USCG cracking down on bowriding

from the article

"Would you put your child on the hood of your car and ride around?" he asked rhetorically.

GREAT way to put it. I am always amazed at people who do this. I let people ride on my bow, but only in certain conditions, and the bow on my boat has full rails all the way around.
 
Who determines what is safe and what isnt? It doesnt tell you when it is ok to be out front and under what conditions they will stop you. If you are going to crackdown on it, you need to let people know what the rules are. Poor article.
 
i was pulled over for this last year in the 6mph zone of the inner harbour. I had a 27' express cruiser with full bow rails. My 25 year old daughter and her freind were sitting up on the bow enjopying the scenes of the Baltimore harbor. The CG told me that because I do not "technically" have a seating area on my bow, that people riding up there was illegal. Everything else checked out so he didn't ticket me but explained the rule. I had been under the impression that it was ok when going slow as long as the riders were within the bow rails and did not have legs hanging over. So evidently the rule is that if your boat has designed seating on the bow it is OK, if not it is against the law.

Brian
 
As an instructor with the USPS we always try and discourage bow riding. Technically it is not illegal unless limbs are hanging over the gunnel. I do believe that some boats are more designed than others to accomodate people on the bow. I also believe that it is a reason for the CG and other authorities to stop you and do a safety check. Basically, everyone needs to be extremely careful while doing this.
I see people all the time hanging over the bow with legs and arms extended over the gunnel. That just is not smart!

Boats like go-fasts are probably going to get stopped if people are sitting on their bows. Most dont even have non-skid so I would expect the CG to be tougher on them than a boat with rails, seating area, non-skid areas to sit.

One thing that can help is to get a safety inspection from the USPS or CG Reserve. When an officer sees the displayed decal they may be more inclined to stop someone else without the decal.
 
What's the official rule on being on the bow for things like line handling, etc.?
 
I think the USCG follows the local laws on bow riding. In Florida we did it all the time as long as nothing extended beyond the plane of the bow rail-gunnel. USCG doesnt stop us down here. Maryland doesnt believe that you should make your own choices.
 
from a sail boater...we have ridden the bow for years while sailing, stradling the anchor pulpit...
not sure I understand the logic of why you can't sit there...

go fast? or boats with no lifelines or rails? I can see not being there...

Looks like they wouldn't want you sitting in stern seats either in case you got run down, or as they say in SW Va, run't over...Sadly those accidents that are bad have been power boats running down slower boats or simply hitting markers in our part of the world...these just the most recent 5 or 6 accidents...

Personally I think the CG time would be better spent elsewhere...BUIs on the mouths of Potomac and Rappahanock, high speed at night, blatant safety violations and the like..again looking at the most recent incidents..
 
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