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Fun with ferries

Agent 47

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
570
Location
, Washington, USA
imported post

So I was taking a motorcycle trip out around Whidby island today and started out by taking the Mukilteo ferry to get to the island. I boarded the ferry and road right past the captain who was standing on the car deck along with two other crewmen. Although I cannot be sure any of them noticed my gun I think one of the crewmen did give me kind of a sideways glance but made no indication that anything was wrong. I spent the majority of the ride wandering around the passenger cabin and after hearing the captain announce that a pair of grey whales were spouting just off the starboard bow I headed in that direction to have a look. It was then that I noticed a female member of the crew accompanied by a man in a shirt marked security walking in my direction. They both passed me on my strong side but tried to pretend they didn't notice me. After leaving the front observation deck I went back into the cabin and wandered over to the vending machines, I saw the security guy and his female associate about halfway down the leingth of the ship facing my general direction trying hard not to look like they were watching me having a "casual" conversation. We were nearing the dock so I decided to head back down to the car deck and get ready to depart. As I walked toward the two "super-spies" and turned down the stairwell I heard a radio crackle with "He is heading down to the car deck". I reached my bike and climbed aboard waiting for the boat to be secured to the dock. In my mirror I saw a crewman approaching me from behind-strongside but as he reached the back of my bike he turned and came up to me on my left side.

Crewman: Is that a firearm !?

Me: Yes, it's a handgun

Crewman: You can't just go walking around like that!

Me: ( with a confused look ) Why not?

Crewman: Do you have a licence?

Me: what, A licence to own it?

Crewman: No! a concealed pistol licence.

Me: why would I need one of those I am not concealing it.

Crewman: you need to have a licence to carry a gun.

Me: No, you need to have a licence to conceal a gun.

Crewman: I find that hard to believe with all the homeland security stuff that you can just walk around with a gun on you hip like that. It is posted at the terminal, no guns allowed on the ferry.

Me: No it says no illegal guns allowed on the ferry mine is perfectly legal so that rule doesn't apply.

Crewman: The law says you cannot carry a gun on the ferry.

Me: The ferry is an extension of the Washington state highway system and the law says nothing of the sort.

Crewman: I am talking about maritime law, You cannot carry a gun here.

Me: That law would be repealed under RCW 9.41.290 state preemption

Crewman: So you think you can just walk around with a gun on you hip wherever you want do you.

Me: within the parameters of the law, yes.

Crewman: ( In a patronizing tone ) thats what you think?

Me: Thats what I know.

The crewman took a step back and spoke into his radio.

Crewman: Hey captain, what are the rules about people carrying dangerous guns on the boat.

Captain (over the radio) There is nothing we can do, I mean it is his constitution right under the second amendment.

As soon as the crewman realized the captain wasn't going to back him and I was in earshot he quickly covered the speaker on his radio and moved several paces away. He said a few more things into the radio before putting it away as he was approached by another crewman who had come forward to remove the safety nets from the front of the deck. I could see the first crewman talking animatedly to the second one raising his arm to point back at me. The second crewman pushed his arm back down to his side and appeared to be giving him a lecture. As the disembarking ramp was lowered into place the first crewman came back over to me.

Crewman: I wasn't trying to give you a hard time or nothing.

Me: But of course you were, what you were doing is the very definition of giving someone a hard time.

Crewman: Well, I am sorry you see it that way, you can go ahead. ( indicating that I should disembark ) I drove off the ferry and got a smile and a wave from the second crewman.

I got the idea that the ferry crew ( Specifically the security people ) had been instructed to keep an eye on me but not to make contact and the one crewman took it upon himself to set me strait and was appropriately reprimanded for doing so.

So in the end he learned about open carry and everyone else who already knew got to see someone exercising their second amendment rights.
 

Phssthpok

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Messages
1,026
Location
, ,
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Me: But of course you were, what you were doing is the very definition of giving someone a hard time.


BWA-HAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahaha!(giggle-snort):lol:
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
3,201
Location
Olympia, WA, ,
imported post

Great story!
Problem with "maritime law" is that these boats are a part of the highway system, not passenger vessels per se or common carriers. Federal law applies as the actual operation of the vessels (licensed crew members, safety standards, etc, etc, etc) but of course as part of the State Highway System state law governs behavior on board.

Looks like the Captain had a firm grip on reality.
 

surfj9009

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
639
Location
Spokane, WA, ,
imported post

I am in the merchant marine and many of the guys on that ferry are in my last union. (Inland Boatmans Union or MEBA)

There are a lot of us, probably more than most careers, that are very pro-gun. Sailing on a ship, whether it's a tanker or a ferry, is usually putting yourself among a very interesting group of people, to say the least. Odds are, there are probably guys who work onboard who wish they could have their guns with them. (At least most of the officers) We are completely inundated with vessel security training, drills, and the such. I am on my ships security team, supposedly the first line of defense to protect from boardings, unauthorized people coming on in port, etc. But ironically, my employer prohibits me from bringing a firearm to the ship.

Sounds like a good lesson for somebody who had no clue though. I particularly enjoyed the tone of the conversation, and how YOU set the tone.
 

spike89

New member
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
110
Location
Kitsap Co., Washington, USA
imported post

Whenever I ride the boat I have to shake my head each time I see that sign with the line "Illegal or unlawfully carried firearms are prohibited RCW 9.41" .

If they want to reiterate that state laws must be followed on the boat, they should either say just that, or they better get some pretty big signs to list every other law they don't want broken as well...

Littering is prohibited on this vessel.
Driving a stolen car is prohibited on this vessel.
Assault is prohibited on this vessel.
Writing bad checks is prohibited on this vessel.
Minors in possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on this vessel.
Sodomy is prohibited on this vessel
-oh wait, sodomy must be legal because WSF sure bends us over when you gotta pay 36 bucks round trip for a car, driver, and one passenger.
 

Bear 45/70

Regular Member
Joined
May 22, 2007
Messages
3,256
Location
Union, Washington, USA
imported post

amlevin wrote:
sv_libertarian wrote:
Looks like the Captain had a firm grip on reality.
It is customary to allow the smartest one to drive the boat----at least it should be.
So what you are saying is that unless you are alone, you don't get to drive your boat?
RoflLg.gif
 

amlevin

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
5,937
Location
North of Seattle, Washington, USA
imported post

Bear 45/70 wrote:
amlevin wrote:
sv_libertarian wrote:
Looks like the Captain had a firm grip on reality.
It is customary to allow the smartest one to drive the boat----at least it should be.
So what you are saying is that unless you are alone, you don't get to drive your boat?
RoflLg.gif
No, that's why I don't own a boat.
 

Bear 45/70

Regular Member
Joined
May 22, 2007
Messages
3,256
Location
Union, Washington, USA
imported post

amlevin wrote:
Bear 45/70 wrote:
amlevin wrote:
sv_libertarian wrote:
Looks like the Captain had a firm grip on reality.
It is customary to allow the smartest one to drive the boat----at least it should be.
So what you are saying is that unless you are alone, you don't get to drive your boat?
RoflLg.gif
No, that's why I don't own a boat.
That was aimed at Steve, sv_libertarian who not only owns but lives on a boat.
 

FogRider

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2007
Messages
1,412
Location
Centennial, Colorado, USA
imported post

Bear 45/70 wrote:
amlevin wrote:
sv_libertarian wrote:
Looks like the Captain had a firm grip on reality.
It is customary to allow the smartest one to drive the boat----at least it should be.
So what you are saying is that unless you are alone, you don't get to drive your boat?
RoflLg.gif
Technically the only guy on the boat is the smartest one there.

More boat rules: the motor horsepower should never exceed the colective IQ of the crew.
 

Bear 45/70

Regular Member
Joined
May 22, 2007
Messages
3,256
Location
Union, Washington, USA
imported post

FogRider wrote:
Bear 45/70 wrote:
amlevin wrote:
sv_libertarian wrote:
Looks like the Captain had a firm grip on reality.
It is customary to allow the smartest one to drive the boat----at least it should be.
So what you are saying is that unless you are alone, you don't get to drive your boat?
RoflLg.gif
Technically the only guy on the boat is the smartest one there.

More boat rules: the motor horsepower should never exceed the colective IQ of the crew.
I though the horsepower rule was "whatever the Coastie plate says, times 3".
missingteeth.gif
 

surfj9009

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
639
Location
Spokane, WA, ,
imported post

techinally you keep the smartest of us mariners below decks in the engine rooms. The mates and captains just have to follow a line on a map, its us engineers who keep it running safe. I have seen several instances if a ship gettng beat to hell because the captain was driving.
 

BobCav

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
2,798
Location
No longer in Alexandria, Egypt
imported post

surfj9009 wrote:
techinally you keep the smartest of us mariners below decks in the engine rooms. The mates and captains just have to follow a line on a map, its us engineers who keep it running safe. I have seen several instances if a ship gettng beat to hell because the captain was driving.
AMEN Brother! 20 yeas in aUSN Engine Room making 7.5 MW of electrical power, 100,000 Shaft HP and over 1,000,000 ft lbs of torque - enough to make the 8900 ton USS Arleigh Burke leave a 15 ft rooster tail!
 
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