Got a ticket on the Sacramento River.

[jimthetoolman]

I just got a ticket for no mufflers on the Sacramento River. I think its a fix it ticket. But is it posted that you have to have them? or is it up the the cop if he thinks its too loud. He also got me for not having my registration on me.

[Wet Dream]

I'm going through this right now out here, but most state laws have it written that all boats must have a working muffler system. The registration must be on the boat at all times.

[BiggusJimbus]

Delta cops will ticket you for not having mufflers or baffles.
Back 12 or 13 years ago when I got one, it was a fix-it. Couldn't say what it is today.
Jimbus.

[burbanite]

Wet Dream:
I'm going through this right now out here, Me too.... frown

[BiggusJimbus]

Maybe one of our on-board cops can explain this...
Why in this age of computer tracking of everything can an easily forged piece of paper be more relevant than the computer records that the LEOs have instant access to? Having a drivers license I get. The day I have to have an ID number tatooed on me is the day I move to another country.
Sure seems that this whole carrying of registration paperwork seems to be a means to get you to open your glovebox in their presence.
I'm not really that cynical. But it really seems to be completely superflous.
Any ideas or knowledge on the matter?

[Wet Dream]

Hey Burb, what's going on out there? I've heard rumors that they want to do a noise test on my boat, but from I gather, as long as I have a "working" muffler system (water or baffles) they can't do anything. It still makes me nervous about it though. I have never been bothered out here before.

[572Daytona]

I got stopped in Geogia 2 years ago for similar things, no baffles and no ID. Both were recently passed laws at the time, the no baffles cost me $90 and they let me slide on the no ID. I don't see the point in carrying my drivers license in my swim trunks, you are just asking to lose it. They do accept photocopies though so I just made a copy of it and stuffed it in a seat pocket somewhere, hopefully it will still be legible the next time I need it.

[BiggusJimbus]

You should put all your paperwork in a couple ziplock bags. It's pretty damn hard to keep anything paper dry in a boat.

[H.B. Brett]

Registration onboard has always been required. As is flame arrestor, lifejackets, throw cushion, sound producing device, blah blah blah. The registration has to be the original too. I keep mine in a PVC pipe with caps on either end and keep a copy at home and in the RV (just in case. I think it's just a fix it ticket.

[Wet Dream]

You don't have to carry a drivers license unless your state requires that you have drivers license to operate a motorboat.

[BiggusJimbus]

Well,
Boatcop has already stated that (at least in his jurisdiction), no registration is NOT a fixit.
I understand the relevance of the other requirements that you noted, Extinguisher, arrestor et. al. I just don't know why that piece of paper is necessary to carry. Current registration should be easily determined with the LEO's computer and radio systems.
Ah, now, perhaps if they are somewhere out of radio range (Where might that be?) it is a fallback position. That's the only justification that I can think of.

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

I have mine laminated so that if they do get wet they are still good wink I learned this from my friend. The first one I had(for my jetski) always got soaked eek! So I then laminated and what do you know, it fixed it wink
396
Oh by the way did I fail to mention that I dont really like cops :D I just got a ticket in my lexus because I forgot to turn on my headlights after leaving circle k! I figured he would just remind me..... WRONG the PUNK cited me :mad: I personally think I was singled out because he saw a young blackman driving a lexus with 3 tv's playing and he figured that I had money because of my car. Well wrong again because I am broke paying for the car :D and the 2 boats I have :D :D
396

[Kachinalazer]

Don't ignore those fixit tickets, they are as real as any ticket you get driving your car. I got a fixit ticket for a missing reg tag (the year sticker) on a jetski once, even though I had the paper registration with me. Didn't take care of it in a timely fashion and it resulted in a bench warrant, which then cost me a day off work, a trip to court, and fines to get it taken care of.
Those of you who have a foodsaver, those work great for waterproof recordkeeping. I vacuum packed the boat reg facing one way, the trailer reg facing the other, and an extra key on a floatie all in one bag. The bags are thick and tough, problem solved.

[burbanite]

Wet Dream:
Hey Burb, what's going on out there? I've heard rumors that they want to do a noise test on my boat, but from I gather, as long as I have a "working" muffler system (water or baffles) they can't do anything. It still makes me nervous about it though. I have never been bothered out here before. It seems that this is the year of the noise police.
Nationwide it has become popular to enforce whatever noise regs are in place, unfortunately there does not appear to be too much consistency in the enforcement nor any knowledge of the proper test procedures. The result of that is tickets being issued on a purely subjective basis.
Unfortunately for those of us who like the sound and look of OT headers it is only a matter of time before they become a thing of the past inless someone can come up with a proper (affordable) silencing system that allows us to still use them without power loss and meet the required dB levels.
Most states already require you to have mufflers installed, many of them also outlaw the use of switchable exhaust systems such as Silent Choice. Here in Indiana this is the case and there is a push on to enforce these issues hence the reason I found myself a target for the LEO's after three seasons without a problem.
Aside from whatever state regs apply to you there are always local ordinances that are in place that can change at each of your chosen boating venues, it definitely pays to know what they are as they can be different from the default state laws. Be careful as laws that cover private property are often different than public property.
My initial hearing was July 1 and my next court date is Aug 5 :mad: