Have you had trouble in the USA with CG/local water cops

[cyberbadger]

Hi,

I'm aware of the motorboating act of 1910 in the US.
I plan on registering my steam launch in the state of Ohio.

It will have a new ASME code boiler, but I'm not building a traditional steam launch. It will be on a 24-28 ft aluminum pontoon boat. In the state of Ohio the authority is a division of the ohio department of natural resources http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/. Apparently they care more about the the safety stuff and readable registration numbers on the hull. (Safety stuff, lights, pfds, flares, emergency flag, whistle, horn, fire extinguisher, etc) I'm not going to skimp that I have the full completement of all modern stuff.

I guess my question is, have any of you been stopped by the US coast guard or local water authority regarding your steam launch?

-CB

[Lopez Mike]

The CG auxiliary has been my only contact with any sort of authority. Other than making sure I had the right safety equipment, they were highly amused and interested.

One lady, resplendent in her CG uniform, looked serious and said, "I don't believe we are prepared to inspect a vessel that is already on fire."

[steamdon-jr]

I have had many cg patrol pull us over, they ask if they can take a peek and tell us how neat it is, sometimes take a pic and motor away.

[cyberbadger]

Has anyone every steamed on Chautauqua Lake in New York State?

I spent many summers there as a kid. They only authorities there are the water sheriffs. I believe from the Chautauqua County Sheriffs office.

To my knowledge: They mainly only stop boaters if they are being reckless. There is also a strict No-wake 5mph area around the bridge that they enforce strickly. Also there is a night time speed limit. They may also check fishing licenses if you are fishing.

I'm not planning on steaming at night, fishing, or exceeding speed limits (won't be able to anyways). I will have an OH registered water craft, and I will have all the required safety equipment.

Maybe I'm being paranoid .... but if I was stopped and the official/sheriff was not impressed with a steam launch, what should I say?

I had a buddy (actually he will be my Chief Mate/First Officer), who built a kit car, and he always had to have binder of documents when he drove it because cops would pull him over.

-CB

[Lopez Mike]

Kill two birds with one stone.

Keep a log book. And include hydro tests, glass blowdowns and safety valve tests. Good thing for you to keep you on your toes and impressive to some stranger who knows little if anything.

[cyberbadger]

Mike,

I will have binder with all my ASME boiler build specs and documentation that I will laminate. That will be maybe 30 pages, and On the boat.

I will have a log, but I'm not sure how faithfully I will write in it.

However your post on another recent thread about not being able to drain the glass daily? Remind me to not let you be my fireman on my launch.

You really should proove your sight glass every time you light the fire.

Can we get back to the topic of this thread?

-CB

[DetroiTug]

I've had several law enforcement folks of all types on or next to my boat, from Homeland security to DNR. Of those that proceeded with any sort of inspection, they are only concerned about the basics. Life vests and enough of them and fire extinguishers etc. In my experience none of them are knowledgeable about steam. In other words, if you're running the boat, you know way more than they do about it. Not to take anything away from them, they simply aren't trained for it. Considering steamboats are probably on the order of .00001% representation of all the pleasure boats, it's understandable.

It's important that each and everyone of us keep doing what we're doing by operating in a safe manner. Performing annual hydrotests, using proper valves and piping, etc. Stay as close to the ASME B31 as possible.

-Ron

[cyberbadger]

I've had several law enforcement folks of all types on or next to my boat, from Homeland security to DNR. Of those that proceeded with any sort of inspection, they are only concerned about the basics. Life vests and enough of them and fire extinguishers etc. In my experience none of them are knowledgeable about steam. In other words, if you're running the boat, you know way more than they do about it. Not to take anything away from them, they simply aren't trained for it. Considering steamboats are probably on the order of .00001% representation of all the pleasure boats, it's understandable.

It's important that each and everyone of us keep doing what we're doing by operating in a safe manner. Performing annual hydrotests, using proper valves and piping, etc. Stay as close to the ASME B31 as possible.

-Ron

I guess I was just being paranoid.

I'm thinking I'm covering my bases. I don't want to skimp on the safety equipment. And I'm definately not skimping on the steam plant. (ASME boiler, schedul 80 pipe, class 300 fittings)

-CB

[DetroiTug]

I guess I was just being paranoid.

Not really. Sounds as though you want to do it right and there is nothing wrong with that. What most of us in the hobby really do not like to see is folks that have a lethargic attitude towards safety. Not only are they putting themselves in peril, but bystanders and our whole hobby as well. We simply can not afford to have any sort of accident resulting in injury.

I was just sharing my experience with how law enforcement reacts to our boats. The chances of any of them asking for documentation on any of the steamplant is very unlikely. Most of them simply grin and keep walking Or if they do engage you, they act like anyone else curious about our strange craft. Same boilerplate questions. I joked once that I was going to get a shirt with "Yes, it is" on it because of how many times I had to answer the question "Is that a steamboat?"

-Ron

[dhic001]

My experience with our Coastguard (which is nothing like the US coastguard, ours is volunteers who only know about fizz boats), is that they only have one concern, that you might be a boat on fire. On my last coastal passage, in rough conditions and with the blower on, so lots of smoke, I was approached twice as they thought the boat was on fire. I pointed out that I didn't have a problem, and that really I didn't want them to put the fire out, if they had, I would have had a problem!
Daniel