That sucks.
:cuss:
I was out fishing last saturday morning on the Chesapeake and I believe that I saw this boat heading North on the Bay. When was it seen in B'more?
If the guy is indeed in port (NYC) now, a phone call to the CG should be made!
Brad?
Not as simple as it sounds or thought to be.
1. Taxes are only one reason larger boats are not flagged in the US. Jones Act, Class Societies, Insurance, etc. These are called flags of convienance and used in commercial shipping as well. How many large frieght and tank ships do you see with an American Flagged compared to foreign.
WAKE= Displacement wave signature Wake is the wrong vocabulary. (not imortant)
Anyway you will never find anything in 33 CFR calling out or saying you are responsible for your wake. You can be held liable for damage arrising or caused from your wake if Boating Accident Reports (BARS) are issued and filed by those affected. These BAR's are filed within the state of occurance or state of principal use.
The operator can be cited for negligent operation if a Coast Guard Boarding Officer, State or local marine officer enforcing Boating safety laws witnesses the incident or collects statements from witnesses.
Negligent operation or grossly negligent operation must be adequatley articulated by the enforcement officer in order to achieve a desired outcome.
When these type of issues occur and law enforcement does not immediately respond you must document all damage and injury and contact your local state boating law office and submit a report. The damage is required to exceed $500 and the injury must be beyond first aid. Short of this your only recourse is to file an insurance claim and have your insurance company go after the other party.
The local or state law may have further consequences if the operator violated a designated boating safety zone or if a violation of rule 6 (safe Speed) can be articulated.
That is about it...File reports through the State.
IRT the Coast Guard boarding it is highly unlikely the operator failed to stop or was otherwise evasive. If this did occur I am sure the follow up will be appropriate. I will not disclose the standing rules of engagement or use of force policy in a public forum.
StaySafe
Brad
