Alright guys,
So I get a new boat this year and have been out 3 times and have been pulled over 3 times!
Ya, no chit! 2 times yesterday. Anyone else getting harassed like this? Funny thing about it was the first time was for numbers! They ask me if boat was new I said yes. They ask me if all safety gear was on boat I said yes. They say ok!

Yesterday with 3 of my kids I get pulled over east side of middle bass! Yes out running around getting familiar with my new boat and boarder patrol runs me down to be rude as hell to me. First question to me was....where r you going? Really? In open water 3 miles from Canada boarder at least and he pulls me over to ask where I'm going and where I'm from! So, I see how,this year is going to go for me. I tell my wife to video camera this event. Still have no numbers but not once did he ask why I have no numbers? Nor did he ask if I have safety gear.

Later in day I get pulled over from coast guard outside of Kelly's 2 hours later. Same questions where r you going were are you from? At this point my kids are getting very concerned and worried! I tell them no where what's the problem? These guys were actually nice. I think they just wanted to check boat out. But, the thing is I feel I'm getting harassed and my kids are becoming very concerned with us getting pulled over and why we are video recording it?

This is going to make for a very long season. Has anyone else dealt with this and is there a better way to handle this? It's a matter of time before the wrong guy pulls me over and becomes extremely cocky and I am going to have enough, I will be the one to lose! This is absolute bull crap.

They wanted to see if you were smuggling brandy alexanders back to the main land. Was their a lot of boats out or were you the only one that looked like he was having fun? All kidding aside I feel bad for you and your kids. Hopefully now they leave you alone since you encountered almost every govt agency on the water. Congrats on the new boat by the way.

be thankful you have been on the water in your boat

I havn't been harrased since 07', knock on wood. The first time I did it was my fault and I had the Catawba state park, border patrol and the US Coast Guard all questioning me because I let my intoxicated buddy back my boat trailer down and he missed the ramp and jacked the fender up. That event led up to a very expense night for him and I. Had to bail him out of jail and had to pay a impound fee for truck and trailer. Coast guard searched the chit out of my boat looking for something wrong but it was my first time to erie and I was ready so they couldn't find crap. It was over kill for sure, I'm guessing they don't have a lot of excitment up there so when ever they see something outside of the express cruiser category they automaticly think bad things are going on. Sounds like they were hoping to get a DUI out of you..

It's definetly nerve racking having them stop you, but I think you've got them out of your system just like I did.

This happend to me 5 years ago. The first 7 times out on the water they did a safety inspection. One of the times I wasn't on the water for more then 30 seconds, talk about piss you off. But I did notice the more I questioned them the more they would dig for something wrong. I know it sucks but be polite and let them do their job and you wont have any problems.

Having numbers on the boat will draw a lot less attention to yourself. That would be my first step; and I'd make them large and obvious so they can tell from a distance.

Have a USCG Auxiliary inspection done, and put the sticker on the boat per the directions.

Also, keep your "gold sheet" for passing their safety inspection handy; kept in a plastic clear sheath in the glovebox so you can show it quickly when they are heading toward you. Hopefully they will move on to another.

+1 Sydwayz is 100% on everything.

Most notably, get numbers and you wont have anymore problems.

Guys boat is now 3 weeks old. Still under 30 day rights. Tried to get registration this week just to be told that my trade in would not be considered on tax purposes. Really? Bought new boat for x less $115k trade that we done with paper work because I sold boat out right and ran title through as trade in. Just to be told all tax is due because manufacture is not a dealer in ohio? Serious..... I paid tax on old boat to state of ohio, never paid anything to Florida for taxes on new boat. Now they tell me because they are not an ohio dealer they can not consider trade in.

But, get this she tells me to just have invoice adjusted to reflect trade in value and net amount after trade in.
This really pisses me off this is not a boat I had registered in another state. This was a boat that was registered and taxes paid in ohio?

So, this is the reason I had no numbers. But, you guys missed the issue here. Only one pulled me over for numbers the other 2 times they never even asked!

And totally agree with a few statements about respect! But after so many times of getting stopped where is my respect? Coast guard was extremely cool and nice. I think they just wanted to check the boat out... But get this 7 guys in the boat! Yes 7 guys on holiday pay in one boat! Who in the heck approved this? What's this $500-700 per hour of expenses?

The boarder patrol were total authority driven punks...yes very rude and wanted me to know they had right to do whatever! Guess my wife video recordering them when they approached didn't help. Maybe we need to go "go pro" instead. But, would have not considered it if it wasn't for all the horror stories I have been hearing up here.

I put a book together. It has the bill of sale, my boater safety certificate, my registration, my insurance certificate, my coast guard safety inspection. I just hand it to them.

Not having numbers could be drawing their attention, even if they didn't ask about them. that's the first thing. I would expect to be pulled over by every agency I passed if I didn't have numbers, so just be ready for it. Few years ago I got stopped, on Erie, for having red numbers on my black hull. Ended up changing them to white.