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Name:   vandy - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/3/2009 11:19:08 AM

How is the Marine Patrol on Logan Martin? Not that I or anyone else should go against the law but there is a difference in being a butt about it vs. keeping people safe. For example- on Weiss there is a female that will take you to jail for one beer can, full or empty, old or new, because it is a dry county even if no one is drinking. Guntersville, there is one cool one and one that is like the lady listed above. Just wondering what our local floating police are like.



Name:   MovinFr8 - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/3/2009 11:40:20 AM

I have met one of the guys a few times and he was pretty cool but it was just registration check on the seadoos after we first got them.

I think every lake has "that girl", I tried to talk to her once at clear creek off the water and got a cold shoulder. I hear there is a new one or two on the lake this year and have heard nothing bad. There were some articles written in the Bham news about her last summer and how stern she is.

Marine police are just like regular police..... you never know what your gonna get.....just be polite and not rude because they stop you.



Name:   MovinFr8 - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/3/2009 11:41:33 AM

And I am sure everyone has storys both good and bad that have happened to them....

I like hearing about them so lets hear them....



Name:   InjunJohn - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/4/2009 8:20:35 AM

I know I'm probably a rare case, but I've never been stopped or boarded by the marine police on ANY lake. I've owned boats for 25 years or more. I have heard some horror stories about the female officer on Logan Martin. She has been known to pull boats over with kids on them, using a "safe boating" reward as a reason. She gives key chains, ice cream cone certificates, etc. but the real reason is to check for violations. Be safe.

John



Name:   MovinFr8 - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/4/2009 9:05:38 AM

There is a new lady on the lake and the encounter my frieds had was very positive, nothing out of line and it could have gone another direction easily.



Name:   Cobra122 - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/4/2009 10:11:46 PM

Take it from me, as I lost a daughter when she was only 18...if that
lady saves one child, then her over-zealous efforts are worth all the hassle and much much more...



Name:   skiantique - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/5/2009 8:18:58 AM

It's not about the effort, it's about the attitude. We do have "that girl" and she is quite frankly never nice about anything. Even a routine check of life jackets with kids in the boat is a rude experience with her. She gave our kids McDonald's coupons after the check but she scared them to death in the process so they had a hard time even appreciating them.

cf



Name:   vandy - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/5/2009 8:44:57 AM

I agree and I'm sorry about your loss. Remember I'm not talking about letting the idiots run loose on the lake, those types should be sunk to the bottom. But if I forgot my throwable flotation device because I was cleaning mildew off of it or my horn blows a fuse and I don't have my air horn.... Just wondering if I'm going to jail for that (or other similar quasi useless items). To paraphrase the one cool marine patrol in Guntersville said: "Do right and don't make me do my job. If everyone is acting resposibly then I'm not going to look for much."



Name:   jacegriffin - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/5/2009 11:28:51 AM

I just wish there were twice as many on the water . We have so many nuts running around on the water sometimes they need to go to jail to keep me safe as well as everyone else. Remember the old saying someone need to protect you from yourself.Good work Water patrol and thanks



Name:   bama dave - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/7/2009 6:44:28 PM

The female officers name is Kim Moeller. If you, the captain smells of alcohol, expect to be tested, and if positive, you WILL go to jail. She doesn't take s*** from anyone. There are rules, for everybody's safety, and if those rules are broken, you'll pay the price.

And I agree with the last poster, I wish there were more Kim's out there.



Name:   pmardis1 - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/14/2009 7:38:26 PM

all police are cool...just ask me!!!!



Name:   Loganmartinnights - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/14/2009 10:05:54 PM

I hear ya PMarr ! The thing is If I'm driving (sober ) and have some passengers drinking on board I refuse to drive. I know this sounds stupid as heck, but as I understand the laws, the driver can be charged with open container, because after all they are in charge or the vessel. But dang, you see where I'm going. I want to ask one of the M P's but how can they say it's ok when it legally aint ? Aight having said that I wish there was a way to know how they are enforcing the law. I'm on a slow moving pontoon boat, so I'm not nearly the threat as something moving at a high rate of speeed. The other weekend I saw a huge boat with one of those little walkways straight off the front, some 8 - 14 year old kid sitting on it, sraddling it, the boat travleing about 40 m.p.h. after dark without nav lights. The Police were there to make em aware of the danger, and did. heck i'm rambling now.

Good to see everyine on the lake.......



Name:   MovinFr8 - Email Member
Subject:   Marine Patrol Cool?
Date:   6/14/2009 10:59:51 PM

David, to the best of my knowledge there is no open container law on the water. if there is alcohol visible the driver may get a little more interagation but not in trouble for open container.

Am I right?



Name:   The New Guy - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police
Date:   6/15/2009 9:51:01 AM

I've been reading some of your thoughts. I am the New Marine Police Officer on Logan Martin. I've been on the lake sence March. I try to be very fare and polite. Most of the times our hands are tied with the law and the actions of the boaters. If you can rememder the Rules of the Road and some curtsy to other boaters you will never be stopped by me. To answer the question about alcohal on a boat. You can have it, we ask the operator to be sober DD are a great thing just take turns doing that for each other. I have no problem taken peaple to jail. I have been doing it for years and if you are intoxicated and operating that is where i'll put you. I'm not good with names but remember faces well and if you see me out on the lake and are having problems or just want to say hello flag me down. My plan is to make sure everyone goes home save at the end of the day.

Officer Macleroy



Name:   MovinFr8 - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police
Date:   6/15/2009 10:01:19 AM

Kudos to you and the work you do Officer M....

We appreciate all of the work you do out there.... Everytime we load our boat I always make sure to have a bottle of water for you (or your partners)in case we meet..... We are not far from your station and will stop by next time we see you floating....

Steve



Name:   twc - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police question
Date:   6/15/2009 11:07:31 AM

Thank you so much.

I've tried to flag a MP boat down several times but can't seem to get any attention while I'm tied at the pier. I need an MP opinion on 2 things on my pontoon boat.

My stern light is mounted on the front of the bimini top and I can't figure out a way to move it. It came that way from the factory. Is it legal? And there is not a Coast Guard weight, max horsepower or occupancy placard anywhere on the boat. So how do I figure how many people or weight I can carry besides common sense?

Many thanks for getting on here. I too will have a fresh cold water or for you guys. Thanks for all you do.

Peace,
<><
TC



Name:   The New Guy - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police question
Date:   6/15/2009 12:39:58 PM

It does not matter what point the light is affixed to as long as you can see it from any direction (360 deg). The capasty plate should be near the operators station. If you can not find it you may need to contact a dealer or the manufactor to see where it is or get a new one. Below are the numbers to our office, it is not manned all the time so just leave message and someone will call back as soon as we can. But if you have an emergency call the Sherrif Department or Alabama Trooper Post in Jacksonville

Alabama Marine Police
Distrist II HQ
1830 Constellation Ave
Alpine AL 35014
(256) 268 2570
1 800 499 1667






Name:   twc - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police question
Date:   6/16/2009 9:23:32 AM

Thanks so much.

I've even looked INSIDE the helm station and there is not a capicity plate anywhere. The engine is original to the boat and there are seats for 9 plus the captain. So making a judgement call and from what I've seen on most boats that size, limit it to 8 people or 1400 pounds and I figure I'm safe. I've tried to locate the builder but they are no longer in business.

Peace,
<><
TC



Name:   Loganmartinnights - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police question
Date:   6/22/2009 9:35:25 AM

Thanks officer M,

I spend a lot of time on the water, and see the same things that everyone else does, some of wich are down right stupid. Those of us who live here, ( I hope ) understand that people that get out on the water 2 or 3 times per year, hit the water with ententions of having a blast. But as many of us have seen, this lack of experience has to be compensated by everyone else.
We discussed docking lights a while back, and those people who ride around with em on all the time after dark, ALL YOUR DOING IS BLINDING ME !

To officer M,
Thanks for being so bold as to field a few questions for us in here. David



Name:   bama dave - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police question
Date:   6/22/2009 4:49:35 PM

Officer, I have a quick question, can I photocopy my license and laminate it to keep on my boat and waverunners to keep from losing it? Don't want to anything to cause trouble but I have left my license on the boat and was pulled over and yelp, it was on the boat. So, would a photocopy suffice for you and Kim, or do I have to have the real thing? Thanks, Dave

And I look forward to meeting you. I live 6 houses upstream from the station on the Talladega side (full timers).



Name:   The New Guy - Email Member
Subject:   Marine police answers
Date:   6/22/2009 11:32:22 PM


Hello everyone. Sorry I have not been so quick on answering back. Let me start with the capacity plate. The manufactures use the weight of 150 lbs per person. So if you are rated for 1400 lbs that comes out to be close to 9 people. But not everyone is 150 lbs. So you need to try to keep as close to the weight more than the number of people. Most of all just have a PFD for everyone on board.

Next I just want to comment on the docking lights. There is no law saying you can not run with them on. But your nav lights ( RED, GREEN, and WHITE) are what tells everyone around you that you are a boat. With the docking light on not only are you blinding the other boaters in front of you but you are making yourself to look like a car on the shore instead of a boat in the water. By all means if think you see something in the water turn your lights on so you can be sure that you can navigate around it but then turn them back off please.

Last thing I think it is a good idea to go to where you get your license and get you another copy just for your boat. I think it will cost you $15 but that’s a lot better than a ticket. Please hide then so not just anyone can get your info. Also don't put you original registration in your boat. We tell people this because there are people out there that will steal your boat and if your registration is in there you will not have it when its time to file a report.

Well that's all I have for now. Please everyone be safe out there and remember you are not the only one on the lake so lets watch out for one another. We all want to go home safe at the end of the day.








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