USCG v USCG AUX Inspections

[BandB]

Take exception all you want. There are auxiliarists that give the organization a black eye...far more than you or anyone wants.

As an active duty Group Operations officer monitoring Flotilla activities..... I saw plenty of good and bad.

Yes, he talks of clearing up the misunderstanding. There is no misunderstanding. I've witnessed and observed and seen some very bad behavior. I know others do a great job and are offended by what some do. I frankly think a different name would help, rather than one with USCG in it. That leads to some misunderstanding.

It's like anything, there are good and bad. I praise those who are helpful and don't misrepresent anything or offer opinions on things they don't know.

I'm a businessman. Businessmen get attacked all the time. They deserve it. It's not a misunderstanding. I'm one of the first to condemn what we all see. I've been one of the first to speak about unscrupulous boat manufacturers, but as a businessman I have the knowledge in identifying untrustworthy situations.

If you're a good USCGAux member, don't take offense at the negatives mentioned. We're just the messengers. Take offense at your members who hurt the reputation of the organization. Encourage better self monitoring and regulating.

I love seeing a cheerful Auxiliary person who it's clear is just there to help and makes their role clear. I hate seeing one who acts the way some do. If you're in an area where the bad ones are one out of 200, that's great. However, there are areas where the bad ones may be nearly half the group and then when new members join, they get led down the wrong path.

The Auxiliary consists of volunteers and most are just there to help. It's unfortunate all are not. It's interesting that I spoke to someone who does a lot of boating on a large lake in another state. It appears to the two of us, that those on inland lakes may have a greater tendency to go overboard than those on the coast. This may be because on the coast you also have USCG. On the lake there is no USCG so the Auxiliary members may tend to more quickly act like they are.

 

[Bacchus]

Take exception all you want. There are auxiliarists that give the organization a black eye...far more than you or anyone wants.

As an active duty Group Operations officer monitoring Flotilla activities..... I saw plenty of good and bad.

Fully understand. We had few locally, and glad they are gone.
We don't need the black eye.

I'm a USPS VE and agree with the above.
The issue I ran into was A USCGAux VE that interpreted a req differently than I was taught. When we got into a back and forth trying to clarify the CORRECT interpretation he was not only adamant but was down right antagonistic.
When I (and others) went to the authorities at USCGHQ and NVDC he started denigrating the "cubicle rats" and "brass" that in his opinion, their interpretations were worthless as HE WAS CORRECT and anyone who disagreed and wasn't out doing VSCs daily as he was, didn't know $#!%.

I have always gone by the adage that you can learn something everyday - but only if your ears and mind are open and your mouth is shut.

 

[menzies]

As a 37 year member of the USCG Auxiliary, I have been a Vessel Examiner, Auxiliary Coxswain and Instructor. I take exception to some of the negative comments regarding the Vessel Safety Check program.
First of all, we ARE NOT law enforcement and quite frankly don't want that task.
We provide Safety info to the boater through the Public Education classes we teach, through our Boat Crew Program we can help boaters in distress and with the Vessel Safety Check program we can also teach boaters how to properly equip their vessels to meet the Federal and local State requirements.
You would be surprised just how many boaters (brand new vessel owners) have no clue to the requirements. The dealer basically says: "Here is how to start it, shift controls, give me your money and have fun".
Boat liveries don't seem to care about the local laws, either.

The awarding of the decal is no guarantee that you won't be stopped by the Coast Guard or State LEO's. We have never claimed that.
Of course there are some Auxiliarists who THINK they are LE's (lights and siren, etc.) but thankfully they are few and we don't want them in the organization.

Hope this will clear up some miss understandings.

Bill, I think your post actually concurs with the vast majority of the posts in this thread.

 

[psneeld]

Please don't speak for me...too many auxiliarists with an average amount of experience use the uniform to "tout" their opinions that I have often found to be incorrect.

While many do good...at the wrong time...local events, boat shows, inspections and safety courses....too many I have met discuss topics they are incorrect in and that reaches a pretty good number of new boaters that trust them because of the uniform. Let alone the operators that are barely capable.

True my experiences might be considered local....but it still is a fair swath of boaters and the same experiences have been brought to me from other areas.

It would be less of a concern that once brought to the auxiliarists attention they might cooperate or the system would quickly fix the problem...but my experience is that neither happens.

 

[markpierce]

The only direct interaction I've had with the USCG has been passing by a weapons depot along Suisun Bay, directing one to move out of the shipping channel and into shallow water. Know one (who has frequently communicated with authorities during his Federal service) who will request supervision to stay in the channel.

 

[Billr2019]

BandB,
No offense taken.
I don't like the wannabe LEO's in the AUX.
There is not place for them.
Seems to be among the younger members but not all.
If they want to be LEO let them go the police academy.
I sure did not mean to stir of the proverbial hornet's nest.

 

[psneeld]

Oh but the " I have been boating for 60 years" crowd is just as bad....

They might have been boating for 60 years but have never been outside a 30 mile radius on a bigger boat than a 32 foot cruiser and have a whopping 5000 to 6000 hours under their belt.

Sounds like a lot but look at the quality. Half the time the boats had no electronics on them past a direction finder and an AM radio.

The last 4th of July I worked as an assistance tower, the only tow I had that night, the Auxiliary patrol boat full of the top officers ran up on a sedge island and they were so rattled ( my guess the youngest was over 60) I had to escourrt them to their home dock miles away despite having state of the art electronics.

Then the same ones teaching boating safety courses are so out of touch with modern boating, adapting to teaching the course for them is a struggle.

 

[Billr2019]

psneeld yes I know and it really bothers most of us.
Some will never get it. Some only joined to say they are a member, won't participate in any programs, etc.
I imagine it is the same in a lot of organizations.

 

[psneeld]

psneeld yes I know and it really bothers most of us.
Some will never get it. Some only joined to say they are a member, won't participate in any programs, etc.
I imagine it is the same in a lot of organizations.

true...there were a ton of Active Duty guys who had no clue or pride in their work either when I served......but rarely were they the final word on things...they knew to bump it up so the person looking for info had a chance to hit the right source of info.

I think the USCGAUX is great...but it needs a lot of revamping.

The USCG Reserve was a drag pre 1990s...then it was revamped and became a great asset versus deadwood it was before.

 

[Billr2019]

I was Navy and I thank you for your service.

 

[jgwinks]

Because guys get a USCGAUX sticker hoping they won't get stopped later in the year when they aren't compliant.

In places along the ACIW I have been.... the USCG could care less if you have a sticker or not...they will board

My recommendation is if you have a dozen or more years of serious boating.....don't bother with the AUX sticker.

I am a retired member of USCGAux and used to do the safety checks (we never call them inspections, law enforcement does inspections.) The whole idea is to make sure your safety gear is up to spec without getting a ticket. It's the same check the active CG or other LEO would do, just no tickets. Of course you could go your own check, the specs are readily available and we hand out thousands of pamphlets about them at boat shows and launch ramps. The sticker is no guarantee of not getting boarded, if the crew is out doing boardings they will normally grab the first boat they see and then the next one after letting the first one go. They'll spend hours doing this at times. I've been boarded while flying my Auxillary flag and wearing my Auxillary labeled PFD. I was the next boat that came along, so they boarded me. They don't look for stickers.

 

[menzies]

Oh but the " I have been boating for 60 years" crowd is just as bad....

They might have been boating for 60 years but have never been outside a 30 mile radius on a bigger boat than a 32 foot cruiser and have a whopping 5000 to 6000 hours under their belt.

Sounds like a lot but look at the quality. Half the time the boats had no electronics on them past a direction finder and an AM radio.

The last 4th of July I worked as an assistance tower, the only tow I had that night, the Auxiliary patrol boat full of the top officers ran up on a sedge island and they were so rattled ( my guess the youngest was over 60) I had to escourrt them to their home dock miles away despite having state of the art electronics.

Then the same ones teaching boating safety courses are so out of touch with modern boating, adapting to teaching the course for them is a struggle.

You mean a quick look at the shiny anchor on a twenty year old boat might give a clue? I'm glad I only have 54 years boating, don't want to be lumped with that lot!

 

[BandB]

Oh but the " I have been boating for 60 years" crowd is just as bad....

Wifey B: Omg, I hate the "I have been doing this forever" BS on anything. Doesn't mean your way is right. It's generally used in such a condescending way too.

I remember starting as a teacher and I was soon put in charge of the reading programs for the entire school, then several schools. I had my undergraduate, masters, doctorate and more training in the field. The vast majority of teachers were very glad for the help. Many knew me from me teaching beside them. However, there was one about 60 years old and she started the "I was teaching long before you were born, young lady, and I've been doing it the same way all these years."

I wanted to say something like "You've been teaching since Abraham Lincoln, old $%#, and you've been f'ing it up all these years." I didn't. I wanted to keep my job. But I did explain to her that I was in charge of reading and while she had more teaching experience I had far more training in teaching reading. I explained she was going to show me respect and she was going to follow what I outlined to help students and if the had any problem doing so we should go right now and talk to the Principal. I swear the sound she made was a growl, not a human sound. I gave her a technique to use on a challenging student, then met again in three days. To her credit, she did it. I asked her how it worked and she just glared at me and said, "Do I have to answer that?" and we both broke out laughing. She asked why she'd never been exposed to that and I explained who had developed it and when and where.

I will always show respect to those older and more experienced but I expect the same from them. I also show it to those younger and I learn from them all the time. Last year, I learned from first year teacher some new techniques for working with an Asperger's student. When she was student teaching she went to her professor crying and they researched and found her something to try. The boy's mom was amazed at his progress. She'd found a way to communicate with him. My first year of teaching, I felt so inadequate trying to help a Dyslexic student. I spent much of the summer and my own money to go to a school in the area and learn a different technique. As the teacher trained us we worked with her students. Sort of a smart scheme, charge teachers and then have them work with students you're also charging. :lol: I'm so thankful for what she taught me.

 

[catalinajack]

I don't get the need or desire to obtain a courtesy inspection. Follow a checklist, the same checklist that the Coasties use, yourself at the start of each season or at some regualr interval. One would then know what, if anything, needs to be addressed. In fact, one should know at any one particular time what their situation is. For example, I have one those electronic signaling devices rather than flares. I have not recently checked the batteries. I don't need an inspection to tell me that this needs to be done soon, very soon.

As far as the ignorance of some auxiliaries, I have no experience. But, I do think it can happen. For example, securing through-hulls. We have old-style, still-working, cone-type through-hulls. To open or close, one must unscrew a locking t-handle, open or close the valve, and then tighten the t-handle to prevent a weep. Only once have we been stopped bynthe CG for an inspection. I was asked to demonstrate our method of securing our through-hulls becuase it was not apparent. I did so. No problem.

 

[REO]

It has been more than 35 years since my most memorable encounter with the Coast Guard Aux. We were trying to enter an inlet at Sarasota FL. in dense fog. Several boats were stooging around the sea marker talking on the radio, and trying to figure out how to safely enter a tricky channel. None of us had radar. One sailboat was aground and others had nudged the bottom trying to get in. The auxiliary picked up on our problem and soon an armada of small boats lined the channel and guided us in. I am a big fan of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

 

[menzies]

Just passed these fine folks by Cumberland Sound.

 

[Seevee]

I'm one that does the AUX inspections. I know the guys that I use, and both are very experienced boaters. They don't find much, but occasionally offer an idea or something to think about. Then we boat to lunch and have a good time. (or boat for a beer).



Not sure if I want a green behind the ears guy, especially with an ego. But fortunately there's not a lot of them out there.



Now, I've been boarded many times and rarely an issue. If I were solo, I'd insist on anchoring or docking first. If I have a competent captain with me, no issue. I have my paperwork in one folder and just hand it to them.



Occasionally there's an Alpha Hotel, but I just put up with it and try to get him off the boat asap. So far, good.



Now, the local Sheriff, is a complete Alpha Hotel and I don't like him, He clearly has an attitude.


So, goods and bads.


Overall, I support the CG, but thing the silly boardings are a complete waste of tax payer money. The could use the time MUCH more efficiently.

 

[bluebyu]

Post 77
CG boarding you may be a waste of time.
Boarding others may save your life!

 

[hmason]

I’ve owned and cruised on boats for 55 years. Do I round the number up or down? Help me decide.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

So do the AUX have a requirement to complete a certain number of inspections within the year to stay "current?"

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Well at 55 yes, 55.5, no

I’ve owned and cruised on boats for 55 years. Do I round the number up or down? Help me decide.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Well that makes no since. Can't delete it either. Dang "Smart" phones...

Well at 55 yes, 55.5, no

 

[Bacchus]

So do the AUX have a requirement to complete a certain number of inspections within the year to stay "current?"

Yes but the number is only 5 per year to stay current.
Some take it as a competition or badge of honor to do 100+ and are much more " aggressive"

 

[jdecris]

Bill2019 - I'm glad you took exception to some of the negative comments regarding the Vessel Safety Check program.

And Leatherneck - I agree - Let’s not disparage the USCG Auxiliary. We should thank them for their service.

A few decades ago, I was a light aircraft pilot for a while, and subscribed to Flying Magazine. In the back of the magazine was a regular column called "I Learned About Flying From That".

I'll never forget the story about a pilot who walked onto an FBO (Fixed Base Operator) (marinas of general aviation) to rent an aircraft for a short flight. He had never rented from the Operator, and so required a Flight Instructor to "sign off" on renting the plane, a small Cessna 172.

The pilot was an older gentleman, the flight instructor a young man.

After a successfully completed walk around and pre flight inspection - during which the pilot was very attentively and politely listening to everything the flight instructor had to say with great interest and respect - humility - the instructor was satisfied, and asked for the pilot's logbook so he could sign off on record.

The instructor opened the log book. The pilot had over 14,000 hours flight time.

I've noticed big egos are big - and fragile - at the same time.

When two big egos meet... and they are a CG Auxiliary and a Vessel Captain - now that's a problem.