Agreed. It might have something to do with the fact that you have a little "MO" on the side of your boat as opposed to an out of state registration. But cops would NEVER target out of state boaters right
As far as getting a citation, I didn't get one. I had the proper number of life jackets and my registration was up to date and I wasn't impaired. That's why I'm saying it was harassment, because instead of just saying "thanks for your time folks" the cops kept digging and digging, trying to find something to give us a ticket for.
The irony was that we were a bunch of "old" fogies comparitvely speaking (all in our mid to late 20's) and weren't even the maniacs on the water putting people in danger (I saw everything from retards running off the top of houseboats jumping into water only a few feet from boats under way to you name it.)
I went to party cove three years and by the third year, it had gotten so rediculous that we'll probably pass and never go back (kinda like New Orleans was before Katrina or Savannah at St. Pat's on a weekend....just way too damn many people).
As far as hitting my wallet is concerned, it didn't. Cause I didn't get a ticket. You can hand out citations at the ramp, just as easily as you can pull people over in the water and hand them out. God forbid that you actually PREVENT someone from going under way without proper safety equipment....that wouldn't bring in any money, but it sure would be a lot more effective (and would actually SAVE taxpayers money in the long run).
Like I said, I don't know how many times I've seen swamped craft that need assistance, because the moron didn't put his drain plug back in and his bilge pump hasn't worked in years. That's more of a drain on resources and a danger than anything.
Write tickets for unsafe acts on the water. People who speed by boats with the ski flag out (too close). Idiot jet skiers who fly by the shore and docks too close. All of that's fine with me. But to harass people who are just enjoying the water and having a good time is stupid.
Like I said, it's all about revenue these days and much less about "protect and serve." When I was a kid...if you were on the side of the road long enough, you could bet that a trooper would eventually stop to see if you needed assistance.
Today, don't hold your breath....you're more likely to see half a dozen of them drive by than you are to get one to stop and assist. There's no money in helping a disabled vehicle...
Call the cops today and see how long it takes for someone to show up at your door. Hours....days...even. We have murderers and child molestors and rapists on the loose running rampant.....but municipalities think it's more important to police some idiot who isn't smart enough to have a life jacket handy
With limited resources, it becomes VERY clear that the system is flawed. I don't really blame the individual officers....it's the system that encourages citations and revenue over effectiveness and real impact on safety and good order.