made a quick stop at wally world that afternoon and purchased the throwable device and haven't been checked since!

We hardly ever see water patrol pull anyone over around here. Usually, though, when we do, you can see the citation being issued--that big piece of paper that WP hands over and the sad look on the boater's face.

[wagegoth]

There was a new law in my state that the Sheriff cannot pull over any boats without due cause. The Sheriff is protesting this law, by pulling over every boat, because they are arguing that being a boat + people = due cause. So he's pulling over everyone.

He's going to pull over a lawyer with time on his hands, and then the sheriff's department is going to have major budget issues.